On To DC...Braves & Nationals

Atlanta begins a four game series against Washington tonight. Even after beating the Brewers 2/3 the Braves still remain beind the Brewers and 6 games out of the Wild Card. Well this team hasn't been able to keep up a winning pace, and so we stick around the 5-6 game back mark. For the remainder of August, Atlanta plays 7 games against the Nats, 3 apiece against Florida, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. All the teams with the exception of the Marlins are below the Braves in the wild card standings. The Marlins currently hold a 1/2 lead above Atlanta. The good part about this is that the Braves will not be facing the upper echelon of the National League. It's simple, Atlanta wins twelve of the next sixteen and we remain in the hunt, but if we win eight out of sixteen we end up walking in place and the season could be over. Here are your probables:

Mon: James (4-3 4.69) vs. Ramon Ortiz (9-9 4.60)

Tues: Cormier (2-3 6.12) vs. Astacio (2-2 5.56)

Wed: Smoltz (10-5 3.41) vs. Traber (2-1 5.14)

Thurs: Barry (0-1 7.71) vs. Bergmann (0-0 7.62)