up against it

The odds certainly appear to be stacked against the Mississippi Braves in the Southern League South Division championship series. Not only do they have to play the first two games on the road — and Games 4 and 5 if the series goes that far — but in tonight’s crucial opener at Hank Aaron Stadium, they go up against Mobile’s Archie Bradley, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ top prospect. Right-hander Bradley, who had a 0.90 ERA in two starts against the M-Braves this year, was named the SL’s pitcher of the year after going 12-5 with a 1.97. He’ll be opposed by right-hander Michael Lee, a six-year minor league veteran who finished 9-8, 3.71 this season. The M-Braves’ best pitcher, Gus Schlosser (7-6, 2.39), won’t be available until Game 3 at Trustmark Park on Saturday. Mobile was the league’s best team in 2013, going 79-60 and winning both halves in the South to earn the huge home-field advantage. The BayBears also are going for a third straight pennant, something done only once before in the SL’s long history. The season series was tight: Mobile won 11 of the 20 meetings. And the teams finished 1-2 in staff ERA and 2-3 in team batting. The BayBears have league batting champ Justin Greene (.308) and power-hitting veteran Nick Evans (19 homers). The M-Braves’ top hitters are Tommy La Stella (.343 in just 81 games), Jose Martinez (.285) and SL All-Star Christian Bethancourt (.277, 12 homers). The M-Braves earned their first playoff berth since 2008 by winning an hotly contested, extra-inning battle against Jacksonville on the last day of the regular season. “They’re going to have energy,” Mobile manager Andy Green, the SL manager of the year, told al.com. Will there be enough energy to overcome the long odds? There is some karma working for the M-Braves, however. This is the fifth anniversary of their first — and only — SL title, the 10th anniversary of the independent Jackson Senators’ only Central League crown and the 20th anniversary of the Jackson Generals’ first Texas League pennant. So there.