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March 2006
NL East ours again
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t worry about the Braves’ spring training record and enjoy the final two preseason games against the World Series champion Chicago White Sox this weekend at Turner Field.
It could be a lot worse. Remember the start of last season?
Raul Mondesi was in right field, a sore-kneed Brian Jordan was in left and Dan Kolb was already psyched out about trying to be the Braves’ closer.
Thanks to the minor league system and manager Bobby Cox’s steady hand, everything worked out all right. Although the postseason was disappointing again, the Braves won a 14th consecutive division title.
Can they make it 15? Sure. Will they? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Certainly there are concerns, but the New York Mets - despite all their winter moves - and the Philadelphia Phillies have them as well.
If healthy, the bullpen could be surprisingly good even without a major move and the starting rotation should be the best in the National League East.
The offense, though, doesn’t look as potent as the Mets’ or Phillies’. But the Braves owe their success to pitching and defense for the most part.
Regular blogger David O’Brien (good ole DOB) is taking the day off to drive back to Atlanta from Florida. He’ll be back online Monday, when the Braves open the season in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
While he’s away, here is your chance to get on board with your 2006 predictions.
In Sunday’s special baseball section, I have the Braves winning the NL East again, with the Mets claiming the wild-card. The other NL winners should be St. Louis and San Diego. It’s a down year in the National League, so the World Series winner should again come from the American League.
Unfortunately for Yankee haters, I give the edge to the Bronx Bombers despite the question marks in their rotation.
And what is your opinion on Barry Bonds? How many homers will he hit this season and will be challenge Hank Aaron’s career record of 755?
Projecting the 25-man roster
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s make it simple today. A couple of important lists.
First, what I project will be the 25-man roster Bobby Cox announces Saturday night or Sunday:
STARTING PITCHERS
RHP Tim Hudson, RHP John Smoltz, LHP Horacio Ramirez, RHP Jorge Sosa, RHP Kyle Davies
RELIEVERS RHPs Chris Reitsma, Oscar Villarreal, Joey Devine, Blaine Boyer, Lance Cormier; LHPs Mike Remlinger, Chuck James
INFIELDERS 1B Adam LaRoche, 2B Marcus Giles, 3B Chipper Jones, SS Edgar Renteria
OUTFIELDERS LF Ryan Langerhans, CF Andruw Jones, RF Jeff Francoeur
CATCHERS Brian McCann, Todd Pratt
BENCH INFs Wilson Betemit, Pete Orr, OF Matt Diaz, OF/1B Brian Jordan
Just talking to people around here, I think Bobby is going to take Jordan in order to have a veteran on the bench and a guy who’s a solid outfielder when healthy, which he’s been so far. Bobby has played his back-to-back-to-back days and he’s held up. He’s passed the tests, and Braves are quite honestly surprised at how good he’s looked at first base (notwithstanding’s today’s error on a ball he let under his glove) and how well he’s moved in the outfield (this is what they hoped he’d be last year when he was the opening day left fielder.
Anyway…
Big question will be what happens when Thomson is ready. I think he starts out on the DL, obviously, with his sore elbow. But what about in a couple of weeks? Anything could happen. Someone could get hurt, Sosa could get traded, someone could pitch poorly in the bullpen, anything. But for now, I think the decision is pretty easy with the pitching staff because of Thomson’s sore elbow.
Boyer stunk yesterday, but it was nothing to do with his shoulder. Just rusty. Understandable, and Cox spoke positively of him again today and reiterated nothing wrong with shoulder. That told me Cox is keeping him on the roster.
Smoltz, by the way, just finished another solid start _ five innings, five hits, two runs (one earned), no walks, six strikeouts. He’s ready, folks. Pretty damn good spring for the old man.
NOW, the IMPORTANT LIST. Peter Gammons had his top 20 IPod songs list. I’m older school, listen to whole CDs, all the way through. And I don’t have a sponsorship (but I’m willing to accept swag from any audio store or CD retailers _ Ella Guru manager, are you listening? Wuxtry, then?
Anyway, here’s my top 10 CDs that got me through another spring of driving 3,100 miles from Georgia and around Central Florida’s traffic-clogged highways and biways. If not for these CDs, trust me, Disney World would be burned to the ground by now:
James McMurtry “Childish Things”
Bobby Bare “The Moon Was Blue”
John Doe “Forever Hasn’t Happened Yet”
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds “Abbattoir Blues”
X “Make the Music Go Bang!”
The Black Keys “Rubber Factory”
Howlin Wolf “The London Sessions” (expanded edition)
“A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver”
Hank Williams III “Straight to Hell”
Cat Power “The Greatest”
Kanye West “Late Registration” (OK, that’s 11, I cheated)
Buy them all, and if you don’t like them, I’ll refund the purchase price. Or not.
News comes as a relief
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you follow baseball long enough, you tend to automatically expect the worst when it comes to pitching injuries. More often than not, it seems the worst-case scenario is the one that unfolds.
That’s why Chris Reitsma’s situation turned out to be such a pleasant surprise for the Braves. Their closer left Monday’s game with a hamstring injury, the same left hamstring he injured in three of the previous five seasons.
But there he was Wednesday morning, walking without a limp in the clubhouse, then suiting up and going out for regular pregame work. Reitsma said he felt fine and the hamstring was good to go for the season, which starts Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Whether you like him as your closer or not — and there would appear to be one or two Braves fans who don’t, judging from e-mails, blog responses, Reitsma mannequins hung in effigy (just kidding) — this is the best news imaginable for the Braves, who were already starting the season without injured lefties Macay McBride and John Foster could hardly afford to shuffle their remaining relievers in order to fill the closer gap.
Now, it certainly appears they won’t have to. Barring reinjury, Reitsma should be ready to go Monday. And as bad as the ‘pen looked a week or two ago, it’s shaping up to be a bit less of a concern with recent developments. The reasons: 1. Blaine Boyer getting over his sore shoulder; 2. Mike Remlinger developing a sharp curveball to use against lefties and turning in consistently effective performances in the past couple of weeks; and 3. Reitsma.
While the Braves could certainly use some bullpen help, and probably would have landed a reliever as part of a trade for John Thomson before he developed a tender elbow this week, the team isn’t in terrible shape in the ‘pen if they have to open with this crew. Joey Devine, Oscar Villarreal and Reitsma have looked very good from the right side, Remlinger has from the left, and rookie lefty Chuck James shows flashes of being effective in the new role he’s expected to occupy (Braves are likely to move the starter to relief to begin the season).
That leaves two spots, one of which could be filled by Jorge Sosa once Thomson is healthy (I think the Braves would rather have Thomson in the rotation than Sosa, both because Sosa has plenty of bullpen experience and because Thomson could be traded later and his value might be diminished if he goes to the ‘pen and struggles or gets hurt doing a role he’s not familiar with).
Lance Cormier is the other obvious choice based on his work this spring. He’s got a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances, and all four earned runs he’s allowed came in one two-inning appearance vs. St. Louis. He’s allowed a total of nine hits and three unearned runs in his other 10 innings, and Cormier has nine strikeouts with three walks. He’s fine to take some innings at least in garbage time and maybe work into a bigger role.
Couple other things:
*Chipper hit one of the longer bombs of the spring in B.P. today, a towering shot over the clock atop the left-center scoreboard. Bobby Cox was sitting in the dugout talking to a few of us ink-stained wretches and the manager stopped in mid-sentence to watch Chipper’s shot and commented with an expletive-laced compliment.
*Tuesday in Kissimee before Astros game, Cox raved about SS prospect Yunel Escobar, who is built like a slugger with his ripped chest and cable-like forearms. Cox loves the animated Cuban, and told a story about Escobar and Adam LaRoche hitting off a tee on a backfield earlier in the spring. Apparently Escobar was hitting balls “out of the park to right-center, off the tee,” Cox said. “You just can’t do that. Most guys can’t hit it to the warning track off a tee.”
*Don’t assume Salty is going to be a first baseman. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is the top prospect in the organization, and the Braves have discussed moving him to first someday to help him get to the majors faster. But he’s also developed into a good defensive catcher, and a switch-hitting slugger of a catcher is hard to find. Cox says McCann has as good a defensive tools as anybody, so it’s not like they’re going to kick him to the curb. Should be interesting a year from now.
