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Thursday, May 8, 2008
Braves aim for perfection
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top of the morning to you. I see the May flowers continue. Braves are going for 6-0 on the homestand today vs. the Padres and our fleeting pal Wil Ledezma. If they pull it off, it’ll be their first perfect homestand of two or more series since June 3-8, 2003 when they took five from the Rangers and Pirates. The Braves haven’t had a perfect six-game homestand since April 2000, when they went 9-0 vs. the Phillies, Pirates and Dodgers.
Personally, I’m ignoring the possibility for showers today — looks awfully sunny to me — so let’s get on with the lineup.
Omar Infante is in the lineup today playing second base. He’s not exactly in the park yet — he was due in this morning from Richmond and when I left the Braves clubhouse about 11:40 a.m. he wasn’t there yet. But he’s been activated from the DL and I’m sure he’ll show up and throw on a uni and do what Bobby always wants done — get right into the swing of things.
This will be the Braves’ first look at their super utility player acquired from Detroit via the Cubs, who was delayed by the broken hand he suffered in winter ball. The Braves wanted him to play third base, shortstop, second base and center field while he was in extended spring training. He didn’t have time to get to all those positions so he spent the last three games in Richmond in center field.
Brayan Pena heads to the disabled list with a back strain, he apparently suffered on Sunday injury pinch-hitting against the Reds.
Also, this just in, Brian McCann rests today and Corky Miller gets the start catching Jo-Jo Reyes. No, that’s not that unusual with a day game after a night game, but it is unusual in that hey, McCann has played a ton.
Ever stop to think about how often McCann is behind the plate? Me neither. It just hit me last night how much he’s been in there, something we start to take for granted. It’s something his youth, toughness and a few off days have allowed for lately, and it’s something not just McFann should appreciate, eh?
McCann had played in the Braves first 32 games, entering Sunday. He got the day off on April 3 vs. Pittsburgh and April 20 vs. the Dodgers, but came into pinch hit both days. He had played 14 in a row behind the plate until today.
Felt like checking with John Smoltz today, just to see what’s going on with his arm. He’s 10 days into his resting period and said a lot of the pain/stiffness is dissipating in the shoulder. When he pointed to the place where he still feels a little stiffness now, it’s the old trapezius muscle. But he’s feeling positive about things and he said the serious pain started to subside when he hit the six-day mark of rest.
He doesn’t want to over-promise and undersell — something he pointed out he’s learned from the work he’s done with Kings Ridge, the Christian school he started from the ground up — but he’s betting on being back out there by the end of May. Or the way he put it “something that starts with a 2.” Hm, having now just looked that up on the schedule, wonder if it’s any coincidence that the first day that starts with a 2 — May 20 — is the first of a three-day series against the Mets at Turner Field.
Not that I’m pushing, but Smoltz, gotta love the enthusiasm. But that might be pushing it. Maybe another day with a 2 in it is more like it. But we’ll see. (Oh gosh, I’m beginning to sound like Bobby, who I’m now kidding because he says “we’ll see” so much about all these injuries.
Anyway, Smoltz said trainers wanting him to rest for a couple more days but he thinks he’ll be playing catch by Sunday in Pittsburgh. And somewhere between catch and returning to the bullpen, there will be a minor league rehab assignment.
I did ask — because I was curious — if moving to the bullpen had anything to do with trying to keep himself from having to throw all his pitches. Smoltz said no, that it’s strictly the amount of pitches. So that’s that. He also said he doesn’t see himself being in a typical closer’s role because he’s not going to be ready to go three days in a row or four out of five. So it’ll be interesting to see how Bobby uses him when the time comes. He needs some structure, which isn’t easy to pull off in the bullpen.
And one last thing. Had to share this little tidbit. I’m working on a story about Chipper and his switch-hitting history for Sunday’s Braves Insider, and I went to the source Larry Wayne Sr. who taught Chipper how to switch-hit and who is always great to talk to. And we were chatting just a bit about the ride Chipper is on right now.
Larry’s taking it all in through Chipper’s nightly calls to his dad riding home from the ballpark. One of these nights here recently, Larry said, Chipper told him: “It’s great to be me right now, Dad.”
And Larry (otherwise known as U Kno Who Sr?) also said Chipper has sounded as introspective about things lately as he’s ever sounded, and here’s one of the things Chipper told him that made him say that:
“He told me ‘In all my years in baseball, I can’t ever remember a time when I’d walk to the plate with the buzz going through the stadium like I’m starting to hear now. There’s a buzz that starts as I leave the on-deck circle.”
Rightly so. And perhaps overdue.
Without further ado……the game. Enjoy.
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