RealGM

Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton has been frustrated, especially by the strikeouts in crucial situations.

"I think we attempt to do too much instead of settling down, relaxing and having the pitcher in a position where we want him to be in where he's got to throw you strikes so you can be successful," he said.

"We tend to want to make things happen at times, and that tends to backfire, because we're falling right into the pitcher's hands. It's not a lack of wanting to do it; it's wanting to do too much."

After the failures in Florida, he talked with some hitters about adjusting their approach. If it registered, it wasn't apparent in the Mets series.

"Runner at third, less than two outs, you need them to put the ball in play," he said. "I'm trying to tell them, 'Hey, you know, with two strikes choke up on the bat a little bit and put the ball in play.'

"It's called making an adjustment. ... We have times where we do that and other times where we come out and one guy will pop up with runners at second and third, and everybody [after him] feels like they've got to hit a three-run homer."