Elbow in way of Thomson move
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Never a dull moment with your Atlanta Braves.
The elbow injury for John Thomson might turn out to be nothing more than “spring training elbow tenderness” — that’s what the Braves called it their game notes Monday, which was one of more ridiculous terms for an injury that I’ve seen. But whatever it is, it certainly ends any trade speculation for now.
Or another way of putting it: If John Schuerholz can trade a 32-year-old pitcher with a tender elbow and a $4.75 million salary, coming off a 4-6 season in which he missed three months with a freakish finger injury that no one had ever seen in a pitcher, well, then Schuerholz would cement his status as the greatest trader in baseball today.
Won’t happen. Had a scout tell me today before the game that unless and until Thomson comes back and pitches healthy for several starts, at least, no other team will even consider dealing for him now.
Oh, well, at least it could open an immediate spot for Kyle Davies. Thing is, he was going to be in the rotation one way or another. He was going to replace Thomson if the Braves traded him, or in place of Jorge Sosa, who they would’ve moved to the bullpen if Thomson was healthy and they couldn’t get what they were looking for in return.
Now, that decision is made for them. And those who’ve suggested Thomson go to the ‘pen — keep in mind, the Braves want to be able to trade him, and having him pitch out of the bullpen isn’t going to help them do that. And now that he’s got this elbow problem, it’s unlikely they’d subject him to bullpen duty, something he’s never done other than an isolated game in 1999 and one last postseason. Getting up and pitching on irregular basis, warming up two or three times some nights, pitching back-to-back days, etc. — that’s not what you want for a guy who’s started his entire career and now has a tender elbow.
And I know Smoltz did it, but John is John. The Braves were told by doctors during his first and second seasons after major elbow surgery that his arm would be sujected to less stress pitching an inning at a time than grinding out 220-245 innings as a starter, which Smoltz used to do with regularity. And after a few years of closing, Smoltz made a convicing argument that he knew his body and knew his elbow would hold up longer as a starter, pitching regularly, than the erratic nature of relief work.
So anyway, gotta get down to the clubhouse. Game ending here, Braves up 5-4. Davies pitched well again this time in place of Thomson. Wait till you read Shultz column on Kenny Ray in tomorrow’s paper. Really interesting 31-year-old journeyman who once attended Roswell High a long, long time ago. And has played in about every minor and independent league since then.
No trade, no word, no big?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s come down to this: Braves vs. Yankees tonight. Loser must leave the state by week’s end.
OK, so the winner will also be leaving Florida at the end of the week (mercifully). Just wanted to spice it up a bit, cause it’s getting rather redundant down here, folks.
It’s that time of spring. The end can’t come soon enough, especially if you’re Marcus Giles (.056 average, 1-for-18). But enough with cheap shots….
For those keeping score at home, the Braves enter tonight’s contest with the National League’s worst spring training record, a not-so-sizzling 7-16 with three ties. Fortunately for them, no one will care by Monday.
Only thing left to do here is make a trade for a lefty reliever, which I still think the Braves will get accomplished. However, I also wouldn’t bet on that. Thomson must be dealt to create a spot for Davies, and I think that will get done.
Schuerholz made a convincing - OK, somewhat convincing - argument that even if they don’t make a deal, they’re comfortable with what they have here and confident they can make it work. He wouldn’t answer specifics about any player or position, like whether they’d really feel comfortable without a proven lefty reliever who can get the biggest lefty bats out. Maybe Chuck James can do it - maybe. I just don’t think the Braves want to go into the season hoping that will happen.
If they trade for1B/OF whiff machine Craig Wilson, which I don’t think they’re seriously considering despite reports, I’d eagerly await the explanation for how he makes the team better for $3 mill more than Jurries would make.
Of course, if they’re planning on keeping Jordan instead of Jurries, then Wilson doesn’t look so bad as the option over both of them. If Bobby is determined to have a veteran on his bench, I could see him keeping Jordan or trading for Wilson. But only if he’s determined to have a veteran (with Diaz, Betemit and Orr in the other bench roles, Braves wouldn’t have a proven pinch hitter if they keep Jurries, and Jordan isn’t much of a homer threat anymore, but I’d hope they could do better than Wilson.
Pratt will see very rare if any pinch-hitting duties, because Bobby never puts himself in position where he doesn’t have a catcher in event of emergency).
I’ll update later tonight.
What? Why? Who? When? !!!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Night game at the Happiest Place on Earth. Wheeeee.
But seriously, it’s a gorgeous night for some baseball. Who are the Braves playing? Let me check. Washington Nationals, the schedule says (as you can imagine, we don’t put a lot of time into advance work on these spring games).
Soriano in left field. Could be the most adventurous ride at Disney tonight.
But onto the subject you all care about: What are the Braves going to do about their bullpen? Why are they trading Thomson? When are they trading him? Who are they trading him to? Why don’t they trade Horacio instead? Or Sosa? Or trade Sosa, Horacio and LaRoche for Willy Taveras, Lidge and Qualls and have Jurries play every day? Or … aaaahhhhhhh!!!!
Folks, it’s great that everyone’s so passionate. But this is a fairly airtight organization in terms of info getting out, and I’m just happy to have learned early that they were shopping Thomson hard, which I got from scouts with other teams, not from anybody in the Braves organization.
Anyway, my point is, it’s hard - harder than at the winter meetings when everyone’s in same place - to get updated information in fluid trade talks. So we wait. I’m going to ask more people tonight if they’ve heard any specifics, but right now I don’t have anything more. I know the Giants have a couple of lefties available, just like Royals do and Pirates might, though Pirates are asking so much for all their guys, just like they did a while back when teams were interested in Craig Wilson, that it tends to quash any trades with them.
Steve Kline from Giants or Jeremy Affeldt from Kansas City might be solid additions and help to solve Braves’ lefty problem, though Kline’s 4.28 ERA and 11 homers allowed last season tells me he could be in sharp decline. That was way more than double his ERA (1.79) from previous year in St. Louis, and he had almost as many walks as strikeouts. And Affeldt, hard as he throws, has yet to harness it. He had a stinkin’ 5.26 ERA last season, and he, too, had almost as many walks (29) as strikeouts (39) in 49-2/3 innings.
Don’t know if those guys are significantly better than Remlinger, provided Rem stays healthy (OK, that’s a ginormous if).
Anyway, if Braves could get one solid righty in trade, and get Boyer back by early to mid-April, and McBride soon after, and have Chuck James as a lefty along with Rem as long as he’s healthy, the ‘pen might just be good enough. Hey, they might even be able to get by without trading for a reliever. But they could certainly use one right now, until some other guys are ready. Which is why they want to do it, because they don’t want the ‘pen in disarray in the first weeks of the season and probably don’t want anyone (Mets) to get out to a quick lead.
Remember, what keeps getting overlooked is fact that hard-throwing (93-95 mph) Carlos Almanzar should be ready by May or June. Braves are counting on him like they were Jay Powell, who looked good when he returned at midseason last year, before his arm blew up on the mound.
Also, the Aussie sidearmer, Peter Moylan, had three strikeouts and one walk when he recorded four outs today in a Richmond-Buffalo AAA game. Command is good, and that’s only question about the Sidd Finch-like character the Braves signed out of the WBC. If he keeps this up, Moylan could help the ‘pen soon.
Powell, by the way, is probably finished. Haven’t heard this year if he’s thinking of a comeback, but he seemed resigned after last year’s injury to probably hanging it up. At best, he wouldn’t be able to pitch again until 2007. Good dude, too. One of the best I’ve been around, and I’ve known him since his years with Marlins a decade ago.
OK, that’s it. Security meeting in clubhouse is breaking up, so we’re allowed in now. Gotta get down there and find out if anything’s going on.
Thomson proves his worth
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
John Thomson would like to stay with the Braves, but he might have helped pave his exit Thursday.
With a slew of scouts on hand at The Happiest Celebration on Earth (trademark) at The Ballpark at Disney’s Wide World of Sports (trademark), Thomson turned in easily his best performance of the spring.
