Baseball Guru
05-23-2003, 08:20 PM
Game Info: 7:35 pm EDT Fri May 23, 2003
TV: WPIX, WTBS
May 23, 2003
The Atlanta Braves have spent much of the past five seasons getting the best of the New York Mets.
The Braves will look to continue that domination as they welcome the Mets to Turner Field for the opener of a three-game set.
Atlanta has won 47 of 75 meetings with New York over the past five years, including 12 wins in 19 games in 2002.
The Braves ended their 10-game, three-city road trip with a 9-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep. Javy Lopez slammed two homers to help the Braves finish with seven wins on their trip and retain the best record in the majors.
The homers by Lopez gave him six in 12 days and 10 this season, tops among catchers and just one shy of his 2002 total.
``Javy's a firecracker, and Vinny (Castilla) is swinging the bat extremely well,'' Chipper Jones said, referring to his catcher and third baseman. ``Rafael Furcal and Marcus Giles continue to set the table, and (Gary Sheffield) continues to mop it up. When we get good pitching, we're usually successful.''
This season's first meeting between Atlanta and New York lacks its usual drama, as the Mets are closer to last place in the NL East than they are to the front-running Braves.
However, New York has played better of late, thanks mostly to Cliff Floyd. The veteran outfielder has done his best to fill the offensive void created by the injury to Mike Piazza.
Floyd homered for the third straight game Thursday in a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. He has 10 homers this season, including four in the last five games and six in his last 11.
The Mets improved to 4-1 since Piazza went on the disabled list with a Grade 3 strain of his groin, which is expected to sideline him for at least two months.
However, despite the Mets' recent success, they come into this series with the NL's worst overall batting average at .244, worst road average (.236) and the highest bullpen ERA (5.44).
STANDINGS: Mets - 4th place, 11 GB, NL East. Braves - 1st place, NL East.
METS PROBABLE STARTER: Steve Trachsel (2-2, 4.50 ERA). The veteran right-hander has won back-to-back starts, and is coming off his best effort of the season. He allowed one run and four hits over eight innings in a 5-1 win at San Francisco on Saturday. He has struggled against the Braves in his career, going 6-9 with a 5.17 ERA in 18 starts.
BRAVES PROBABLE STARTER: Russ Ortiz (6-2, 3.18 ERA). Ortiz is 5-0 in his past six starts, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each. He's 6-1 with a 3.04 ERA in eight career starts against the Mets.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Mets - Piazza, .333 avg.; Floyd, 10 HRs and 28 RBIs; Roberto Alomar, 24 runs and 5 SBs. Braves - Sheffield, .353 avg.; Andruw Jones, 11 HRs and 41 RBIs; Furcal, 44 runs and 9 SBs.
2002 SEASON SERIES: Braves, 12-7.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Mets - RHP Armando Benitez has allowed four hits, no runs and four walks over his last 13 1-3 innings, spanning 12 appearances. ... 2B Alomar is 22-for-69 (.319) with two home runs and 11 RBIs in his last 20 games. ... LHP Mike Stanton has a 13.50 ERA over his last six appearances, allowing six earned runs and 10 hits in four innings. Braves - OF Chipper Jones is hitting just .160 (4-for-25) in his career against RHP Trachsel. ... Atlanta leads the all-time series 241-229. ... OF Andruw Jones is hitting .379 (11-for-29) with three home runs and eight RBIs in his career against RHP Trachsel.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Mets - 8-15 on the road; Braves - 15-7 at home.
INJURIES: Mets - C Piazza (groin), 15-day DL; INF Rey Sanchez (thumb), 15-day DL; INF Mo Vaughn (knee), 60-day DL; OF Jeromy Burnitz (hand), 15-day DL; RHP David Cone (hip), 15-day DL; LHP John Franco (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Scott Strickland (groin), 15-day DL; RHP Grant Roberts (oblique), 60-day DL. Braves - RHP Paul Byrd (elbow), 15-day DL.
