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Braves-Diamondbacks NLCS capsule
Posted: Monday October 15, 2001 7:36 PM
Updated: Tuesday October 16, 2001 1:02 PM
Pitchers | Hitters | Matchup Breakdown | Big Picture
| Atlanta Braves |
W-L: 17-11
ERA: 3.05
Vs. ARI: 0-2, 10.03 |
W-L: 16-7
ERA: 3.57
Vs. ARI: 1-0, 1.29 |
W-L: 12-12
ERA: 3.04
Vs. ARI: 1-0, 1.00 |
W-L: 7-7
ERA: 4.31
Vs. ARI: 0-1, 2.25 |
| Team pitching statistics |
| Arizona Diamondbacks |
W-L: 21-6
ERA: 2.49
Vs. ATL: 0-1, 3.38 |
W-L: 11-8
ERA: 3.36
Vs. ATL: 1-0, 3.00 |
W-L: 22-6
ERA: 2.98
Vs. ATL: 1-0, 0.00 |
W-L: 4-7
ERA: 4.00
Vs. ATL: 2-0, 0.64 |
| Team pitching statistics |
Pitchers | Hitters | Matchup Breakdown | Big Picture
Pitchers | Hitters | Matchup Breakdown | Big Picture
| Matchups |
Braves:
Watch out for a big series from Chipper Jones, who hit .417 against Diamondbacks this year. He has been at his best against Arizona's best. He is 9-for-21 with 6 career HRs against Johnson, and 14-for-44 with 4 HRs off Schilling. Jones is also 5-for-12 off Batista, the Game 2 starter.
Maddux walked two batters intentionally in 9-1 loss to Arizona at home on Aug. 12, snapping his NL-record streak of 72 1/3 innings without a walk. Maddux lost both starts to Arizona this season and all three he has made in his career in Phoenix.
Millwood, who didn't make the division series roster, has dominated Arizona in his career with 4-1 record and 1.66 ERA. Has held Williams (0-for-15), Gonzalez (2-for-15), Bell (2-for-13), and Womack (5-26) in check.
Burkett pitched 3-hitter to win 9-0 at Arizona on April 27.
Diamonbacks:
Schilling beat Braves 9-0 on Aug. 10 to start Diamondbacks on three-game sweep at Atlanta. Arizona outscored Braves 19-2 in the series.
Johnson has struggled against Atlanta with a 3-4 record and 5.17 ERA. ... Counsell batted .429 for Florida in NLCS win over Atlanta in '97.
Braves have had success against sidearming righty closer Kim, scoring 10 runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Sanders batted .232 with 11 homers in his only season with the Braves last year.
Arizona wants Grace to get a chance in the late-innings against Smoltz. Grace is a .348 career hitter with 6 HRs in 66 ABs against the Braves' closer.
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Pitchers | Hitters | Matchup Breakdown | Big Picture
| Atlanta Braves |
After first-round playoff loss last year to St. Louis, Atlanta is back in NLCS for ninth time in 10 seasons. Won five of the previous nine trips but have only one World Series title to show for it.
Andruw Jones (.500, 1 HR) and Chipper Jones (.444, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs) carried the offense in first-round sweep against Houston.
Became the first team in major league history to make the postseason despite a losing record at home. Went 40-41 at Turner Field.
Manager Bobby Cox's team has captured 10 division championships in a row, unprecedented for an American sports franchise. NBA's Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers only other teams to win nine straight.
Struggled much of the season with anemic offense that scored just 729 runs, 71 fewer than last season and lowest among playoff teams.
Only postseason team to win fewer than 90 games.
Once again, its hopes rest on a pitching staff that led NL with 3.59 ERA.
Maddux struggled in final month, going 0-4 with 3.95 ERA in last seven starts -- his longest stretch without a win since 1991. Got no-decision in only first-round appearance.
Smoltz was savior from bullpen, where he moved in late July after two stints on DL with elbow pain. Replaced closer-by-committee arrangement that followed June trade of John Rocker to Cleveland. Got two saves in opening round.
Franco, the 40-something first baseman, had only one at-bat in the majors since 1997 until signing with Braves on July 31 from Mexican League. Hit .308 against Houston.
Three-fourths of infield has changed since spring training. 1B Rico Brogna retired, 2B Quilvio Veras released and SS Rafael Furcal had season-ending shoulder surgery.
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| Arizona Diamondbacks |
Schilling carried the Diamondbacks into NLCS, winning opener against St. Louis 1-0 and decisive fifth game 2-1. Schilling has pitched three straight complete games in postseason.
Schilling and Johnson had one of the best seasons that two pitching teammates ever have had. Their combined 665 strikeouts is a major league record. Schilling was 13-1 after an Arizona loss, Johnson 10-2.
Schilling is known as a big-game pitcher, dating to his performance against the Braves when he led Philadelphia to the World Series in 1993. However, Johnson has lost a major league record seven straight postseason decisions.
The Diamondbacks were playing their best baseball at the end of the regular season. Womack and Finley have been especially effective at the plate. Womack had the series-clinching hit against St. Louis and Finley hit .400 in the series.
The team is loaded with players in their mid-to-late 30s, so the window of opportunity for the franchise will close soon. The veterans are hungry. Of all the players on the roster, only Counsell has a World Series ring.
Often overlooked is Arizona's defense. The Diamondbacks led the NL in fielding percentage.
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| Things To Look For |
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Little Unit. After Schilling won the clincher in the first round, Johnson will get the Game 1 start against Atlanta. The Big Unit has been anything but in the postseason, losing a record seven straight decisions.
What a relief. Atlanta likely would have won more than one World Series out of nine postseason trips with a more reliable bullpen. Smoltz might be the answer. He closed all three games against Houston with two saves.
Bottom of the rotation. Diamondbacks will need a strong start from someone other than Johnson and Schilling. Batista won key third game against St. Louis, but Lopez lasted three innings in fourth game.
Behind the plate. Braves catching situation up in the air as Lopez is trying to come back early from a sprained ankle. Atlanta could use his bat against Arizona. |
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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