AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2007 > September > 14
Friday, September 14, 2007
Former Braves playoff-bound
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greetings from the lovely RFK Stadium, where I’m not just complaining because it’s not an ideal spot to take in a baseball game, but because I was born with an aversion to the Redskins. I was born in Dallas. It happens. I’m staying here right near the Navy Yard where the new stadium is going up. All I’ve had time to see today is a couple cranes off in the distance - flight was a coupla hours late. But I’m going to try and check it out this weekend and let y’all know my impressions. And onto other stuff _ and the thoughts I’d had earlier while sitting at my gate at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, waiting to get on a plane. Still feels weird to me, to have the Braves pretty much out of contention for a playoff spot. I look around at the teams in contention and I see familiar faces, and I wondered if, just for the heck of it, I could put together a playoff roster of former Braves, who are all still in position to play in October. Bear with me:
Starter: Tom Glavine, Mets. Won his 300th game this season, went 13-6, with a 3.95 ERA. Has a little experience pitching in October.
Starter: Greg Maddux, Padres: had a five-game winning streak snapped last night but still hasn’t allowed a walk in 57 2/3 innings. He has 12 wins and a 3.86 ERA.
Starter: Paul Byrd, Indians: He’s 15-6 with a 4.34 ERA. That would have tied Tim Hudson for the most wins of any on the Braves roster.
Closer: Joe Borowski, Indians. He’s had his tight-rope walking, no question, and a 5.40 ERA, but he has 40 saves in 46 chances.
Reliever: Rudy Seanez, Dodgers. He’s 6-3 with a 3.89 ERA, 69 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings.
Reliever: Justin Speier, Angels. Don’t remember he was here? Check the book. He was in 1999. I vaguely remember something about him liking donuts. Anyway, he’s 2-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 43 games (because he was on the DL for two months). Still, he’s seventh in the AL with 20 holds.
Reliever: Kyle Farnsworth, Yankees. He’s 2-1 with a 4.25 ERA, striking out 45 in 55 innings. He’s holding right-handers to a .239 average.
Catcher: Johnny Estrada, Brewers. When he’s not getting in arguments with his manager, he uses that competitive fire on the field. He’s hit .282 with nine homers, 25 doubles and 47 RBIs in 112 games.
Shortstop: Rafael Furcal, Dodgers. He’s hitting.271 with a .334 on-base percentage and 83 runs scored. His home runs are down, but that has probably helped him play to his strengths, keeping the ball on the ground and use his speed. And we know about that arm.
Third base: Wilson Betemit, Yankees. He’s hit only .226 this season but we’ve heard his name quite a bit thanks to his 14 home runs. He has 20 RBIs in 28 games, with four home runs, since he was traded from LA to New York on July 31.
First base: Wes Helms, Phillies. He’s a part-time guy but with a little production. He’s got five homers, 19 doubles and 38 RBIs in 105 games.
Second base: Mark DeRosa, Cubs. He’s hit .289 with nine homers and 68 RBIs in his first season since signing a multi-year contract with the Cubs. He’s played all over, but as a second baseman, he’s hit .296.
First base: Daryle Ward, Cubs. He’s hitting .340 in 70 games. He’s really stronger off the bench for this playoff sort of thing, but we’re a little thin at first.
Center field: Kenny Lofton, much as it pains me - he was not my favorite player - we’re a little weak in the outfield. He seems to keep finding his way back to the postseason. Coincidence? Maybe not. He hit .303 in 84 games for Texas and since his trade back to Cleveland, he’s hitting .284 with a .353 on-base percentage in 41 games.
Right field: J.D. Drew. He’s been a total bust by Boston Red Sox standards but at this time of year, we’ll take his glove and his speed in the outfield to save some runs and hope he gets hot. He’s hit .263 with 77 runs scored, with only 8 homers and 50 RBIs.
Left field: Hey, wait a minute. Looks like I’m short here. I guess I’d have to stick Mark DeRosa in the outfield and put Marcus Giles at second? Giles has had a rough year though. OK, so this “team” is not without its flaws. It doesn’t have a whole lot of punch, does it? Fine, rip it. Or better yet, tell me something I’m not thinking of. But it’s kind of interesting, isn’t it? Might not be a bad pitching staff, not exactly a power 1-2 punch but it’s worked for the Braves before.
Hey, it’s what you write about when you haven’t been around the team since last Sunday. But I’m back and I’m here this weekend. And I’m about to go down and be around the team for a while. Apparently a handful of the Braves got to go to the White House today and have a private meet-and-greet with President Bush: John Schuerholz, John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann. I’ll be curious to hear about that and find out what’s going on with Chipper. Talk to me…
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
