Good Job, Billy Wagner

There's something about a grown man who calls himself Billy...

But a closer who records 400 career saves can call himself whatever he wants in our book. Billy Wagner earned that right Friday evening after saving the Atlanta Braves' 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. This marks his 15th save of the season, highlighted by a 5-0 record and an impressive 1.19 ERA.

Suck It Up

Brian McCann is gonna be a little sore for a couple days after being plowed over by Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino on Sunday.

Ryan Howard singled to right in the sixth inning to bring Victorino trucking around third base. Jeff Francoeur's throw from the outfield was on time and on target, but the Atlanta Braves catcher couldn't hold on during the collision at home.

Brought to You by the Letter W

It's been a little while since Tom Glavine enjoyed a victory in an Atlanta Braves uniform.

The 42-year-old veteran lefty pitched 5.2 solid innings to earn his first win for Atlanta in six years with an 8-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night. He surrendered 4 earned runs on four hits, fanning four and walking two.

Meanwhile, Chipper Jones (3 more!) Yunel Escobar and Kelly Johnson teed off on Brett Myers, each hitting solo shots while Brian McCann drove in three runs of support for Glavine, who hadn’t won a game with the Braves since beating who else, but the Phils on Sept. 19, 2002, just before his five-year hiatus in New York City.

[Talking Chop]

Braves Give McCann Long-Term Deal

The Atlanta Braves have made a major commitment to their All-Star catcher, Brian McCann, agreeing to a $26.8 million, six-year contract with him on Thursday.

McCann, only 23-years-old, batted a club-high .333 with 24 homers and 93 RBIs last season - his second of major league service.

[Washington Post]

Atlanta Braves Get Busy

The Atlanta Braves got down to business on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with ten players. Catcher Brian McCann and outfielder Ryan Langerhans were each given one-year contracts with undisclosed financial terms, along with outfielder Matt Diaz, infielder Pete Orr and prospect Scott Thorman.

McCann, 23, batted a team-best .333 with 24 home runs and 93 RBIs - all career highs. The All-Star backstop had a great second half, collecting 18 homers and driving in 64 runs over his last 66 games. He is a career .317 hitter with 29 longballs in parts of two seasons with the Braves.

Langerhans, 27, struggled in his second full season in the majors, batting .241 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs in 131 games, but will compete for the starting job in left field this season.

The 27-year-old Orr saw some time backing up second base and hit .253 over 102 games last season.

Diaz, 28, played on a pretty regular basis last season, hitting .327 with seven homers and 32 RBIs, while platooning with Langerhans in left field.

Thorman, Atlanta's first-round selection in 2000, batted .234 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in 55 games last season, his first in the majors. The 25-year-old is at the top of the list to replace Adam LaRoche as the Braves' starting first baseman.

The club also signed pitchers Manny Acosta and Tyler Yates, outfielders T.J. Bohn and Gregor Blanco and catching prospect Brayan Pena to one-year contracts.

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]