http://www.ajc.com The latest headlines from AJC en-us Copyright 2008, Cox Newspapers Inc., AJC Sun, 6 Jul 2008 20:51:08 EDT Newspapers COXnet RSS Generator v1.0 http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/08/17/52/image_1352178.jpg http://www.ajc.com 5 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/06/allstars_0707.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/06/allstars_0707.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sun, 6 Jul 2008 19:10:41 EDT NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR STARTERS • 1B: Lance Berkman, Astros: Had tough competition against Albert Pujols, Derrek Lee and Prince Fielder. • 2B: Chase Utley, Phillies: Despite recent slump, continues to produce impressive power numbers. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/06/BRallstars0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/06/BRallstars0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sun, 6 Jul 2008 16:33:50 EDT A sure fire way to make Brian McCann blush? Ask him when the last time is he didn't make an All-Star team. "I don't know," he said Sunday, reddening. The answer is somewhere back in amateur ball, if even then, of All-Star games he was eligible to make. As a professional, at only age 24, he just made the National League All-Star team for the third consecutive year. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/06/aaron_letter_07007.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/06/aaron_letter_07007.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sun, 6 Jul 2008 16:33:14 EDT Charlotte, N.C. — A Charlotte businessman paid $21,000 for a short letter written by a 17-year-old Hank Aaron, in which the future home run king tells the owner of a Negro League baseball team that his parents approve of him joining the team. The Charlotte Observer reported Sunday that Jeffrey Gitomer outbid several others, including the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, for the letter at a sports auction outside Philadelphia. The seven-line letter is dated Nov. 22, 1951, from Mobile, Ala., and written to Syd Pollack. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/braves_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/braves_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 23:32:29 EDT No flyover, no fireworks, no fun. The day after the Fourth of July, the Braves fell right back in the rut they've been in, losing to the Houston Astros 6-1 for their sixth loss in seven games. Beating the Astros Friday proved just a hiatus from what's been ailing the Braves. Saturday, they got another surprisingly ineffective start from one of their young guns this week — Jo-Jo Reyes — and a not-so-surprising result from their offense. The Braves managed only two hits and a run against Chris Sampson, who was making a spot start in place of Astros ace Roy Oswalt. They had four hits in the game and scored on Brian McCann's 15th homer of the year, a solo shot. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/stories/2008/07/05/dream_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/stories/2008/07/05/dream_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 23:29:32 EDT As Ivory Latta beamed at the fans, Betty Lennox yanked her teammate back into the huddle. There was no way she was going to let Latta miss this. Blue and white streamers, which had been on reserve during this three-game homestand, finally exploded from the corner of Atlanta's bench. So this is what it's like to win. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/hampton_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/hampton_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 21:20:36 EDT Mike Hampton threw five scoreless innings in a minor league rehabilitation assignment for Class A Myrtle Beach on Saturday night, allowing five hits, no walks and striking out six in a 64-pitch effort. Hampton is scheduled to pitch again for AA Mississippi in Jacksonville on Thursday. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/francoeur_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/francoeur_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 20:46:54 EDT Pearl, Miss. — Phillip Wellman knew what was coming. There was just one player left out in the clubhouse, and even though it was late when the knock came at his door, the Mississippi Braves hitting coach knew it was Jeff Francoeur. It was nearly midnight. Francoeur was crying. "What's wrong?" Wellman asked. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/jurrjens_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/jurrjens_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 19:58:32 EDT Jair Jurrjens has at least a shot at making the National League All-Star team Sunday, which will be announced at 2 p.m. on TBS. His 3.09 ERA ranks seventh in the National League. He's 8-4 and has pitched two good games against the Rockies at Coors Field under the watchful eye of NL manager Clint Hurdle. Last year, 11 pitchers were originally chosen for the NL All-Stars before two more pitchers were added due to injuries. "There are a lot of good pitchers out there," Jurrjens said. "Just to be mentioned, to have a small chance to be in that group, that's an honor. But I'm not really thinking about it. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, next year." If he makes it, he will be the first Braves rookie pitcher on the All-Star team since Ron Reed made it in 1968. