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Series Preview: Miami Marlins visit the Atlanta Braves

Three games at lovely Turner Field and one at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

What do you mean we suck?
What do you mean we suck?
Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

Good news: When this series ends, there will only be one more series (in September) for the Marlins (41-37) left to play in Turner Field. And, as a bonus cherry on top, the last game of the series will be played in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. That game will be played in a 12,500 person capacity stadium that is being funded by MLB and the player's association and was built specifically for this event. It should be a pretty unique atmosphere, playing in front of a raucous crowd of troops just ahead of the fourth of July.

The Braves (26-52) probably wish they could play the Fish all the time, going 6-2 against them to this point...they'd be well above .500 if they did. Maybe.

The law of averages finally got to the Phillies in June and brought them back down to Earth as anticipated, now it's time for the law of averages to get the Braves. They continue to be the same inferior team they've been all season long, their record against the Marlins not withstanding. It's past due for the Marlins to put them in their place, and what would be sweeter than doing it in the house of horrors known at Turner Field?

Opponent snapshot

Atlanta Braves

Offense

NL Rank

Pitching

NL Rank

Record

26-52

R/G

3.28

15th

ERA

4.33

8th

NL East

5th

OBP

.301

13th

FIP

4.17

10th

Last 10

4-6

SLG

.337

15th

BB/9

3.39

9th

Streak

L3

SB%

67.74%

7th

K/9

7.81

8th

Since playing the Marlins a week ago, the Braves have split a four game series with the Mets in New York and were swept by a fast rising Cleveland Indians squad.

They own a -107 run differential to date, good for third worst in baseball (ahead of the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins). The pitching overall has gotten incrementally better but the offense has stagnated as one of the worst in the game.

To be completely honest, nothing would be more uplifting for me this season then to see the Marlins utterly destroy the Braves in four games. It would taste like justice. The way things have gone, however, I think we'd all be pretty satisfied with a split.

Hot Braves Hitters (last seven days, minimum ten PA)

Jace Peterson - .357/.400/.536

Nick Markakis - .357/.345/.536

Ender Inciarte - .308/.375/.308

Cold Braves Hitters (last seven days, minimum ten PA)

Erick Aybar - .200/.304/.200

Emilio Bonifacio - .200/.294/.200

Adonis Garcia - .148/.148/.407

Probable Pitching Match-ups

  • Thursday June 30th 7:10 pm ET: Wei-Yin Chen vs. Mike Foltynewicz
  • Friday July 1st 7:35 pm ET: Justin Nicolino vs. Julio Teheran
  • Saturday July 2nd 4:10 pm ET: Jose Fernandez vs. Bud Norris
  • Sunday July 3rd 8:00 pm ET: Adam Conley vs. Matt Wisler

Old Friends

Former Braves: Martin Prado ('06-'12), Chris Johnson ('13-'15)

Former Marlins: Emilio Bonifacio ('09-'12)

View From The Opposing Side

Check out our interview with Talking Chop's Demetrius Bell from earlier in the season.

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