While watching the Braves' 4-0 loss to the Giants tonight, I fell asleep in the sixth inning. I had a dream about the game, and, like most dreams, it was completely random and illogical. But, it was so vivid it's almost like it actually happened. Forgive me if this is silly, but I just had to share what happened with you, because, were it to be possible, it would be one of the best baseball games I have ever watched.

I think I must have been subconsciously harboring a lot of guilt for doubting and making fun of several members of the team. Specifically, Rick Ankiel, Alex Gonzalez, Troy Glaus and Kyle Farnsworth. These players all redeemed themselves in my dream and I think I needed to see them succeed. Even though I criticize their baseball-playing ability, deep down I must really admire their character and tenacity. I mean, hey, it takes courage to be Alex Gonzalez. To walk up to the plate, with millions of people watching, and to pretend like you know what you are doing with the bat in your hands. It takes courage to fail every single time, to know you will never hit a baseball again and, yet, still walk up to the plate. If I was Alex Gonzalez, I wouldn't even get out of bed in the morning.

Some of the details are a little fuzzy, but I specifically remember 10 completely crazy things happening:

1. Tommy Hanson gives up 4 runs in the first two innings, Matt Cain looks solid and the Braves still win. We all knew the game was over in the second inning. I haven’t even looked at the box score yet, but I know the game ended 4-0.

2.      In the sixth inning, the Braves scored a run. This is when I realized I was dreaming. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I fell asleep knowing the Braves would become the first team in postseason history to not score a run. If any of you are still holding out hope of scoring a run in Game 3, well, you are naïve.

3.       In the eighth inning Melky Cabrera came up big, sort of. With runners on first and third and no outs, he hit a weak grounder to third. I know that seems like it could actually happen, but in that situation you just want contact, because even a double play scores a run. Therefore, in this situation, Melky Cabrera always strikes out.

4.      Later in the eighth, Alex Gonzalez, 2 for his last 42, hit a 2-run, game-tying double. Before I fell asleep Don Sutton, without sarcasm, wondered if Gonzalez’ eyesight was OK. He seriously wondered if the man could see straight. There certainly has not been any evidence lately that he can. So, I really doubt this could ever happen, either. Wouldn’t it be awesome, though, if the Braves worst hitter right now (and boy is THAT saying something) came through with a hit like that?

5.       Extra innings, tied game and Troy Glaus came in to play third, a position he only played 2 innings at all season, and a position his knees won’t allow him to play anymore. Were this to actually happen, we know what the outcome would be. Glaus would fall over trying to field a routine ground ball and the winning run would score.

6.      But that isn’t what happened in my dream. Glaus made the defensive play of the year. There have been better plays made, but given the situation, it was the most important play. With the bases loaded, he snagged a sharply hit grounder, and, without hesitation, started a 5-4-3 double play with a very quick and surprisingly accurate throw to Omar Infante. The throw was slightly off the mark, but Infante adjusted beautifully and made a great turn and throw. Going home would have been the easy, safe and maybe even smart play. But, it was my dream and that is the way I wanted it to happen. Two defensive heroes: Troy Glaus and Omar Infante.

7.      Rick Ankiel hit the game-winning home run. And he killed the pitch.

8.      Kyle Farnsworth came in and somehow did not give up the game-winning home run. Cody Ross was even the last batter of the game with a chance to win it. Farnsworth ended up pitching 1 2/3 pretty good innings. When I woke up, one of the first things I thought about was how Gonzalez, Ankiel and Farnsworth were all acquired in mid-season, highly-criticized trades.

9.       The Braves’ defense in my dream was pretty darn good. Infante and Conrad both had good games defensively. The one thing in my dream which seems like it could actually happen was that Derek Lee made several great picks at first base.

10.  Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus, Alex Gonzalez and Kyle Farnsworth were heroes. They carried the team while Jason Heyward and Tommy Hanson struggled.

The 2010 Atlanta Braves have a long list of problems: Season-ending injuries to Chipper Jones, Kris Medlen and Martin Prado have weakened the starting rotation and starting lineup. Jair Jurrjens, who was struggling before he got hurt, may also be done. The starting pitching staff has struggled in September. Finally, the team is struggling to score runs.

But, none of these often cited problems has actually been the Braves' biggest problem in 2010. At the top of the list should be rotten luck. Luck, as has become apparent by mounting statistical evidence, is about the most important factor in baseball. And it hasn't been on the Braves' side this season.

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It is apparent the 3-4 Braves will finish the season 69-93, a whopping 70 games back of the 139-23 Phillies. Bobby Cox's last season will be a disaster. The time to panic is now.

It is not hard to see why the Braves will lose 93 games. It starts at the top of the lineup, where the team's leadoff duo not only will fall far short of the Mendoza line, they will both flirt with "the Melkly line," which will be coined when Melky Cabera finishes the season batting .103. It looks like McClouth will fare slightly better, hitting .118.

Not only will the middle of the lineup not have much to work with in terms of base runners, Chipper Jones, apparently, will miss 3 out of every 7 games. Omar Infante will have to start 69 games, which would not be a disaster were he not to have an OPS of .572, which these first seven games tell us he undoubtedly will.

