At 6.5 games out of first place in a division no one wants to win, the Atlanta Braves are sitting in fourth place at the All-Star break.

Clearly, it would not take much of a run to put the Braves in contention for a division title. But it will take a bunch of changes in how this team approaches each game to spark a winning streak. Right now, Chipper Jones, Jair Jurrjens and Brian McCann are the only bright spots on the roster that appears to be so talented. An opportunity to grab a Cy Young pitcher in CC Sabathia wasn’t even seriously considered, and there are absolutely no rumors in the mill about the Braves wheeling and dealing.

There was a rumor sharply denied by the Boston Red Sox brass that ESPN’s Peter Gammons said the Braves offered Mark Teixeira to the Red Sox for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen. Hansen is a prospect with a mid-90s fastball, with a real good slider in the high 80s.

To me it sounds like the deal has no legs. To me it seems like the Braves might have already called it a year. And they are only 6.5 games out of first place. The roster is a revolving door of young guys as Bobby Cox prays for one of the kids to get hot, and stay hot.

Braves AJC beat reporter David O’Brien tried to speculate what the Braves may do before the July 31st deadline in this article. He even dared to be silly by saying the Braves can look at the possible return of Mike Hampton.

Who is the only guy O’Brien mentions as a possible player the Braves should look at? Xavier Nady. Yes. I said Xavier Nady, who right now is overachieving for the Pirates.

I guess even he is giving up.

The second of a doubleheader tonight ended in an unusual way when Ryan Church slammed into the knee of Yunel Escobar during a throw out at first for the final out of the game. Church was knocked out and Escobar may have injured his knee.

Church finally gained consciousness, but he had a welt on his forehead. Once up on his feet, he was still very woozy. Escobar appears to be OK.

But the Atlanta Braves are shining at the right moment, winning 6-1 and then 6-2 in the doubleheader. Jorge Campillo pitched six scoreless innings and struck out seven. If you haven’t heard of Campillo before, don’t get all excited. He’s not a young grasshopper from the farm system. He is 30 years old, and this was only his second start of his career. Consider it one of the “Twilight Zone” games for the Braves rotation.

This is domination Braves fans have not so far this year. A slip by the Marlins this week could catapult the Braves into the division lead this week.