In my three decades or so of watching baseball I've been fortunate enough to watch some great players.  Some of the pitchers I've enjoyed will go down as the greatest of All-time. Still, there has never been a three-headed monster of Hall of Famers like the Braves' boasted through the 90's and early part of this century as they won like 67 straight division crowns.

Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz were amongst the best in the game, ironically they were teammates.  Feeding off each other, great things were accomplished. Sadly, the Braves only transered the trio into one World Championship.

Even before Maddux arrived to the mix in 1993 the Braves had one of baseball's best pitching staffs, but the addition of the crafty right-hander was the icing on the cake. Over the next decade the trio would lead the Braves to the playoffs on an annual basis when they combined to win 469 games.

	Maddux	Glavine	Smoltz
1993	20	22	15
1994	16	13	6
1995	19	16	12
1996	15	15	24
1997	19	14	15
1998	18	20	17
1999	19	14	11
2000	19	21	10 saves
2001	17	16	55 saves
2002	16	18	45 saves
2003	16	N/A	44 saves
	194	169	106

This season though could the exclamation point for all of their careers.

Smoltz has been sidelined all season with a shoulder injury and news came last month that he has a damaged labrum. At 41, the recovery period and effort does not appear worth it.

Glavine, who just returned to the Braves this season, also is facing a career-threatening injury. The 42-year old recently shut it down for the year with an elbow injury and expects to need surgery after meeting with Dr. James Andrews this week.

Meanwhile, Maddux is still pitching, In fact, just this week he was traded from San Diego to Los Angeles to aide the Dodgers' in their playoff push.  He's just 6-9, and while that comes with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, Maddux has a 5.75 ERA away from Petco.

Enjoy Maddux's playoff push, as it may be the last of these three great players. Consider this since the 1989 playoffs, at least one of the these pitchers has made appearence every season with the exception of 1990. If the Dodgers don't make it this season it will end the 17-year streak. 

MLB braves, dodgers, greg maddux, john smoltz, tom glavine

STUDS OF THE WEEK
What's up with Melvin Mora lately? The veteran has been on a tear of late for the O's as he's picked up 16 hits in his last 30 at bats. His 2 HR's and 11 RBI's came in handy for owners dealing with injuries. Cliff Lee is going back to early season form of late. He threw his thrid complete game of the year on Saturday and picked up two wins while posting a 1.06 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 17 innings of work this week.

DUDS OF THE WEEK
The Phillies' Ryan Howard continues to prove that he can't be counted on this week as he hit .120 with 1 HR and 6 RBI's. There are players with worse numbers, but few that came with his sticker price. The 10 K's in 25 at bats killed owners that are deducted for strikeouts. Aaron Harang needs to be shutdown by the Reds, or at the very least by his fantasy owners. His two starts this week were pathetic as he 0-2 with 19.64 ERA and 2.73 WHIP in 7 1/3 innings. He's been unreliable all year and now is just awful.

KEY INJURIES
Evan Longoria (wrist) - placed on 15-day DL earlier this week
Carl Crawford (hand) - out for the season
Mike Lowell (oblique) -  could be out until September or longer
Billy Wagner (elbow) - suffered setback in return attempt
Joba Chamberlain (shoulder) - could return by month's end
Victor Martinez (elbow) - currently on Double A rehab assignment
Chris R. Young (forearm) - out until at least early September
Tom Glavine (elbow) - out for year; career could be over
Justin Upton (oblique) - could return to action this week
Chris Carpenter (triceps) - back on the 15-day DL

TWICE AS NICE
Here are some two-start pitchers to consider this week:

AL
Must-starts:
Felix Hernandez - @CHW (TBA), @OAK (Sean Gallagher)
Mark Buehrle  - SEA (Jarrod Washburn), TB (Andy Sonnastine)
Justin Duchscherer  – @MIN (Nick Blackburn) @SEA (Jarrod Washburn)

Sleeper Picks:
Jeremy Guthrie – BOS (Jon Lester), NYY (Darrell Rasner)
Anthony Reyes – KC (Luke Hochevar), @TEX (Scott Feldman)

