The following, a weekly feature of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, allows our reporters to open their notebooks and provide even more information from our local teams that we cover daily. We think you’ll find it informative, insightful and fun.
‘I’ve got to get a hit off this guy’
A conversation this week with Braves legend Dale Murphy after the June 18 death of baseball great Willie Mays – an interview that was the source of a column this week in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – found him reflective. For instance, Murphy, 68, recalled playing in old Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the stadium where he had watched Mays play for the Giants as a boy when his family lived for a brief time in the Bay Area. The passage of time has helped him appreciate what that meant.
“I think what’s happening to me personally is, in retrospect, and with the years that have gone on, you look at things a little differently,” Murphy said. “When I was in my mid-20′s and playing ball, yeah, you thought about it. I mean, I’m like, ‘This is weird, I’m out here in Candlestick Park.’ The impact is greater now than when it was happening.”
In his defense, Murphy had a job that required his attention and made reverie a little difficult. For instance, he spoke of facing Cy Young Award winner Vida Blue, who starred for the Oakland A’s while Murphy lived in the area.
“It’s like, ‘I used to watch this guy on TV,’” Murphy said. “But you’re like, ‘I’ve got to get a hit off this guy.’”
Murphy counted himself thankful to reach a stage in life where reflection comes more naturally.
“It’s why people write their memoirs when they’re old,” he said. “Not a lot of people are writing memoirs in their late 20′s. I’m very thankful and very lucky.”
Taking sage advice
As Braves rookie pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach makes his way through the first starts of his career, having a wide assortment of pitches has been crucial. In only the first two innings alone of his June 24 start at St. Louis, Schwellenbach threw a four-seam fastball, a sinker, a slider, a cutter, a curveball and a splitter – six different pitch types in all.
But having a pitch-calling sage behind the plate, that helps, too.
Schwellenbach offered a peek into the counsel that Travis d’Arnaud offers to him after the rookie had recorded his first major-league win, June 18 over Detroit at Truist Park. He said that if he shakes off a sign, d’Arnaud will explain after the inning is over why he called for that particular pitch. As an example, he said that d’Arnaud called for an outside fastball on a two-strike count against Tigers catcher Carson Kelly, but Schwellenbach shook him off to throw a slider. It was a ball, and Schwellenbach ultimately walked him. In the dugout after the inning, d’Arnaud said he wanted the fastball because in Kelly’s first at-bat, Schwellenbach had thrown him “soft stuff,” in the pitcher’s words. That left Kelly susceptible to a fastball, which Schwellenbach throws at about 96 mph.
“Being a 24-year-old pitcher (who is starting out), having that available to you in the dugout – you don’t have that in the minor leagues, you don’t have that in college, so it’s really helpful,” Schwellenbach said.
Burress named to another All-America team
Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress recently was named to Baseball America’s All-America first team.
Burress became just the 10th freshman position player and 24th freshman overall to earn first-team honors in the organization’s 42 seasons of selecting the top collegiate baseball players. He’s the first freshman first-team hitter since Seth Beer (Clemson) in 2016. Eight of the nine freshman first-teamers previously went on to become first-round MLB draft picks.
Burress also was named Perfect Game’s national freshman of the year, an NCBWA first-team All-American and was selected to ABCA/Rawlings first-team all-Southeast region.
A Houston County High graduate, Burres led Tech in average (.381), home runs (25) and RBIs (67). His 25 home runs set the Tech freshman record and fell one shy of tying the program’s single-season record (Kevin Parada, 2022).
In addition to all-conference and ACC freshman-of-the-year honors, Burress also was named Perfect Game third-team All-American, Perfect Game first-team freshman All-American, a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
Later in the week, Burress was selected as one of 55 players to compete in the 2024 Collegiate National Team training camp.
The Collegiate National Team Training Camp began Tuesday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The 55 players were split into two rosters later in the week – one that will compete in the 21st USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series and another that will play in a four-game Summer League Tour against select teams from the Appalachian League and Coastal Plain League.
You make the important call
Hawks general manager Landry Fields doesn’t pass up many opportunities to bring up what he calls “Hawks DNA” – traits such as competitiveness, humility and selflessness – and the team’s draft night Wednesday was no exception. In a video distributed on the Hawks’ X (formerly Twitter) account, Fields had longtime Director of Team Operations Zac Walsh in the team’s draft room and stood next to him as he addressed team officials.
“You embody Hawks DNA, so it is only right that Zac Walsh gets to make the call into the league office to let them know who we’re picking with the No. 1 overall pick,” Fields said.
Walsh was then seen calling the pick in for French wing player Zaccharie Risacher and being cheered as he hung up the phone, a show of the affection and respect that Hawks staff has for him.
