BRAVES NEWS

All I'm going to say about this game is that Jeff Francoeur had four hits in one game for the first time since 2012 and Aaron Harang absolutely mystified Braves hitters for the second time this season. The less said about this game, the better.

Ah jeez, turns out I do have to talk a little bit more about the game, after all. Alex Wood didn't look good during Monday night's game against the Braves, and nobody is more aware of his struggles than the pitcher himself. I mean, he threw four straight fastballs to Jeff Francoeur. Something is not right.

"The time is now," Wood said. "I've got to make an adjustment. It's a humbling game to say the least. It's one of those things where there's no doubt in my mind that I'm going to figure it out. It's just a matter of when. I think it will be sooner rather than later." "The sinker and changeup just haven't been there, and that's my bread and butter," Wood said. "It's one of those things where when I can get that to start clicking, with whatever adjustment we're going to make between now and Sunday, that's going to be the difference-maker. It's just frustrating. I know it's going to click. It's just a matter of having it happen. That's the frustrating part."

Meanwhile, one Braves pitcher who is having good times is Shelby Miller. Even though he did get knocked around a little bit by the Reds in his most recent start, Miller has enjoyed a positive start to his Braves career. If this keeps up, then I'm sure that any Braves fan who had any doubts about the trade of the still-beloved Jason Heyward will have those concerns assuaged as Miller matures into an even better pitcher.

The homers cost Miller his first loss after three victories, but he allowed just an unearned run other than the solo homers. Miller’s improved sinker has generally kept the ball in the ballpark and he built off his second half with St. Louis while compiling a 2.17 ERA in five starts for his new team. Miller, who faces Philadelphia on Tuesday night in Atlanta, has been all the Braves could have asked for as the key part of the trade that sent right fielder Jason Heyward to the Cardinals.

Terry Godwin is a five-star football recruit who has already signed on to join the Georgia Bulldogs on a football scholarship. However, Godwin also appears to be an extremely talented baseball player, and as a result, he's been invited to a pre-draft camp that the Braves are holding. Considering this is baseball, as long as Godwin doesn't look awful then someone's probably going to take a late-round flier on him. But, as Michael Carvell says in the article, Godwin would probably be wise to stick with the pigskin.

MLB NEWS

So, Nelson Cruz is absolutely laying the smackdown on the baseball this season. He's already got fourteen home runs, and he hit #14 against the Angels during Seattle's 3-2 victory over the Angels.

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Elsewhere in the AL West, did you know that the Astros are currently 18-8? It's true! Houston is ten games over .500 right now and they're currently comfortably atop the AL West by seven games. Seriously, the Astros! They had a ten-game winning streak going into Monday night's game against their in-state rivals the Rangers, but Texas was able to cool down the Astros by beating them 2-1. Still, look at the Astros go!

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