Party Time Is Over as Braves Get Serious

The Atlanta Braves returned home early Sunday morning after partying in Chicago late Saturday night.

Of course, being in Chicago on a Saturday night is reason enough to celebrate. But the Braves were congratulating themselves for sweeping the Cubs in the best-of-five National League division series.

The Braves clinched the series in a 6-2 victory at Wrigley Field--qualifying for their seventh consecutive NL championship series.

Manager Bobby Cox permitted his players to have some fun afterward, but the Braves are getting back to business today.

They face the San Diego Padres in the championship series beginning Wednesday at Turner Field. Atlanta is eager to return to the World Series, and the Padres are standing in their path.

“The veterans on this team have been through a lot of celebrations like this before, and we know how to regain our focus real quick,” third baseman Chipper Jones said. “We don’t really celebrate too much after [the division series] because we want to take two more champagne baths before the whole thing is over.

“We’re facing another great team in San Diego, and we’re going to get right back to business [Monday]. Don’t let the fun fool you, because we’re not forgetting what we have to do.”

Pitcher John Smoltz agrees.

“We’ve been through this so many times before that we have an appreciation of what it takes to repeatedly accomplish this,” said Smoltz, tentatively scheduled to start Game 1 of the series against Padre ace Kevin Brown.

“The one thing that nobody in this organization has to be worried about is whether we’re going to be prepared. We might not always get the results we hope for, but it’s not from lack of preparation.”