Atlanta Braves at New York Mets preview: Leaving the Big Apple

77 years. That is the combined duration that Aaron Harang and Bartolo Colon have spent on the Earth to this point, and on Thursday, the two veterans (using the term lightly) will square off in a pitching match-up at Citi Field. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets will wrap up a lengthy, four-game set with this battle, and because of their unique age and status, the starting pitchers take the lead despite looming fear of a sweep on the Atlanta side.

The 41-year-old Colon continues to defy the odds by performing solidly well beyond his prime. The big man has allowed five earned runs in each of his past two starts, causing his ERA to balloon to 4.04 for the season, but his WHIP is quite solid (1.18) due to pinpoint control, and he won’t give anything away to Atlanta’s offense. Fortunately for the Braves, Colon’s “stuff” has taken a significant hit over the years, and because he is always in the strike zone, there will be opportunities to tee off against him.

In the case of Harang, the peripherals are beginning to fall off a bit, but he is still maintaining a hold on respectable performance. The 6-foot-7 right-hander has an ERA of 3.67 for the season (which is tremendous given his low cost) but his WHIP is up to an ugly 1.40 after allowing 20 hits (and 3 walks) in his last two starts, and only a rubber arm that has allowed him to top 98 pitches in eight consecutive starts keeps him going. For all intents and purposes, Aaron Harang is the fifth starter for the Atlanta Braves, and frankly, he is still outperforming that slot.

Here is a look at the particulars for Thursday:

Date: July 10, 2014

Start Time: 7:10 pm ET

TV Channel: SportSouth

Radio: 680 AM/106.7 FM (Local in Atlanta), Full list of Local Affiliates

Live Stream: MLB.tv (Click Here, $)

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@ATLBeatBlog) for more information (including all of your Atlanta Braves action), and check back after the game for a full recap. Sound off in the comments!