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Thursday, February 14, 2008
All present or accounted for, time to begin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s noon and Bobby Cox is shuffling across the outfield to his car, a puff of smoke billowing from his cigar. He’s in street clothes now, headed out after 6 hours at the ballpark on reporting day for pitchers and catchers.
Baseball gets an early start most days at spring training, and the Braves began Thursday with a coaching-staff meeting as pitchers and catchers trickled into the clubhouse at their leisure.
It was so early and so chilly (33 degrees at 6 a.m.) that even fervent motorcyclist Terry Pendleton did not ride to the park, the third-base coach opting instead for a warm car for the ride down I-4.
But the sun warmed things up quickly and most of the Braves’ pitchers got in a quick throwing session on the field after reporting to Dark Star. And beginning Friday, the schedule is no longer at their leisure (though it’s not exactly grueling at Braves spring training, it is punctual).
The first official workout for pitchers and catchers is Friday, and they were required only to call in Thursday to let the team know they were in town — that’s all that’s required in “reporting.” According to the Braves, no visa issues will delay anyone’s arrival this year.
Most young er guys and plenty of veterans come by the ballpark on reporting day, get fitted for workout gear, get situated in their lockers, exchange offseason stories with teammates they haven’t seen in a few months, and let the manager and pitching coach see their face and know they’re fit and eager.
So the real action doesn’t start until tomorrow.
But we’ve got several things to catch you up on today. So here goes.
Hampton is healthy: I know, I know. You’ve heard it before. Can’t blame you for being skeptical — we all are. But the lefty who’s missed the past two entire seasons, who couldn’t make it through the first inning of his first (and only) winter-ball start in Mexico, threw again off the mound for McDowell this week in Atlanta.
“Roger said he threw really, really good,” Cox said. “Better than good.”
Again, I know you’ve all heard this before. I feel your pain. Or Hampton’s pain. Or whatever. You know what I mean.
Point is, Hampton, right now, this moment, unless he took a bad step off the edge of a bunker somewhere today (he wasn’t in camp yet for me to ask), is healthy.
If you can allow yourself to envision the former (long-ago) 22-game winner getting through camp healthy and opening the season as the Braves’ No. 4 or No. 5 starter, behind John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Tom Glavine and one of the several vying for the other spot … well, it’s potentially a formidable rotation.
OK, I’m having a real hard time envisioning Hampton getting through the next six weeks and opening the season in the rotation, but hey, it’s possible.
“We’re just hopeful that he can stay healthy,” Cox said. That statement was a good indication of the difference in the situation entering last spring and now.
Last spring, the Braves needed Hampton to stay healthy. This spring, they’re just hopeful that he can. Because this spring, they’ve lined up Plans B, C and D if he’s not. Maybe even Plan E.
Bennett loses weight, gains options: Actually, Jeff Bennett hasn’t gained any minor-league options. He already had two remaining, contrary to some reports.
There was confusion in some quarters this winter about his options status. It was reported he was out of them. He’s not. Has two left.
That means if Hampton were healthy and, say, Jair Jurrjens or Chuck James outpitched Bennett for the final rotation spot, the Braves could have Bennett start the season as a long reliever — or as a starter at Class AAA Richmond.
In fact, since he has two options they could do the same thing in 2009. They don’t have to worry about exposing him to waivers before sending him down.
Of course, that’s not how Bennett’s thinking entering spring training.
He pitched great for Richmond in the postseason last year (2-0, 1.04 ERA in three Governors Cup starts), went 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA in three games (two starts) for Atlanta in a September callup, then pitched extremely well in four of his six starts in the Venezuelan Winter League.
He’s 27 now, and worked hard to drop 60 pounds since early last season, down to 210, including 15 pounds trimmed since September due largely to his chicken-and-rice diet in Venezuela.
He’s finally, completely recovered from arm surgery that slowed the former Milwaukee reliever’s career, and Bennett said he is ready to push hard for a spot in the Braves’ rotation.
“The way he threw last year, you’ve got to consider him,” Cox said.
Bennett said, “I’m gonna try my best to get that starting spot. But whatever Bobby needs me to do, I’m gonna do without any questions. There’s definitely a [rotation] spot open, though.”
By the way, I wasn’t the only person who did not recognize Bennett, who has neither the shaved head nor beefy physique he had in September.
“I had no clue who he was when I saw him,” Cox said, chuckling. “I told him, ‘They make arepas [corn-based bread] in Venezuela.”
