PHILADELPHIA -- Just in case the message got lost in the excitement of Julio Teheran's major league debut Saturday night, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez put in a call to Gwinnett manager Dave Brundage Sunday to reiterate it.
“I said ‘Tell (Teheran) that he really did good, that he was impressive and we liked the way he handled himself,’” Gonzalez said Sunday afternoon. “We told him that last night, but we wanted to make sure we told him again.”
Teheran didn't have the dominant debut some fans might have hoped to see – he allowed three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 3-0 loss to the Phillies – but the Braves liked what they saw from the 20 year-old and the youngest Braves starter to debut for them since Steve Avery 21 years ago.
“Everybody wants a 10-strikeout performance and a win, but if you look at the overall picture I think it’s good,” Gonzalez said. “Good for him, good for the organization.”
Gonzalez said he wants Teheran to focus on first-pitch strikes back in Triple A, though he realized some of Teheran’s early misses might have resulted from nerves.
Gonzalez said Phillies hitters stayed patient against Teheran, which worked to their advantage.
“That’s the difference between major league hitters and Triple-A hitters,” Gonzalez said. “They’re not afraid to go two strikes and work the count and watch and look.”
McCann catches Jurrjens
Gonzalez said he didn't want to be held to the Jair Jurrjens-David Ross battery, and he proved it Sunday night when he started Brian McCann behind the plate.
Ross had caught each of Jurrjens' first four starts, while Jurrjens went 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA. But with a third consecutive night game in the series, and an off day Monday, Gonzalez went with McCann who was hitting .300 (12-for-40) for his career against the Phillies' Cole Hamels.
Gonzalez said Braves pitchers feel equally comfortable throwing to both Ross and McCann.
Going forward he plans not to catch McCann more than five days in a row. McCann's next day off will likely fall Saturday at home against the Phillies, presumably a start by Joe Blanton.
Conrad in the field
Brooks Conrad got his first action in the field this season and first at first base of his career Saturday night. He entered on a double-switch at the suggestion of bench coach Carlos Tosca, Gonzalez said.
The Phillies were warming up left-hander Antonio Bastardo, so instead of having left-hander Eric Hinske match up against him, Gonzalez decided to go with the switch-hitting Conrad to lead off the eighth. He drew a walk and handled his three throws to first.
Conrad, who’d played only second and third, played some first base in spring training and has been taking groundballs there every day in batting practice.
“Just another option for them to put me out there and get a match-up,” Conrad said. “It was fun to get in there a little bit.”
Notable
The Braves recalled infielder Diory Hernandez from Gwinnett to fill Teheran's roster spot. Teheran was optioned back to Gwinnett after his spot start.
The Braves had sent shortstop Brandon Hicks out to make room for Teheran on the roster and needed a backup shortstop for Alex Gonzalez. Hicks can't return within 10 days unless the Braves have an injury. Hernandez was hitting .258 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 22 games for Gwinnett….
Gonzalez wore pink shoes for Sunday’s game on Mother’s Day in honor of his mother-in-law, Laverne Miller of Fort Pierce, Fla., who has battled breast cancer. Several Braves players joined players around Major League Baseball and swung pink bats in Sunday night’s game. Money raised in the auction of these items goes to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