NL
Must-Starts:
C.C. Sabathia – HOU (Randy Wolf), PIT (Pat Maholm)
Rich Harden - CIN (Johnny Cueto), WAS (Jason Bergmann)
Oliver Perez - ATL (TBA), HOU (Randy Wolf)

Sleeper Picks:
Ricky Nolasco – @SF (Kevin Correia), @ARI (Doug Davis)
Hiroki Kuroda –  COL (Ubaldo Jimenez),  @PHI (Joe Blanton)

WAIVER WATCH (from leagues played at CBSSports.com)
Five most added:
OF Marlon Byrd (+28% roster change)
SP Paul Byrd (+26%)
OF Vernon Wells (+25%)
RP Chris Perez (+23%)
3B Melvin Mora (+20%)

Five most dropped (non-injured):
SP Ian Kennedy (-10%)
SP Clay Buchholz (-9%)
RP Eddie Kunz (-9%)
OF David DeJesus (-8%)
RP Jason Isringhausen(-8%)

GAMES PLAYED
Let's take a look at how many games each team will be playing this week:

AL
7: LAA, MIN, OAK, SEA
6: BAL, BOS, CLE, DET, KC, NYY, TB, TEX, TOR
5: KC

NL
7: ATL, NYM, SF
6: ARI, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, HOU, LAD, MIL, PHI, PIT, SD, STL, WAS

Fantasy Baseball melvin mora, cliff lee, ryan howard, evan longoria, carl crawford, mike lowell, billy wagner, joba chamberlain, victor martinez, chris r. young, tom glavine, justin upton, chris carpenter, felix hernandez, mark buehrle, justin duchscherer, jeremy guthrie, anthony reyes, c.c. sabathia, rich harden, oliver perez, ricky nolasco, hiroki kuroda, marlon byrd, paul byrd, vernon wells, chris perez, melvin mora, ian kennedy, clay buchholz, eddie kunz, david dejesus, jason isringhausen

The NFL draft may have diverted your attention, so here's everything you need to know for Week 5:

STUDS OF THE WEEK
The Phillies are happy with their new closer Brad Lidge. He has yet to allow on in 11 innings this season and converted four saves over the last week making his fantasy owners happy too. Lidge's former teammate, Astros' 1B Lance Berkman, joins him on our stud list this week. Berkman has homered four times over his past six games, driving in 12 runs and hitting .500 in that span.

DUDS OF THE WEEK
Manny Corpas, who was stellar in the Rockies' playoff run last year, lost his job as the Rockies' closer after blowing two more saves this past week. In three innings of work this week Corpas allowed five runs. It was a week of flukes for the Blue Jays' Alex Rios. After a routine off day on Tuesday he caught the flu bug and missed Wednesday only to return to the lineup and get tossed early on in Thursday's game. All of this left Rios' owners with just four games of production.

KEY INJURIES
OF Alfonso Soriano (CHC):OF- Should be back May 1
SS Jimmy Rollins (PHI): Could be back at end of draft
DH David Ortiz (BOS): Day-to-day with bruised knee
3B Chipper Jones (ATL): Day-to-day with back cramps
3B Hank Blalock (TEX): Out until at least TUE, DL a possibility
RP Rafael Soriano (ATL): Should resume as closer by mid-week
OF Mike Cameron (MIL): Suspension ends Tuesday
2B Howie Kendrick (ANA): Should return early in week.
OF Shane Victorino (PHI): Should be back on Tuesday
OF Moises Alou (NYM): Rehab put on hold due to sore ankle
SP Jake Westbrook (CLE): Put on DL and out until late May
SP Scott Kazmir (TB): Might pitch on May 3 or 4
SP Kevin Slowley (MIN): Expected to make rehab start May 1

TWICE AS NICE
Here are some two-start pitchers to consider this week:

AL
Must-starts:
Roy Halladay - @BOS (Daisuke Matsuzaka), CHW (Javier Vazquez))
Fausto Carmona – SEA (Carlos Silva), KC (Brett Tomko)
Joe Saunders – OAK (Greg Smith), BAL (Undecided)

Sleeper Picks:
Daniel Cabrera - @CHW (Javier Vazquez), @LAA (Jon Garland)
Chad Gaudin - @LAA (Jon Garland), TEX (Vicente Padilla)
Phil Hughes – DET (Kenny Rogers), SEA (Carlos Silva)

