Braves fans, who do you want in the first round?

[chillzatl]

I think the cubs are pretty much out of it at this point. They'd have to win the next two against us while SF and Houston both lose their next two games. And that would only get them a Three way tie.

So out of houston and LA, who do we want to play? Who gives us our most friendly matchup.

Personally I'm not too afraid of either of them. But if I had my pick, I would take Houston. We've always taken care of them in the playoffs and I think we're hands down the better team this year.

[Plainview1981]

The Dodgers don't have all that much... Seems like

they'd be the more easy to play but you honestly

don't know these days. Are the Dodgers and Giants

really talented playoff teams? It don't seem that

way...The Giants have Micheal Tucker batting 3rd

and Marquis Grissom batting 5th? That isn't all

that great....Ray Durham is decent but nothing

all that good.

[cyman3]

i dont really mind if we face Houston, LA, or SF

but i just hope that the team thats playing ST LOUIS wins against ST LOUIS.

[CBAreject]

I mean, who in his right mind would want to face a Roger Clemens on a mission to rescue this season? The only pitcher I fear more right now in a big game is Curt Shilling (all deference to Johan Santana who is still young).

I want the Dodgers. I wouldn't put any faith in Jeff Weaver and Jose Lima. The Dodgers are unstable right now.

The only way I would want Houston is if they have to burn Clemens in the last game of the season or in a tiebreaker game. That way, we'd only draw him once in a 5 game series. If we draw him twice and still have to face Oswalt, I'm not too excited about that.

Of course, you left out one scenario: The Giants can still win the division, and I wouldn't put it past them considering how determined that team is right now. We could draw the Giants in the first round with St. Louis facing LA. Facing Barry in a 5 game series is scary, too. What if he hits 5 HR in the first 3 games. It happens.

I also consider the Cubs just too long a shot. They'll be eliminated today.

[Plainview1981]

I also consider the Cubs just too long a shot. They'll be eliminated today.

"

Underachieving team

Sosa/Rameriez/Alou/Lee/Patterson and Micheal Barrett. That

is an aweful lot of talent right there. THen you have Maddux/

Mike R/Hawkins/Wood and Prior... And Dusty Baker as a manager? How do you not make the playoffs and a team like the Giants

do? Unachievers. The thing is that now the fans are upset

since they got a taste of winning last year.

[cyman3]

definitely underachieving... however, werent INJURIES like a big obstacle for them?

and sammy, at one point, batted towards the MIDDLE-END of the batting order?

wood/prior being injured left and right

they had their share of problems

[Guest]

Yeah, they probably underachieved but can you imagine what would've been if Wood and Prior had repeated last year's success? They won 89 games as is. I think they'd have broken 100 with a healthy Prior and Wood. Yikes! Two 100 win teams in the same division? Has that happened since the Braves and Giants had that great race in '93?