The Braves are trying to trade Thomson and his $4.75 million salary and open a rotation spot for prospect Kyle Davies. Thomson turned in an enticing performance in front of the scouts, allowing five hits and one run in six innings, with no walks and one strikeout.
He had allowed four earned runs three times in four Grapefruit League starts before Thursday, and came in with a 7.71 ERA and .383 opponents average (23 hits in 14 innings). Davies has a 0.64 ERA in four starts this spring.
The Braves would like to land a solid reliever as part of a deal for Thomson. Their bullpen has a lot of question marks, with only Chris Reitsma, Oscar Villarreal, Joey Devine and lefty Chuck James looking like sure things for the opening day ‘pen.
There was good news on the injury front Thursday when Blaine Boyer threw a pain-free inning in a camp game against Braves minor leaguers and prospects. It was his first “game” action since leaving the season finale in October with shoulder inflammation that kept him off the playoff roster. He could open the season on the DL and be activated as soon as the first weekend of the regular season, or possibly even be ready opening day, though that seems a bit optimistic and ambitious, considering how little he’s thrown.
Lefty Macay McBride is still questionable with a strained or slightly torn muscle above his left wrist at the base of the forearm. There’s a dark spot where blood formed below the skin, though the discoloration has improved and he could begin throwing within a few days. Still, it’s a near certainty he’ll start the season on the DL.
If the Braves can get Boyer and McBride back soon, their ‘pen could go from questionable to potential strength, particularly if they land a reliever in a trade before opening day, which I think they’ll do.
They got Chris Reitsma and Juan Cruz just before opening day two years ago, and Jorge Sosa last year in a last-week-of-spring deal from Tampa Bay. (Remember, they got him to be a reliever, though he ended up moving to the rotation and going 10-3 with a 2.62 ERA in 20 starts.)
Other news: Francoeur out of lineup today with slight soreness in left shoulder from a falling catch he made Wednesday. But never fear Frenchy-philes, it’s not serious. It’s nothing, really. He took BP, crushed more balls over the fences, and did everything else before the game. Bobby just being Bobby - cautious as always with injured guys, especially in spring.
It’s about to rain here, dark ominous clouds forming over Themepark-a-lopolis. It gives the place an appropriately sinister feel.
Braves are going to announce 10 cuts after the game, but I can’t release them yet because a couple of guys haven’t been told by the boss. Only one name will get much notice, and only because he’s a prominent guy, not because he ever had a chance of making the team this soon. I’ll let you know soon as I get back from clubhouse after game.
Strong case for Davies
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If the Braves weren’t already trying to trade John Thomson, Kyle Davies’ performance against Philadelphia might have been enough to stoke the trade talks.
But they were already trying to trade J.T.
Two top scouts told me today that the Braves have been trying to get out from under Thomson’s $4.75 million contract. They’re concerned about last year’s finger injury and his work this spring, and they simply don’t need Thomson as much as they need relief help. The Braves have Davies ready to step into their rotation — the kid from Stockbridge reduced his spring ERA to 0.64 in four starts with five scoreless innings against the Phils.
After Davies left, Jorge Sosa got absolutely rocked in a four-run sixth inning that included a three-run homer by Rookie of the Year Ryan Howard. Braves have to be a bit concerned about Sosa, who didn’t get much of a break this offseason before pitching in winter ball in the Dominican and then pitching in the WBC and getting only six innings of work in two weeks away from the Braves.
Then again, Sosa had a weird spring last year, working relief with only one start for Tampa Bay before being traded to Braves and turning out to be their most consistent starter after entering the rotation in June. So there’s reason to believe Sosa will be fine. Just not much to boost that feeling based on his performance alone.
Braves used their entire projected opening day lineup today for first time this spring, with exception of Davies as starting pitcher (Tim Hudson is planned opening day starter).
Results weren’t impressive early, but Andruw finally got the Braves on the board with a solo homer off Ryan Franklin in the fourth. Jeff Francoeur added another bomb off Franklin in the fifth, the third in just four games for Francoeur since he got back from the WBC.
I’m telling you, Frenchy looks like a beast at the plate. In batting practice he was once again crushing balls, and has been every day. He’s a little bigger, and just makes 400-foot blasts look effortless in BP. Even guys like the Joneses have been impressed.
The bullpen was already a big concern, and even bigger now that lefty Macay McBride appears headed for DL to start season. Blaine Boyer could be headed there, too. Already, John Foster is on DL to start season and could miss the entire year if he needs elbow surgery. Braves are probably going to pull off a deal or two for relief help in the next week, and Chuck James now appears more than likely headed for the bullpen to begin the season.
Jurries vs. Jordan? Hmmm…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For tomorrow’s paper I wrote about the only remaining position battle, but I wanted to run it out there early in this space, too. Since I know you all have an opinion on it.
Jurries vs. Jordan for the first base job previously held by the ancient elder Julio Franco.
Me, I’d go with James Jurries. The kid’s hit .452 (14-for-31) with two homers and a team-high 12 RBIs in the Grapefruit League. He hit .284 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs in 106 games at Class AAA Richmond, where he was the team’s player of the year. He can flat-out rake, according to everyone who’s seen him in the minors and all of us who’ve seen him this spring.
But I also know how Bobby is with veterans, and his continued fondness for B.J. If he can’t have Julio on the team — and the Mets’ two-year offer to the 47-year-old elder made that a closed case — then Bobby probably would like to have the next-closest thing, a guy who’s great in the clubhouse, proven off the bench, and a known commodity overall: Brian Jordan.
I could be wrong, but it just seems like Bobby’s been playing Jordan almost every day lately to see if he’ll hold up, and so far he has. That, and the fact that Jordan’s impressed everyone with his ability to play first base despite not having played the position in a decade.
B.J. has a .357 average (10-for-28) this spring, albeit only one extra-base hit (double) and one RBI. But as a scout told me once again yesterday, in a conversation about another matter, “Never put much too much stock in performances in March or September.” Old-school baseball dudes like Bobby don’t make decisions strictly based on spring performances, if they have other factors they can mix in the equation.
Matt Diaz has simply outplayed everyone for the backup outfield job, so that’s his barring anything unforeseen.
That leaves only the platoon or backup first-base job, whatever it turns out to be (I think they’re definitely leaning toward a platoon, much as LaRoche wants to play every day).
Wilson Betemit needs to get back this week from his strained side, or else the Braves might have to start considering other options there. I don’t think they’ll have to, since report on him this weekend was that he was doing a lot better; he stayed back in Lake Buena Vista to work while the Braves played in Jupiter.
Pete Orr hasn’t done much this spring at all, but those bloggers who think his job is in jeopardy — don’t. It’s not. The guy hit .300 last year in his first year in the majors, and a bad spring isn’t going to erase that.
Elsewhere, should let you know Horacio was not good today in his minor league start for Myrtle Beach. Not good at all. Braves wanted him to stay on his regular every-fifth-day routine while team was off today, so Ramirez pitched against Salem (Astros A-ball affiliate) and allowed six hits, four runs (all earned) and three walks in 5-1/3 innings. Threw 88 pitches and struck out four. Far as I know, Astros didn’t have Berkman, Biggio, et. al., in their lineup. (I wasn’t there, folks, have to admit. So maybe he wasn’t as awful as the line indicates. But then again, it’s not really unusual for a big leaguer to go down and get knocked around in these games. Happens every spring, some minor league team gets all geeked up to hit against the major leaguer slumming for the day.)
Horacio is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in his three Grapefruit League starts, with an alarming 17 hits and only two strikeouts and four walks in 12 innings. That continues a trend that began last year when he struck out just 80 with 67 walks in 202 innings. Braves are expecting more this year, and need more from Ramirez.
Meanwhile, the search for relief help goes on. I hear the Braves could have something by end of week, at least one right-hander. But unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to be Scott Williamson, who they’d like to get from the Cubs. Don’t think Chicago’s going to let him go unless they get an awful lot in return.
Bye-bye to the blahs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s hot down here in Jupiter, folks. Feels like a July day game at Turner Field — upper-80s today, higher humidity than we’ve felt all spring, and sunny. Very sunny.
And it wasn’t just the weather that was in midseason form. John Smoltz was, too. (Stay with me here. I’m getting my work in, using some transitions, metaphors, whatever.)