NL
Must-Starts:
Cole Hamels – SD (Greg Maddux), SF (Matt Cain)
Johan Santana – PIT (Ian Snell), @ARI (Dan Haren)
Derek Lowe - @FLA (Andrew Miller), @COL (Kendry Morales)

Sleeper Picks:
Tom Glavine - @WAS (Tim Redding), CIN (Bronson Arroyo)
Todd Wellemeyer – CIN (Bronson Arroyo), CHC (Jason Marquis)
Tom Gorzelanny - @NYM (Oliver Perez), @WAS (Tim Redding)

WAIVER WATCH (from leagues played at CBSSports.com)
Five most added:
RP Brian Fuentes - COL (+45% roster change)
OF Curtis Granderson - DET (+34%)
RP J.J. Putz - SEA (31%)
SP Jonathan Sanchez - SF (30%)
SP Chad Gaudin - OAK (30%)

Five most dropped (non-injured):
RP Manny Corpas - COL (-29%)
SP Edwin Jackson - TB (-15%)
SP Francisco Liriano - MIN (-13%)
OF Corey Patterson - CIN (-13%)
SP Justin Germano - SD (-12%)

GAMES PLAYED
Let's take a look at how many games each team will be playing this week:

American League
7: BAL, CLE, LAA, NYY, OAK
6: BOS, CHW, DET, KC, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
5: MIN

National League
7: PIT
6: ARI, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, HOU, LAD, MIL, NYM, PHI, SD, SF, STL, WAS
5: ATL

Fantasy Baseball brad lidge, lance berkman, manny corpas, alex rios, alfonso soriano, jimmy rollins, david ortiz, chipper jones, hank blalock, rafael soriano, mike cameron, howie kendrick, shane victorino, moises alou, jake westbrook, scott kazmir, kevin slowley, roy halladay, fausto carmona, joe saunders, daniel cabrera, chad gaudin, phil hughes, cole hamels, johan santana, derek lowe, tom glavine, todd wellemeyer, tom gorzelanny, brian fuentes, curtis granderson, j.j. putz, jonathan sanchez, chad gaudin, manny corpas, edwin jackson, francisco liriano, corey patterson, justin germano

Fantasy Baseball chipper jones, cliff lee, jeremy hermida, phillip hughes, john lackey, rich harden, erik bedard, j.j. putz, tom glavine, rafael soriano, ben sheets, yovani gallardo, moises alou, dmitri young, jimmy rollins, mike lowell, dontrelle willis, michael cuddyer, felix hernandez, josh beckett, chien-ming wang, shaun marcum, clay buchholz, livan hernandez, brandon webb, john smoltz, carlos zambrano, edinson volquez, jeff francis, kyle lohse, rafael betancourt, bj ryan, mike jacobs, gavin floyd, jeremy accardo, carlos villanueva, manny parra, jack cust

The Atlanta Braves won't quite look the same this season when they hit the field. Mark Kotsay will be in centerfield, not Andruw Jones. Tom Glavine is back in the rotation and who knows who will be at shortstop (Yunel Escobar frontrunner) with Edgar Renteria having been dealt to Detroit.

There will be at least one familiar cog that fantasy owners can count on though, Mark Teixeira. The team avoided arbritration with the power-hitting first baseman by inking him to a $12.5 million, one-year deal on Thursday. In one of the best deadline moves last year the Braves landed the former Ranger and his play rewarded them for their efforts. He hit .306 with 30 homers and 105 RBIs in 132 games in 2007, including .317 with 17 homers and 56 RBIs in 54 games for the Braves after a July 31 trade that brought him to Atlanta from Texas.

Teixeira is going to be a nice fit once again in the heart of Atlanta's offense. Bobby Cox's batting order is going to look a bit different this season, but there is enough there to provide protection to Teixeira. Plus, with only a one-year deal you better believe that he has something to play for. However, that philosophy didn't work too well for owners last season that took Andruw Jones early on.

Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard are the only two guys that I am going to say are clearly ahead of him on my cheat sheet right now at the position. Teixeira is a second-round pick and a top 20 overall player in any format.

Fantasy Baseball mark teixeira, andruw jones, edgar renteria, mark kotsay, tom glavine