Braves Know Better Than to Set Sights Beyond the Cubs

The Atlanta Braves have been perennial World Series contenders in the ‘90s, and the Chicago Cubs are making their first postseason appearance since 1989.

Atlanta won the National League East title by 18 games, and Chicago had to defeat the San Francisco Giants in the wild-card playoff game Monday. The Braves seemingly have an advantage because of their playoff experience, but they said it’s not as simple as that.

“You have to make that experience work for you by making things happen when the game begins,” said Brave right-hander John Smoltz, who will start Game 1 today at Turner Field.

“The thing about the playoffs is that everything is bigger, and that’s where the pressure comes from. Every deficit is bigger, every base hit is bigger, everything you’re dealing with is bigger than normal.

“If we step out early and do the things we’re accustomed to doing, then we can create that pressure, and our experience can come into play.

“But if the Cubs go out and score four runs in the first two innings of each game, then all that experience isn’t going to matter much.”

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The Cubs were 6-3 against Atlanta during the regular season, but that hasn’t stirred concern among the Braves.

“They got those games against us, so you have to give them credit,” center fielder Andruw Jones said. “We didn’t play well against them then, but we know what we have to do. We have the pitching, and we have a lot of guys who can hit home runs.

“We just have to play and we’ll be OK.”

Said pitcher Tom Glavine: “There’s a reason people say that the regular season doesn’t matter at playoff time.”

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Neither team had a full workout because it rained throughout the day. The Braves took batting practice indoors, and the Cubs worked out before traveling to Atlanta. . . . Brave shortstop Walt Weiss, who sat out several games in September because of a left quadriceps strain, said he expects to play today.

TODAY’S PITCHERS

ATLANTA BRAVES’ JOHN SMOLTZ (17-3, 2.90 ERA) vs. CHICAGO CUBS’ MARK CLARK (9-14, 4.84 ERA)

Turner Field, 1 p.m., ESPN Update--The Braves are making their seventh consecutive playoff appearance. The Cubs had an exhausting stretch in the final week of the regular season, and Clark starts in the opener because no one else is available. Closer Rod Beck appeared to have a “dead arm” in the wild-card playoff game. Rookie right-hander Kerry Wood, who has been sidelined since Aug. 31 because of a sprained ligament in his pitching elbow, pitched Monday in the Arizona instructional league and might start Game 3 at Chicago. “Their pitchers are probably a little tired because they’ve thrown so much the last four days,” Brave first baseman Andres Galarraga said. “Maybe that will help us.”

LINEUPS

CHICAGO Lineup

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P Player Avg CF Lance Johnson .280 2B Mickey Morandini .296 RF Sammy Sosa .308 1B Mark Grace .309 LF Henry Rodriguez .251 3B Gary Gaetti .281 C Tyler Houston .255 SS Jose Hernandez .254

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Key Reserves: Outfielder Glenallen Hill (.351, 8 HRs, 23 RBIs); outfielder Brant Brown (.291, 14 HRs, 48 RBIs).

Team batting: .265, 5th in National League.

Team pitching: 4.47 ERA, 11th in National League.

ATLANTA Lineup

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P Player Avg SS Walt Weiss .280 2B Keith Lockhart .257 3B Chipper Jones .313 1B Andres Galarraga .305 LF Ryan Klesko .274 C Javy Lopez .284 CF Andruw Jones .271 RF Michael Tucker .244

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Key Reserves: Infielder Ozzie Guillen (.277, 1 HR, 22 RBIs), infielder Tony Graffanino (.211, 5 HRs, 22 RBIs), catcher Eddie Perez (.336, 6 HRs, 32 RBIs).

Team batting: .272, 4th in National League.

Team pitching: 3.25 ERA, 1st in National League.