DURING the first nine games of the season, Atlanta started a one-time high school cricket player and a guy who was 6-8 at Single-A last season.

Since these are the Braves, we wonder what in the name of Craig McMurtry is going on?

For more than a decade, the Braves were synonymous with exceptional rotations that fueled 10 consecutive NL East titles. But the Atlanta team that begins a three-game set at Shea tomorrow arrives with a staff more unsettled and unimpressive than any time since midway through the George Bush administration. That’s George Bush Sr.

“The competition is probably rubbing its hands together saying this is the time [Atlanta’s pitching will falter],” Braves GM John Schuerholz said. “But we’ll see.”

Schuerholz remains optimistic despite:

Greg Maddux being disabled for a nerve problem in his lower back that required at least two cortisone shots. Maddux returned great as ever Friday, working five shutout innings in his first start. But he has thrown more than 3,500 innings, so you wonder if his first DL trip was ominous.

Damian Moss, an Australian high school cricket and rugby player who spent eight years in the minors, having to start for Maddux.

John Ennis, who pitched at Single-A last season, starting for the disabled Albie Lopez, whom the Braves gave $4 million, though he lost 19 games in 2001.

Kevin Millwood and Jason Marquis being asked to be big-time starters, though Millwood was just 17-20 the last two seasons and Marquis entered 2002 with a career 6-6 record.

Tom Glavine and Maddux again carrying a rotation, but doing so now at age 36 and in the walk year of contracts. Glavine has begun brilliantly (2-0, 0.89).

Beyond the rotation worries, the Braves invested $30 million in John Smoltz to become the full-time closer two years removed from Tommy John surgery. Smoltz, who turns 35 next month, was clobbered for eight runs in two-thirds of an inning last week against the Mets and blew a save in Philadelphia when Scott Rolen homered with two out in the ninth. Smoltz, though, has great pedigree and fortitude.

The back of the Brave bullpen, however, consists of the talented, but untested Tim Spooneybarger, Darren Holmes (yes, that Darren Holmes), who was out of the majors last season after a 13.03 ERA in 2000, and Chris Hammond, who last was in the majors in 1998 and has not been beneath a 5.92 ERA since 1995.

As one NL GM said, “I have questions about their rotation, which means you are going to need your middle relievers more and, boy, do I have questions about their middle relievers.”

But as Steve Phillips said, “These are the Braves, they have a great track record and I wouldn’t bet against these guys.”

That is mainly because the magnificent Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz are still united. But how long can they carry a staff? Is Maddux now a health risk? Do Smoltz’s early struggles suggest trouble ahead? Is it possible the Mets, beset by pitching questions all offseason, actually have a better staff? How about Florida, St. Louis, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Arizona and the Cubs?

That the questions are being posed speaks to a vulnerability that has been as absent in Atlanta as good Hawks teams. But Schuerholz waves off concern. He felt good enough about the pitching to use the team’s best rotation protection, Odalis Perez, to land Gary Sheffield and, thus, address offensive shortcomings from 2001.

Schuerholz believes “most of the perceived problems will go away” with Maddux back. He says Millwood has returned to the All-Star-level form of 1998-99, though scouts say the righty’s fastball and on-mound demeanor are not fully back. He thinks Marquis’ talent will blossom and Lopez will be 200 productive innings from the five hole.

“Maybe we will not be dominant like the past,” Schuerholz said. “But we’ll be fine.”

When the standard has been greatness, however, is “fine” good enough to win an NL East title for an 11th straight year?