Atlanta Braves

The experts have spoken. The Atlanta Braves are the best of the playoff teams. The bookies have made them the favorites to get to the World Series and win it. Some sports pundits already talk of them as one of the great teams of all time.The experts just never learn.As always, they ignore that strange, mysterious and almost-always fatal malady known as the Ex-Cubs Factor.Regular readers of this column know about the Ex-Cubs Factor. But bear with me as I explain it to newcomers.Twelve years ago, a Chicago sports nut named Ron Berlerstumbled across an amazing statistic.

The Orioles have agreed to terms with free agent right-hander Jair Jurrjens on a one-year deal, according to a report from CBSSports.com. According to the report, the former Atlanta Braves pitcher will receive a major league deal worth $1.5 million and could earn up to $4 million with incentives. He was non-tendered by the Braves this offseason after earning $5.5 million in 2012. Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette did not immediately return a text message late Thursday night.

Good morning -- Atlanta Braves -- So you're renting Mark Teixeira? Orioles fans wonder if you're interested in a sublet.

Former Orioles pitching coach Leo Mazzone talks about the biggest mistake of his career - bolting the Atlanta Braves to become pitching coach for the Orioles under old friend Sam Perlozzo. ( For more, go to baltimoresun.com/schmuckblog)

Former Orioles pitching coach Leo Mazzone talks about the biggest mistake of his career - bolting the Atlanta Braves to become pitching coach for the Orioles under old friend Sam Perlozzo. ( For more, go to baltimoresun.com/schmuckblog)

Meet Tom GlavineTom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves has won 91 games over the past five seasons. That's more than any major-leaguer. His ERA in April was 1.06 -- the best in the National League.After high school, Tom was drafted by the Atlanta Braves and the NHL's Los Angeles Kings. Tom chose baseball over hockey. "I thought my chances of having a long sports career would be better as a pitcher, " he says. "Pitchers don't get bodychecked by rugged defensemen!"WHAT'S THE CALL; BASKETBALL BOOSTThe Ravens are leading the Redbirds in the fourth quarter of a high school basketball game.

ATLANTA -- They showed the now hard-to-believe graphic on the scoreboard last night at Turner Field while Russ Ortiz was warming up before throwing his first pitch as an Oriole. In 2003 as a member of the Atlanta Braves, Ortiz won a National League-high 21 games. That same season, Tim Hudson won 16 games for the Oakland Athletics with a tidy 2.70 ERA. Three years later, on a humid night here, they were two veteran pitches, relying on stuff not good enough to consistently get major league hitters out. Inside Tejada's games-played streak reaches 1,000.

BASEBALLAmerican League * California Angels -- Signed Ed Hockenbury (catcher).* Cleveland Indians -- Sent Tim Costo (first baseman), Jose Escobar (infielder), Barry Jones (outfielder) and Jesse Lewis (catcher) to their minor league camp for reassignment.* Toronto Blue Jays -- Designated Rick Trlicek, Nate Cromwell, Bob Wishnevski (pitchers), Carlos Delgado (catcher) and Chris Weinke (third baseman) for reassignment.National League * Atlanta Braves -- Optioned Keith Mitchell (outfielder) to Greenville of the Southern League.

BaseballOrioles -- Re-signed OF Brady Anderson to a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year.Atlanta Braves -- Agreed to terms with P Mike Birkbeck on a one-year contract.Cincinnati Reds -- Signed free-agent P Jeff Brantley, who had been with the San Francisco Giants, to a one-year contract; assigned P Kevin Wickander to Triple-A Indianapolis.Colorado Rockies -- Signed free-agent P Mike Harkey to one-year contract.Kansas City Royals -- Added 3B Gary Gaetti to the major-league roster; claimed OF Tom Goodwin on waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A winless season and poor attendance ended the dream for officials of the Raleigh-Durham (N.C.) Skyhawks, and the World League of American Football team shut down yesterday.It is now the property of the WLAF, and the possibility remains that the team could be moved -- possibly to WashingtonBut Fairfax, Va., businessman Jim Speros, who is spearheadingthe Washington bid, said he would rather have an expansion franchise than an existing team that went 0-10 in its debut season.* JACKSONVILLE: The president of an organization formed to lure a NFL expansion team here resigned after being charged with offering an undercover officer $40 for oral sex. Arthur "Chick" Sherrer, a spokesman for the group but not a prospective owner, denied the charge.

