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Thursday, April 3, 2008
Hampton ready; I’m banged up
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s only appropriate that on the night of Mike Hampton’s first real-game appearance in more than 31 months, your Crusading Everyman will barely be able to get in and out of his car and up the steps through the security gate at Turner Field.
Yes, I’m having back spasms, the result of either my failure to stretch before working out at the gym two days ago, or overdoing said workout, or pulling my heavy computer bag out of the overhead compartment on the plane and my car trunk. Or, more likely, the result of all of the above.
Anyway, I’m miserable.
So let’s go watch Hampton pitch against the Pirates, his first start (or appearance of any kind) in a major league game (Grapefruit League games don’t count) since Aug. 19, 2005.
What’s the mood among the denizens? Trepidation? Anticipation? Excitement? Deep concern? Wholesale skepticism?
Anyway, it’s happening tonight. Only a rainout can stop it, and that’s not going to happen. It might drizzle, but that’s about it.
(Actually, more than a rainout could stop it. Don’t know why I said that, given Hampton’s injury history in recent years. Dude could step wrong going up the steps and show up at the ballpark feeling like me. Let me just say, I would not be able to make tonight’s start if I were the scheduled pitcher. But I’m gonna take a handful of Alleve and cover this thing, that’s for sure.)
(Oh, and some Sinutab for this nasty head cold or whatever I have. Yes, if you’re gonna have back spasms and your first cold in a couple of years, might as well have ‘em at the same time and feel completely, utterly awful, I always say.)
Hey, I wrote it today, but for those who missed it:
Hampton went 14-8 in 2003 and 13-9 in 2004. And he was 17-6 with a 2.99 ERA in 30 starts from May 18, 2004, when he threw a complete game but lost against Randy Johnson’s perfect game, until May 14, 2005, when he left a game at Los Angeles with a “strained left forearm.” (That was the beginning of the end.)
Can you guys believe that, how good he was over a one-year stretch from May to May? Does it seem like that was so long ago? I mean, that’s seriously good over that 30-game stretch.
If he’s anywhere near that, anywhere at all near that level, the Braves have a helluva rotation (provided John Smoltz stays healthy, of course).
Hampton tonight and then the Mets in town for the weekend. You excited? Sunday, Smoltz vs. Johan Santana … that’s good stuff.
Chipper keeps going…. He has six RBIs in three games, which means Chipper Jones is showing every sign of continuing a rather amazing run that began in late June 2006, a run interrupted only by a couple of nagging injuries.
Consider these numbers: Since June 26, 2006, Hoss has hit .350 (248-for-708) with 58 doubles, 6 triples, 49 homers, 159 RBI, 108 walks, 99 strikeouts, a .433 OBP and .657 slugging percentage. That’s a 1.090 OPS, folks.
And on the road in that stretch, he’s been almost ridiculous: .367 with 33 doubles, 5 triples, 26 homers, 78 RBIs in 91 games, with a .439 OBP and .699 slugging percentage (1.138 OPS).
Prado raising his game: Gotta admit, every time Terry Pendleton raved about Martin Prado in spring training, every time he told me that Prado has nothing more to prove in Triple-A and belongs nowhere but the majors, etc., in the back of my mind I said, “Wow, T.P. really likes this kid, because Prado’s not all that.”
I’m starting to realize that maybe I’ve been wrong about Prado. The kid is a player, at least good enough to be an important utility man on a championship-calber team, and good enough to start for a lot of teams.
He went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and a walk last night filling in for leadoff man/2B Kelly Johnson. And in his past 20 games, since Aug. 11, Prado has hit .371 (13-for-35) with a couple of doubles, a triple, only three strikeouts and a .421 OBP.
That’s a real small sample of at-bats, but consider that it’s a lot tougher to put up good numbers getting only one start here and there and otherwise doing it with isolated at-bats in the late innings against tough, fresh relievers.
Jurrjens wows ‘em: Pirates hitters were very impressed with rookie Jair Jurrjens, particularly with his changeup, overall command and mound presence.
A Pittsburgh writer told me that a couple of players said that changeup looked exactly like his fastball coming out of Jurrjens’ hand, and that they had no idea how to hit it.
His line - 5-1/3 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 5 K’s - wasn’t nearly as impressive as Jurrjens was, as anyone who watched the game can attest.
By the way, Jurrjens made his major league debut Aug. 15 for Detroit, holding Cleveland to four runs in seven innings of a Tigers loss on the road.
Since then, he’s 5-0 in seven starts, and his teams have won all seven games.
OK, I gotta get to the ballpark. Running late. Or, rather, hobbling late.
“ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS” by Bob Dylan
On a night like this
So glad you came around,
Hold on to me so tight
And heat up some coffee grounds.
We got much to talk about
And much to reminisce,
It sure is right
On a night like this.
On a night like this
So glad you’ve come to stay
Hold on to me, pretty miss
Say you’ll never go away to stray.
Run your fingers down my spine
Bring me a touch of bliss
It sure feels right
On a night like this.
On a night like this
I can’t get any sleep,
The air is so cold outside
And the snow’s so deep.
Build a fire, throw on logs
And listen to it hiss
And let it burn, burn, burn, burn
On a night like this.
Put your body next to mine
And keep me company,
There is plenty a room for all,
So please don’t elbow me.
Let the four winds blow
Around this old cabin door,
If I’m not too far off I think we did this once before.
There’s more frost on the window glass
With each new tender kiss,
But it sure feels right
On a night like this.
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