Despite the fact they are in first place in the NL East, in the heat of an exciting pennant race, and in manager Bobby Cox's final season, the Braves have drawn less than 20,000 fans to each of their past two home games.
What does that say about Atlanta's fans? You decide.
Cox is wasting no time in getting young Freddie Freeman into the lineup. With a right-hander on the mound for the Mets, the 20-year old left-handed hitter will be hitting in the six spot Wednesday.
With early news that Atlanta's future first baseman makes his debut tonight, it will be interesting to see how many fans show up at Turner Field tonight.
Mike Pelfrey and Tommy Hanson, two hurlers with high hopes surrounding them, appear to be heading in opposite directions entering Wednesday's meeting between the Braves and Mets.
Hanson, 24, is 0-5 in his past 10 starts for the Braves and hasn't won since July 3. His latest rough performance came on Aug. 27 against the Marlins, when he gave up four homers in a 7-1 loss.
Prior to that outing, Hanson had gone 47 2/3 without allowing a long ball and had surrendered just eight all season.
Hanson's counterpart, Pelfrey, 26, has tossed four straight quality starts for the Mets. In that span, he's completed at least seven innings in each outing, including eight innings in the past two starts.
Pelfrey, who endured a dead-arm phase earlier in the year, did not earn a winning decision between June 25 and Aug. 10.
Hanson's stats against the Mets show likelihood of a bounce-back outing.
He's 1-1 against New York in three starts, with an ERA of 1.02. In 17 2/3 career innings against the Mets, he's struck out 22.
The Braves announced Wednesday that tickets for the National League Division Series will go on sale Thursday, Sept. 9 at 10 a.m.
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Additional source from MLB.com
Mike Pelfrey has been one of few bright spots for the Mets.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt