Clinging to Life: Atlanta Braves' Chances for 2009 Are Slim, but Alive

It's make-or-break time for Atlanta. Interleague play and an outbreak of injuries has crippled many NL East teams. Interleague play didn't shake up the division as badly as it could have, but playing teams from the opposite league has kept things rather close in the NL East. It's starting to become a four-horse race for the division, and the Braves, albeit barely, are hanging in there. Every team in the NL East appears to be succumbing to "June Swoons." Most of this is caused by injuries and interleague play. The Mets are playing without Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and J.J. Putz. The Phillies are also down in their pitching. Atlanta has escaped with minor flesh wounds for injuries. Both Nate McLouth and Yunel Escobar were out in the last series with Boston but are expected back tomorrow in the series opener with Philadelphia. The Braves did fairly well in interleague play, putting up a 7-8 record but are only 10-15 for the month of June, hardly any better than the 2006 ... (link)