AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > April > 09
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Snow is coming, two games to go (maybe)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Denver _ So we’re sitting here battening down the hatches and waiting for the snowstorm. Ahh, baseball fever in the mountains in April … Catch it!
But seriously, the person responsible for scheduling interdivision baseball games in cold-weather cities in April should be beaten about the head and shoulders with an icy pair of batting gloves. Or worse.
It’s about 50 degrees here now at 3:08 p.m. local time, but the snowstorm is moving across the mountains and headed straight for us. Game time is 6:30, and the ETA for the storm is about 7-7:30 p.m.
Unless we get in five innings before it arrives, the Braves are probably going to have a doubleheader to make up in Denver later this season on an off day in the schedule.
Yes, a doubleheader. Because the forecast for tomorrow is for temps in the 30s, snow and high winds. Let’s play two … uh, later this summer.
The only folks pleased by a snowout tomorrow might be the Rockies, who would avoid facing Tim Hudson, who appears to be in midseason form right out of the chute. Hudson has held hitters to a .188 average in two starts, including a league-best .050 (1-for-20) by right-handed hitters, with no walks.
Then again, he has a 13.00 ERA in two starts at Coors Field, so maybe they wouldn’t mind facing him.
Rarely do you see such a clean split as you see in Hudson’s stats against the Rockies home and away. He’s 0-2 with a 13.00 ERA in two starts against them at Coors Field, and a 3-0 record and 1.23 ERA in three at Atlanta.
Huddy’s also been sick all week, just like tonight’s starter, Chuck James.
Oh, yes, Chuck. He comes off the DL tonight to face the Rockies and briefly-a-Brave Mark Redman. For Chuck’s sake, let’s hope he gets to work a few or more innings before the storm blows in.
Pitching in freezing, wet weather might not be best for that shoulder, though it should be noted that he says it hasn’t caused a problem at all. Maybe he’s a fast healer and that partial rotator-cuff tear is no more.
About that 3-5 start…. How strange has this early season been? The Braves are 3-5 and still lead the Mets and are only a half-game behind the Phillies. Since no one seriously believes the Marlins will maintain their position atop the NL East standings for long, the Braves are basically getting a mulligan.
I really don’t think they’ll keep losing every one-run game, and I do think the lineup will snap out of its little funk in a hurry. The Braves hit .321 with 35 runs in a four-game stretch against the Pirates and Mets before hitting .187 with seven runs in this three-game skid against the Mets and Rockies.
To me, the only real concern in the early going is Rafael Soriano’s elbow. I’ve no doubt that guys who aren’t hitting yet, will. And that Manny Acosta and Peter Moylan will anchor a solid bullpen, with some of the younger guys just needing to get into a rhythm and get through this odd first couple of weeks.
But Soriano’s elbow … if it’s fine, the Braves should be. If it’s not, then sooner or later, that might be a problem they have to remedy.
Not saying there’s reason to believe it’s anything serious. But already he’s had soreness a couple of times since reporting to spring training. So we’ll see.
OK, gonna interrupt the writing of his blog to go down to the clubhouse and see what the move is, etc. They might not even make one until they actually activate Chuck before the game.
Because if there’s any danger of the game not being played, then they wouldn’t have to make a move tonight…
… OK, just got back from 90 minutes in the clubhouse. Still no move to create a spot for Chuck. They’re going to wait until gametime, probably, to make sure we’re even going to play.
Forecast now says the bad rain and snow might not be here until a little later than expected, so we might get at least five innings in (an official game). But tomorrow … brutal. Highly doubtful we’ll play, at least unless the forecast changes.
While in the clubhouse I watched Andruw strike out to end the Dodgers-Diamondbacks game, flailing in familiar fashion at the slider in the dirt.
He did get a pinch-hit infield single on a ball he smothered to the left side of the infield, just beat the one-hop throw.
Andruw wasn’t in the starting lineup after going 0-for-14 with seven strikeouts in his previous four games. He came in 3-for-29 (.103) including a majors-worst 1-for-22 (.045) against right-handers.
Gonzo making progress: It got overshadowed yesterday (OK, it fell through the cracks of my notebook), but the good news for the Braves was that Mike Gonzalez threw a 20-pitch simulated inning at extended spring training in Florida. Braves are still saying first week of June for activation from DL, but that could possibly change if he keeps making such good progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Speaking of stats: Mark Teixeira is 1-for-14 against lefties…. Matt Holliday has a .391 average with 16 extra-base hits (seven homers) and 22 RBI in his past 16 games against the Braves…. The Tigers scored 15 runs in seven games before today…. How many of you had the Orioles and Marlins as your East leaders going into April 9?…. The Rockies have scored 16 runs in eight games, and last night (4-3 win over the Bravos) was the first time they’ve scored more than three runs and only the second time they scored more than two.