Troy Glaus, the right-handed, middle-of-the-lineup savior who the Braves were counting on to reinvigorate the 5-whole will hit no home runs. The Braves should probably see if Craig Wilson is busy this summer. Yunel Escobar, hitting only .207 with no home runs, looks like he probably needs some more minor league seasoning. Matt Diaz will be a part-time player, but when he does play, he'll be almost a full-time out with an OPS of just .462.

There are some positives on the offensive side, of course. Martin Prado will become the first player to hit .500, so that will be exciting. As for Jason Heyward, apparently the hype was warranted because he will hit 69 home runs and drive in 208, which must be some sort of rookie record. Brian McCann will hit 46 home runs. But, that Melky line thing will cause him to only drive in 69 runs.

If you think the Braves superior pitching is going to save a struggling offense, you stopped watching the Braves Saturday, because things have changed dramatically since then. Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson and Kenshin Kawakami will all pitch well, but will not win any games. That’s right. None. No wins from three fifths of the starting rotation. Derek Lowe will set an all-time, totally unbreakable record with 46 DLWs (Derek Lowe Wins), which will help. But, poor Jair Jurrjens. Not only will he not win any games (make that four fifths of the rotation without any), unlike Hanson, Hudson and Kawakami, he will look extremely bad whilst winning none. In fact, his 8.64 ERA should get him demoted to Gwinnett or even released. Maybe the Braves could trade him to whatever beer league team Craig Wilson is playing for and fix their first base situation.

Peter Moylan will be a bright spot in the bullpen, giving up no runs all season. And, his 23 wins will give him serious Cy Young cred if voters look past 46-game-winner Derek Lowe’s 4.50 ERA. But, half those games Moylan and Takashi Saito (also finishing with a 0.00 ERA) will set up for Billy Wagner will be blown.

</sarcasm> JoJo Reyes sucks.

<sarcasm> No, this season will not be what we pictured. Watching Jason Heyward set the all-time RBI record will provide some fun moments, but when a full two thirds of the team’s wins are Derek Lowe Wins, I suspect most fans will check out by July. About the time Craig Wilson shows up.

The reported signing of Rafael Furcal has re-ignited the rumors, which never really went away, about the Braves imminent trade for Jake Peavy. This trade once made a great deal of sense for the Padres and the Braves.

It no longer does.

Many people immediately assume the acquisition of Furcal, assuming it is made official in the next few days, makes a trade for Jake Peavy more likely. I would argue the exact opposite. 

First, two assumptions:

1)I'm assuming Yunel Escobar would be involved in any trade for Peavy. I just can't imagine the Padres being willing to accept a package of minor-leaguers for Peavy when they have made it clear they are prepared to keep him on the roster for at least the start of the 2009 season.

2) I'm also assuming Yunel Escobar and Rafael Furcal have similar value. Over two seasons, Escobar has hit .303, with a .373 OBP and a .420 slugging percentage. Furcal, over 9 seasons has hit. .286, with a .352 OBP and a .412 slugging percentage. They have similiar contact, on-base and power numbers. Furcal steals more bases, although it's unclear how much his back problems will affect his base stealing in the future. The two are essentially equal defensively.

While Furcal has a more proven track record, he is also much more of an injury risk than Escobar. Given Escobar may have room for development, especially in the power department, I think you could make a solid case Escobar is the more desirable player baseball-wise.

The rest of proposition comes down to mathematics. When thinking about the Bracve perusing Jake Peavy, ask yourself how much sense the following scenario makes:

The Braves give Furcal $10 to replace Escobar who will make very little in 2009 and 2010. He'll be arbitration eligible in 2011, the last year of Furcal's guaranteed 3-year deal. Then, they trade Escobar and three other prospects for Peavy, who makes $15 million a year.

If you consider Escobar and Furcal interchangeable, what you have is the Braves giving up three prospects in order to pay an additional $25 million per year for Jake Peavy's services.

Jake Peavy is a good pitcher. Probably one of the 10 best in the game. But he is not worth $25 million per year. If the Braves intended to spend that much on a pitcher, they could have out-bid the Yankees for CC Sabathia and not had to give up three prospects to acquire him.

The Furcal signing, to me, is proof the Braves no longer have interest in Peavy.

I'm not saying Escobar or Kelly Johnson won't be traded, but it won't be for high-priced starting pitcher or outfielder. The Braves just spent the money they hoped to allocate to Peavy on Furcal. What might make sesne is trading Escobar or Johnson for a young power-hitting outfielder or a young starting pitcher such as Zack Greinke or Paul Maholm.

Or, the Braves could keep both of them and trade for a young power-hitting center-fielder using prospects.

It simply doesn't make sense to sign Furcal to replace Escobar in order to trade Escobar for a high-priced veteran. Even If the Braves had that kind of money to throw around, they would going after Sabathia and Texiera, not trading prospects and adding $25 million to the payroll in order to bring in Peavy.