Not so fast, Mike: Although Mike Gonzalez believes he’ll be ready to pitch as soon as late May, he understands why the Braves want to make sure he doesn’t rush his return from elbow surgery.
“It’s very tough, probably one of the toughest thigns I’ve ever done — holding back on the reins,” said Gonzalez, who had Tommy John elbow surgery on May 31, 2007. “But talking to [John] Smoltz and other guys who’ve had the surgery really has helped me, because they’ve told me what to expect.
“There’s going to be some rough days, I know.” But he added, “I’m pretty sure I’m going to be back sooner [than expected]. I think they [Braves] are looking at late May or early June, if I don’t get any setbacks.”
For now, the Braves are officially staying with their earlier projection of June or July. But Cox seems open to the possibility it could be mid-June instead of around the All-Star break in July, which was the original projection.
“He’s ready to go, in his mind,” Cox said. “But it’s going to be June, probably. The hardest thing is to tell them they can’t, ‘You’ve got to wait.’ Because in their mind, they can.”
Gonzalez is in camp and playing catch with throws at about 75-percent effort from 120 feet. It won’t be much longer before he’s on the mound. “I’m going to start throwing curveballs next week,” he said.
Old home week: Tom Glavine’s locker is back where it was six years ago, next to those belong to John Smoltz and Chipper Jones on seniors row just before you get to the equipment room in the Braves’ spring-training clubhouse.
“Seems like he never left,” Cox said. “Weird. Strange. And Javy is just across the room.”
Indeed, non-roster spring training invitee Javy Lopez has the same locker he had in his last previous spring with the Braves in 2003, and he looks ready to shed that non-roster label as quickly as possible. The man’s on a mission.
He was a power-hitting star when last a member of the Braves in 2003. Now he’s competing for the backup catcher job, hoping to rejuvenate his career at 37.
He seems quite serious about it, which is why Lopez didn’t even consider bringing his chopper down to spring training, like he did last spring in Arizona when he was with Colorado (and he got waived before the end of camp).
Out of options: Cox said things could get “interesting” in a few position battles that include players out of minor league options.
Here are the ones you folks should keep in mind, the relevant out-of-options players who I’m guessing could be traded if the Braves don’t plan to keep them on the 25-man roster: relievers Blaine Boyer, Chris Resop and lefty Royce Ring; first baseman Scott Thorman, and catcher/utility man Brayan Pena.
Mohawks, briefly: Three Braves pitchers — towering Aussie Phil Stockman, Hawaii native Tyler Yates, and young Jo-Jo Reyes — attended their first hockey game Saturday when they saw the Thrashers play at Philips Arena. They loved it.
They were apparently so caught up in the excitement, all three decided to get Mohawk haircuts at a booth set up at the arena by a hair-salon chain.
But when they got down here to camp, Yates was the only one who still had the Mohawk. Stockman had trimmed his hair to a military-length buzz and Reyes had his shaved.
Yates kept his for one day at Dark Star on Wednesday, but made sure he kept his Braves cap on the entire time he was at the ballpark, for fear Cox would see the haircut. On Thursday, Yates showed up with a shaved dome.
Like him already: New lefty Will Ohman was away from his locker when his cell phone rang. I was standing nearby and heard the ringtone, Social Distortion’s “Story of my Life.” A plus in my ledger. Now if he can pitch….
Friday’s workout: The first pitchers and catchers workout is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., after a 30-minute team meeting.
”ANGEL FROM MONTGOMERY” by John Prine
I am an old woman
Named after my mother
An old man is another
Child who’s grown old
If dreams were thunder
Lightning was desire
This old house it would’ve burned down
A long time ago
Make me an angel
That flies from montgomery
Make me a poster
Of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing
That I can hold on to
To believe in this livin’
Is just a hard way to go
When I was a young girl
I had me a cowboy
It wasn’t much to look at
It was a free ramblin’ man
There was a long time
No matter how I tried
The years they just rolled by
Like a broken down dam
Make me an angel
That flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster
Of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing
That I can hold on to
To believe in this livin’
Is just a hard way to go
There’s flies in the kitchen
I can hear them there buzzin’
And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today
But how the hell can a person
Go on to work in the morning
To come home in the evening
And have nothing to say
Make me an angel
That flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster
Of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing
That I can hold on to
To believe in this livin’
Is just a hard way to go
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