Tip of the cap to Mr. Zimmerman: Also forgot to note the much-deserved special Pulitzer Prize awarded to the great Bob Dylan on Tuesday. For his profound contributions to music and culture. That’s great stuff.
So let’s blow it out with some extended lyrics from the bard of Minnesota.
”BROWNSVILLE GIRL” by Bob Dylan
Well, there was this movie I seen one time,
About a man riding ‘cross the desert and it starred Gregory Peck.
He was shot down by a hungry kid trying to make a name for himself.
The townspeople wanted to crush that kid down and string him up by the neck.
Well, the marshal, now he beat that kid to a bloody pulp
as the dying gunfighter lay in the sun and gasped for his last breath.
Turn him loose, let him go, let him say he outdrew me fair and square,
I want him to feel what it’s like to every moment face his death.
Well, I keep seeing this stuff and it just comes a-rolling in
And you know it blows right through me like a ball and chain.
You know I can’t believe we’ve lived so long and are still so far apart.
The memory of you keeps callin’ after me like a rollin’ train.
I can still see the day that you came to me on the painted desert
In your busted down Ford and your platform heels
I could never figure out why you chose that particular place to meet
Ah, but you were right. It was perfect as I got in behind the wheel.
Well, we drove that car all night into San Anton’
And we slept near the Alamo, your skin was so tender and soft.
Way down in Mexico you went out to find a doctor and you never came back.
I would have gone on after you but I didn’t feel like letting my head get blown off.
Well, we’re drivin’ this car and the sun is comin’ up over the Rockies,
Now I know she ain’t you but she’s here and she’s got that dark rhythm in her soul.
But I’m too over the edge and I ain’t in the mood anymore to remember the times when I was your only man
And she don’t want to remind me. She knows this car would go out of control.
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls, teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world, Brownsville girl, you’re my honey love.
Well, we crossed the panhandle and then we headed towards Amarillo
We pulled up where Henry Porter used to live. He owned a wreckin’ lot outside of town about a mile.
Ruby was in the backyard hanging clothes, she had her red hair tied back. She saw us come rolling up in a trail of dust.
She said, “Henry ain’t here but you can come on in, he’ll be back in a little while.”
Then she told us how times were tough and about how she was thinkin’ of bummin’ a ride back to where she started.
But ya know, she changed the subject every time money came up.
She said, “Welcome to the land of the living dead.” You could tell she was so broken-hearted.
She said, “Even the swap meets around here are getting pretty corrupt.”
“How far are y’all going?” Ruby asked us with a sigh.
“We’re going all the way ‘til the wheels fall off and burn,
‘Til the sun peels the paint and the seat covers fade and the water moccasin dies.”
Ruby just smiled and said, “Ah, you know some babies never learn.”
Something about that movie though, well I just can’t get it out of my head
But I can’t remember why I was in it or what part I was supposed to play.
All I remember about it was Gregory Peck and the way people moved
And a lot of them seemed to be lookin’ my way.
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls, teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world, Brownsville girl, you’re my honey love.
Well, they were looking for somebody with a pompadour.
I was crossin’ the street when shots rang out.
I didn’t know whether to duck or to run, so I ran.
“We got him cornered in the churchyard,” I heard somebody shout.
Well, you saw my picture in the Corpus Christi Tribune. Underneath it, it said, “A man with no alibi.”
You went out on a limb to testify for me, you said I was with you.
Then when I saw you break down in front of the judge and cry real tears,
It was the best acting I saw anybody do.
Now I’ve always been the kind of person that doesn’t like to trespass but sometimes you just find yourself over the line.
Oh if there’s an original thought out there, I could use it right now.
You know, I feel pretty good, but that ain’t sayin’ much. I could feel a whole lot better,
If you were just here by my side to show me how.
Well, I’m standin’ in line in the rain to see a movie starring Gregory Peck,
Yeah, but you know it’s not the one that I had in mind.
He’s got a new one out now, I don’t even know what it’s about
But I’ll see him in anything so I’ll stand in line.
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls, teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world, Brownsville girl, you’re my honey love.
You know, it’s funny how things never turn out the way you had ‘em planned.
The only thing we knew for sure about Henry Porter is that his name wasn’t Henry Porter.
And you know there was somethin’ about you baby that I liked that was always too good for this world
Just like you always said there was something about me you liked that I left behind in the French Quarter.
Strange how people who suffer together have stronger connections than people who are most content.
I don’t have any regrets, they can talk about me plenty when I’m gone.
You always said people don’t do what they believe in, they just do what’s most convenient, then they repent.
And I always said, “Hang on to me, baby, and let’s hope that the roof stays on.”
There was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it twice.
I don’t remember who I was or where I was bound.
All I remember about it was it starred Gregory Peck, he wore a gun and he was shot in the back.
Seems like a long time ago, long before the stars were torn down.
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls, teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world, Brownsville girl, you’re my honey love.
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
