Tex is in the house, A-Rod nope
TAMPA – OK, kids, it’s going to be a quick one today, considering I’ve got about 30 minutes to bang something out before the game starts. It’s a 1:15 start today in Yankee land.
We’re in sunny Tampa, in the shadows of Raymond James Stadium, and A-Rod is nowhere to be found, but Tex sure is. He’s got the pinstripes on, which look a little weird. He bopped over to the Braves dugout to greet Frank Wren and Bobby Cox during batting practice, seems happy. He and Cox shook hands. I heard him tell Bobby he missed him.
Course he’s got a few million reasons to be happy right where he is. He’s in the lineup today hitting third. I didn’t get a chance to say more than a quick hello, but he’s always been a positive upbeat guy to me. Wish him well.
Nothing new to report on Garret Anderson. Wren said the same thing today that Anderson said last night (after pulling his right calf in pre-game warm-ups before the Houston game, for those who hadn’t heard). It’ll be a couple of days before they really know what they’re dealing with. So it sounds like it’s going to be a while before he gets back out there. The way Anderson described it last night, it was a pull. Nothing tweaky by the sounds of it.
But sentiment is, if he’s going to have an injury, better to have it early in camp. Meantime, Matt Diaz will have plenty of opportunities to swing the bat.
I got a chance to speak to our new radio duo of Don Sutton and Jim Powell this morning and both were really happy with how things have started off for them.
Don was doing play-by-play for the first time in 29 months, and said it felt more like riding a unicycle, than just getting back on a bike (Think that’s the first time I’ve ever typed “unicycle.”) But I’m betting you guys who listened didn’t notice a thing.
And both guys had really nice things to say about their partners.
“Jim makes it very comfortable, very easy,” Sutton said. “After about five minutes, it felt like we’d been working together for a long time.”
Powell, who grew up in Atlanta and went to the University of Georgia, admitted to being a little nervous.
“I was comfortable on the baseball side,” Powell said. “But I was also thinking about the fact that my mother and father-in-law would be listening in Suwanee, and my high school buddies and my wife would be listening on the internet. And maybe even Pete Van Wieren would be too. That’s your college professor right there. That’s pressure. But once the game started, it was just baseball.”
Of course, doing radio play-by-play has got to be the hardest during spring training when there are so many unfamiliar names and a gazillion changes during the course of the game. Jim has a secret for that:
“A bunch of changes for the Astros, here’s Don.”
I think we’re going to like Powell!
I’d be remiss if I didn’t give another mention to the outing Jo-Jo Reyes had last night. He had a rocky first inning – a couple of walks, a wild pitch – but unlike so often last season, he figured his way out of it. As he said, instead of raring back to throw harder, he focused on a change in location, and started mixing in pitches inside. And the result was getting out of that inning without a run scoring on his way to retiring 10 batters in a row.
He threw 24 pitches in the first inning, 24 in the next three. Reyes sounds like a guy who is turning a corner, and pitching a little smarter. The Braves are noticing.
“I think he’s gaining a lot of confidence,” Cox said. “He’s hitting his spots so much better, changing speeds. I think confidence is a big factor in his development.”
I’m not sure what all this means for him, since there’s not a rotation spot open, and I doubt the Braves want him pitching out of the bullpen. So it’s probably Gwinnett, unless something unforeseen happens, or maybe he becomes a valuable trade piece.
Jair Jurrjens is on the mound today, trying to get a little more comfortable with things this spring. He seems like a kid who’s pretty hard on himself and he’s obviously not happy with command of his fastball in his first two outings, including a simulated game on Monday.
So we’ll see if he’s put a few things together, and see if he can continue a pretty nice streak of 12 consecutive innings by Braves starters without allowing a hit. (Hey, no pressure.)
I don’t think the Braves are concerned about Jurrjens at all, but you’re used to seeing JJ with a smile on his face.
If anybody wants to keep us updated on the U.S. vs Canada game today, be my guest. That’d be great.
LINEUPS:
Braves
Josh Anderson CF
Kelly Johnson 2B
Casey Kotchman 1B
Greg Norton DH
Jeff Francoeur RF
Yunel Escobar SS
Matt Diaz LF
Omar Infante 3B
David Ross C
Jair Jurrjens P
Yanks
Johnny Damon LF
Melky Cabrera CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Hideki Matsui DH
Xavier Nady RF
Cody Ransom SS
Justin Leone 3B
Ramiro Pena 2B
P.J. Pilittere C
Chien-Ming Wang P
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
672 comments Add your comment
TJ
March 7th, 2009
1:32 pm
first?
