The following, a new 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 in informative, insightful and fun.
How nervous are you during a no-hit bid?
What goes through an MLB manager’s head while his pitcher is flirting with a no-hitter?
“I told (Austin) Riley, that was probably as nervous as I get other than when my daughter had to get her driver’s license,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said, referring to Spencer Strider’s bid for history that fell five outs short Monday against Miami. The Braves haven’t had a no-hitter since 1994.
It was only Strider’s 25th career start. He’s 24 years old. The Braves seem to have a budding ace, one whose early trajectory puts him in rare air. If Strider stays healthy, it’s not hyperbole to suggest he’ll be a multi-time All-Star and compete annually for Cy Young awards.
New Marlins manager Skip Schumaker shared telling insight on what it’s like to oppose Strider, whose nine consecutive outings with nine or more strikeouts is a franchise record and two behind the legendary Nolan Ryan for the MLB record.
“We had a good game plan and good approach,” Schumaker said. “He’s just a good pitcher. He just had a dominant outing right there, and sometimes you run into guys like that. ... That’s a different type of fastball, just different stuff. It felt like you’re facing a closer for eight innings. Credit to him. He’s getting better and better. He’s making really good hitters look bad right now. Sometimes, again, you run into really good pitchers.”
Braves catcher Sean Murphy, not much of a talker, was asked if he’d be surprised if Strider threw multiple no-hitters in his career. Murphy: “Absolutely not. He’s totally capable of it every time he goes out.”
Strong recruiter
Celtics assistant coach Aaron Miles worked closely with friend Damon Stoudamire before the latter left Boston to become Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball coach. Miles, who’s from Portland, like Stoudamire, promises Tech is getting a program builder and someone who will attract coveted recruits.
“He’s going to be a strong recruiter,” Miles said. “I’ve got a 14-year-old son right now. (Stoudamire) is somebody I’d be like, ‘Hey, I want my son playing for them.’ So definitely. Just his character, first and foremost. His ability to relate to anybody, for the most part. He’ll be a great recruiter and coach in general. His knowledge of the game, it’s great.”
Back home
New Falcons edge rusher Bud Dupree, a Macon native, expects to have plenty of family and friends at home games this season. “It’s like I’m going to have my own student section,” he said.
Dupree has spent nine seasons in the NFL, and after enduring injuries over the past three years, said he’s feeling fully healthy again.
How long has it been?
Want to feel old? During a conversation with the AJC, Braves outfielder and DeKalb County native Michael Harris acknowledged he didn’t really remember watching the Braves on TBS. Harris, 22, was born in March 2001; the Braves’ final game with TBS as their home was Sept. 30, 2007.
Souvenirs from national team
Caleb Wiley brought both of his uniforms from the U.S. men’s team game against Mexico in Arizona.
He has yet to decide what he’s going to do with them, though he did say he has a lot of different jerseys hanging in his bedroom.
Wiley, 18 years old, made his debut for the U.S., getting subbed into the game in the 90th minute. The match ended 1-1.
Wiley made six appearances with the U.S. U-20s and three appearances with the U.S. U-17s.
Always teaching
Hawks coach Quin Snyder never stops. He’s always pacing, teaching and coaching no matter where in the rotation a player is.
As a player subs out of a game to head to the bench and if the moment allows, Snyder is there. He’ll gesture and break down an action in great detail before heading back to his spot on the sideline.
Of course, that energy only grows in a practice setting.
Ahead of the Hawks’ Game 4 matchup, Snyder worked with guard Trae Young off to the side. The two worked on dribble penetration and what to look for on kick outs while keeping the dribble alive if Young drove too far into traffic.
The day before he sat with De’Andre Hunter, and the two went over film together one-on-one.
“Just like footwork things,” Hunter said of working with Snyder. “He’s always encouraging me to shoot, no matter how many I miss. That’s the biggest thing.”
