Harris finaly falling back to earth?

Sadly it looks to be true. After his last 10 games his average has fallen over 30 points (.383-.351). During this bad streak Harris has no extra base hits and 4 SBs, 3 of which came in one wonderful game Vs. Florida on the 30th. Now some would say this is a slump, I say this is reality. Harris has looked a little over matched as of late against pitchers everyone and their brother is hitting. Do i think this swoon will continue? Of course not. Harris is a scrappy hitter with a decent eye (6 walks in that period) but much of the time when he's hitting the ball it seems to make it's way feebly to a infielder. Perhaps he's playing hurt?

Either way Harris finds himself with his platoon job in jeopardy as Diaz is raking for power and average. In the same 10 games Diaz has seen his average CLIMB 12 points (.340-.352). He also has a pair of doubles in that stretch and 5 RBIs. KJ is also raking raising his average 14 points (.274-.288) with again a pair of doubles and 4 RBIs and 9 runs scored. What's amazing about that last bit is that he's scoring at a 56.3% clip when he gets on base. That's ridiculous. Harris has 5 runs scored in this span at 62.5% rate, but one of those was pinch running so the actual rate is 50% over a much smaller sample. Last but not least Escobar is raking too. In his last 10 games (of which 4 he was a pinch hitter or runner) he has raised his average 45 points (.264-.309) has 5 doubles, with 5 RBIs 8 runs and 2 stolen bases. This is easily more productive than any of the other 3 in his last 10 games.

Let me put it this way, if Bobby is a stat head he would sit KJ and Harris and let the LHP side of the platoon hit some vs. righties. Or, just give Diaz the job in LF, trade either Escobar or Rent for some pitching with the other playing short and let KJ play 2b. That way we field a stable order and get another pitcher. Bloody logjam.

Braves drop a heartbreaker in 10

After an hour and a half rain delay chased both starters in the middle of the 4th Oscar Villarreal played the villain and yielded 3 runs in the space of 2 batters. It was all cruddy from there on until the 9th when the braves put men on 2nd and 3rd after a wild pitch from Gregg and Escobar worked a tremendous at bat for a 2 run single. But that was the last offense the braves would get after Wickman and Soriano each gave up runs to drop the braves to 43-39 and still 4 games back after a Mets loss.

WP: Gardner (2-2)
LP: Soriano (2-1)
BS: Wickman

HR: A Jones (13, 7th inning off M Lindstrom); J Hermida (7, 4th inning off O Villarreal), M Olivo (7, 9th inning off B Wickman)