It's a June mini-swoon for the Braves, but our heads are still above water

June wasn't the kindest month for the Braves, but it wasn't that bad either. Atlanta limped home with a 13-15 record for the month and was the walking definition of an inconsistent team. However, we showed signs of turning it around late in the month by winning our last five games.

There were a lot of challenges in June. Chipper Jones missed time on two separate occasions because of injuries, and his absence has left a big hole in the offense. Andruw Jones' funk got worse as his batting average slid below .200 at one point. Plus, the back half of the starting rotation continues to sputter.

Still, things could be a lot worse. Right now, we are only four games out of first place (as of this writing), which is pretty remarkable considering how poorly we have played. Fortunately, the first place Amazin' Mets also bumbled through the month. We began the month four and a half games out of first, so despite our problems we actually were able to break even.

However, we can't bank on the Mets playing like Little Leaguers for much longer. Andruw has to de-stinkify himself, and Chipper has to stay healthy. Plus, Chuck James and Kyle Davies have to grow up and pitch some consistent innings.

The big question is whether any of these things will happen. Has Andruw been totally shattered by his slump to the point that he cannot get it together? Is Chipper too old and brittle to be counted on consistently? Is it time to trade for some starting pitching?

I don't know. I really don't know.