Anyway, Smoltz was sharp today against the Cards, allowing only two hits and a walk in five scoreless, with four strikeouts. Good stuff for the Bravos, who also got solid relief work from Oscar Villarreal and Chris Reitsma and homers from Edgar Renteria and Jeff Francoeur during a 8-1 win (it’s 8-1 going into bottom ninth, and I’m headed down to clubhouse as I file this blog for the “Blitz!” (I love saying that.)
Braves poured on runs in the ninth (four off lefty Carmen Cali) to turn this into a rout. He’s their third lefty reliever, if he makes the team.
Smoltz continues to surprise teams expecting his array of fastballs, sliders and splitters. He threw a ton of change-ups today and feels more comfortable with the pitch than he has since before his move to the closer role five years ago. He hasn’t thrown a split this spring, but says it’s still in his arsenal and that he won’t need to hone it like he does a change-up. It’ll be there when he needs it, he says.
Meanwhile, he thinks his change-up is making his fastball much more effective, even though he isn’t throwing the fastball as hard as he has before — by design. Remember, his whole thing this spring is everything under control, no max-effort stuff that has him falling off the mound on his follow-through, etc. Smoltz says he knows people are going to say he’s just doing it this spring and will revert to his old form when the season begins, but he vows this is his new approach and he’s going to use it all season.
If it’s this effective, why not? He says pitching under control has made his arm much fresher than it would be otherwise.
Elsewhere, two of Renteria’s three homers this spring have come against his former St. Louis team. As for Francoeur, if you saw him get a single and crush that first-pitch homer to CF in his first two at-bats today, after his 3-for-3, five-RBI Grapefruit League debut Saturday, you’ve got to be feeling pretty good about Frenchy. He scoffs at the notion of a so-called sophomore slump. And only six at-bats in the WBC? Hey, that’s Buck’s problem, not Francoeur’s.
Anyway, it was good to see the Braves do a little something today, considering how listless they looked Sunday. Granted, Anthony Reyes of the Cards was leaving a lot of pitches over the middle, but the Braves took advantage, gave Smoltz some support, and got good work from the two pitchers who figure to play the most prominent roles in their bullpen, barring a trade acquisition before now and opening day.
Cards got their only run in the sixth off Mike Remlinger, who gave up a walk and hit before getting a double-play grounder.
OK, that’s it. Going downstairs. Talk to Bobby, maybe Edgar, then steer the Buick Lucerne rental (Tiger Woods’ tournament car, don’t you know?) toward Fun, Inc. Going to be a Rosanne Cash and Hank I trip, I believe.
Later, folks.
Welcome back, WBC refugees
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Before I forget, I need to relate the best line I’ve heard all spring. Didn’t happen today, but I keep forgetting, so I’m gonna put it here.
Bobby Dews, everyone’s favorite bullpen coach, is walking briskly past a few of us the other day in Winter Haven before game against Indians, as Bobby Cox and Terry Pendleton sign autographs for a bunch of people along the fence down the left-field line. “Don’t mind me,” Dewsy says, “I’m just going over to compare varicose veins with Bob Feller.”
And that, folks, is what makes spring training great.
Now, to present matters:
Not that the Braves and their fans were pulling for the U.S. to lose to Mexico Thursday, but it sure might help make things a bit more interesting here at Monolithic Family Fun Park, Inc.
Jeff Francoeur and Chipper Jones were expected to fly into Orlando sometime tonight. Bobby Cox said both players would probably make the trip to Jupiter to play the Cardinals on Sunday and Monday, the only overnight trip of the spring for the Braves.
There’s nearly as much anticipation over the return of Oscar Villarreal, the reliever who blanked the U.S. for a couple innings Thursday night, striking out Francoeur to end one inning. He was throwing so hard and with such nasty movement, the feeling in the Braves clubhouse is that the right-hander will be a very big part of the bullpen, at least a top setup guy and a closer option if Reitsma falters for any reason.
As mediocre as the ‘pen has been this spring, the December trade of Johnny Estrada to Arizona for Villarreal and reliever Lance Cormier — the deal that yours truly dismissed with sarcasm at the winter meetings, like an idiot — is looking better by the day for the Braves. If Villarreal’s arm holds up, he looks like he could be the guy who had 10 wins and a 2.57 ERA in 86 appearances as D-backs rookie in 2003, though the Braves seem unlikely to ride him like a rented mule the way that Bob Brenly and the D-backs did.
Considering the elbow and shoulder problems he had in the two years after that 98-inning workload he endured as a 21-year-old in 2003, the Braves know how irresponsible it’d be to overuse him again.
Couple of other things: Matt Diaz had another hit and another fine defensive play today. Not exactly going out on a limb here to say I’d be really surprised if he’s not on the opening day roster as a backup outfielder. He entered today batting .378 in a team-high 37 at-bats and ranked among Grapefruit League leaders in homers (three) and total bases, with a .676 slugging percentage that trailed only James Jurries (.826) among Braves with significant ABs.
Jurries should make the roster as the second first baseman and a fifth outfielder, though it remains to be seen — and probably hasn’t been decided — whether Jurries would be used in a straight platoon with LaRoche or as more of a typical backup. I think it’ll end up being a platoon, with Jurries playing against lefties like Julio Franco did the past couple years.
Kyle Davies was solid today, allowing six hits and one run in four innings, with a walk and three strikeouts. Offense wasn’t solid; it was more like a gel-like substance. Braves have seven hits through eight innings, none of those hits when they needed them most. They’re down 3-0 with Houston batting in top of ninth. Reitsma pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts, and Remlinger pitched an inning with a walk and an unearned run after a Jeff Bagwell fly ball caromed off CF prospect Brandon Jones’ glove at the warning track.
For Rem, it was the first time this spring that he followed up a good outing with something better than a rotten one. In four previous outings, he’d gone three earned allowed, none allowed, three earned allowed, and then his two-inning perfect outing Tuesday vs. Houston. So this was progress for the old man (40 next week).
Not saying he’s the answer, but Braves don’t have two better, healthier lefties right now, that’s for sure. Unless they just go with young Macay McBride as their only lefty to start the season, Remlinger has a decent shot at making the team. That, or they move Chuck James to the bullpen, which there is some debate within organization over whether that’s the best course for the promising starter.
Of course, the Braves are also checking around for available lefties. But just try to find a decent lefty on the trade market at this stage — it ain’t easy, folks. If they commit to Remlinger, his salary is $700,000 if he makes the major league roster. Reasonable if he stays healthy, but that’s a mighty big “if” considering his recent track record.
Big crowd here today for St. Paddy’s Day. Braves wore green hats, which I’m sure no one will be surprised to learn are available at the souvenir stands. No truth to the rumor of a Pogues postgame concert. I was hoping Shane MacGowan could come serenade the good folks here, flash his toothless grin and scare the children.
The promise of April
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If someone had told you that, on March 15, Jonathan Schuerholz would be tied for the team home run lead, Mike Remlinger would be the only healthy left-hander in the bullpen, and Joey Devine would have twice as many strikeouts as any other Braves pitcher … you probably would have thought, it’s going to be a bad spring.
And it has been.
It’s been bad for the Braves for a variety of reasons, from health to WBC absences to simply poor performances from a few others the Braves had high hopes for (Brad Baker, we hardly knew ye).
But we all know what happens come April: No one remembers or cares what happened in March. So let’s not get carried away, folks. I realize most of you aren’t, but a few seem to be getting alarmed and concerned. Don’t fret.
Sure, the bullpen has more holes than my Kiss Army T-shirt from 1978. Sure, Jeff Francoeur is getting only slightly more plate appearances than I am. Sure, Horacio Ramirez and John Thomson have looked entirely mediocre, and Jorge Sosa has been _ well, we’d have to look up WBC stats to see exactly what he’s been doing, and I’m too busy watching the NCAA basketball tournament to do that.
But all I’m saying is, the Braves have had bad springs before, and bad for no reason other than they just stunk — no WBC or ebola virus, just bad. And you know what? At least since 1991, it hasn’t mattered. They’ve finished first in every completed season since then, from what I’m told.
