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Posted at 10:45 AM EST. 

7:10 PM EST. A couple of days ago we previewed Atlanta’s new stadium and in case you missed it, we’ll run that again here.

For the first 30 years that they were in Atlanta, the Braves played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. It was known as the “Launching Pad,” as balls regularly flew out of the round, ashtray-type stadium that was a hitter’s paradise. It had the highest elevation in baseball, at least until Coors Field opened in Colorado in 1993. That was the big thought of why the balls carried so well and made ordinary hitters power hitters. So far this year at SunTrust Park, there has been an average of 2½ home runs per game. That’s the highest in the major leagues. The players can even tell in batting practice when it’s a home run derby every day. Why is this new stadium different? Well, aside from that aforementioned elevation, home plate at SunTrust Park is pointed toward the southeast while Turner Field’s pointed north-northeast. Wind conditions are better. Right field in SunTrust Park is closer to home plate than it was in Turner Field — by five feet straight down the line and by 15 feet in the right-center field gap.

This park is playing like Coors Field so we’ll once again try to take advantage of a beatable number with two pitchers starting that virtually have no chance at success today.

It’ll be Ben Lively making his second major league start after throwing a gem (on paper) in his first. It’s always an emotional day for pitchers making their first major-league start and for Ben Lively it was no different. His parents flew in for the game along with friends and more family and he delivered with a seven-inning, four-hit, one-run beauty. Aside from this being a massive letdown spot, Lively did not strike out even one batter. His swing and miss rate was 4%. Lively walked three batters in his first start but was constantly behind in the count. His first-pitch strike rate was 54% and his second pitch strike rate was 46%. He has an average at best arsenal and the only reason he faired so well was due to extreme luck. A reality check is absolutely in order here.

If R.A. Dickey wasn’t so bad, we’d probably be betting the Braves in this one but Dickey is just as likely as Lively to not make it past three innings. In 65 frames, Dickey has walked 34 and struck out 32. His 1.62 WHIP is the worst mark in MLB among pitchers with 40 innings or more. His 82 MPH average fastball is the lowest velocity mark in the game. Your Uncle Wolfgang can throw 82. Dickey’s 6.70 xERA has not wavered once in his 11 starts and truly, the only reason he’s still pitching is because the Braves are paying him to eat up innings. Age is clearly taking a toll on the 42-year-old Dickey, who is suffering from a troubling xERA trend, issues with HR's, crumbling quality starts and well below-average skills. Even knuckleballers reach the end of the line and this one has reached his.

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