Battle of the Mikes: Braves/Reds

Battle of the Mikes: Braves @ Reds- Monday 21 May 2012 @ 7:10 EST

Nathan A. Hellweg 20MAY2012

Received this card, one of many, from the Dutch Card Guy

The Atlanta Braves (26-16):

Mike Minor has a 7.06 ERA and is 2-3 on the season.

Minor has averaged a 12.56 ERA with 14 Ks, in his last three starts pitching a total of 14.1 innings.

It has yet to be decided if Chipper Jones will be in tonight’s lineup.

The Braves are 19-5 with Chipper, and 7-11 without him.

Mike Minor has given up 27 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings.

Michael Bourn averages .313 against Mike Leake

Martin Prado averages .500 against Mike Leake

Brian McCann averages .400 against Mike Leake

The Braves are 10-7 at home and 16-9 on the road.

As of today the Braves have scored 216 runs and allowed 176.

The Braves have outscored the Reds offense by 61 runs and have allowed 21 more runs than the Reds’ defense.

The NL East Picture: The Atlanta Braves are currently on top of what is arguably the most difficult division in the league and possibly baseball all together. The Nationals have had some trouble handling the hot Baltimore Orioles  and the same can be said about the Braves and the Rays. The Nationals visit the Phillies tonight who are still contenders with a 21-21 record, surprisingly last in the division. Not bad when the last place team is sitting at .500.

Other games that matter:  The Nationals are starting Gio Gonzalez tonight, he brings a 2.22 ERA to the mound and a NL leading 60 strikeouts. All-star Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco is probable to start tonight after a mild ankle sprain that has kept him out for four games. Polanco is a career .300 hitter batting .335 against Gio Gonzalez.

The Cincinnati Reds (21-19):

Mike Leake currently has a 6.21 ERA and is 0-5 on the season.

Mike Leake has averaged a 5.63 ERA with 12 Ks in his last three starts pitching a total of 16.0 innings.

Ryan Ludwick averages .667 against Mike Minor

Wilson Valdez averages 1.000 against Mike Minor.

No other Reds player has faced him recently.

The Reds are 9-8 at home and 13-11 on the road.

As of today, the Reds have scored 155 runs and have allowed 155 runs.

The Braves outscore the Reds by 61 runs but have allowed 21 more runs.

The Reds help give the Braves the NL East lead by defeating the Washington Nationals 9-6 on May 13^th.

The NL Central Picture: The Reds are only 0.5 game behind the reigning World Series Champions. The Cardinals are currently first place in the NL Central with a record of 22-19. The Cardinals are kicking off a series against the San Diego Padres who are 16-26 but are on a two game winning streak. The Cardinals recently bowed to the Dodgers as the Cardinals are looking to snap a 4 game losing streak.  The Reds just rolled into Cincinnati after a grueling 2 game series against the Mets and a 3 game series against the Yankees. The Reds took 3 of the 5 games on the road last week, beating the Yankees back-to-back propelled the club into a 2 game winning streak that they hope to carry into tonight’s matchup.

Other games that matter: The Cardinals go into tonight’s game without Lance Berkman, who has yet to get an MRI done in St. Louis. Matt Adams fresh from AAA is manning first base and is producing hits on his debut.  Former Reds and current Padre first baseman Yonder Alonso is heating up offensively and now hitting .293 leading NL rookies in the category