ATLANTA — There were injuries, some serious. Milestones were reached. There were all those one-run loses. Heck, manager Bobby Cox even held a closed-door meeting. And we're only at the All-Star break. Yes, it has been quite a season for the Braves.
A look back on just how much has happened:
 BRANT SANDERLIN/Cox News Service Mark Teixeira , center, celebrates with teammates, Kelly Johnson, left and Greg Norton following his game winning hit in the 17-inning marathon against the Houston Astros July 6, 2008 at Turner Field. For a larger, high resolution image, click HERE |
March 30: Braves lost season-opener when Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman hit two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning.
March 31: Braves lost home-opener after scoring five ninth-inning runs when Pirates' Xavier Nady hit three-run homer in 12th inning. Scott Spiezio is signed to minor-league deal.
April 3: Mike Hampton is scratched from what was to be his first start in 31 1/2 months. He strained the left pectoral muscle in his chest warming up. He has been on the disabled list since. Braves lost to Pirates in game reliever Chris Resop played left field for one batter.
April 5: Kelly Johnson hit grand slam to lead Braves over the Mets.
April 6: After starting season on disabled list, John Smoltz made his first start and beat Mets' Johan Santana.
April 8: Top prospect Jordan Schafer was suspended 50 games for use of human growth hormone. Braves lost to Rockies, fifth in eight games — all one-run defeats.
April 9: Closer Rafael Soriano put on disabled list with elbow tendonitis after pitching twice against the Mets. Chipper Jones strained quad muscle against Rockies, an injury that nagged him the entire first half.
April 10: After losing three games to Rockies, the final game of the series postponed due to snow.
April 12: Jeff Francoeur homered twice and drove in seven runs in win over Nationals. The homers are 22 percent of his total at the break. The Braves released Scott Spiezio.
April 13: Tom Glavine faced just four batters — without recording an out — and left with a strained right hamstring in a one-run loss to Nationals. Chuck James sent to Class AAA to work out control issues after one start.
April 15: Reliever Peter Moylan placed on disabled list.
April 16: The Braves lost another one-run game (0-7 on the year) as Tim Hudson lasted just three innings with loss of velocity.
April 17: Manager Bobby Cox held a closed-door meeting and Braves beat Marlins 8-0.
April 18: Tom Glavine placed on disabled list — the first time in his career — with hamstring injury. Chipper Jones went 3-for-5, including two homers, to raise average to .455.
April 19: Chuck James returned to replace Tom Glavine and got win over the Dodgers in the return of Andruw Jones to Atlanta.
April 22: John Smoltz recorded 3,000th career strikeout. It came against the Nationals' Felipe Lopez, the fourth of his 10 strikeouts in game Braves lost 6-0.
April 27: John Smoltz admitted to pain and that he would have his shoulder checked after he lasted just four innings, allowing two home runs, in loss to Mets.
April 29: John Smoltz placed on disabled list with inflammation of the rotator cuff and a biceps tendon. He said he would consider returning to the bullpen.
April 30: Mike Hampton aggravated injury in rehab start.
May 4: Bobby Cox said he expected reliever Peter Moylan to have season-ending elbow surgery, one day after throwing just seven pitches in bullpen session.
May 8: Braves defeated Padres, 5-4, for first one-run win of the season after losing nine straight. The win was Braves' sixth straight, their longest win streak of the season to date.
May 12: Braves split double-header in Pittsburgh. The win gave them a 5-14 record on the road, the worst in baseball. They were 14-4 at home, the best in baseball.
May 14: Tom Glavine got first win, the 304th of his career. It came eight months after his last win — which came as a Met.
May 18: John Smoltz admitted to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his shoulder injury could keep him out "a lot longer."
May 20: Braves swept double-header from Mets. Jorge Campillo got first major league win, starting Game 2. Jeff Francoeur's streak of 370 straight games played ended as he got a rest after hitting .258 with three homers and 26 RBIs.
May 21: After day off, Jeff Francoeur homered and drove in four runs as Braves beat Mets. They completed four-game sweep the next day.
May 23: Bobby Cox signed one-year contract extension to manage through 2009.
May 26: Braves defeated Brandon Webb and the Diamondbacks to end an 8-3 homestand. The win moved the Braves to five games over .500 (28-23, .549), their highest percentage for the remainder of the first half.
May 27: Matt Diaz placed on disabled list with strained ligaments in left knee.
