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More from the scouts Braves Diamondbacks Mariners Yankees The Scout's View: Braves
Sports Illustrated asked major league scouts who have closely followed the playoff teams to help prepare reports on the four clubs in the League Championship Series. The scouts were promised anonymity in exchange for their candor. Here's what they revealed. For more postseason baseball coverage see this week's issue of SI, on newsstands Wednesday, October 17.
Lineup Marcus Giles, 2B .262, 9 HRs, 31 RBIs Has good plate coverage and some home run power. Not as bad defensively as people make him out to be. Julio Franco, 1B .300, 3 HRs, 11 RBIs Bat isn't as quick as it used to be. Pitch him under the hands. Still can pop an occasional homer. Chipper Jones, 3B .330, 38 HRs, 102 RBIs Scariest guy in lineup. Can get the big hit even if not swinging well. Why throw him a strike? Brian Jordan, RF .295, 25 HRs, 97 RBIs Threatening hitter because he rises to the occasion. Excellent defensive outfielder. B.J. Surhoff, LF .271, 10 HRs, 58 RBIs His swing has slowed, but he's a veteran who grinds out at bats. Decent outfielder. Andruw Jones, CF .251, 34 HRs, 104 RBIs Dangerous if he's seeing the ball well; if he's not, he can be an easy out. Best centerfielder alive. Rey Sanchez, SS .281, 0 HRs, 37 RBIs Free swinger likes the ball up. Offensively has lots of holes. They'll pinch-hit for him. Adequate defensively. Paul Bako, C .212, 2 HRs, 15 RBIs Probably better offensively than defensively. Can be run on, especially with Maddux pitching.		Bench 3B Ken Caminiti still hits a home run once in a while, but he has a stiff body and stiff swing. Good fastballs get him out. The guy I like off the bench is 2B Keith Lockhart . He makes contact consistently and uses the whole field. Hits good pitching. I think SS Mark DeRosa is better than Sanchez. He makes better contact, catches it better and is a better athlete. Rotation Greg Maddux, RHP (17-11, 3.05 ERA) Still expert at changing speeds and throwing strikes. You can steal on him. Has been beaten in the postseason. I don't know why. Tom Glavine, LHP (16-7, 3.57 ERA) One of the guttiest guys in the game. He's like the cartoon characters who stop at the edge of a cliff -- a few pebbles go over the side, but he doesn't. Doesn't give in to hitters. John Burkett, RHP (12-12, 3.04 ERA) Turned his career around this season. Now looks like another Maddux. Sinks the ball and changes speed on all pitches. Gives Braves a chance to win almost every time out. Kevin Millwood, RHP (7-7, 4.31 ERA) Scares me because of his propensity for giving up the big inning. Stuff is good enough, though he has lost velocity. Ability to make pitches consistently is a question. Bullpen RHP John Smoltz , the closer, has explosive stuff he can throw anywhere he wants. When he gets the ball in the ninth inning, the game's over. RHP Steve Reed gets righthanded hitters out with a sweeping slider, making for a very different look before Smoltz comes in. LHP Mike Remlinger has good velocity and comes right after you. He gets out righthanders as well as lefthanders. RHP Steve Karsay's stuff is good enough to get people out, but he gives up home runs. Is it his inability to make a pitch? It's not his stuff.
How To Beat Them You can't blow the Braves out, and you can't let them get to Smoltz or you're done. You must play little ball, including stealing bases. Your starting pitching has to be good. You can't let Chipper Jones or Jordan beat you with home runs. Two or three runs might be enough to beat Atlanta.

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