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/bravesnot_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/bravesnot_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 19:56:39 EDT Rafael Soriano is back from the Dominican Republic where he went last weekend for personal reasons, the Braves said, and has been throwing on the side again. Braves General Manager Frank Wren said Soriano threw twice at the Braves complex in Orlando — on Wednesday and Friday — before returning to Atlanta Saturday. Wren said Soriano did not report elbow discomfort Friday, which is good news for the reliever who's missed all but two weeks of the season with elbow inflammation. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/tulowitz_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/tulowitz_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 19:33:16 EDT Denver — This trip for the 15-day disabled list cuts a little deeper for Troy Tulowitzki and the Colorado Rockies. Just three weeks after returning from a torn thigh tendon that cost him 46 games, the Rockies' enigmatic shortstop sliced his right palm when he pounded his maple bat into the ground in frustration and it shattered. The accident occurred Friday night after he was replaced by Omar Quintanilla in the seventh inning. "Yeah, it's tougher to take," Tulowitzki said Saturday of his return to the DL. "The other injury was baseball-related. You're out there on the field, going all out. And this one's kind of a stupid injury that I could have prevented." http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/stories/2008/07/05/player_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/stories/2008/07/05/player_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 18:43:09 EDT Louisville, Ky. — Louisville wide receiver Trent Guy was shot in the back early Saturday outside garage near a downtown nightclub. The school said it expects him to fully recover. The 20-year-old junior was taken to University Hospital, where he was in stable condition after surgery, athletic department spokesman Rocco Gasparro said. "His injuries aren't as severe as they could be," said Gasparro, who visited Guy. "At this time, we expect him to have a full recovery, but it's too early to speculate on his playing status." http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/mlbinsider_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/05/mlbinsider_0706.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 15:26:28 EDT Can the record 214 million votes cast for All-Star starters be wrong? Maybe, maybe not. We'll find out Sunday when TBS broadcasts the All-Star unveiling show at 2 p.m. revealing the 17 starters (8 for National League, 9 for American League), as well as the 45 pitchers and reserves chosen by player ballot and managers Clint Hurdle and Terry Francona. The game will be played July 15 at Yankee Stadium. If the Braves' Brian McCann loses out in the voting at catcher to the Cubs' Geovany Soto, there's a chance he gets left off the roster altogether, depending on which players are taken to fill out the one-player-from-each-team requirement. So voting has ripple effects, and there are plenty of close races. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/04/francoeur_0704.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/04/francoeur_0704.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 00:29:10 EDT Pearl, Miss. -- He hit a home run in the first inning that was overruled and called a foul ball. Then he singled to the opposite field in the fourth and eventually scored. And for one night, no one booed him. A disappointed Jeff Francoeur, the hometown flash from Parkview High School and Atlanta fan favorite, returned to Trustmark Park, the Mississippi Braves and the Class AA Southern League on Friday, exactly where he was three years ago this week, when he was summoned to make his major-league debut. Statistically, he felt a little better: 2-for-5 with two singles, a walk and a run scored. Emotionally, 24 hours after his demotion, he felt a little of everything. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/04/braves_0705.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/04/braves_0705.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Fri, 4 Jul 2008 23:13:59 EDT The Braves needed something to break up the monotony of a five-game losing streak. They got it twice over Friday. The Phillies leaving town didn't hurt. And maybe in a roundabout way, Jeff Francoeur leaving town didn't either. On a night where every Braves hitter had been reminded of what's at stake if the team's offensive woes continue, the Braves actually took a lead, and kept it, on their way to beating the Astros 6-2 in front of a sell-out July 4th crowd of 48,045. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/04/reyes_0705.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/04/reyes_0705.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 Fri, 4 Jul 2008 23:05:03 EDT Jose Reyes freely admitted Friday that he confronted the former Met and SNY analyst Keith Hernandez as the team boarded their charter flight to St. Louis. But Reyes, who was fed up with Hernandez's criticism during Sunday's broadcast, denied that the two ever came close to blows, and his claim was backed up by a number of eyewitnesses. Hernandez already was seated on the plane as Reyes approached and that's when the shortstop chose to vent his frustration face-to-face. Voices were raised, but many of the Mets had no idea it had even happened. Reyes, however, did not regret taking action as he spoke Friday to reporters. Munching on a popsicle in front of his locker, he made himself available as soon as the clubhouse door opened, and didn't hesitate to provide a few details of the conversation.