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Surprise: Braves heading back to NLCS
Updated: Saturday October 13, 2001 5:19 PM
ATLANTA (AP) -- The Braves sort of like this underdog role. Few can figure out how they made it back to the NL Championship Series -- not even the team they just swept in the first round of the playoffs. "Honestly, I felt like we had a better team than the Braves," Houston Astros manager Larry Dierker said. "They were without their guy who started at first base, without their guy who started at second base, without their catcher, without their shortstop." Atlanta has revamped three-fourths of its infield since midseason. Rafael Furcal, the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year, went down with a shoulder injury; Rico Brogna and Quilvio Veras were released. Also, catcher Javy Lopez has a sprained ankle and may not play at all in the postseason. "We've had so many changes, a tough time finding our identity, finding consistency," said Tom Glavine, a member of all 10 playoff teams. "I don't know how many people expected us to do much in the postseason, let alone sweep the first series and get back to the NLCS. But we've done it." Atlanta signed 40-year-old (at least) Julio Franco to play first, called up rookie Marcus Giles at second and traded for shortstop Rey Sanchez. Lopez was hurt with a week to go in the regular season. Journeyman Paul Bako took his place and came through big in the final game against the Astros, homering and driving in three runs in a 6-2 victory Friday. "Even though the guys they brought in did a good job for them, I think they're a much more dynamic team when they've got Lopez behind the plate and Furcal playing shortstop," Dierker said. "I felt like we caught them at a good time." Instead, the Braves routed the Astros in three straight, advancing to the NLCS for the ninth time in 10 years. Atlanta will face either Arizona or St. Louis in the best-of-seven series, which opens Tuesday. Throughout the past decade, the Braves got used to the idea of being favored to reach the World Series, which they have done five times since 1991. That's not the case this year. Atlanta had just 88 regular-season victories -- fewest among playoff teams -- and was 40-41 at Turner Field, becoming the first team to reach the playoffs with a losing record at home. Again, the Braves will go as far as their pitching carries them. Starters Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Burkett allowed just four earned runs in 20 1/3 innings against the Astros. Starter-turned-closer John Smoltz finished all three games, his fastball clocked as high as 99 mph. Manager Bobby Cox went with a three-man rotation in the opening round, but plans to bring back Kevin Millwood (7-7, 4.31 ERA) as the No. 4 starter for the NLCS. The right-hander wasn't on the 25-man roster against Houston, making a start in the Florida instructional league to remain sharp. The hitting is more questionable, even though Atlanta batted .303 with six homers in the three-game rout of the Astros. The Braves seem to have gotten hot at just the right time. "At a crucial time in the game, I expect one of our hitters to get a base hit," Chipper Jones said. "I think everybody does. That's what happens when you have the kind of momentum and confidence we have." Jones was 4-of-9 with two homers and five RBIs against the Astros, but others came through, too. Franco, listed as 40 but thought to be several years older, went 4-for-13, including a homer and two runs in Game 3. "Forty-three, 44, 45 -- it doesn't matter," said Franco, who spent most of the season in the Mexican League. "I went to Mexico with the attitude and the enthusiasm to see if I could make it back to the big leagues. And I did." Lopez, limited to batting practice during the first round of the playoffs, is doubtful for the NL Championship Series and perhaps the World Series, should the Braves make it that far. Don't bet against them. "Those guys are pros and they're used to winning," Dierker said. "They didn't really give us anything. They played the tough baseball that the Braves are noted for."
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