TJ
March 7th, 2009
1:33 pm
ESPN is carrying the USA-Canada game at 2 if anyone wants to tune in and listen/watch while they blog.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:34 pm
flange1, I think you hit the nail on the head re: Frenchy on the last blog. I’m in total agreement with you that if he shows better plate discipline, he will start seeing more pitches to hit, and his numbers will go up. Whether or not he can keep up the plate discipline is debatable, but I agree with you that if he forces the pitchers to throw him better strikes, he’ll do much better.
yurtle_the_turtle
March 7th, 2009
1:35 pm
Not surprised by the injury to Anderson. He’s had a history of injuries the last 3 years and so this one is nothing new. We paid for his bat but Wren must have known the risks of signing the Outfielder.
Jeff321
March 7th, 2009
1:35 pm
Carroll Rogers – Does Phil Stockman have chronic Mark Kotsay type back problems? Or is this just something minor? Because if he’s a gimp I might have to jump off the bandwagon!
Carroll Rogers
March 7th, 2009
1:36 pm
Jurrjens looks like he’s settling into more of a rhythm. A couple fastballs up to Johnny Damon to lead it off but he got him to hit a groundball to Infante at third. Infante’s throw was high, so he reached, but Ross threw him out trying to steal second next batter. JJ then shattered Melky Cabrera’s bat on a groundball to second and got Tex to roll over a changeup.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
1:37 pm
How about the DR down 3 – 2 to the Netherlands in the 8th. Wow.
Evan
March 7th, 2009
1:37 pm
typing f*rst on a blog = douchebag
TJ
March 7th, 2009
1:38 pm
WELL EXCUSE ME!
Anders
March 7th, 2009
1:39 pm
YES reviewing all the guys the Braves wanted but didn’t get this off season. ouch.
Diaz steals second.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:40 pm
By the way, the game is being televised on mlbtv. You can get to it by clicking on the little TV icon next to the game score on mlb.com
cvbraves
March 7th, 2009
1:40 pm
Enter your comments here
Carroll Rogers
March 7th, 2009
1:41 pm
Jeff321, I’ve not heard it’s disc related for Stockman, I just know they thought he was having hamstring/leg problems a year or so ago, but figured out it was related to his back. (I think I’m remembering that right.) He’s so tall, you gotta wonder if something about his mechanics puts stress on his back. But thanks for pointing out last night that he didn’t pitch. I was downstairs and wouldn’t have immediately know that. It helped me get to the bottom of it.
cvbraves
March 7th, 2009
1:41 pm
Anders: Good thing the Braves didn’t get those guys…they apparently didn’t need them.
Eric
March 7th, 2009
1:41 pm
who’s pitching after JJ today??
TJ
March 7th, 2009
1:42 pm
Steve–you have to have a subscription for it though, right?
Anders
March 7th, 2009
1:45 pm
cvbraves – I think not letting Escobar go in the Peavy deal was a good thing. Not guarantee on him but I think has star possibilty.
Carroll Rogers
March 7th, 2009
1:45 pm
there goes the first base hit off a starter in four days…..i jinxed him….wasn’t exactly a stellar effort by Infante to field it, but it was a single by Cody Ranson…..that’s a hard line drive for an out by Matsuie and three ball on the ground to follow for JJ.
Rick
March 7th, 2009
1:45 pm
What makes the GA injury strange is that he spent a lot of time running over the winter and said that his legs were in great shape ( from USA Today Sports Weekly )
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:45 pm
I was subscribed for the regular season last year so I don’t know if that is what’s getting me in now but when I click it it doesn’t ask for any login info so I think it may be free for everyone…
Anders
March 7th, 2009
1:46 pm
Carroll – What kind of $’s and years do you think the Chipper extension might bring?
McFann :Ô:
March 7th, 2009
1:46 pm
Evan–
Does not. Don’t make such a frickin’ deal out of it.
Yeah, Kotchy! Great job by Ross, too. I like him…he, Kotchman, and Diaz are my temporary favorites at camp right now…Gotta have some real ST stats to follow.
Carroll Rogers
March 7th, 2009
1:46 pm
After Jurrjens, goes Buddy Carlyle, Kris Medlen, Luis Valdez, and Blaine Boyer
Carroll Rogers
March 7th, 2009
1:47 pm
Anders. three more years and I said on the last blog I’m not sure on the money yet.
TJ
March 7th, 2009
1:48 pm
Steve– must be why you can get in. It asks me to log in, so you can get it but i can’t. bummer…
and thank you McFann…
Anders
March 7th, 2009
1:50 pm
Andersen K’d on a pitch down and in. Not very good pitch recogntion. KJ with a solid double to left center.
brian
March 7th, 2009
1:50 pm
Steve from OH, you’re an automatic renewal customer, so you wouldn’t have to sign in again, as it’s still recognizing your IP address, or you’re logged into your MLB account for posting in the forums and it picked up your login from that.
mbatl
March 7th, 2009
1:50 pm
“Don’t make such a frickin’ deal out of it.”
