[Image: Yahoo! Sports]

ESPN is reporting that Mark Teixeira has already been dealt to the Angles:

The July 31st, trading deadline is rapidly approaching. With the Braves continuing to fall further and further back of the NL East leading Mets, the Braves will be sellers for the first time in a while. But what parts do the Braves have that they can sell and what can they get for those parts?

Just when things couldn’t get worse…

The Braves opened their series against the Cardinals on Monday night, and frankly, I don’t know what their intentions were. After blowing the two games on Saturday and Sunday, and the announcement of Chipper and Hudson being sent to the DL, they were unable to rebound and dropped another game in grand fashion to put them 7.5 back from first.

[Image: Yahoo! Sports]

(Image: Yahoo! Sports)

The series that began against Philadelphia on Friday night is being proclaimed as one of the most important series in the remainder of the season. It is seen as a ‘must-win’, where a sweep would be entirely beneficial. The Braves started out on the right foot and were able to beat down the Phillies to win the opener.

(Image: Yahoo! Sports)

In the past few years, there’s been two teams that the Braves should be readily able to beat, but somehow always seemingly find a way to lose. When these two teams, the Reds, and the last place Nationals, play the Braves, the game no longer becomes enjoyable. It becomes frustrating, aggravating, and all the things that a baseball game shouldn’t constantly be. Sunday afternoon’s game was one of those games, and the Braves subsequently lowered their record against the Nationals to 4-6. During a time where it seems like every single other team in the division is winning, the future is beginning to look a little bleak.

Well, all good things must come to an end, right? The Braves snapped their 3-game winning streak with a loss on Saturday night against the Nationals. This came as a result of the pitching staff’s poor performance and the failure on part of the offense to get more than a few runs to cross the plate. The outcome is a series that is tied at one game each.

Chalk up another win to the board, the Braves have won three straight with their victory over the Nationals on Friday night. That may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but the last time it happened was a little under two months ago. Even more rare, although it’s probably just coincidence, but they actually won a one-run game. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come? I friggin’ hope so.

Ha! Nobody thought they’d be able to do it, but for the first time in more than 2 weeks, the Braves have put together a winning streak with their win over San Diego on Sunday night. This puts them at 45-50 entering the break, and now 6.5 out of first. If this offense can stay consistent, this team might have a real shot.

Well, the predictions we made for this game were wrong. Really wrong. We expected the Braves to get shut down by Maddux, like the second coming of Cy Young. That didn’t happen, and the Braves were able to even the series up at 1 game apiece.

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The Atlanta Braves are in a tough situation.  They’re 6 games under .500 and dealing with injuries across the board.  Several stars the team was depending on are underperforming and there’s no fire in this team’s belly.

I apologize for the lateness of this recap, but sometimes it’s hard to get excited enough to write about this team. Wednesday’s rubber match against the Dodgers was one of those games. The offense once again proved feeble, and dropped another one in an almost pathetic fashion.

I’m getting more and more convinced that this team has some sort of a multiple-personality disorder. One night, they’re getting 1-hit by a pitcher with a sub-.500 record. The next, they’re pouring on the runs. Fortunately, tonight was the latter, and the Braves walked away with a solid win with strong performances by mostly everyone.

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Well, just when I was about to give up on the season, the Braves reel me back in.

While traveling to the Mississippi Braves game last night, a friend and I were listening to the game and we turned it off when Ty Wiggington hit a grand slam to give the Astros a 5-1 lead. When we got to the park, we were surprised to learn the Braves had tied it up. While at the park, the M-Braves gave updates of the game every half inning.

Where to begin a recap for a team that does not deserve one?

(Image: Yahoo! Sports)

(Image: Yahoo! Sports)

June is over. Interleague play has ended. Chipper and Kotsay are back. Yet, despite this, the Braves are still running into trouble, particularly against the Phillies, who are now 6 - 1 against them on the season. Something needs to be done or this team will have more and more trouble regaining their footing.

(Image: Yahoo! Sports)

This was one heck of a game. Jurrjens had the game of his career. Blanco did some good work in the lead off spot. Tex finally is swinging a hot bat. All and all this equaled a easy win for the Braves and the hurting Braves need every one they can get till (at least until a few of) their players get healthy.