AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > June > 19
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Blanco to leadoff - at least today
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You never know what you might find when you peek your head around the corner and have a glance at the lineup board in the clubhouse. But today, I saw Gregor Blanco in the leadoff spot (pause for applause, denizens?).
Here’s what the board said:
1.Gregor Blanco CF
2.Yunel Escobar SS
3.Chipper Jones 3B
4.Mark Teixeira DH
5.Kelly Johnson 2B
6.Greg Norton 1B
7.Jeff Francoeur RF
8.Brandon Jones LF
9.Corky Miller C
It’s hard to know if this is something Bobby Cox is just tinkering with today - Blanco has hit in the leadoff spot twice this season - or if it’s something he’s considering doing longer. He plays most everything like it’s no big deal, including this lineup, this morning.
“Change it around a little bit,” Cox said. “With a DH you can do that kind of stuff.”
So I ask “Will you see how this goes?” (translation, keep Blanco up there once the Bravest back to National League play this weekend.)
“Oh, it’s just for today,” Cox said.
So maybe Blanco is back hitting eighth tomorrow night. Or maybe he reaches base four times, and maybe he’s back in there at leadoff tomorrow.
But for today, anyway, this ought to make some folks on the blog happy.
Blanco has done nothing to hurt himself lately, regardless of where he’s hitting. Hitting ninth last night (AL lineup) he hit run-scoring triple in the ninth to drive in a key insurance run in a 5-2 win over Texas. He had a great night Friday in Anaheim, going 3-for-4 with a career-high three RBIs.
“He can bunt, take a walk, he’s done a real good job,” Cox said.
Blanco has been a leadoff hitter throughout his minor league career and likes the idea of hitting there now.
“It feels good,” said Blanco, who went only 1-for-6 in his first two games batting leadoff this season but drew three walks for a .444 on-base percentage. “It feels like we have a manager who has a lot of confidence in his players. He shows he has confidence in me.”
Hitting eight in the order (he’s been hitting ninth in interleague play - but you know what I’m getting at) brings its own set of challenges with the pitcher coming up next, often forcing hitters to expand their strike zones.
“There are a lot of things I cannot do because I’m in the eighth hole,” Blanco said. “Being leadoff that becomes more part of my game. There are a lot of things I can do. In the leadoff spot I’m capable of getting my pitch.”
Blanco said the move is welcome for Yunel Escobar too, who has put up better numbers in the No. 2 hole. Escobar has hit .273 (39-for-143) with a .352 on-base percentage as a leadoff hitter, compared to .328 (43-for-131) with a .401 on-base percentage in the 2 hole.
“He the kind of player, he can hit anywhere,” Blanco said. “But we’ve been talking about it and he feels more comfortable (hitting second). Hopefully it’ll work out this way.”
He’s not the only one who feels that way, is he?
This also drops Kelly Johnson into the fifth spot, where he might feel more comfortable too. Kelly seems like can deal with wherever Bobby puts him, takes the shuffling around in stride. Kelly has hit .189 (7-for-37) on this road trip in the No. 2 spot, and is hitting .241 in the No. 2 hole this season.
No doubt you’ll notice Frenchy is hitting seventh. It’s the lowest he’s hit in the order this season. He’s 21-for-61 (.344) in the seventh spot for his career.
Corky Miller is behind the plate today to give Brian McCann a rest the day game after a night game. Miller has been catching Jorge Campillo and Campillo pitches tomorrow night at home against Seattle. Cox said he probably won’t catch Miller in back-to-back games though, so expect McCann to be back in there tomorrow night.
GOING GONZO: Things were still abuzz about Mike Gonzalez this morning, and you can’t help but be happy for the guy. His first outing since Tommy John surgery last night? A a save situation, a perfect ninth, 15 pitches, 10 of them for strikes. Velocity at 93, 94 mph with his fastball, and his curveball effective enough to get two of the three outs on.
He said there were 45-50 friends and family in the stands including friends going back to elementary school age, from when he lived in nearby Frisco, Tex. But among the pats on the back he got that felt especially good came from John Smoltz, who sent him a congratulatory text.
Smoltz also delivered some advice about how to handle this comeback. He does know a thing or two about being successful closing games, coming off Tommy John surgery.
“He told me ‘Remember, it feels great right now,’” Gonzalez said. “’You’ve got to make sure you keep understanding your body, understanding what’s going on with it. Don’t overdo it. If you need to take a day, take a day. Ask for a day and don’t make a big deal about that.’”
The save also gave Gonzo 31 in a row since his last blown save, which came as a middle reliever with the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 25, 2004. That was only his 30th career game and his first of three blown saves in his first three save chances. He hasn’t missed since then - regardless of all the pain he pitched in last year and regardless of the newness of being back on the mound last night. His 31 saves in a row is the longest current streak in the majors, according to Elias.
OK, Chipper Jones is back right square on .400 again after a 2-for-5 last night. He’s getting used to this teetering on the edge. We’ll see what he has to offer today.
It poured rain this morning, as some big storms rolled through the big D about 7 a.m. But the sun is shining now and the temperature is climbing and we hear we should get the game in fine. Can’t say the same for my flight tomorrow morning, but that’s another day, another set of issues.
A win today and the Braves are .500 on this trip, .500 for the season. Oh and this just in. Not only have the Seattle Mariners fired their GM Bill Bavasi this week. They just fired their manager - John McLaren - and replaced him with bench coach Jim Riggleman. So the Mariners will bring a little drama to Turner Field for the weekend.
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
