AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 26
Monday, February 26, 2007
Good night at Oscars, good start for the Braves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some initial impressions from the first (nearly) two weeks of Braves camp, while pondering how this was the first year I can remember the Oscars getting it right on all the major awards (best picture, director, actor, actress).
Oh, before I forget, just got the pitching plans from Bobby Cox for the opening week of spring games, which works out to Smoltz starting the season opener April 2 on six days’ rest, if my math skills haven’t entirely deteriorated.
No, he hasn’t announced his opening day starter, and rarely does this early. But process of elimination, logic, and now simple computations, indicate it’s Smoltz, followed by Tim Hudson and Chuck James.
After that, it depends whether Mike Hampton is healthy.
Anyway, for the first week of Grapefruit League games, it’s Kyle Davies starting Thursday vs. L.A., Smoltz vs. Pittsburgh on Friday, Hudson vs. Houston on Saturday, James vs. L.A. on Sunday at Vero Beach, Lance Cormier vs. Washington on Monday, and Davies vs. Washington on Tuesday.
If Hampton is ready, he’ll pitch in the same game with Davies vs. Washington, each going two innings. All the starters are scheduled to go two innings the first time through.
Again, to refresh, Davies and Cormier are contending for the fifth spot in the rotation, provided Hampton is recovered from elbow surgery and ready to fill one of the first four spots along with Smoltz, Hudson and James.
OK, back to who or what has impressed me most in the past two weeks (besides Penelope Cruz and Cate Blanchett at the Oscars).
Scott Thorman: We know the thick-armed rookie can already play at least a decent defensive first base, just from what we saw last year.
Maybe a slightly-above-average defensive first base.
But his hitting is the question, and just watching him taking live batting practice, you can’t form any complete judgments. But I like what I see, as does everyone else _ teammates, manager, coaches, etc. _ who has watched Thorman.
Bobby said yesterday he might have the “hardest” swing in baseball right now. I wouldn’t go that far _ Gary Sheffield’s violent swing is the hardest, Adam Dunn’s Paul Bunyan cut could bring down a three-bedroom house, and journeyman Russell Branyan’s hacks are forces of nature.
All-time big cut for me? That’d be juiced-up Jose Canseco. Frightening. The bat was like a toothpick in his hands. Toward the end of his career, when he was trying to hang on with Tampa Bay, his batting practice was comical and awesome.
Jose was so ripped then, and would just spin on his heels flailing at pitches in BP, trying to hit them through the damn roof of that dome.
By comparison, Mark McGwire swings were controlled, not violent, with that one-hand follow-through. And Barry Bonds’ inimitable short, quick swing is a thing of beauty, not violent or awe-inspiring until you slow it down and examine it.
Anyway … where were we? Oh, yeah, Thorman. The 240-pound Canadian swings so hard warming up outside the cage, you can literally hear it from 6-7 feet away. Not many guys make a whooshing sound with their warmup swings.
But it’s what he does in the cage that’s impressed me. He’s driving the ball to all fields, hitting line drives and towering shots off some pretty good pitchers. And each day, you can see him getting more comfortable in the clubhouse, doing interviews, hanging with his teammates, etc.
I really believe he’s going to be fine, though it remains to be seen what he can do against lefties. That’s why I think the Craig Wilson signing was so important, because we know what Wilson can do against lefties _ .296 career average with .395 OBP and .938 OPS in 558 at-bats against them.
That includes .278 with seven homers and an .843 OPS in 133 at-bats against them last year in a down season. From 2003-05, Wilson hit .284 with a gaudy .988 OPS against lefties (compared to .257 and .803 vs. righties in that span).
What else? Mike Gonzalez’s arm: This guy is special, and it’s obvious even when he’s warming up and throwing batting practice (not to mention his 24-for-24 saves last season with Pittsburgh). He’s not at all physically imposing; in fact, he’s far smaller than I expected, with nothing about his build, his arm, that would suggest mid-90s fastball.
But when he throws … wow. Loose, live, lightning-quick arm, like he’s double-jointed or something (and maybe he is; I need to ask him). Can’t really find the words to exactly describe why he looks different throwing than the other guys here, but he does. Say hello to the Braves’ 2008 closer. He’s a good one.
Rafael Soriano’s presence: When I wrote about his icy glare, his dead-serious demeanor, after his first day in camp, I hoped it wasn’t jumping the gun, that the next day I’d walk into the clubhouse and seeing him holding court, telling jokes to a circle of players.
Not to worry. It wasn’t jumping the gun. The man has the demeanor of someone doing gravely important work with no time for messing around, or someone dead-set on showing his new team he’s for real and his old team that they messed up trading him. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty confident that I’m not. This dude is a hardass, and to me that’s a good thing. He and Wickman don’t mess around.
Matt Diaz’s batting practices: When Diaz reported to camp a few days early, he looked stronger, especially in the legs. I asked and he said he started lifting weights earlier and did more work this winter with his legs.
Then he started taking batting practice and pounding balls all over the place. He’s killing the ball. And no, he’s not ripped-up and shredded, where it would raise red flags. I’ve seen some jump to speculation here because they’ve read about how he’s hitting the ball, but believe me, you see him in the clubhouse and you’d not have that kind of concern. He’s still not an imposing guy at all, not shredded with huge muscles and low body fat.
What’s not impressed me? Other than the visa process in the Dominican Republic, and ever-increasing traffic in the Orlando area, we’ll hold off bashing anything else. Too early to do that, since guys haven’t even played any games yet, and nobody showed up in awful shape.
Just heard from Bobby that reliever Blaine Boyer hurt a finger shutting a window. Not serious, just messed up the fingernail, but he’s questionable for his first scheduled appearance Friday.
Willy Aybar’s still not here. Supposed to be here sometime this week. Visa problems, blah blah blah.
Tim Hudson is having his charity golf tournament this afternoon, so of course today is the first day since camp opened that it’s supposed to rain. Forecast doesn’t look good, but Braves might be able to get their workout in this morning before the heavy stuff arrives.
“MAN IN BLACK” by Johnny Cash
Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,/Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone./Well, there’s a reason for the things that I have on.
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,/livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town.
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,/but is there because he’s a victim of the times.
I wear the black for those who never read,/ or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,/Why, you’d think He’s talking straight to you and me.
Well, we’re doin’ mighty fine, I do suppose./In our streak of lightnin’ cars and fancy clothes.
But just so we’re reminded of the ones who are held back,/up front there oughta be a Man In Black.
I wear it for the sick and lonely old./For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold.
I wear the black in mournin’ for the lives that could have been./Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.
And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,/believing that the Lord was on their side.
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,/believing that we all were on their side.
Well, there’s things that never will be right I know,/and things need changin’ everywhere you go.
But ‘til we start to make a move to make a few things right,/you’ll never see me wear a suit of white.
Ah, I’d love to wear a rainbow every day,/and tell the world that everything’s OK.
But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,/till things are brighter, I’m the Man In Black.
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