Gary Sheffield thinks the Braves need to crank it up a notch, after having gone 27-25 in their past 52 games prior to yesterday's win.

Sheffield hasn't wanted to step on toes in a veteran-laden clubhouse. But he seems willing to cast aside any sort of protocol if it'll help the Braves snap out of their late-season funk.

"We know we can beat anbody out there," Sheffield said, "but we do it in a way that, if we're winning, our mood is up. But if we don't, everything's quiet. Sometimes you've got to take what you want. . . . You've got to be mean.

"The laid-back attitude . . . I don't like it at all. What do you play for? These games count. It's easy to be up [when you're winning]. I judge a team when times are rough. I look around and see who wants it. We've all got to talk.

"We've got to get home-field advantage. I know I don't want to go to San Francisco in cold weather."

The piece notes that the Braves have clinched their division so early the last several seasons that there has been a let-down. Indeed, even with the mediocre pace, they're still a lock to win the division for a mind boggling 12th straight season (not counting the strike season of 1994, when they technically won the title even though they were well behind the Expos).

Sheffield's manager and teammates seem rather nonchalant about it all:

So what does Maddux think of where this Braves team is at and what needs to be accomplished the rest of the regular season?

"It'd be nice to have [John] Smoltz back, and Grybo [Kevin Gryboski] and [Darren] Holmes," he said, referring to injured relievers. Holmes returned from the DL on Friday. "Get the bullpen back and get our starters right. That's half the battle. More than half. Defensively and offensively, we're more than good enough."

Smoltz likely won't be back until the final week of the season, Gryboski's return isn't assured, and starters Russ Ortiz and Shane Reynolds have struggled.

Maddux was asked about the idea of other teams going into the playoffs with more momentum than the Braves.

"You want to finish strong, obviously," he said. "But what we want to do is win our division and then worry about the postseason."

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Atlanta needs to hold off the Giants for best record in the National League to secure home-field advantage through a potential NL Championship Series matchup with the Giants, who were 1 1/2 games behind.

"That's something you kind of shoot for," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "The important thing is getting in the playoffs."

This attitude might explain why the Braves have managed to win one championship in twelve trips to the playoffs.