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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > October > 08
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Rays take same path as ‘91 Braves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OK, stop me if you’ve heard any of this before. You’ve got a team that finished with baseball’s worst record. The next year, that team does the ridiculous by sitting four victories shy of the World Series against a playoff-seasoned foe. That team is built around splendid pitching, efficient defense and timely hitting.
You’ve guessed it.
The spirit of the 1991 Braves lives in the current Tampa Bay Rays.
Well, sort of. While those Braves were spurred by energy from the tomahawk chop at old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium as much as by Terry Pendleton, Steve Avery and the rest, these Rays had sparse and quiet home crowds until recently.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed, and that’s a big difference,” said Mark Lemke, the second baseman and a key sparkplug for the 1991 Braves. “For us, there were 40,000 or 50,000 every night. That was huge, and we still talk about it to this day about how awesome it was. To me, that’s a once in a lifetime experience. For a fan base of that size, to keep up that intensity level for that period of time, it was amazing.
“It’s one thing when you go to a football game, and it’s a Sunday or a Saturday afternoon, and everybody’s fired up, and it’s game day. For us, it was game day for a month and a half.”
Not so much for these Rays, who still found ways to use their quirky domed stadium to manage the game’s best home record. They eventually joined the 1991 Braves as the only teams ever to go from losing more games than anybody in baseball one season to the playoffs the next. And, like those Braves, these Rays had more than a few chances to collapse.
For instance: While the 1991 Braves were 9 1/2 games behind the mighty Dodgers at the All-Star break, these Rays dropped seven straight games at the All-Star break to tumble out of first place in their stifling division that features the Yankees and the Red Sox. Even so, those Braves and these Rays responded dramatically.
For those Braves, there was everything from a combined no-hitter to David Justice’s clutch homer off Rob Dibble. For these Rays, there were a couple of showdown series in September against a Boston team with two World Series titles since 2004. It didn’t matter. The Rays won both series and then the division.
“Like us, in 1991, they played a lot of one-run games, and we both came up with a lot of big wins, which helps you in the playoffs,” said Lemke, whose inexperienced Braves faced a Pittsburgh Pirates bunch with stars Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla making their second consecutive trip to the NLCS. The inexperienced Rays will meet the loaded Red Sox on Friday night for the start of the ALCS.
Added Lemke, “This will be a coming-out party for a lot of their guys. Now everybody can see how talented (B.J.) Upton and (Evan) Longoria are. Plus, you’ll see how good their pitching is, which I don’t think gets a lot of credit.”
Maybe the Rays’ Scott Kazmir and Andy Sonnanstine are the next Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. But who is the next Lemke, an obscure but significant player? “If I had to pick one, it would be their shortstop, (Jason) Bartlett,” said Lemke of a fourth-year player who still has a ways to go to become Lemke. Just like these Rays have a ways to go to become those Braves.
Those Braves reached the World Series, and during it, Lemke wasn’t obscure anymore after hitting .417.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: Braves/MLB
Please explain Tennessee dominance over UGA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No matter how you analyze it, this dominance by Tennessee over Georgia in football makes no sense. And, yes, dominance is the operative word here, which sort of makes you wonder about something: How in the name of Herschel Walker running over Bill Bates have the Volunteers won three of the last four games over the Bulldogs?
Not only that, Tennessee has whipped Georgia by a composite score of 86-47 during the past two seasons.
This definitely makes no sense.
It’s not as if Tennessee is Florida or something. It’s also not as if Phillip Fulmer is Steve Spurrier.
Here’s another thing: During Mark Richt’s previous seven seasons as Georgia’s head coach, the Bulldogs have surpassed Tennessee in NFL draftees overall, All-SEC first-teamers (AP and coaches) and SEC titles (two to the Volunteers’ none).
Still, after winning three straight against the Volunteers to start the Richt era, Georgia mostly has struggled against Tennessee since.
What is it?
Is it a fluke?
Is Georgia just allergic to orange all of a sudden?
Is it psychological?
Is Tennessee more hyped for Georgia than any other team these days, including Florida and Alabama? If so, why?
Is Fulmer a better game-day strategist than Richt, or maybe more efficient at preparing his team during the week?
Is Georgia looking ahead to the Vanderbilt game (I’m serious), which traditionally follows the Tennessee game?
Is this delayed payback time for that Walker-Bates thing?
Is it parts or all of the above, or is it just something else?
You make the call.
I haven’t a clue.
Permalink | Comments (98) | Categories: UGA/SEC
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