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By JOHN ROMANO
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 17, 2001
The Braves are making a run at the NL East lead and, as usual, starting pitching has been a key component. Except, it's a new cast of characters leading the way.
Oh, Greg Maddux remains one of the game's top pitchers, but his longtime cohorts have struggled. John Smoltz and Kevin Millwood are on the sideline with injuries and Tom Glavine is having his worst season since the 1980s.
It has been John Burkett and Odalis Perez who have picked up the slack, along with youngster Jason Marquis, who recently has moved from the bullpen to the rotation in place of Smoltz. Here are the numbers from the old and new faces in Atlanta's rotation:
The old guard
(Pitcher, W, L, starts, ERA)
Greg Maddux6, 5, 14, 2.45
Kevin Millwood 1, 3, 7, 4.93
Tom Glavine 6, 5, 14, 4.95
John Smoltz 2, 2, 5, 5.76
Totals 15, 15, 40, 4.02
(Pitcher, W, L, starts, ERA)
John Burkett 6,5, 15,2.51
Jason Marquis 1,0, 1, 3.19
Odalis Perez 4,4,10, 4.47
Totals 10,9,25, 3.37
-- Compiled by John Romano.