They are 5-9-1 entering tonight’s game at Port St. Lousy against the Mets. Last year, the Braves finished 12-15-1 in the Grapefruit League. The year before, 14-17. In 2000, 14-17. In 1998, 13-17. 1997, 10-18… you get the picture.
The Braves have had losing records in six of the last nine spring trainings, and guess what? They finished first in the division every year.
Now there are other, more relevant reasons to be concerned about this team (see above — the bullpen’s suspect, back of the rotation looks unimpressive, etc.), including my biggest one: The Braves are relying heavily on a lot of players with one year of service or less to play major roles on this team.
Three of their eight projected starting position players have only played one full season or less — Langerhans, Francoeur, McCann. And if Jurries gets regular work as a platoon first baseman, it could be half of the lineup on many days.
But I also know how John (the other one) Schuerholz operates. He could pull off a trade before we leave this Hellish Theme Land, and I think he will, to add at least one reliever.
Then there’s the fact the Braves have several million bucks available to fill a hole or two at midseason, something they haven’t necessarily had at their disposal in recent years. If they need another bat or arm at the trade deadline, they can go out and get it.
They also have plenty of tradeable parts that teams are interested in, ranging from pitchers (Thomson or Horacio will get traded, I continue to believe) to middle infielders (Wilson Betemit is drawing interest again from other teams) to a load of prospects (they have more middle infielders than they know what to do with, and catchers, but Jarrod Saltalamacchia isn’t going to be traded, period).
Just a couple things from the past few days while I was tending to my ill horse on the farm: Chipper isn’t moving to first base. We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. And he’s not going to be traded. Keep talking about it if it’s fun and all, but it’s not going to happen.
Giles isn’t going to be traded and second base turned over to Wilson Betemit. This lineup already has enough question marks; the Braves aren’t going to trade away one of the two or three most productive second baseman in baseball, at least not until next winter when they know who’s ready to take over the job.
OK, I’d go on, but this post is due so they can get it on the big, unfortunately named 4 p.m. Blitz.
But one other matter:
There’s a spine-tingling scene in the new Neil Young movie, “Heart of Gold” (it’s on at the Tara), when ol’ Neil plays his song This Old Guitar from his LP “Prairie Wind” while playing THE guitar, which belonged to the great Hank Williams.
The significance, other than it being Hank’s guitar and the inspiration for the song is that Neil is playing it at the Ryman Auditorium, where he said Hank last played it in 1951, before getting kicked out of the Grand Ole Opry (as a bonus, the ever-gorgeous Emmylou Harris does the song with him).
So there he is, playing it in front of the footlights that Johnny Cash on speed once kicked out. God, it’s great stuff. Everyone should see it. It’s really great, important music, and Neil is just a giant, making as good or better stuff than ever.
(Skynyrd fans, you know Neil and and Ronnie were actually close friends, right? That both bands appreciated and admired the other despite the hype about “Southern Man” and Skynyrd’s response in “Sweet Home Alabama”? By the way, I got the new, expanded double-CD “Gimme Back My Bullets” while home in Atlanta. Great additional stuff, including a DVD of a special they did on BBC around that time).
Anyway, the Neil movie, an absolute must-see for any fan, is up-close (extremely up close in many instances) footage of the entire concert he did at Nashville last year, shortly after surgery for a brain aneurysm .
He’s got his usual great backing band, plus a Memphis horn section and background singers including Emmylou. Simply awesome. Neil’s anecdotes and asides about his dad and daughter show sides of him I’ve never seen. Touching, to say the least.
It reminded me of the Scorcese film “The Last Waltz,” or “Stop Making Sense,” the Talking Heads movie also directed by Jonathan Demme, who directs “Heart of Gold.” It’s as good as its gets for a concert film.
New suitors worth getting excited about?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two new prospective buyers of the Braves have emerged, and while neither has the name recognition of Arthur Blank, both are local. What do you think about the two parites — radio-magnate Lew Dickey Jr. and Ron Terwillinger’s investment group? Would you be pleased if either ended up buying the team, or are you holding out for Blank to make another run?
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Bullpen move sorely needed
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Braves went into spring training with bullpen concerns. Four weeks later, nothing has changed.
For every positive development so far, there have been at least two negative ones.
The best news has been Joey Devine, who has bounced back from the rookie nightmare of giving up grand slams in consecutive appearances to show that he is very capable of eventually becoming the Braves’ closer.
The worst news has been the elbow injury suffered by left-hander John Foster. He likely needs season-ending surgery, which leaves the Braves very short of lefty relievers.
Veteran Mike Remlinger finally showed he deserves a longer look with his two perfect innings Tuesday night against Houston, but he is almost 40. He’ll get it because Macay McBride is nursing a strained forearm.
The Braves were hoping that Blaine Boyer might develop into the setup man this season for Chris Reitsma, but he has been slow to come back from shoulder woes. Boyer threw to hitters for the first time Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Oscar Villarreal has been away for the World Baseball Classic, keeping the Braves from getting a true look at the former Arizona right-hander.
General manager John Schuerholz has said that he would address the Braves’ bullpen situation before the end of spring training as needed. It looks like a move or two is in order.
Frenchy needs exit, stage WBC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As embarrassing as it might be, the Braves would benefit from an early exit from the World Baseball Classic by Team USA.
Jeff Francoeur needs some at-bats to get ready for his second season and he isn’t getting them in the WBC.
The right fielder is the only player not to start a game for Team USA and he hasn’t played at all in the second round. Francoeur was 0-for-3 in the first round.
Now the U.S. doesn’t play again until Thursday, when it must beat Mexico to have a chance to advance to the semifinals.
The Braves, who have publicly backed the WBC, keep insisting that Francoeur will have enough time to get ready for the season in the final 10 days of camp. But they also expected the 22-year-old to play more in the WBC.
In contrast, the absence of Chipper Jones hasn’t been a problem for the Braves at all.
Without Jones around, Wilson Betemit has gotten a chance to play nearly every day at third base and he has hit in all 11 games. Is any team watching for a possible trade?
Leading closer candidate Chris Reitsma made his Grapefruit League debut on Monday after returning from the WBC, where he played for Canada. He was so-so and it is certainly a possibility that Joey Devine could move past him by the end of camp.
The good, bad & ugggly
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Smoltz, Giles good. Remlinger, bad. Very bad.
Braves lost against (or they’re losing 4-2 in seventh) against Cleveland today, which means they haven’t won a Grapefruit League game in a week. Which means … well, just about nothing.
The important stuff:
This slow-it-down approach just may work for John Smoltz. Today in Winter Haven — old-school spring training all the way, right down to the organ music — he made his second start and again pitched with a more deliberate style, under control instead of power pitching, and with impressive results.
Three innings, two hits, no walks, three strikeouts. And with the wind blowing out and blowing hard, Smoltz kept it on the ground with sliders, sinkers, and four changeups (by his count).
This was his first Grapefruit League start, after he went two innings with no hots and one walk in a meaningless exhibition against Andruw and his outmanned Netherlands lads. But Smoltz looked as good against the Indians as he did against those WBC underlings.
Marcus Giles played five innings in his first spring game and went 1-for-3 with a single, a strikeout looking, and his first double-play with new SS Edgar Renteria, a routine number that they could’ve pulled off blindfolded. Giles said he feels great after working out for four days back at the Dark Star to regain his conditioning and quickness. He missed 10 days of camp to be with his wife when she had their baby five weeks premature. The best news: Baby’s doing fine, home with mom Tracy in Atlanta. Giles said mom might drive to Orlando next week with their two little girls, including the baby, to see him.
OK, Rem. How to put this nicely, with sensitivity? Well, let’s just say he’s pitched three times this spring and two have been horrendous. Today was one of those. First five guys he faced went homer (first pitch, Casey Blake), walk, double, single, walk. If there had been a tornado warning siren nearby, it would have been time to use it. He got the next three guys out, but the damage was done. Three runs in fourth inning to give Indians 3-1 lead, and give Remlinger these frightening spring stats: 3 G, 2.2 inn, 7 H, 6 ER, 4 W, 1K.
Lerew’s also getting rocked here in the seventh inning, the third time he’s pitched and second time he’s given up a lot of hits. Disappointing for a guy who came in with a very good shot at a job.
