Braves starter Kris Medlen pitched Stlanta’s third straight gem and hit the home run that won the game with the Dodgers last night Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Medlen pitches, hits (HR) big in Braves’ 2-1 win   ajc.com

Kris Medlen could barely contain his enthusiasm Friday when the Braves pitcher discussed what Dodger Stadium meant to him, and how he used to come to games with sold-out crowds when he was a kid growing up in nearby Norwalk, a Los Angeles suburb.. . .

Braves 2, Dodgers 1 – MLB News | FOX Sports on MSN

Kris Medlen pitched 6 2-3 scoreless innings and hit his first major league home run, Dan Uggla also went deep, and the Atlanta Braves continued their recent stretch of dominant starting pitching in a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers – June 8, 2013 | MLB.com ATL Recap

Kris Medlen has fond memories of the many visits he made to Dodger Stadium during his youth. But none of them were as exhilarating as the latest ones he created during his most recent visit to the storied ballpark.

Braves-Dodgers Preview . Fox Sports

Solid starting pitching is a major reason the Atlanta Braves have built a sizable lead atop the NL East, and the rotation has been especially stellar since the calender turned to June.

Mike Minor looks to continue the trend as he faces the host Los Angeles Dodgers in the finale of this four-game series Sunday. . .

Braves’ Draft features arms and bloodlines | braves.com: News

The Braves focused on a handful of attributes and stuck to them, loading up on young arms with the potential to build up to big league velocity and reaching into the high school talent pool early and often in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft.. . .

Paul Maholm matched Tim Hudon’s superb performance against the Dodgers Friday but was not rewarded with a win. Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

A roundup of news from around the web.

Yasiel Puig homers again as Dodgers beat Braves in 10

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pinch-runner Skip Schumaker scored on the second wild pitch by Anthony Varvaro in the 10th inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

Sizzling Puig, Dodgers resume set with Braves | Fox News

Yasiel Puig is making his presence felt immediately for the Los Angeles Dodgers and looks to stay hot Saturday in the continuation of a four-game series versus the Atlanta Braves.

Promoted from Double-A Chattanooga just a few days ago, Puig is batting .421 with four homers and 10 RBI in only five games. . .

LOS ANGELES: Braves lose 2nd straight to Dodgers, 2-1 – Baseball Wires – MiamiHerald.com

LOS ANGELES — The Atlanta Braves wasted a solid start from their pitcher for the second straight game, and despite outhitting the Dodgers, they couldn’t generate more than one run.

Draft Notes: Appel, Wren, Jones

The Braves took Georgia Tech center fielder Kyle Wren in the eighth round on Friday, and his father, Braves GM Frank Wren, found that a bit awkward, Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “Selfishly we’re getting a player with talent, so I feel good about that,” says Frank Wren. “But I think it’s going to be a little tougher on him than probably anyone else. That’s the (hard) part that as a dad, just knowing going in that he’s going to have endure some of that.” Indeed, Kyle Wren looks like a credible pick from a talent perspective — Baseball America ranked him the No. 215 prospect in the draft, and the Braves picked him at No. 253. Rogers notes that, in 2002, the Braves also drafted former GM John Schuerholz’s son Jonathan.

Atlanta Braves: Is Brian McCann the Greatest Catcher in Franchise History? – Yahoo! Sports

COMMENTARY | Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann notched the 1,000^th hit of his career on June 3 and now finds himself climbing higher and higher up the club’s all-time record book. The sad realization many Braves fans may have to come to is that McCann’s $12 million salary could make him a cap casualty next season — particularly since Evan Gattis remains waiting in the wings.. . .

The Braves second pick in tonight’s draft is Victor Caratini out of Miami Dade Junior College. Caratini is a 6’2” inch 205 pound switch hitting catcher. Caratini graduated from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy in 2011.

While Caratini is nominally a catcher scouts are divided on whether he can be a good one.  One report said “. . .his receiving is simply too rough and though athletic in a baseball sense he doesn’t have the fluidity or flexibility you’d like to see in a catcher. . .” while Perfect Game reports “. . . scouts still view Caratini mostly as a catcher on the strength of his sound defensive skills and enthusiastic style of play.”  Those that like him as a catcher don’t like him at third and vice versa. So I guess you pays your money and you take your pick.

What’s not in question however is his bat. According to Perfect Game, “…Caratini’s ability to square up balls from both sides with a controlled, aggressive approach has set him apart as the best all-around hitting prospect in the Florida (Junior Colleges) . . . he spent most of the 2013 season playing largely out of position at third base. . (he) excelled defensively at third with his range and superior arm strength, but scouts still view Caratini mostly as a catcher on the strength of his sound defensive skills and enthusiastic style of play, though his bat remains the strength of his game.”

His Junior College stats are impressive 377/467/549 with 66 hits (six homers and 12 doubles) 28 walks and 26 strikeouts in 214 plate appearances. If you’re interested in all of his stats you can find them by clicking here.

That’s a Wrap

I’d not looked this far out for a draft pick and had no idea where the Braves would go. Catarini is a bat and if continues to hit and plays either position reasonably well he’ll have value. There will be more names tomorrow and we’ll let you know what we find to about them here on the Take.