Sounds like our little McFann is growing up, doesn’t it?
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:50 pm
KJ with a double after a Ross groundout and an Anderson K.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
1:51 pm
What a play by tex at 1st! Wow.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:51 pm
Great play by Tex to rob Kotchman.
Carroll Rogers
March 7th, 2009
1:51 pm
NICE pick by TEX to rob his replacement at first base with the Braves – Casey Kotchman. Hard to beat that glove over there….Though Casey’s pretty good over there too.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:52 pm
brian, must be. I’m not a computer buff so I’ll take your word for it…
McFann :Ô:
March 7th, 2009
1:53 pm
You’re welcome TJ!
mbatl–
Anders
March 7th, 2009
1:53 pm
Thanks carroll. DOB thinks $10 mil or less per. Sounds real low to me when you see that Lowe is getting $15 mil per at the same age basically.
I’d be surprised at 3 years for $30 mil – actually, shocked.
brian
March 7th, 2009
1:54 pm
Yeah, I had MLB.tv for a couple years, and that’s how it works, so as long as you don’t reset your IP address, which it sounds like you don’t know how to do, then it will keep it logged and you don’t need to put in your log in information.
Be aware, though, if you don’t want the subscription this year, you need to cancel before the season actually starts or you’re going to get charged.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:55 pm
Thanks, brian. I will probably let it re-up me because here in OH we don’t get Braves games…but good to know. I’ll keep that in mind for sure.
Jeff321
March 7th, 2009
1:55 pm
Yeah, Big Choker definitely has a good glove.. Personally though, I can’t wait for him to choke in the big situations and get hammered by the NY press.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
1:56 pm
K for Jurrjens.
TJ
March 7th, 2009
1:58 pm
Is there an audio stream somewhere for those of us not in the ATL area?
Mekons
March 7th, 2009
1:59 pm
Thanks everyone for keeping us up to date on the Braves.
I’ll be watching the US-Canada game when it starts and will provide updates if no one else is doing it. I might have to leave before the end of the game, though.
cvbraves
March 7th, 2009
2:00 pm
Ross sure is a good backstop. Looks like we got a deal there!
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:00 pm
Single by Yankees catcher (groundball up the middle)
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:00 pm
Damon pops out to KJ.
Pat
March 7th, 2009
2:01 pm
Jake Peavy is starting the game for the USA team today
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:01 pm
Cano flies out to Diaz. Three scoreless for JJJ.
brian
March 7th, 2009
2:03 pm
if anyone can get Taiwanese ESPN, they’re broadcasting live with Chein Men Wang on the mound.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:03 pm
Brett Tomko in to pitch for the Yanks
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:04 pm
Norton flies out to left.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
2:04 pm
Bottom of the 9th for DR down 3-2 to the Netherlands. This is like USA vs Russia in the 1980 Olympics. Well not quite – but who would’v thunk it?
I want the DR to lose. They lose another and Reyes and Tatis head back to Mets camp. Works for me.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:05 pm
Frenchy grounds out to third. He laid off one of those low-and-away sliders, fwiw.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:06 pm
Line drive single to center for Yunel.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
2:06 pm
Solid single foe Escobar. telling you the Braves dodged a bullett on not letting this kid go in a trade.
McFann :Ô:
March 7th, 2009
2:06 pm
How weird is it to have the Reaper, Not wRight, and McCann all on the same team?
Carroll Rogers
March 7th, 2009
2:07 pm
me too, Anders, when you consider he’s taken below market value for years, making $11 per. (though he got bonus money, plus an option year added to his contract on the back end.) But it’s so hard to tell with the economy like it is and how it might affect what’s going on with baseball contracts.
TJ
March 7th, 2009
2:08 pm
FYI Pete Orr is in the lineup for team Canada today.
zephyr8
March 7th, 2009
2:08 pm
Agreed Anders,
Escobar is a good player. The Braves were already offering too much for Peavy and his contract. I’d rather have Lowe and Escobar than Peavy.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:09 pm
Diaz K’s swinging. End 3, 1-0 Braves.
TJ
March 7th, 2009
2:09 pm
K for Peavy on the first batter.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
2:10 pm
Steve Phillips just called Henly Ramirez hands down the best guy in the National League – What? Sorry but his defense is suspect. And if we’re talking just offense I’ll take Mr. Pujols.
In the other game Diaz just showed why he can’t play against right handers. Looked over matched.
The DR trys to steal third with one out in the bottom of the ninth and deoesn’t make it! Wow. HUGE mistake.
