For the past decade, the Atlanta Braves have kept a lock on the top of the National League. Problem is, they’ve struggled in October.

Morale in Atlanta seems different these days. The Braves have the best record in the majors (after Saturday’s game, they had a 16-game lead over the New York Mets and a MLB-best 72-38 record.)

And at the beginning of the 2002 season, the Braves didn’t even look like contenders. Obviously, that’s not the case anymore.

And just those two players, on the offensive end, may be something the Braves haven’t enjoyed since the days of David Justice and Fred McGriff.

Jones has 15 homeruns and 71 RBI this season, despite struggling with power until late. Sheffield has 18 homeruns and has driven in 64.

“When everyone comes together and producing with the bat like they’re capable of, it’s going to make a big difference in the amount of runs you put up,&uot; Millwood said.

Jones and Sheffield aren’t the only ones contributing. Matt Franco and Julio Franco have platooned at first base most of the season, and both have produced offensively. In the last 20 games, Matt Franco is hitting .397 with two homers and 11 RBI.

Friday night, Wes Helms added spark to the Braves 11-run production against St. Louis. He hit his first-career grand slam to cap off a five-run first inning.

And then there are players like Keith Lockhart, whose batting average has fizzled around the .200 mark all season.

Lockhart, like so many other members of the Braves, always seems to come up with the big hit when needed. On June 24, Lockhart hit a go-ahead homer against the Mets in the top of the ninth. He also has 69 pinch hits, which times him for fifth on the active list.

But Millwood knows offense isn’t the only reason the Braves have climbed to the top of MLB this year.

The pitching staff, while mostly the same, is entirely different thanks to one person.

John Smoltz leads the majors in saves. A one-time Cy Young starter, Smoltz’s transition to the bullpen has helped the Braves win close games all season.

Smoltz has already tied Mark Wohlers for the all-time save leader in Braves’ history. He has six games left to overtake former Cardinal Lee Smith as the fastest to reach 40 saves. And in his last 25 chances, Smoltz has not blown a save. (His last blown save came on May 29 versus the Montreal Expos.)

After Chipper Jones moved to the outfield, the Braves’ new third baseman, Vinny Castilla, has not produced as much as he would have liked. He’s only hitting .230, though he does have nine homeruns and 47 RBI.

Castilla said the Braves’ defense struggled at the beginning of the year, but as the team progressed, so did the chemistry among the players.

“… As it moved a little later in the season we started playing better, and the bullpen started to pick up their play,” Castilla said. “We also started getting some key hits at the right time, and that made a difference in the offensive output.”

Castilla, like the rest of the Braves, know they never had a “poor” team all season. However, the Braves have won 30 of their past 39 games and have the best home record in baseball.

“We were always a good team, but when everything started to come together we started to play like we were capable of, and that has us where we are now,&uot; Castilla said.