Sports

5 Reasons Braves Could Beat Dodgers

At least Kate Upton and one sportswriter are in their corner.

While Atlanta Braves fans anxiously await Thursday's National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, it's hard to find too many sports pundits willing to say that the Braves will win. 

The Braves do have one high-profile supporter on their side. Kate Upton posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated with, you guessed it, Braves outfielders -- and brothers -- Justin and B.J. Upton.

So do the Braves have a chance to win? One Yahoo Sports contributor,Patrick Richardson, thinks so. His five reasons the Braves will win:

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1. Jason Heyward is healthy. The Braves outfielder, back from a broken jaw, sparks the team from the leadoff spot.

2. A balance of left- and right-handed hitting. He likes the Braves' matchups against Dodgers starters Zack Greineke and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

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3. Best bullpen in baseball. Almost all baseball analysts agree on that.

4. Andrelton Simmons. Richardson calls the Braves shortstop "something of a secret weapon." He admires Simmons not only for his defense but for his clutch power in the bottom of the lineup.

5. No place like home. The Braves went 56-25 this season at Turner Field.

Read Richardson's full analysis here.

What do you think? Do the Braves have a shot? Tell us in the comments.


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