TV: WPIX, WTBS
May 23, 2003
The Atlanta Braves have spent much of the past five seasons getting the best of the New York Mets.
The Braves will look to continue that domination as they welcome the Mets to Turner Field for the opener of a three-game set.
Atlanta has won 47 of 75 meetings with New York over the past five years, including 12 wins in 19 games in 2002.
The Braves ended their 10-game, three-city road trip with a 9-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep. Javy Lopez slammed two homers to help the Braves finish with seven wins on their trip and retain the best record in the majors.
The homers by Lopez gave him six in 12 days and 10 this season, tops among catchers and just one shy of his 2002 total.
``Javy's a firecracker, and Vinny (Castilla) is swinging the bat extremely well,'' Chipper Jones said, referring to his catcher and third baseman. ``Rafael Furcal and Marcus Giles continue to set the table, and (Gary Sheffield) continues to mop it up. When we get good pitching, we're usually successful.''
This season's first meeting between Atlanta and New York lacks its usual drama, as the Mets are closer to last place in the NL East than they are to the front-running Braves.
However, New York has played better of late, thanks mostly to Cliff Floyd. The veteran outfielder has done his best to fill the offensive void created by the injury to Mike Piazza.
Floyd homered for the third straight game Thursday in a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. He has 10 homers this season, including four in the last five games and six in his last 11.
The Mets improved to 4-1 since Piazza went on the disabled list with a Grade 3 strain of his groin, which is expected to sideline him for at least two months.
However, despite the Mets' recent success, they come into this series with the NL's worst overall batting average at .244, worst road average (.236) and the highest bullpen ERA (5.44).
STANDINGS: Mets - 4th place, 11 GB, NL East. Braves - 1st place, NL East.
METS PROBABLE STARTER: Steve Trachsel (2-2, 4.50 ERA). The veteran right-hander has won back-to-back starts, and is coming off his best effort of the season. He allowed one run and four hits over eight innings in a 5-1 win at San Francisco on Saturday. He has struggled against the Braves in his career, going 6-9 with a 5.17 ERA in 18 starts.
BRAVES PROBABLE STARTER: Russ Ortiz (6-2, 3.18 ERA). Ortiz is 5-0 in his past six starts, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each. He's 6-1 with a 3.04 ERA in eight career starts against the Mets.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Mets - Piazza, .333 avg.; Floyd, 10 HRs and 28 RBIs; Roberto Alomar, 24 runs and 5 SBs. Braves - Sheffield, .353 avg.; Andruw Jones, 11 HRs and 41 RBIs; Furcal, 44 runs and 9 SBs.
2002 SEASON SERIES: Braves, 12-7.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Mets - RHP Armando Benitez has allowed four hits, no runs and four walks over his last 13 1-3 innings, spanning 12 appearances. ... 2B Alomar is 22-for-69 (.319) with two home runs and 11 RBIs in his last 20 games. ... LHP Mike Stanton has a 13.50 ERA over his last six appearances, allowing six earned runs and 10 hits in four innings. Braves - OF Chipper Jones is hitting just .160 (4-for-25) in his career against RHP Trachsel. ... Atlanta leads the all-time series 241-229. ... OF Andruw Jones is hitting .379 (11-for-29) with three home runs and eight RBIs in his career against RHP Trachsel.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Mets - 8-15 on the road; Braves - 15-7 at home.
INJURIES: Mets - C Piazza (groin), 15-day DL; INF Rey Sanchez (thumb), 15-day DL; INF Mo Vaughn (knee), 60-day DL; OF Jeromy Burnitz (hand), 15-day DL; RHP David Cone (hip), 15-day DL; LHP John Franco (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Scott Strickland (groin), 15-day DL; RHP Grant Roberts (oblique), 60-day DL. Braves - RHP Paul Byrd (elbow), 15-day DL.