Two down - sort of, anyway - and now one more essential move to go. The Orioles traded their most expensive and accomplished veteran, Miguel Tejada, to the Houston Astros in December for five prospects to trigger a much-anticipated rebuilding effort. And it looks as if soon they might finally send ace Erik Bedard, pending approved physicals and blood oaths, to the Seattle Mariners to complete Step 2 of the three-pronged improvement plan. Once the dust settles on this Bedard mess - and there hasn't been this much dust swirling around the printed word since John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath - the Orioles will have five more players in the fold for now and the future.

Andy MacPhail's first non-waiver trade deadline as Orioles president came and went yesterday afternoon without any completed deals, leaving him with a bittersweet feeling. "It was fun. I enjoyed it," said MacPhail, who took over the Orioles' reins in June. "I think if you are not in uniform, this is about as much fun as you can have in the game. I think the only thing that was a little disappointing is that we weren't able to do anything." During an unusually quiet day around the league, MacPhail said he never came close to making a deal.

Good morning -- Atlanta Braves -- So you're renting Mark Teixeira? Orioles fans wonder if you're interested in a sublet.

When you're the Atlanta Braves and you win year after year, the postseason is expected. When disappointment finally happens, as when Atlanta's record-run of 14 consecutive National League East titles was broken last year, the fall -- and the Fall -- can be pretty hard. "It's tough. When you have been there consistently every year and not to be in it last year, it was a heartbreaker," Braves center fielder Andruw Jones said. "But this is the life [other players] go through. And you need to make adjustments."

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Lounging cross-legged in an overstuffed chair at the Bright House Networks Field complex, Pat Gillick couldn't look much more comfortable. It's the preseason. The annual blather about hope springing eternal hangs in the thick Florida air. And Gillick again is leading one of baseball's most talented teams. "I think we've got a shot," Gillick said of his 2007 Philadelphia Phillies. "I think we have a very good starting staff and if we can beef up the bullpen a little bit, I think we can be OK."

While Orioles fans grow continually disillusioned with the performance of their team and a faction has pleaded with owner Peter G. Angelos to sell the club, another maligned owner of a struggling franchise may very well jump ship this year. Kevin McClatchy, the Pittsburgh Pirates' chief executive officer and managing general partner, has been noncommittal on whether he will sell his control of the team, which just clinched its 14th straight losing season. "I've said that I'll comment on my situation after the season," McClatchy said.

Slashing a crowd into a frenzyIn Atlanta, it's the tomahawk chop. In Greenville, N.C., the latest rage is the saber slash.The new move is in anticipation of 20th-ranked East Carolina's big day today, a showdown with No. 23 Pittsburgh. And, much like fans of the Braves, Pirates backers will be armed with purple or gold plastic foam sabers, hoping to help cut up the Panthers for a sixth straight victory."Unbelievably fantastic," bookstore owner Don Edwards said of sales of the sabers, which have reached 3,000 in three days.

* Minnesota Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett had 18 triples and four home runs in his first two seasons in the major leagues. In his past two seasons, he has three triples and 43 home runs.* Puckett was one of six major-league players with 500 or more at-bats and no triples last year. The others were Joe Carter, Gary Gaetti, Edgar Martinez, Omar Vizquel and Ken Caminiti.* Nine Orioles had higher on-base percentages last year than Toronto Blue Jays leadoff man Devon White, who recently signed a rich three-year contract with the Florida Marlins.

It looked over. It had to be over. The longest division title winning streak in professional sports appeared to be finished last month. There was little hope. Then came July. And, amazingly, the light began flickering again at Turner Field. Although the Atlanta Braves likely won't win the National League East again this season, it no longer is a slam-dunk certainty that they'll miss the postseason. That, in itself, is impressive. "People have been giving up on us for the last four years and we have proved them wrong," Braves center fielder Andruw Jones said.

ATLANTA -- They showed the now hard-to-believe graphic on the scoreboard last night at Turner Field while Russ Ortiz was warming up before throwing his first pitch as an Oriole. In 2003 as a member of the Atlanta Braves, Ortiz won a National League-high 21 games. That same season, Tim Hudson won 16 games for the Oakland Athletics with a tidy 2.70 ERA. Three years later, on a humid night here, they were two veteran pitches, relying on stuff not good enough to consistently get major league hitters out. Inside Tejada's games-played streak reaches 1,000.