First-place Braves resume series with Brewers

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07/16/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With rookie sensation Jason Heyward back in the outfield for the Atlanta Braves, things may get a bit easier for the current National League East leaders. Tonight Heyward and the Braves will resume a four-game series versus the Milwaukee Brewers at Turner Field.

Heyward had been hampered by an injured left thumb and saw action last night for the first time since June 26. In the 2-1 triumph over the Brewers, Heyward went 0-for-4 at the plate, but made two key defensive plays in the field. He even collided with the right-field wall while chasing down a fly ball hit by Casey McGehee in the fourth inning.

"I didn't feel dizzy," Heyward said on the team's site. "It happened so quick that I couldn't even tell you what happened. I took a minute to catch my breath."

Martin Prado and Chipper Jones both homered, while Brian McCann and Troy Glaus ended with two hits apiece for Atlanta, which is five games ahead of New York and 5 1/2 games in front of Philadelphia in the division standings. Jair Jurrjens earned the win by holding Milwaukee to a run over 6 2/3 innings before Peter Moylan, Jonny Venters and closer Billy Wagner prevented any more damage. Wagner fanned two batters in the ninth for his 21st save.

Tommy Hanson gets the nod for the Braves Friday and he is 8-5 with a 4.13 earned run average in 18 starts this season. Hanson did not record a decision the last time out in a 4-2 victory against the Mets on July 9, as he delivered 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts.

Hanson, a right-hander, will try to beat Milwaukee for the second time this season after throwing eight shutout innings and striking out eight in an 8-2 win over the Brewers on May 10 at Miller Park. He is 1-1 with a 3.43 earned run average in three career starts against Milwaukee.

The Braves, winners in five of their last six games, will also host San Diego on the current homestand.

Milwaukee entered the All-Star break fresh off a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates and had its winning streak cut short with Thursday's close loss. Dave Bush was the tough-luck loser, as he yielded a pair of runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings.

"I felt good about the way I threw," Bush said. "Both pitches (for home runs) were mistakes, probably not the only two mistakes, but the two I got hurt on. Besides that, I was happy with the way I threw the ball."

Corey Hart accounted for the only offense with a homer and finished with a team-best two hits for Milwaukee, which lost for the sixth time in nine tries.

The Brewers will also visit the Pirates for four games following their lengthy set in Atlanta. Taking the ball for Milwaukee on Friday will be Randy Wolf, who is 6-8 with a 4.56 earned run average in 19 starts this season. Wolf did not record a decision in Sunday's 6-5 win over the Buccos, as he was reached for four runs and seven hits in six innings.

Wolf, who is 4-4 in nine road starts in 2010, has faced Atlanta plenty of times from his days with the Philadelphia Phillies, but hasn't fared so well. In 27 career appearances, 25 of which have been starts, the southpaw is 4-12 with a 5.31 ERA against the Braves.

The Braves have won five straight and seven of their last eight versus the Brewers, including a three-game sweep at Milwaukee from May 10-12.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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