~JB @ The Launching Pad

Just before I start.

Chip, I don’t hate Mike Hampton. I don’t think he’s a bum. I don’t blog just so I can rip him apart every time I’m alerted to yet another one of his startling and bewildering injuries. Now I’ve had some fun at Mike Hampton’s expense but that’s just because his injuries are so comical.

Mike Hampton is just a complete anomaly. His many explanation-defying injuries are just fodder for bloggers (like me) because it gives us something to talk about. And as much as it disappoints me that his comeback is happening in July rather than in April against the Pirates, I’ve gotten to the point where all I can do is laugh-and I do- at how strange it all is. I mean something like this is too good of a story to just ignore because it defies logic, all expectations, and is just plain bizarre. It’s more bizarre than Frenchy’s inexplicable trip to Mississippi and back that didn’t even last the fortnight it was supposed to. It’s more bizarre than our road record and one run loss mishaps at the beginning of the year. But that’s just been our season. Bizarre. A tale of two teams, a swath of moves that I just don’t get, and now Mike Hampton… in all his ironic beauty, is going to pitch in a crucial series coming off a night that the Braves actually looked very good.

So speaking of two Braves teams, which team showed up last night in Philadelphia?

Was it the team that had been swept twice at home by the Phillies?

The team that had just headed to Miami after dropping a weekend series loss at home to the Natspos?

No, it was the team that some how manages to win ballgames by very large margins and have explosive run production rather than the team that has almost been no-hit twice and shut more times that I want to go find the stat for.

Last night was a great win for many reasons. McCann homered twice and one of those shots was a nail in the coffin, sayonara, man-its-good-to-have-McCann-type, grand slam as part of a 7 run ninth inning in which every Brave hit.

And Jurrjens… He was just on last night. The 2008 NL ROY got his 10th win but check out his line in Philly: 8 IP, 6 K’s, 0ER, 3 H’s. I love you, Jair.

The Mets won again last night keeping us at 6.5 by today’s 3:55pm start. Boo hoo.

And yes as we mentioned earlier Mike Hampton is slotted to start today’s game. And if the Braves are going to have any serious thoughts about baseball beyond September, this series (and thus this game and/or tomorrow’s) is a must win.

But the Braves don’t have to just play great baseball from here on out. They need two things. To play exceptional baseball and Mets Collapse (Version 2.8). But they also need the Phils to keep playing the way they have lately and they need the Marlins to just finally bite it. (So four things).

Folks, the Wild Card ain’t coming out of the NL East so just get that naughty little thought out of your head (for those of you who like to say “Well there’s always the Wild Card”- bull hockey!). The Wild Card will be a Central team for sure and so in the East it’s do or die. If we can manage even getting back within 3.5 games back by our next Mets series (Auguest 19-21) we can control our own destiny. IF.

I said after the All Star Break that the Braves magic number is 44. They need at least 44 wins until the end of the season (and also the aforementioned choking of three other teams) to even have a prayer. So far the Braves are 4-3 since the start of the second half. It’s less likely that the Mets will fall apart two seasons in a row even if the Braves do get hot. But let’s put it this way. They’d have to get very hot and against some pretty good teams over the next month.

The Brewers, Two Cardinals’ series, and the Cubs, are in our near future. Even the .500 NL West leading Diamondbacks are not going to be easy. The only “push over” we have are the Giants but like the Nats I’m afraid they wouldn’t mind playing spoiler. And depending on which Braves team shows up in San Francisco… they could.

Here’s irony for you as we close. What if Mike Hampton gets a win today? If there ever was going to be a turning point and it’s July 26th, how suiting would it be if Mike was part of the Miracle? Because nothing short of a Miracle will keep us in this.

Your thoughts?

Keep Choppin’

PS I still have Mike Hampton’s backup ready if Bobby needs him.