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Friday, February 29, 2008
Big ballgame … well, for Feb. 29 it is
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Don’t know what it’s like where you are, but here it’s just ridiculously beautiful out for this big Grapefruit League opening home tilt with Los Dodgers.
The Disney folks apparently turned on their sinister weather-control machines to ensure we have picture-perfect conditions for this televised game and for ESPN The Weekend, that network being a subsidiary of Dark Star and all.
Cynicism aside, you’re gonna love it if you get to tune in today to watch this thing on The Worldwide Leader of Self-important Titled Events (nevermind ESPN The Weekend, how about this past week, er, Judgment Week? North Carolina vs. Boston College, Kansas vs. Iowa State …. Judgment Week?)
Anyway, it’s beautiful here, and Peter Gammons and the boys (and girls) are here with The Network, and having Peter here is enough to make it feel like a good thing. Sure feels more important than a Feb. 29 exhibition that no one will remember in four weeks … or in four days, for that matter.
Andruw’s not here. Said he’d rather wait to get booed at Turner Field than get booed here and there. But I’ve got news for him: I’m willing to bet he’s in the Julio Franco/Greg Maddux category in terms of return receptions in Atlanta, rather than the Tom Glavine category.
In other words, I bet Andruw gets an ovation, even a standing ovation from most, when he comes back the first time to Turner. And why not? Dude played his posterior — ample as it might have been in latter years — off while winning 10 consecutive Gold Gloves, playing virtually every day, and hitting more than a few bombs for the Braves over the past decade-plus.
OK, anyway, a few things before I head over to watch Smoltz throw this little simulated-game thing on the backfield at 11 a.m.
Oh, by the way, while I’m thinking about it, here are the major league leaders in quality starts over the past two seasons: 1. Smoltz 50, 2. Peavy 49, 3. Haren/Lackey 47 apiece, 5. Oswalt 46, 6. Glavine 45 (tied with Arroyo, Johan Santana, B. Webb), 10. Sabathia 43.
Flowers has a future: Maybe a bright one, in fact, with the Braves. Roswell’s Tyler Flowers, a 22-year-old catcher/first baseman who is 6-4 and 245 pounds, hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning Thursday at Dodgertown in his first Grapefruit League game.
The non-roster invitee hit .298 with 12 homers, 34 doubles and 70 RBIs in 106 games last season at Class A Rome, where he played mostly first base after coming back from a knee injury.
I asked Bobby Cox about him this morning, and the manager said: “He’s a legit prospect, with that power. Pitchers love to throw to him [as a catcher], because he’s a big target back there. He’s got a chance to be a big leaguer [in the future]. He’s been the talk of camp, the one guy who’s been able to hit our pichers in the early going.”
Chipper on Frenchy’s contract status: I’m hearing mixed things about Jeff Francoeur’s contract negotiations these days, things that lead me to believe it’s no longer so likely that he’ll get a long-term extension worked out anytime soon.
I asked Chipper Jones what he thought about the situation, whether he thought it mattered or was important at all whether Francoeur did a deal now or kept going year-to-year deals like most players of similar service time.
“He’s the least of my worries,” Hoss said of his young pupil of sorts. “He had a chance to sign last year, and again, he’s playing the waiting game. He’s gonna go out and bust his tail for the next year or two, try to put up the best numbers he can, sweeten the pot for a little down the road.
“Unlike what Mac did [Brian McCann signed a six-year, $26.8 million contract last spring]. Mac’s a catcher, you can get hurt anytime [as a catcher], you can understand him wanting to get some security.
“Frenchy’s playing it the other way, and I’m sure if he stays healthy and continues to put up numbers, it’s gonna pay off for him.
“Who knows, he might out-price the Braves here before too long.” (That last line was a reference to Mark Teixeira, because I had been talking to Chipper about the chances of signing Teixeira before we talked about Frenchy. I have a Teixeira story I’m finishing for tomorrow’s paper, to be posted online later today.)
I asked Chipper if he could see both sides of it, see why Francoeur might want to wait if the Braves don’t give him the contract he thinks he’s worth right now.
“Oh, yeah, no doubt about it,” Chipper said. “I would’ve liked to have seen Frenchy sign something last year, just to …. [he didn’t finish the sentence here].
“But every guy’s different. Some guys don’t want to give up a year or two of free agency. That’s fine. I’ve been there. That’s a matter of personal preference.
Schafer impressing early: Jordan Schafer hit six consecutive opposite-field line drives on six pitches in one round of batting practice Thursday morning at Dodgertown.
In his next round, the Braves’ center field prospect hit five more opposite-field drives to left and one up the middle. He was honing his inside-out swing, not trying to pull anything out to right in his first visit to Dodgertown.
“He’s for real,” said hitting coach Terry Pendleton, as he watched the kid’s disciplined display. “He works. He’ll come out and really work on something.”
Schafer carried it over to Thursday’s game, getting an opposite-field single in the first inning and another hit in the two-run seventh in the Braves’ loss.
OK, that’s it: Eighteen minutes that took, start to finish. Don’t try this at home. Crusading Everyman is a paid professional.
”OL’ 55” by Tom Waits
Well my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splickly out to my old ‘55
As I drove away slowly, feeling so holy, God knows, I was feeling alive.
Now the sun’s coming up, I’m riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks,
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
Just a-wishing I’d stayed a little longer,
Oh, Lord, let me tell you that the feeling’s getting stronger.
And it’s six in the morning, gave me no warning; I had to be on my way.
Well there’s trucks all a-passing me, and the lights are all flashing,
I’m on my way home from your place.
And now the sun’s coming up, I’m riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks,
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
Just a-wishing I’d stayed a little longer,
Oh, Lord, let me tell you that the feeling’s getting stronger.
And my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splickly out to my old ‘55
As I pulled away slowly, feeling so holy, God knows, I was feeling alive.
Now the sun’s coming up, I’m riding with Lady Luck,
Freeway cars and trucks, freeway cars and trucks, freeway cars and trucks…
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