If camp broke today, bullpen might look like this: LHs Macay McBride, John Foster, RHs Lance Cormier, Oscar Villarreal, Joey Devine, Wes Obermueller, Chris Reitsma.
Only other guy who’s pitched well at all is RH Kevin Barry (five innings, six hits, one walk, no runs this spring). I’n not including Chuck James or Kyle Davies, because I think Braves want both of them to start every fifth day, whether here or, more likely, minors.
I’m fairly certain the Braves will win again someday. But trailing 4-2 in seventh inning here in Winter Haven, it probably won’t be today.
THIS JUST IN: As I was sending that blog, Lou Merloni hit a three-run homer off minor leaguer Lynn Tucker, putting the exclamation mark on Lerew’s awful outing. Lerew was charged with six runs on one-third of an inning. ONE-THIRD! He gave up two hits, two walks, hit a batter … you get the picture.
A setback for Boyer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If these were the Braves we’ll see on opening day, there might — make that would — be serious cause for concern.
Alas, it was another motley assortment of prospects, minor leaguers, journeymen and just one lineup regular who scuffled much of the afternoon in a loss to the D-Rays Thursday in St. Pete. For those at home updating the Grapefruit League standings, that’s 2-5-1 for the Bravos, who will probably welcome back second baseman Marcus Giles to their lineup Friday at Winter Haven (Indians) and could get back several WBC players by the weekend.
Tim Hudson pitched well despite a head cold, Matt Diaz crushed a homer into the wind, and top shortstop prospect Yunel Escobar had two hits and a walk. Those were the high points for the Braves, who were playing on the road for the third of four consecutive games away from the Evil Empire while the World Baseball Classic is being held at their home ballpark.
Hudson allwoed two hits and a walk with two Ks in three innings, but said he didn’t get enough pitches (31) to really work on much, throwing mostly sinkers. He’s looking forward to the next rotation turn, when Braves starters will likely be up to four innings. A couple of pickoffs and caught stealings reduced his workload Thursday.
The Devil Rays got two runs in fifth against reliever Sean White, who had allowed only one walk (no hits) in four scoreless innings over his first two games (granted, one was against the Netherlands). Rays scored three more runs in a sloppy eighth inning to take a 6-2 lead.
The worst news of the day, potentially, was word that reliever Blaine Boyer had setback in his recovery from the shoulder tendinitis that kept him off the playoff roster at the end of his promising rookie season. Bobby Cox downplayed it, and pitching coach Roger McDowell said it wasn’t a serious setback, just some discomfort that led the Braves to have Boyer rest a few days before resuming light throwing today.
But it raises a red flag, since he rested the shoulder most of the winter, strengthened the muscles around the rotator cuff, and had planned on being ready by opening day.
Since he still hasn’t faced batters since October, that target date is starting to look iffy. McDowell said the Braves are going to take it day-to-day, not follow the tentative timetable they had set up at start of camp. He was supposed to have faced hitters earlier this week, but that got scrapped when he reported the soreness — or ‘discomfort,’ whichever you prefer.
Boyer could be huge part of bullpen if healthy, because he showed last year he’s got the stuff and no-fear attitude to be a closer someday and a solid setup man until then. Now, the Braves won’t be able to pencil him in until he proves the shoulder is healthy and can withstand regular work.
The fact that there’s still soreness in there seem a bit troubling. Two tests after the season showed no tears, but these things aren’t always conclusive, as Horacio Ramirez experienced a couple years ago when he was on the DL most of the season with shoulder problems and ended up having arthroscopic surgery.
On another subject, the shortstop Escobar, a Cuban defector who’s at least 22, has a solid build and looks like a real player who could arrive in a year or two if needed. He whistles and chats and talks constantly, which is at first strange and then rather endearing and comforting. He’s got swagger, for sure. Teammates love him, apparently. He did this all last season at Class A Rome and was a fan and clubhouse favorite. He can hit and he can really field.
Diaz keeps doing things to put himself in position to win a job. He had the two great catches yesterday at Lakeland, and today he pulled a home run down the left-field line, a towering shot. Haven’t seen him play first base (hasn’t in a game), but if he can play at all there, in addition to his outfield skills and emergency-catcher ability, he might be tough to leave off the opening day roster.
Adam LaRoche is out a day or two with bruised ribs after getting hit by a pitch Wednesday, and Edgar Renteria is expected to play the next three games after getting the day off Thursday because Bobby Cox didn’t want him to sit on a bus for nearly two hours with a back that was sore at the start of camp and has given him trouble in the past.
Thomson tough vs. Tigers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chad Paronto is built like a refrigerator and looks as though he could pancake-block anyone in a Tigers uniform.
Unfortunately for the Braves, that skill wasn’t of much use in the fourth inning today.
After John Thomson pitched three very impressive innings for the Braves, Paronto got knocked around for three runs and three hits in the fourth inning at Tigertown in Lakeland. Braves are down 3-1 after five. Paronto is an enormous guy, about 260, but doesn’t throw too hard and almost certainly isn’t going to be in the opening day bullpen.
Another day with a skeleton-squad lineup due to sickness and the World Baseball Classic. Bobby Cox with this lineup: 1. Michael Ryan, RF; 2. Edgar Renteria, SS; 3. Matt Diaz, LF; 4. Ryan Langerhans, CF; 5. Adam LaRoche, DH; 6. Brian Jordan, 1B; 7. Wilson Betemit, 3B; 8. Todd Pratt, C; 9. Martin Prado, 2B.
Fourth outfielder candidate Ryan, who’s spent part of past three seasons with Twins, hit a leadoff home run in the first inning. He’s the guy who replaced Torii Hunter for a while last year when the Twins CF was hurt.
Betemit had another hit and has hit safely in all seven spring games, batting a team-high .450 (9-for-20) with a double, homer and three RBIs.
LaRoche was DH’ing because he’s been sick and Cox wanted to ease him back in. LaRoche got to bat against a lefty in the third inning, Wilfredo Ledesma, and pulled a 1-1 pitch way over the right-field fence, a towering shot that sailed foul by about 10 feet. Then he struck out on a 3-2 count, his second K of the day.
Best news was probably work of Thomson, who looked sharp after making an adjustment in his delivery when pitching coach Roger McDowell pointed out that his foot wasn’t lined up properly on the rubber and he was pitching across his body. Thomson made the change and today he gave up one walk and no hits with four strikeouts in three scoreless to leave with a 1-0 lead.
Thomson got help from Matt Diaz, a backup outfield/1B hopeful who made two great catches, one a sliding job charging in to end the first inning, the other a leaping catch to rob a homer from Vance Wilson at the left-center wall. He leaped and pulled it back from over the fence, strong athletic play. Diaz also had a single. He’s the kid they got from Royals this winter, and he hit .371 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs in 65 games for the Royals’ Class AAA Omaha affiliate last season.
Diaz, who just turned 28, batted .281 with two triples, a homer and nine RBIs in 89 at-bats in stints with the major league club — including .370 (20-for-54) against left-handers.
He played in 14 games with Tampa Bay in 2003-04 and has a .252 average and two homers in 119 at-bats in the majors, including .333 with 12 RBIs against lefties and .128 with one RBI in 47 at-bats vs. right-handers.
Diaz has worked at 1B in workouts and in previous years during instructional league and with the Rays in minors. Hasn’t played there yet for Braves, who had Brian Jordan at first again Wednesday.
Jordan handled his defensive chances at 1B and doesn’t look out of place there at all. But of course, health is the big question with the veteran OF. Can he stay healthy? He hasn’t in a long time.
Salty sighting at first
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Guess who took ground balls at first base during pregame batting practice Tuesday? Hint: Big kid, long name.
Yes, Jarrod Saltamacchia, top-rated Braves prospect and No. 1 catching prospect in baseball.
“He’s just killing time out there, messing around,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said, rather unconvincingly.
Maybe he was just messing around, but if so then it’s quite a coincidence that Salty was taking grounders at first base the week after he had a double and triple in his first two at-bats in an Atlanta uniform (vs. the Georgia Bulldogs) and a game-ending three-run homer in his first Grapefruit League game against the Dodgers.
I’m not saying there’s any chance Salty opens the season as a platoon first basemen with Adam LaRoche, because I don’t think there is any chance of that happening. Jumping the kid directly from Class A Myrtle Beach to the majors seems too severe a step for the prudent Braves to consider.
