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Monday, March 10, 2008
Cox: We Can Work It Out
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Sitting here listening to the daily oldies loop of songs they play during batting practice at Dark Star, and figured I’d do this blog in the form of a cheesy radio DJ. Hey, don’t cost nothin’….
So I’m gonna give you the newsy stuff according to the order of the songs that have played in the past 20 minutes or so. (No kidding, these songs actually were played.)
We Can Work It Out: Bobby Cox said this morning the Braves have to “retool” their plans in light of Omar Ifante’s longer-than-expected recovery period from surgery for his broken hand. Infante is still in a cast and is probably not even going to play any during spring training, so I’d imagine he’ll miss most of April, though Cox wasn’t sure of the time frame for his return.
The manager did say he thinks the Braves have the guys to fill in, just a matter of how they’re going to do it. Infante’s absence effects a lot of how the final roster positions will be determined, since he was a good center fielder and would’ve given the Braves a competent backup at the position.
While Lillibridge can play CF, and play it pretty well, it’s not certain that he’ll even make the team.
OF Josh Anderson’s stock has climbed considerably during camp, not just because he’s a great kid and hard worker that everyone likes, but because he can play center field, something the Braves don’t think Brandon Jones can do well enough to serve as a backup to Mark Kotsay.
Look for Anderson to make the team as a fourth OF, and I don’t know if Braves will carry more OFs than that. Hasn’t been determined.
Matt Diaz is probably going to play more like an every-day starter than a platoon guy, that much is clear. Anderson could bounce between LF and CF to spell guys, and be used as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner.
Couple of interesting twists in lineup today: Jordan Schafer in left field, where he told me he’s never played, and batting leadoff, which he did much of last season in his breakout year in A-ball. Schafer just wants to get at-bats, so he doesn’t care that he’s never played the position. He shagged balls out in left today in BP, “so I won’t get hit in the forehead by a fly.”
Braves love this top-rated prospect, and plenty of coaches and players give him crap about being a golden boy and driving a Hummer and walking with a strut. But they really liked him. Mark Kotsay said Shafer has the swagger you need as a young guy coming up, but said he doesn’t rub guys the wrong way, especially after they get to know him. Everyone who talks to him comes away impressed.
Very hard worker, here every morning at 7 a.m., wants badly to succeed, and really believes he’d be one of the best defensive CF in the game right now. Knows he still needs work offensively, but said he’d be able to handle it and play well if he was thrust into the lineup if something happened to Kotsay.
Other twist today is Martin Prado at shortstop. He’s know as a 2B and 3B who can also play some corner OF, but has never played much SS or impressed anyone when he has played there. Bobby Cox said there’s no reason Prado can’t play the position, since he has good hands and a good arm.
But the range … that’s the thing. We’ll see. Braves want to see him there because they need a guy to fill in for Infante, and Prado might be more ready to do the job than Lillibridge. If Prado could play SS like the versatile Lil’ Bridge, Prado would have the opening dayutility job nailed down, suffice to say.
Today’s lineup: 1. Schafer, LF; 2. Kotsay, CF; 3. Francoeur, RF; 4. Teixeira, 1B; 5. McCann, C; 6. Prado, SS; 7. Lillibridge, 3B; 8. Diory Hernandez, 2B; 9. J. Jurrjens, RH.
Sarah Smile: Don’t know if Sarah was smiling, but Mike Hampton and Peter Moylan were this morning. (OK, that was a cringe-inducing reach by me, but I told you I would use the songs that were played. Crusading Everyman takes no shortcuts).
Anyway … Hampton and Moylan. Hampton was in a good mood after throwing a bullpen as a test of the right groin he strained in his last start Friday. He’ll either make his next start Wednesday or pitch in simulated-game conditions that day, but either way he’ll stay on his every-fifth-day schedule, not push it back a couple of days as Cox had earlier suggested might be done.
Hampton said he felt a little tightness in his final 10 or so pitches in the 10-minute session today, but nothing major. He was able to run 12 wind sprints afterward without difficulty, and said the right hamstring he strained in his only winter-ball start felt better today than it’s felt since the injury.
