It's the Braves...Again

It's the Braves...Again It's the Braves...Again

Atlanta -- Chipper Jones must think every team breaks out the champagne at this time of year.

Ever since the third baseman came to Atlanta in 1995, the Braves have finished on top of the NL East.

"I'm kind of spoiled myself, being in this position so much," Jones said Monday night after the Braves clinched another division title with a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. "But I cherish every one of them."

So does Tom Glavine, though for a different reason. While he has been a part of every division championship in Atlanta's unprecedented streak of seven in a row, he also was around before the Braves started winning in 1991.

"It's a tremendous accomplishment, particularly for Smoltzie (John Smoltz) and I," said Glavine, who picked up his 19th win in the clinching game. "We're the only two guys who've been here since the late '80s, when we were losing 100 games a year.

"If you had told us then that we would win seven straight division titles, we would have said you were crazy. But here we are," he said.

The Braves became only the seventh franchise among the four major sports to win seven straight division titles. The NBA's Boston Celtics (1957-65) and Los Angeles Lakers (1982-90) lead with nine in a row.

Publicly, Monday night's victory didn't seem much different than the 95 that came before. The Braves lined up between first and second for their customary handshakes, cheered on by a crowd of 33,367, the second smallest at Turner Field since May 28.

Inside the clubhouse, though, the revelry picked up. Everyone donned championship caps and T-shirts, then began spraying the room with champagne and beer. For good measure, someone brought a carton of eggs, which were cracked over Glavine's head while he conducted a live television interview.

"We don't like to show off in front of the other teams or anything, but in here, in our hearts and in our guts, we sure do," manager Bobby Cox said. "We've got every right to be celebrating. It's fun. It's what we set out to do."

Actually, it's just the first step in what the Braves set out to do. Division titles have become rather blase; only a second World Series championship in the '90s will make this season a true success.

The next goal is securing home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs. Before Tuesday's games, the Braves were tied with Houston for the best overall record in the league with San Diego only one game behind.

"We've still got that other carrot in front of us," Cox said. "We'll try to win every game. It doesn't mean the regulars will play every game, but we'll get everybody in some."

Jones said the home-field advantage is "huge," even though the Braves have played well at Turner Field (51-25) and on the road (45-30). It may be more important to keep San Diego and Houston from having an extra game at home since the Astros were 52-23 at the Astrodome and the Padres 53-22 at Qualcomm Stadium.

The Braves' primary concern, though, is getting rested and healthy for the postseason, particularly the pitching staff. Greg Maddux has been bothered by a muscle strain under his right arm, Denny Neagle hasn't pitched since Septrmnrt 1 because of a sore shoulder, and set-up man Rudy Seanez has a slight muscle pull in his left arm.

The bullpen is a major concern, especially if the injury prone Seanez doesn't improve. In the final three innings Monday, Atlanta used a 43-year-old (Dennis Martinez), a rookie left-hander (John Rocker) and a former independent league pitcher (Kerry Ligtenberg).

"I'm just trying to give the last bullet I have," Martinez said. "When I come in from the bullpen now, I'm definitely thinking this could be the last pitch I ever throw in my life."

The Braves have improved since a closed-door meeting last week in Montreal, winning four of five after a 2-8 skid that allowed Houston and San Diego to contend for the best overall record.

In the clinching game, Atlanta beat a mediocre team but one of the league's better pitchers, Curt Schilling.

"A lot of guys treated this game like the games we're going to have in the playoffs," Glavine said. "We played solid defense and did the kind of things you need to do to win tight ballgames.

"That's what you're going to see" every night during the playoffs, he said.

By Paul Newberry, The Associated Press

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