The Atlanta Braves have the best ERA in baseball, yet they sit in 3rd place in the NL East. The offense has been nearly non-existent due to an assortment of injuries (Chipper Jones and Jason Heyward) and slumps (pretty much everyone but Martin Prado). The offense's struggles, coupled with outstanding pitching, has resulted in 19 of the Braves' 57 games being decided by 1 run. The effect of so many close games has been borne by the bullpen, particularly the outstanding trio of Craig Kimbrel, Jonny Venters, and Eric O'Flaherty. While Kimbrel has had his share of early-season struggles, Venters and O'Flaherty have been lights-out. However, the heavy workload is not conducive to the long-term health of the three, and the Braves will need to find rest for each if the team expects the bullpen to be healthy for the stretch run. Listed below are the projected totals for each. In the case of O'Flaherty, who has a history of arm trouble, his total innings are projected to nearly double at the current rate at which manager Fredi Gonzalez is using him.
Venters: (2010): 83 IP
(2011 pace): 98.2 IP
Craig Kimbrel: (2010): 76.1 IP
(2011 pace): 79.2 IP
Eric O'Flaherty: (2010): 44 IP
(2011 pace): 77.2 IP
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