Time will tell if Risacher justifies the pick for Walsh by helping keep the locker room clean and being on time for buses and flights.
Andres Martin to play Atlanta Open
Former Georgia Tech standout Andres Martin will make his fourth appearance in the Atlanta Open as he received a wild card into the singles draw of the ATP tournament which is scheduled to begin July 20. Martin has received a wild card the past two years and also competed in the doubles draw with Keshav Chopra in 2021. The Flowery Branch native recorded his first-ever ATP win in 2022, defeating No. 69 Thanasi Kokkinakis in straight sets in his ATP Tour singles debut. Martin capped his collegiate career this past season earning ITA All-American status in singles for the second consecutive year. Martin posted a 22-4 dual singles record during the 2023-24 campaign. He went 8-1 against ACC opponents to collect all-ACC first-team honors.
At least you get a drink with that $25 hotdog
The price-gouging for meals that some people experience as ticket-buyers to sports events around the U.S. is extending into some venues being used by CONMEBOL for the ongoing Copa America.
Journalists, whose meals typically are provided for free at most events, covering the tournament at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles took a photo of these food costs from a media lunch Monday:
$25 for a hot dog, potato wedges and a drink;
$25 for crispy chicken tenders, potato wedges and a drink;
$25 for a southwestern salad;
Mercedes-Benz Stadium purchased food for journalists who covered last week’s match between Argentina and Canada. Choices included chicken wings, hot dogs and vegan hamburgers.
One memorable VAR
“However …”
That one word said by referee Filip Dujic may result in a VAR review becoming the most-memorable in MLS this season.
During Saturday’s match between Atlanta United and St. Louis, the hosts scored a goal during the first half. During the seconds before the goal, two possible fouls were committed as well as a possible offside.
As the ball hit the net, the assistant referee raised his flag, signaling offside.
Dujic’s hand went to his ear, meaning that Video Assistant Referee Younes Marrakchi was talking to him about the scoring sequence.
After several seconds, Dujic made the square sign with his hands, meaning he was going to go to the sideline monitor for a review.
That also took several seconds.
Once done, Dujic walked onto the field, turned on his mic and said:
“There was no offside offense” causing St. Louis supporters to cheer, thinking the goal was going to stand.
Atlanta United midfielder Dax McCarty, sitting on the bench, said his first thought was “Oh, (expletive). We are really screwed here.”
Dujic wasn’t done. He raised his hand to quiet the crowd and then said:
“However, prior to the goal there was a foul committed by St. Louis. The final decision is direct free kick.”
Those cheers quickly turned into jeers.
“It ended up being funny for us,” McCarty said. “And obviously not funny for a lot of other people. On a serious note, the transparency of how they come to certain decisions is, I think, a welcome sight for a lot of fans. It’s a welcome sight for us as players because let’s say for instance, he goes over there, he looks at it, he does the VAR thing and then he comes back and he just brings it back for a foul and maybe 90% of stadium has no idea what’s going on. Like why that was called? And they’re all complaining and moaning on social media, right? And so the explanation goes a long way. It was it was definitely an interesting moment.”
UGA comes in 16th in final all-sports standings
The final tally is in, and the University of Georgia ranked 16th nationally in overall athletic success in 2024.
That’s according to the Learfield Directors Cup standings, which were finalized with last weekend’s College World Series. Texas, which won national championships in volleyball and women’s rowing, finished No. 1 in the nation. Tennessee, which clinched the baseball national championship over Texas A&M on Monday, led the SEC with a No. 3 overall ranking.
The 16th-place finish is somewhat of a disappointment for Georgia Athletic Director Josh Brooks, who has said before that it is the Bulldogs’ goal every year to finish among the top 10 nationally and compete for the SEC’s all-sports title.
The Bulldogs finished seventh last year, which stood third in the SEC. That was their highest finish since 2005. UGA’s best finishes were No. 2 in 1999, No. 3 in 2001 and No. 5 in 2004.
It’s about to get tougher with Texas and Oklahoma officially joining the SEC on July 1. The Longhorns have won the overall sports title three times. The Sooners, who have won the past four women’s softball titles, also annually rank among the top 20, though they were 24th this year.
The Bulldogs have slipped in a few sports in recent years, which has held them back. Men’s tennis and men’s and women’s swimming and diving each experienced down years in 2024. Meanwhile, Georgia’s once-dominant women’s golf and women’s gymnastics programs have endured long periods of mediocrity. Each went through a leadership change this year. Only football coach Kirby Smart, men’s golf coach Chris Haack, volleyball coach Tom Black and equestrian coach Meghan Boenig have remained in their current roles since Brooks took over as AD in 2021. Equestrian is not an NCAA-sanctioned sport and does not count in the Learfield Standings.
