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Minutiae Break: The Lost Continent of Atlanta

I did some out of this world travel earlier this season, paying a visit to a locale that hasn't been on an American map since 1991. It seems that at some point that spring, the locals sank into the earth, never to be seen by outsiders again, except with special permission by those who schedule such trips. This place has been a rather unpleasant visit for most, though this native New Yorker was satisfied for two out of the three days he spent on foreign turf.

Occasionally for those unable to travel, through the magic of metal tubes, we are granted the ability to view this world, one in which things are rather backwords, from a great distance. It's beings have names like Chipper and they spell common names oddly (Andruw?). They make odd motions with their hands, the kind you'd expect from people holding a meat cleaver, uttering chants as they do so.

Should you choose to venture to this lost land this weekend, either via the magic of metal tubes (or radio waves), we want you to be fully armed with the proper information. Thus, we are here to tell you...

* The Mets all-time regular-season record in Atlanta is 112-152 (postseason record 2-3), but consider that that is a heck of a lot better than their record on the road against the Milwaukee Braves (5-31)

* The Mets are 2-1 in Atlanta in 2006, a good start considering they were 9-28 there from 2002-2005

* The Mets haven't swept a series of 3 or more games in Atlanta since a 4-gamer from July 4-7, 1985. They haven't swept a series of exactly three games since August 14-16, 1979.

* The Mets have lost the season series to the Braves 8 seasons in a row, and that's partly because they haven't had a winning record in Atlanta in any of those seasons (best effort: 5-5 in 2001). The last time the Mets had a winning record in Atlanta for a season was 1992, when they went 4-2 (but they were 1-5 at home).

* The Mets went 0-for-Atlanta in 1 season (1998, 0-6). They also went 0-for Milwaukee in 1965 (0-9)

* The most wins that the Mets have ever had in Atlanta in a season is 5, done 6 times, most recently in 2001.

* The first time the Mets ever scored 20 runs in a game was in Atlanta (20-6 win on August 7, 1971). That was their biggest win ever in Atlanta. Their biggest loss in Atlanta happened 40 years ago (17-1, June 16, 1966).

* Since the Braves began their run of success in 1991: Mike Piazza has the most Mets home runs there (13, 7 more than David Wright) and the most Mets RBI there (32, 15 more than Edgardo Alfonzo).

* Among Mets with at least 25 plate appearances in that span, Lance Johnson has the highest Mets batting average in Atlanta (.368, 7 points better than Tim Bogar). The lowest batting average for a position player is Joe Orsulak's .158

* The most wins by a Mets pitcher in Atlanta since 1991- a rather meager 3, shared by Rick Reed, Al Lieter, and Steve Trachsel (Trachsel's 7 losses are the most by a Met). The best record in that span: 2-0, by David Cone, Greg McMichael and Kevin Appier (worst record: 0-5 by the good Bobby Jones).

* The most saves in Atlanta in that span: 6 by Armando Benitez and John Franco, but the two also combined for an 0-6 mark there.

* Since 1991, Mets starters have totalled 2 shutouts in Atlanta. They were thrown by David Cone and Al Leiter.

* Tom Glavine was 10-2 against the Mets in Atlanta since 1991. Greg Maddux was 12-3. Neither will be pitching for the Braves this weekend.

* Chipper Jones is a .357 career hitter with 18 HR and 61 RBI at home against the Mets, with 105 hits in 83 games. That's the most HR and RBI against the Mets in Atlanta, since 1991, by a large margin, but 5 players have a higher batting average than Chipper's. The top two: Sid Bream (.429) and Mark De Rosa (.409) will not be playing for the Braves this weekend.

* The Mets have never had a walk-off win in Atlanta, but you probably already knew that. They have had 30 walk-off wins against the Braves (24 against the Atlanta Braves and 6 against the Milwaukee Braves).

True Metlantis' know...The first walk-off loss in ATLANTA Braves history took place against the Mets on April 17, 1966, as the Mets won 5-4 on Ron Swoboda's walk-off walk.
(thanks to Baseball Musings Day BY Day Database for some of the info listed above)

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