Not So Chipper | The Atlanta Braves who come to the Park tonight to open a four-game set are starting to look like those late-'80s Braves teams that really sucked, observes Jim Salisbury in the Inquirer today. I'm sure I speak for the entire baseball world outside of Buckhead when I say: Awwwwww.

Meanwhile, both the Inky and Daily News report that mending closer Billy Wagner is having a substantial difference of opinion with the Phils' oddly mustachioed trainer, Jeff Cooper, over Wagner's rehabilitation from back spasms and a groin injury. Coop doesn't talk to the media -- who the hell does he think he is, Steve Carlton? -- so we're left just with Wagner's side of the story. Manager Larry Bowa backs his player, which is the smart move, since, after all, Billy Wagner is a hell of a lot more important to the Phillies' World Series chances than Jeff Cooper. PhilliesBlog has an appropriate take on the matter:

This annoys me, but in the end I really just don't care. I don't care if they start kicking each others' asses, as long as Wagner gets better.

If Wagner weren't getting along with Bowa, or some of the other players, that would be a different story. But right now, although I like both Wagner and Jeff Cooper, I don't care what their relationship is.