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Tuesday, April 4, 2006
It’s pouring here, folks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sitting in my downtown hotel room on the most dreary day I can remember in L.A., staring out at traffic creeping through the rain on the I-10 freeway.
As of 12:30 p.m. local time (3:30 in Atlanta), no word on whether they’re going to try to play, but I can’t see how they possibly can. It’s been raining steadily since 6:30 a.m. and no sign of it stopping, from what I can discern on the weather channel.
If they cancel this game, they’ll schedule a doubleheader tomorrow, which isn’t good for the Braves because they already had a rough turnaround for day game in San Francisco on Thursday, the Giants’ home opener. But hey, what are you gonna do? Gotta get ‘em in.
With Smoltz scheduled to pitch tonight, a rainout would move him back a day to tomorrow, then give him short rest before his next scheduled start — final game of road trip Sunday at San Francisco. I don’t think the Braves would have him do that, given that he’s already said he’d take an extra day of rest or even skip a start when necessary this season, part of that whole new approach of his. Working on short rest in the second start of the season would fly in the face of all that.
Among the options would be to have John Thomson make a start Sunday and have Smoltz come back to start the home opener Monday at Turner Field. Thomson is stretched out enough from starting all spring until his elbow problem in the last week. He could at least give them 4-5 innings. Just a thought, but Bobby hasn’t discussed the options with us yet, if it comes to that. Chuck James would seem a less likely option, given that he didn’t work as a starter the last couple weeks of spring.
Couple thoughts from Braves’ 11-10 opening day win Monday: Bobby used six relievers, so a cancellation today would help at least in that regard. The most effective reliever of the bunch was Oscar Villarreal, who gave up only a hit in 1-1/3 innings. Appropriate that he got the win, rather than starter Tim Hudson, who only lasted four-plus innings and couldn’t protect an 8-1 lead. Mike Remlinger was also fairly effectively, giving up one hit and recording two outs. The rest? There’s work to be done.
Braves can only hope Boyer is still shaking off rust, because this outing — five batters, four hits, three runs — was even worse than the one he had in his second Grapefruit League game after returning from shoulder soreness a little over a week ago. But starting out with an 81.00 ERA — that’s rough.
Reitsma has to just be thankful to come away with a save, given his struggles against Dodgers in recent years. In his past six appearances against them, including yesterday’s 1-1/3 innings with two runs and two hits, Reitsma has posted a 24.75 ERA and .500 opponents’ average, which includes 12 hits, 11 runs and three homers allowed in four innings, with only one strikeout — the very big one that he got yesterday to bail out Boyer with two on in the eighth.
Too early to start making judgments, of course. Reitsma pitched very well this spring and wants the closer job badly, so he’s going to get a fair shake from Bobby and not be jerked out of the role after a bad appearance or two.
The best news for the Braves, besides the win itself, was the fact that Andruw, Langerhans and LaRoche all began the new season the way they ended the regular season and playoffs last year _ hitting very well. All homered on opening day, and LaRoche also made a couple of very nice defensive plays, including a leap to catch Chipper’s throw to first to end the game, a play that perhaps saved the game for the Braves.
OK, as I’m filing this, it looks like the rain has at least slacked off a little bit. Still thick, ominous gray clouds hanging over the city, the tops of the downtown buildings not visible and no hint of sunshine. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear anything. If they’re going to bang this game, hopefully they do it before everybody has to drive over to Dodger Stadium, though I doubt we’ll be so fortunate.
Braves play late in L.A.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m.
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