First-time parents
Joe Jiménez and his wife, Lorena, welcomed a baby girl Wednesday.
Her name is Victoria, and she made Joe and Lorena first-time parents.
“I think I haven’t been with a baby that young in my life, but it’s an incredible experience,” Jiménez. “Knowing that it’s our own, it’s just amazing. It was great (Wednesday).”
Mom and baby are both healthy and doing well.
Hello, Gwinnett
The tweet, sent from the Gwinnett Stripers’ account, read: “Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.”
Below it was a link to a story about Michael Harris II beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. Since then, the Stripers have been playing it up with some fun jokes.
If you remember, the Braves called up Harris from Double-A, not Triple-A. So the Stripers missed out on him.
“People are high on his potential, but having yet to record a hit at this level, we’ll see,” the Stripers wrote jokingly as part of another tweet.
On departed Dawg Big Bear Alexander
As was rumored even before he put his name in the transfer portal April 14, Keithian Deshun Alexander – aka “Big Bear” – landed at Southern Cal as his transfer destination. A rising sophomore defensive lineman, Alexander was whisked away via private jet earlier this week and now resides in Los Angeles.
How and what happens with his spring semester academics is a mystery, but the Bulldog with a Georgia “G” tattooed on his right bicep is now a Trojan. Welcome to modern-day college football, where a bigger NIL deal always is available to those willing to move for it.
And Alexander always has been willing to move. He changed high schools four times in four years, starting at Terrell (Texas) High, making quick stops at Dallas Skyline High and Ryan High (Denton, Texas) and ending at IMG Academy in Florida as a senior.
ESPN was able to talk to Alexander about his latest move.
“Not to brag on myself, but everyone wants the ‘Big Bear,’” Alexander said in third person. “Everyone needs a big 300-pounder that can move with the twitch, the burst, the explosion that I bring to the game. Everyone needed that as a part of their defense.”
Alexander reportedly considered other schools, and he produced a “Decision Day” graphic on his Instagram page listing Colorado, Miami, Oregon and Penn State in addition to USC. But recruiting insiders say it was all a ruse. Going back to when the Bulldogs were in Los Angeles getting ready to play TCU for the national championship, there were whispers that Lincoln Riley’s Trojans had gotten involved and were orchestrating Alexander’s acquisition.
Meanwhile, Alexander said leaving UGA was based on a lack of playing time. He wants to be an every-down lineman. As a freshman for the Bulldogs, he played mainly on passing downs. Sitting behind seniors Zion Logue and Nazir Stackhouse, his role was unlikely to change at Georgia this season.
“I feel as if there wasn’t a significant amount of snaps,” Alexander told ESPN. “I was more of a pass-rush specialist in year one, so coming into the spring, I wanted to be in a position where I could show my versatility as a player. I felt like I wasn’t able to do that at Georgia. I was a third-down specialist, and I’m more of a first-, second-down player. I can play every down.”
The Bulldogs will miss Bear but should be OK. They’re left with seven lettermen and one freshmen to man the three line positions.
Tech athletes of the year
Former Georgia Tech volleyball player Julia Bergmann and current golfer Christo Lamprecht were recognized as the athletic department’s female and male athletes of the year, respectively, at the annual Yellow Jacket Celebration on Monday. The ESPYs-style event honored Bergmann for the second year in a row after she earned All-American honors and earned first-team All-ACC honors for the fourth year in a row. Lamprecht ranks among the nation’s top 10 college golfers and ninth among world amateurs. The morning of the celebration, he led the Jackets to their 19th ACC championship.
Tennis player Kylie Bilchev and football player Clayton Powell-Lee were named, respectively, female and male rookies of the year.
Quote of the week
“Not a lot of mid-range this year.” – Former Hawk and current Celtic Al Horford on this 3-point shooting
-Staff writers Gabriel Burns, Lauren Williams, Justin Toscano, Chip Towers, Ken Sugiura and Doug Roberson contributed to this article.
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