ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Braves at Mets – 09/28/2002

You know, the Mets are a really bad team. I’m planning to taunt them at length sometime soon, but I just wanted to point that out.

The Braves beat them 5-2. Tom Glavine started but was held to only two innings, in which he gave up one run. Trey Hodges pitched 3 2/3, and got his second win; callup Andy Pratt also got into the game, his first career action, and John Smoltz got his 55th save.

As you might expect, the Braves had almost a spring training type situation, with a bunch of players seeing action. Chipper got his 100th RBI then left the game. Gary Sheffield, who had been used sparingly, also only played a half game, and so did Andruw; at the end of the game the outfield was Wes Helms, Darren Bragg, and Matt Franco. And Vinny Castilla had another home run. You can see this as evidence he’s going to recover his mediocrity, or maybe the general exhibition game nature of recent games means they’re not really trying to get him out. But I bet Bobby thinks he’s recovered.

Season ends tomorrow, then we’ll see the Giants on Wednesday. With Arizona and SF clinching the division and wildcard respectively, the makeup game isn’t needed.

ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Braves at Mets – 09/27/2002

Braves 7, Mets 4. The Braves got their 100th win, and the Mets clinched last place. Good day all around. Kevin Millwood got his 18th win and pitched well, going seven innings and giving up two runs. The back of the bullpen (Ligtenberg and Gryboski) gave up a run apiece and I wonder who’s in Bobby’s postseason plans.

Chipper had a two-run homer to go to 99 RBI; three batters later Darren Bragg added a two-run shot of his own. But the biggest blow was a three-run job by Javy in the sixth that put the game out of reach. Wes Helms played right field, his first start since coming off of the DL. He was 0-4 but the Braves seem determined to get him on the postseason roster anyway. I’m sure I don’t know why.

Night game tonight, Glavine versus Leiter. Then Sunday Albie gets a start!