In the Learfield, 19 sanctioned sports can be counted toward the overall points total, and at least 15 must be represented. Men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and volleyball have to be included from all teams. The top five were Texas (1,377 points), Stanford (1,312.75), Tennessee (1,217), Florida (1,189) and Virginia (1,066.25). Georgia had 951.38.
French connection in the NBA
When it comes to the surge of French players taken in this year’s NBA draft, newly minted Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher isn’t shocked.
Risacher and fellow countryman Alex Sarr, who was selected by the Wizards at No. 2, went back-to-back in the draft, becoming the first set of French players to be selected in consecutive picks. France ended the night with three players drafted in the top 10 after the Hornets selected forward Tijaun Salaun at No. 6. Four French players were drafted in the first round after the Knicks selected Pacome Dadiet at No. 25.
“I’m not shocked,” Risacher said. “I’m not shocked. I’ve known Tidjane and Alex for a long time. We grew up playing against each other. So, I know them really well.
“Like I said, that’s amazing for our country. That’s amazing for us, first of all. Just to be able to realize our dream together is special. I feel like French players are going to take some inspiration, and that’s going to be better and better for us. I really feel lucky because there’s so many young players that are good. That’s it.”
The four French players drafted in the first round join a long list of French players who have made their mark on the NBA.
“That’s amazing,” Risacher said. ‘We are trying to represent our country, and I’m so glad to be a part of it. There is more players coming in. I’m really proud of being a part of the success of my country. Trying to understand what Victor (Wembanyama), Rudy (Gobert) or other French players really help me to develop myself as a player, first of all, in France, and hopefully now in the NBA.”
Local connection
First-round NBA draftees with Atlanta ties included Alex Sarr (Overtime Elite, No. 2 overall), Stephon Castle (Newton High, No. 4), Rob Dillingham (OTE, No. 8) and Isaiah Collier (Wheeler High, No. 29).
Rookie of the Year odds
Could the Spurs score back-to-back Rookie of the Year awards?
Stephon Castle was selected No. 4 overall Wednesday by San Antonio and he’ll pair with reigning ROY Victor Wembanyama.
SportsBetting.ag made Castle the ROY favorite just hours after the first round was completed. Hawks pick Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall selection, had the third best odds.
Here is the full list of odds:
2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year
Stephon Castle: 4/1
Alexandre Sarr: 5/1
Zaccharie Risacher: 6/1
Zach Edey: 10/1
Dalton Knecht: 12/1
Donovan Clingan: 12/1
Cody Williams: 14/1
Reed Sheppard: 14/1
Tidjane Salaun: 14/1
Ronald Holland: 16/1
Matas Buzelis: 20/1
Rob Dillingham: 20/1
Devin Carter: 30/1
Jared McCain: 40/1
Carlton Carrington: 50/1
Kel’el Ware: 50/1
Tyler Kolek: 60/1
Isaiah Collier: 75/1
Ja’Kobe Walter: 75/1
Kyle Filipowski: 75/1
Kyshawn George: 75/1
Yves Missi: 75/1
Bronny James: 200/1
In the market for an outfielder
ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently wrote a piece analyzing needs for contenders. He cited Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas as a fit for the Braves’ outfield need. Thomas has one more year of contractual control before he hits free agency.
Thomas has been crushing lefties, but struggling against right-handers this season. The same could be said for Adam Duvall, who has an .879 OPS against southpaws (Thomas has a .938 OPS versus lefties). So it’s fair to ask whether the Braves would be seeking a similar type of bat or a larger upgrade.
Whenever Michael Harris II returns, he and Jarred Kelenic will be every-day players. The Braves could either seek another platoon partner for Duvall in right field or replace him. The Ramon Laureano flier has been OK thus far, with Laureano going 9-for-35 (.257) with a homer and four doubles in 11 games. It’ll be interesting to see what the Braves do with their outfield, especially considering how few clear sellers there are in this market.
High marks for offense
File this under the “means absolutely nothing, but it’s cool” category: The coming College Football 25 video game released its team offensive rankings this past week, and the Bulldogs are tied for the No. 1 offense in the nation (94 overall) with Oregon. The next highest offenses are Alabama and Texas (91 overall).
That’s the expectation in Athens. Georgia boasts perhaps the country’s best returning quarterback, one of the deepest receiver groups and retooled running back depth that features the elusive Trevor Etienne. Everyone thinks defense when it comes to Georgia, but even without Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey, this could be one of the best Bulldogs offenses in recent years.
-Staff writers Chad Bishop, Chip Towers, Doug Roberson, Ken Sugiura, Gabriel Burns, Lauren Williams and Chris Vivlamore contributed to this report.
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