However, if he goes to Double-A Mississippi and gets off to a solid start, then perhaps the Braves would consider him for a summer callup. And perhaps they would play him some at 1B at Mississippi, and not wait until the end of the season to try him there.
The Braves have their catcher, Brian McCann, who’s significantly better than Salty defensively, and only 2 years older. But they could have a real need at 1B, especially if they decide that Adam LaRoche isn’t the answer when he becomes arbitration eligible after this season.
Saltalamacchia has improved defensively, particularly his throws. But it’s his bat that’s going to make the switch-hitting slugger a star, or so most scouts think. His ceiling is very high, and his swagger and skills could make him a face of the franchise, or co-face, if you will, with Jeff Francoeur for many years.
But that’s getting ahead of ourselves, of course. But it’s fun, right? I mean, he’s got the stuff, the “it” factor that goes with those immense physical tools.
Besides, there’s not much else to talk about for a few days with the Braves, while this WBC and the flu bug have ravaged their lineup. Another day, another loss with a skeleton crew here Tuesday at Bradenton, where the PIrates hammered relievers Brad Baker (six runs, two homers, two innings) and John Foster (three runs, one homer, one inning) from the fourth through sixth innings of a rout over the Bravos.
Chuck James was sharp in his first start of the spring, allowing two hits and one run with two Ks in two innings. And it could have been one hit and no runs, if Cesar Crespo, a utility infielder forced into LF duties for a day, had been able to get back and make a catch at the warning track — not an easy catch, but one that Ryan Langerhans usually makes. Langerhans was in CF because Andruw Jones is away for the WBC.
Hey, the good news of the day: I-4 construction has finally been nearly completed between the Evil Empire and Tampa, making the drive far less painful. Actually, it was a breeze getting to Bradenton, only 90 minutes (OK, I was hauling a**, but still, it was smooth sailing).
Request of the day: Would someone who buys the new Van Morrison and/or Neko Case albums that came out today give us a review here? Just a quickie will do (and Southern JA and the rest of you who don’t dig the music aspect of this space, just ignore the request, please, and don’t feel the need to amuse us with any witless remarks about how Charlie Daniels’ new CD kicks tail. Thanks).
OK, game’s over. Gotta get downstairs. Bucs 10, Braves 5.
Welcome back Gilly
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Marcus Giles was back in camp Monday, but not back in the lineup. Unfortunately for ticket-buying Braves fans, neither were many other recognizable names.
Between the World Baseball “Classic” and a flu bug, the Braves might have to patch together a lineup for a few days. They sure did Monday, running out one that included the likes of Michael Ryan, David Kelton, prospect Martin Prado and Brian Jordan … at first base.
Jordan is playing some first base in hopes of strengthening his bid for a roster spot, though he hasn’t played the position since one game in 1996 with St. Louis. He looked OK today, and at least his surgically repaired knee is holding up so far. I still think the Braves will be reluctant to enter the season with him in any kind of prominent role because of his litany of health issues and knee problems in recent years.
What else? Well, the Braves lost an ugly game and were down 7-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, after Anthony Lerew’s troubling four-run yield in the seventh. This is no way for Lerew to nail down a bullpen job, folks.
Starter Horacio Ramirez (five hits, three runs, three innings) looked good in the second and third innings. Unfortunately for the Braves, he gave up three runs in the first inning. It was his first Grapefruit League start, after giving up a run in two innings against UGA in an exhibition last week.
The Braves need a bounce-back year out of the lefty, who gave up a boatload of homers (31) last season and went 11-9 with a 4.63 ERA and just 80 strikeouts with 67 walks in 202-1/3 innings. Eighty strikeouts in that many innings — yikes. That’s just not good.
Ramirez says his sinker feels good, his mind’s right, he’s locating his pitches better, etc. In other words, he’s saying all the right things. Now, he just needs to produce. He’s making $2.2 mill this year, and the Braves have cheaper options (Kyle Davies, in particular), though it seems unlikely they’d trade their only proven lefty starter. The only other lefty they could plug into the rotation is Chuck James, and the rookie hasn’t convinced them he’s ready yet, despite his stunning numbers in the minors.
Giles missed 10 days to be with his wife Tracy for the birth of their daughter Sawyur Rae, who was born five weeks premature Feb. 23 and had respiratory problems. They finally got assurances Sunday the baby was doing better and would have the breathing tube removed Sunday night and should be able to go home Wednesday. So Giles returned to camp, and his teammates were as glad to see him as he was to be here.
But Bobby Cox wants to give Giles a few days of conditioning and workouts before he gets him back in games. Cox and Giles say there’s plenty of time to work with new shortstop Edgar Renteria and develop the communication they’ll need to be a top-flight middle-infield duo. I might be a bit more concerned were it not for the fact that Giles looks to be in good shape, if a little light, and Renteria is a hard worker and team-first guy who wants this thing to work. So we’ll see.
Chipper, Andruw and Francoeur are away for the WBC. So are pitchers Chris Reitsma, Oscar Villarreal and Jorge Sosa and infielders Pete Orr and Scott Thorman.
Flu bug has gotten the best of Adam LaRoche and Kelly Johnson. Also under the weather: roster hopefuls OF Matt Diaz, RHP Wes Obermueller and 1B coach Gleng Hubbard.
I’m afraid to breath in the clubhouse. Why do well-conditioned professional athletes who have access to the best antibiotics get sick as all h#@*, but an aging scribe like myself is healthy as a horse? What would happen if I called the office and said, “Can’t do it today, boss, I’m sick?”
These are the questions I ponder as I sit here watching the Braves and Jimmy Leyland’s Tigers whittle away the final outs with a cast of minor leaguers and journeyman such as Mike Hessman (remember him? he’s a Tiger now) plying their trade for a few thousand folks who are fortunately able to enjoy a beautiful day of sunshine here in the Evil Empire. Because the baseball today has been less than scintillating. Far, far less.
But hey, at least we’ve got a two-hour 24 tonight, right?
Coming up, it’s four straight days of traveling for the Bravos and yours truly. We’re getting out of here, turning over things to the WBC, which promises to be an absolute zoo for tomorrow’s big Venezuela-Dominican Republic tilt. Packed stands, overflow of international media.
I’d rather deal with I-4 traffic chaos, thank you very much. And will.
Salty provides win
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THIS JUST IN: The new phenom just hit a game-ending three-run homer for the Braves. Salty is getting ridiculous. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who had a double and triple in his first game against the U. of Georgia on Wednesday, hit a three-run bomb off Dodgers pitcher Jonathan Broxton to give Atlanta a 7-6 win Friday at Disney.
Dip the kid’s shoes in bronze, right? OK, more on him later. Right now gotta get downstairs. Here’s rest of blog I’d already written before the homer:
It’s early, way early, but Matt Diaz took a step forward in the race for the fourth outfielder job. And before I forget, he pronounces it “Di-ez” instead of the more familiar “Dee-az.”
Anyway, the former K.C. Royal cranked a two-run homer off journeyman Brian Meadows in the fourth inning today, one of the few bright spots for the Braves in their second loss in as many days to Los Dodgers. It was also Diaz’s 28th birthday.
Diaz bats righty and has killed lefty pitchers in minors and in his brief stints in majors. So it was good to see him crush one off a righty, even if it wasn’t exactly an ace righty.
He’s competing with Kelly Johnson and Brian Jordan for the fourth OF job, with James Jurries also in mix for possible 1B/OF spot. Diaz is an interesting case, not too stellar with the glove (he butchered a ball at the warning track Friday) but with some serious pop at the plate. Diaz also has some catching experience, at least enough to make him an option as an emergency No. 3 catcher.
Diaz, hit .371 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs in 65 games last season for the Royals’ Class AAA Omaha affiliate. The Braves got him in a December trade for minor league pitcher Rico Rodriguez.
He hit .281 with two triples, a homer and nine RBIs in 89 at-bats in stints with the major league club, including .370 (20-for-54) against lefties.
He also played briefly with Tampa Bay in 2003-04 and has a .252 average and two homers in 119 career at-bats in the majors — .333 with 12 RBIs against lefties, and .128 with one RBI in 47 at-bats against right-handers.