May 29: Braves beat Brewers and end 18-inning scoreless streak. Rafael Soriano returned and said he felt "all right." John Smoltz threw two innings in rehab assignment in Class A Rome.
May 30: Braves lost another one-run game, this time to the Reds. They fell to 2-15 in one-run games (0-12 on the road). After he missed four games with a sore back, Mark Kotsay put on disabled list.
May 31: Braves lost another one-run game to Reds, this one in 10 innings. John Smoltz pitched one inning for Class A Rome and was expected back in two days.
June 1: Braves end 1-5 road trip with loss to Reds. Tim Hudson left game in seventh inning with hamstring injury.
June 2: John Smoltz returned to bullpen, after five weeks on disabled list, for the first time in 44 months. He blew a save, allowing two runs in one inning. Braves won on Yunel Escobar's 10th-inning homer.
June 4: John Smoltz announced he will have season-ending shoulder surgery, possibly ending his career. To make matters worse, the Braves lost to Marlins when Manny Acosta allowed two two-run homers in the ninth inning.
June 5: Chipper Jones hit 400th home run of his career, becoming baseball's 43rd member of the 400-home run club. The milestone came in the sixth inning against Marlins, a two-out solo shot to right field.
June 6: One out away from a win over Phillies, Kelly Johnson dropped a pop fly that resulted in the tying run scoring in the ninth inning. The Phillies scored twice in the 10th and the Braves had the potential tying run thrown out at the plate. Closer Rafael Soriano was unavailable to pitch the ninth after experiencing pain warming up.
June 8: Braves swept in series by Phillies. It was first time Braves were swept at Turner Field this season. They finished 3-4 at Turner, the first losing homestand of the season.
June 10: Tom Glavine placed on disabled list – for the second time this season and his career – after an MRI revealed tendon damage to his elbow after he allowed four runs and four walks in three innings of a loss to Cubs. The Braves fell below .500 at 32-33. John Smoltz underwent shoulder surgery that revealed extensive damage.
June 11: Braves lost to Cubs after Jeff Bennett started in place of Jair Jurrjens, who sprained his ankle on the clubhouse steps the night before.
June 13: Braves called up Charlie Morton to start against Angels. He won his major-league debut.
June 18: Braves scored three ninth-inning runs and Mike Gonzalez, who returned to the majors the day before, recorded the save in a 5-2 win over Rangers.
June 19: Chipper Jones went 0-for-4 against Rangers and average (.394) dropped below .400 for the first time in 10 weeks. He has not gone over the .400 mark since.
June 20: The Braves lost to Mariners as Chipper Jones re-injured his quad muscle and Yunel Escobar strained a hip flexor. Both missed several games.
June 24: The Braves lost another one-run game, 4-3 to Brewers, for their 12th loss in 18 games. Yunel Escobar is ejected for arguing after getting caught in double play.
June 25: Jorge Campillo had two hits in win over Brewers. Yunel Escobar missed game with a shoulder injury suffered the day before when caught in double play.
July 1: The Braves lost first of a three-game series against Phillies at home. One day after he said there is a "distinct" chance he will go on disabled list, Chipper Jones returned to lineup after missing eight games with quad injury.
July 2: Braves lost another game to Phillies as slumping Jeff Francoeur went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and grounded into a double play. He was booed.
July 3: Braves get swept by Phillies. After the game, Jeff Francoeur was sent to Class AA Mississippi after hitting .234 on the season. The assignment was to be for a maximum of 20 games.
July 6: Braves scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to force a tie with Astros and win it in the 17th inning on Mark Teixeira's bases-loaded single. The 17 innings are the most at Turner Field and the game took 5:35 plus a nearly two-hour rain delay. Braves put three more players on the disabled list — Omar Infante, Manny Acosta and Jeff Bennett.
July 7: Jeff Francoeur's minor-league stint lasted just three games (where he went 7-for-13) and he joined the team in Los Angeles. The Braves lost to Dodgers as Mark Teixeira's double is the only hit that prevented a perfect game.
July 8: Braves signed relief pitcher Julian Tavarez. It's his third team this season.
July 9: Braves nearly no-hit for the second time in three days in loss to Dodgers. Jeff Francoeur's homer was one of team's two hits.
July 14: Braves take two of three from Padres to enter the All-Star break five games under .500 (45-50) and 6 1/2 games out of first place in the NL East.
— Compiled by Chris Vivlamore, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. E-mail: cvivlamore AT ajc.com.