I’ll bet he goes the sim-game route Wednesday, since there’s less danger of reinjury because he won’t be going after ground balls or covering first base or anything else that he might do in the competitive environ of a Grapefruit game. But we’ll see. Just my hunch. Either way, today’s test was a good one for him.
Moylan said his right elbow felt normal today after he pitched a perfect inning yester day, his first appearance in more than a week since being sidelined with soreness in his pitching elbow. He looked sharp Sunday and threw hard. His health is obviously a huge deal, since he was the Braves’ best and most durable reliever last season and will be their prime setup man this year and a closer option if Rafael Soriano goes down or has lingering issues with his elbow.
By the way, Soriano will throw off the mound in the next day or two and presumably make his Grapefruit League debut soon after. It’s getting that time, they really need him to start pitching in games because we’ve got only 2-1/2 more weeks down here. If he has any more problems with his elbow this month, the Braves are going to have to decide who’ll fill in at closer.
Walk Like a Man: Knucksy and Dewsy were walking like men. OK, like older men. But it was damn impressive to see 60-somethings Phil Nierko and Bobby Dews, in full uniform, forming the oldest batter to pitch at Dark Star in … well, ever?
Niekro, the Hall of Famer, put on the Braves uni and threw to Dews, the longtime bullpen coach who’s not a special advisor. It happened before the Braves took batting practice, and a lot of them were standing around watching, and loving it.
Niekro threw from the mound and threw nothing but strikes. Seriously, he was getting it up there at a good clip, not throwing knuckleballs. Great stuff.
Hard Day’s Night: Jeff Francoeur had one, sort of, on Sunday. Had the day off, but spent it at Disney them parks with his wife and her family, including kids of the niece-and-nephew variety. “We started at 9 a.m. at Animal Kingdom, and ended at Epco at 9:30 last night,” Francoeur said.
In my view, a day in Braves camp would have to be considered a vacation by comparison. Then again, Dark Star fun makes me cranky. Very.
Burning Love: One of our blog regulars, Choppinmama, brought out a sign to thank Chipper Jones for coming on the blog a few times this offseason. It said something along the lines of “Thnx for blogging, U Kno Who” (that’s the screen name Hoss used here).
Alas, Chipper has the day off and wasn’t here for batting practice. She plans to return to the park with sign in tow for tomorrow night’s game.
By the way, Braves have night games Tuesday and Wednesday, so we won’t be filing an early blog, unless I’ve forgotten how to sleep in.
Eight Days a Week: We don’t do eight days a week, but we sure do seven down here at spring training. Every day the same, doesn’t matter if it’s Sunday or Wednesday or Friday. Weekends are irrelevant for players, coaches and hacks down here.
However, we do get to mix it up a bit with the nights games this week, then the only scheduled off day of the spring next Tuesday, March 18.
Do you folks realize we’re only got 2-1/2 weeks left here before taking this thing north? Not that I’m counting the hours and minutes or anything….
OK, let’s wrap it up and turn things over to the denizens. But first, a great tune by Tom Waits, the theme song from possibly the greatest TV series ever, The Wire (if not the best, then tied with The Sopranos).
The Wire ended last night, and the final episode was terrific (unlike the unsatisfying conclusion to The Sopranos, but that’s another story…) Sundays aren’t going to be the same without McNulty, Bunk and the rest of that sensational cast.
”WAY DOWN IN THE HOLE” by Tom Waits
When you walk through the garden
you gotta watch your back
well I beg your pardon
walk the straight and narrow track
if you walk with Jesus
he’s gonna save your soul
you gotta keep the devil
way down in the hole
He’s got the fire and the fury
at his command
well you don’t have to worry
if you hold on to Jesus hand
we’ll all be safe from Satan
when the thunder rolls
just gotta help me keep the devil
way down in the hole
All the angels sing about Jesus’ mighty sword
and they’ll shield you with their wings
and keep you close to the lord
don’t pay heed to temptation
for his hands are so cold
you gotta help me keep the devil
way down in the hole