OK, another couple of quick notables from today: Jon Schuerholz, yes, the son of the GM, hit a homer onto the left-field grass berm and pointed to the pressbox, wagging his finger at a certain scribe as he rounded third base. No, no, just kidding. Not about the homer — he did hit it — but about the finger wagging.
Schuerholz is a scrappy middle infielder along the lines of Pete Orr, thought not as fast. I’m not saying he’ll be another Pete Orr, not saying that at all (he hasn’t done anything above Double-A ball yet, and he’s 25). I’m just saying that he’s that kind of scrapper and against-the-odds type of guy.
As mediocre as Jorge Sosa was in his start Thursday at Dodgertown, John Thomson was far worse today. He gave up four runs in the first inning and threw 42 pitches (27 strikes) in two. Thomson said he felt good physically, just getting used to new foot angle on rubber, that kind of thing.
As I said yesterday, it’s too early to make any judgments. Just look at all the good pitchers who gave up a ton of hits and runs in Grapefruit League openers the past couple of days. But Thomson wasn’t sharp, and I’ll leave it at that.
Mike Remlinger made his first appearance and got hit hard. Not encouraging at all for the soon-to-be 40-year-old non-roster invitee.
It was an all-around poor day for the ‘pen, as bad as Thursday was good. Chuck James pitched 1-1/3 innings and looked bad in his spring debut, giving up two hits and three walks before he was pulled with two on base.
OK, that’s it. Gotta post this by 4 p.m. blitz. Braves getting blitzed, down 7-4 entering bottom ninth.
Sosa so-so; Devine’s divine
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As Grapefruit League openers go, this 3-2 Braves loss Thursday at Dodgertown wasn’t exactly scintillating. But there was some good pitching for the Braves.
Joey Devine, in particular, threw a perfect inning with two strikeouts, continuing his strong early camp and his recovery from the trauma of giving up two grand slams in his first two appearances in the majors last fall. Apparently, concerns over his psyche were unfounded. He doens’t look or sound the least bit scared or leery of pitching inside, etc.
There wasn’t much else to recommend for Braves fans. Jorge Sosa (two innings, three hits, three runs, all unearned) wasn’t very sharp and neither was the left side of the starting infield. Shortstop Wilson Betemit and third baseman Cesar Crespo each made an ugly error on routine plays in the second inning.
The only regulars in the lineup were Andruw Jones and Ryan Langerhans, and Langerhans was in right field instead of left. Jeff Francoeur and Chipper Jones were on a flight to Phoenix this morning for the USA training camp for the World Baseball Classic, Marcus Giles has been away for a week for a family matter, and catcher Brian McCann and shortstop Edgar Renteria didn’t have to make the trip.
Adam LaRoche was here, but didn’t need to be. Bobby Cox had said yesterday he wanted to play minor league 1B Scott Thorman to get him some at-bats before Thorman joins the Canada team for the WBC, but LaRcche asked to come anyway, mainly because his brother Andy is a top Dodgers 3B prospect and he thought he might get to play against him (Andy ended up playing the last few innings; he’s ripped, aggressive, and has tribal tattoos all over his shoulders. Couldn’t be much more different than Adam personality-wise, and bats and throws righty to Adam’s lefty).
Anyway, Thorman is a big dude who can really pound the ball. But he hits left-handed, same as LaRoche. Otherwise, he’d be a perfect candidate to platoon with LaRoche at 1B. Instead, seems destined for Triple-A and a callup later if someone gets hurt or in September.
Lance Cormier looked good in his first relief appearance. He’s got a shot at one of the last spots in the ‘pen.
I think the one thing that seems important to me out of today, if anything can be important this early, is Sosa’s situation. Not a big deal to struggle a bit in first start of spring. Not big at all. But I’m just wondering how concerned Braves really have to be with fact that he has been pitching full-bore for a month already in Dominican winter league and Caribbean World Series, and now he’s going to go pitch for Dominican in more high-pressure games in WBC. He might be with that team for three weeks, since they’re favored along with U.S.
Sosa would then have just two weeks between the March 20 WBC final and regular season, and if he doesn’t get enough innings in WBC as a starter, he’ll be a bit behind stamina-wise. Braves want him in their rotation, and fully intend to have him in it.
Also, considering when he started pitching in meaningful games in Dominican last month, and now the WBC, he could end up being asked to pitch at maximum-type effort, that is in meaningful games, all the way from January until the end of the Braves’ season and/or playoff run sometime in October. That’s an awful lot of pitching, and most of it in stress situations, not ‘working on things’ like pitchers do in camp.
I’m just saying, Sosa and Braves would probably benefit from him dropping out of the WBC like so many others have done. But doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. At least he’s given no indication of even considering the possibility.
Other guy that could benefit from being with Braves instead of WBC is Thorman, who’s at an age and station in his career when he needs to impress in camp to get any roster consideration or make a good impression for later. Instead, he’ll be mostly riding the pine for Canada, which could advance to the second round of the WBC, in which case he’d miss a couple of weeks with training camp and two rounds of games. But he really wants to represent his country, and can’t blame a guy for that.
OK, enough baseball. Buy the Hank III “Straight to Hell” CD if you’re into true outlaw country. This guy tosses grenades — figuratively, of course — at Nashville’s Music Row and could chew up and spit out all those pretty-boy pop-country acts out there selling millions of CDs that claim to be country. He’s in the vein of Waylon, Johnny, George Jones, and of course his (Hank III’s) granddad, the late, monumentally great Hank Williams.
Really, buy it and prepare for real music. As usual, I’ll guarantee your purchase price if you don’t like it…. Oh, wait. I’ve just been told I can’t do that. Nevermind. Just get it.
Stellar start for Salty
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The streak will end someday. Just not this day.
I can say that with confidence as I sit here at the Evil Empire — er, Disney — watching the Braves complete a five-run bottom of the sixth for a 9-1 lead over the lads from Athens, Ga.
It’ll make it 20-0 all-time for the Braves against their collegiate brethren from Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. The Dawgs will continue on to Los Angeles for a three-game series at Southern Cal, and the Braves will kick the spring off for real with their Grapefruit League opener Thursday down at Dodgertown.
It’ll be an early morning drive down the Florida Turnpike with a huge travel mug of coffee, a fistful of change for the toll roads and, I’m guessing, Hank Williams, George Jones and Calexico cranking on the CD player of my rental car.
Now, the stuff you care about: What happened worth mentioning today.
First off, Oscar Villarreal blew the doors off for two innings. If he can just take care of NL East competition like he handled the SEC today, he’ll be a dominant force in the bullpen. The righty struck out the first four guys he faced, then induced a couple of weak grounders to end his stint. He was throwing 92-93 mph and really sharp. I’ll have to let you know what Bobby says later, because I’ve gotta post this now and game’s still only in seventh inning.
Secondly, Salty had a big day. The No. 1 prospect, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, hit a triple down the right-field line batting left-handed to start the five-run sixth, and doubled to left-center batting right-handed in the seventh. Not bad, eh? I’m telling you, everything I’ve seen and heard about this kid so far says he’s going to be up with the Braves at some point this season, somehow. But I understand why they’d rather wait to move him to first base, because he’s stepping up from A-ball to Double-A this year and doesn’t need to be thinking about changing positions at same time as he’s trying to handle better pitching and all.
Plus, we have to remember that McCann has only done it for a half-season in majors and what happens if McCann struggles or he or Todd Pratt gets hurt? Then you need another catcher, and right now it doesn’t look like Eddie Perez will be ready to play, at least not at start of season, maybe not at all. Brayan Pena’s still here, but if Salty is going to hit like this, he’ll jump right over Pena.
Lastly, Horacio Ramirez had a solid debut. Gave up an opposite-field double down the line to start game, but nothing else. Threw 17 strikes in 21 pitches over two innings, allowing one hit with one strikeout and one run, earned. Had much better command of his fastball than he showed most of last season, especially going inside, where he made so many mistakes that became homers and doubles a year ago. But it’s college kids on March 1. We’ll reserve judgment.
OK, that’s it for now. Gotta get to writing for the fishwrap. I’ll post Cox comments here later, if they’re illuminating.
