ATLANTA -- After encountering Mark Teixeira's potent bat during the 2000 NCAA Regional Tournament, Larry Jones, who was then an assistant coach at Stetson University, called his son, Chipper, to discuss this switch-hitting phenom from Georgia Tech.

Six years later, while serving as one of Teixeira's Team USA teammates in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, Chipper gained a better understanding of his father's assessment and the belief that this fellow switch-hitting corner infielder would be a difference maker if given the chance to return to Atlanta to display the power he'd introduced to the city during his collegiate days.

Thus Jones, like multitudes of others, was ecstatic when he learned the Braves had completed last month's non-waiver trade deadline deal that allowed Teixeira to return to Atlanta. The move seemingly ensured postseason entry and countless nights of offensive outbursts.

Unfortunately for the Braves, the only thing Teixeira's addition has truly proven is the age-old adage that championship teams are built around pitching and supported, capable offenses. While their new switch-hitting first baseman has abused National League pitchers, their standing has fallen in both the NL East and Wild Card races.

"It's not his fault," Jones said. "Mark has done everything asked of him. He has hit homers. He's driven in a ton of runs. There's been no shortage of offense from the middle of the lineup."

When the Braves acquired Teixeira from the Rangers for a bundle of attractive prospects, they were 3 1/2 games out of first place the NL East race and 1 1/2 games behind the Wild Card leaders.

Entering this weekend's key three-game series against the first-place Mets, the Braves are five games back in both the division and Wild Card races. About the only reward they'll receive from this forgettable August is the NL Player of the Month Award that seems destined to land in Teixeira's hands.

While Milwaukee's Prince Fielder and New York's Carlos Beltran have had impressive months, it will be hard for voters to choose them over Teixeira, who, during his first month in Atlanta, has hit .327 with 10 homers, 32 RBIs, a .416 on-base percentage and a .664 slugging percentage entering play Friday.

"That's Barry Bondsesque," Braves co-ace Tim Hudson said. "He's been unbelievable for us. It's sad to say, but I wonder what we would have done without him? He's been a shot in the arm for us. But for some reason, we've managed to drop a few games [in the standings]."

Despite Teixeira leading all Major Leaguers in homers and RBIs and ranking fourth among NL players (minimum 75 plate appearances) in slugging percentage during the month of August, the Braves have managed to win just 13 of 27 games.

As a team, they haven't enjoyed a more productive offensive month this season. Their 159 runs scored and .498 slugging percentage in August both match the Reds for the NL's best marks. Only the Yankees and Pirates have hit more homers and collected more RBIs than the Braves during the same time frame.

Still, the Braves will enter September seeking to complete their first winning month since April.

"I came here to help this team win," Teixeira said. "I don't just want to help score runs. I want to help the entire team play better. I just wish we were getting a few more wins."

Despite not playing his first game with the Braves until Aug. 1, Teixeira leads the club in homers (10) since the All-Star break. His 32 RBIs rank third on the team since the break, trailing only Brian McCann (33) and Jones (38), who have both had at least 11 more games to compile those totals.

"That's the lineup," Teixeira said. "I feel like I'm getting up with guys on base two or three times a game. That's a hitter's dream."

Defensively, Teixeira has shown those Gold Gloves he won the past two seasons weren't a fluke. Regardless, all of his contributions haven't been able to compensate for a pitching staff that has endured its worst month of the season.

"He's a special player. He gives you everything he's got every time he goes out there."

-- Bobby Cox, on Mark Teixeira

While Teixeira has been sending balls over outfield walls at an eye-popping rate, opponents have been feasting on Braves pitchers, whose 4.50 ERA in August is the highest mark they've set this season. Opposing lineups have produced a .442 slugging percentage and hit 36 homers this month. Both of those marks also stand as season highs.

But Teixeira says he has enjoyed his brief experience with the Braves and remains hopeful that a torrid September will allow them to be where they envisioned when they made the seemingly decisive move to bring him back to Atlanta.

"It's a great clubhouse," Teixeira said. "I love the coaching staff and I love my teammates. I've just been very excited about the whole experience. Just knowing this organization puts itself in position to win every year is a great feeling."

Teixeira has proven to be a good fit in a clubhouse that prides itself on having respectable citizens. Assuming a leadership role, the 27-year-old first baseman has discussed offseason conditioning habits with Jeff Francoeur. At the same time, his work ethic has provided a visual example that can only benefit the team's younger players.

"I love that our young players are still humble," Teixeira said. "They're great players already. But they want to get better. I haven't been around forever. But I've had experiences that can hopefully help the younger guys."

Being a fellow switch-hitter batting in front of Teixeira, Jones has realized many direct benefits. Instead of pitchers opting to pitch around him in the manner that they did when Andruw Jones was in the cleanup role, the veteran third baseman has seen a regular array of fastballs. Consequently, he's totaled 23 RBIs, which stands as his best month of the season.

When Teixeira badly bruised his right middle finger on Aug. 18, there was reason for concern. But all he did the next afternoon was enjoy the first of back-to-back two-homer performances. His second two-homer outing came after he spent a majority of the previous evening vomiting.

"He's a special player," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He gives you everything he's got every time he goes out there."

During his past 11 games, Teixeira has hit .435 (20-for-46) with a .519 on-base percentage and an .804 slugging percentage. Still, the Braves have won just five of those games.

"He gives you a good professional at-bat 90 percent of the time," Chipper said. "That's rare for a power hitter. He gives you a good quality at-bat. He goes deep into counts, takes his walks. He's a good offspeed hitter. He's the total package."

If Teixeira could provide much-needed stability at the back end of the starting rotation, the Braves truly could call him the total package.