Pat
March 7th, 2009
2:10 pm
Peavy strikes out fist hitter
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:11 pm
Tex solid single to center off JJJ.
Pat
March 7th, 2009
2:12 pm
Peavy walks 2nd hitter
Russel Martin
Anders
March 7th, 2009
2:12 pm
The Netherlands wins! Holy crap!
cabravesfan
March 7th, 2009
2:13 pm
Meanwhile the DR goes down to the Dutch…suprising to say the least
Mekons
March 7th, 2009
2:13 pm
I agree about Peavy. We were offering way too much. I can only imagine that the Braves were talking to Furcal as a replacement, because apart from Infante, who’s competent but not much more at short, we had no fallback. As noted, Lowe and Escobar > Peavy,
Runners on the corners for Canada, one out, Morneau up.
Rodney Derrick
March 7th, 2009
2:13 pm
Led by the great Randall Simon, that bane of Brewers’ costumed runners, the Netherlands has just defeated the powerful Dominican Republic, 3-2, even without our own JJ (who looks terrific today) and their greatest player ever Andruw Jones. Sidney Ponson pitching for them likely won himself a major league job. Pedro pitching for the DR looked good and likely to go to the Dodgers soon.
Pat
March 7th, 2009
2:13 pm
votto singles off peavy guy on 1st and 3rd
Mekons
March 7th, 2009
2:13 pm
Martin scores on blown DP.
Chop Chop
March 7th, 2009
2:13 pm
Come on, Canada.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:14 pm
Seeing-eye single for Matsui between Kotchy and KJ. Tex to third.
TJ
March 7th, 2009
2:14 pm
1-0 Canada, still playing in the top of the first. 2 out, runner at 2nd.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
2:14 pm
I remember when all you could hope for was a bowling tournament on TV on a Saturday in March. Things sure have changed for the better in that regard.
Pat
March 7th, 2009
2:15 pm
1 – 0
canada
Jeff321
March 7th, 2009
2:15 pm
We’re going to see a lot of that “first to third” this year when the ball is hit to Frenchy. They don’t respect his speed (getting to the ball) or his overrated arm.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:15 pm
That’s Barbaro Canizares at first, not Kotchman.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:16 pm
JJJ strikes out Nady. 1 out.
NameChangedToProtectTheGuilty
March 7th, 2009
2:17 pm
Second, I suspect many of the name changes are yours, and I find them extremely well done,
Well thank you, but most of them ain’t Bub nor Random either. But keep guessing
brian
March 7th, 2009
2:18 pm
Jeff321, that was a dribbler through the infield, there was no way anyone was going to throw out Tex at third, so your comment is not applicable to this situation.
TJ
March 7th, 2009
2:18 pm
still 1-0 Canada, bases loaded, 2 out. Peavy already has 2 walks, 1 hit batsman, 1 hit.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
2:18 pm
Fat Stairs just got nicked by a pitch, actually looked like he leaned his elbow pad into it. Shouldn’t count when that happens.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:19 pm
JJJ strikes out Cody Ransom. 2 outs.
Anders
March 7th, 2009
2:19 pm
Nice job by Juurgens. looked good to me
McFann :Ô:
March 7th, 2009
2:19 pm
Martin scores on blown DP.
Clint Hurdle must be so proud…
TJ
March 7th, 2009
2:20 pm
1-0, Canada, after top of the first. Peavy ended with 2K, 2BB, 1HBP, 1H. Left the bases loaded.
cabravesfan
March 7th, 2009
2:20 pm
Peavy gets out of a somewhat shaky inning with no further damage…1-0 Canada bottom 1st
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:20 pm
brian, ditto. Jeff had no chance to get him. JJJ out, Carlyle in (pitch limit).
brian
March 7th, 2009
2:20 pm
jurrjens pulled, probably hit the pitch count.
Mekons
March 7th, 2009
2:22 pm
Peavy pretty much used up his pitch count in that inning.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:22 pm
Base hit by Leone off Carlyle, Tex scores. 1-1.
Jeff321
March 7th, 2009
2:22 pm
OK, but Tex is slow and Frenchy is suppose to be the stud. And that paltry throw into second base wasn’t very impressive at all.
cabravesfan
March 7th, 2009
2:22 pm
Way to go leading off Dustin Pedroia, swinging at the first pitch from a pitcher nobody has ever seen…
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:23 pm
Ramiro Pena flies out to center. End inning.
TJ
March 7th, 2009
2:23 pm
He certainly won’t go 9 if he keeps that up, will he Mekons? ouch!
Bay Area Steve
March 7th, 2009
2:23 pm
NameChanged, whoever you are. Keep it up, brother. Except for the goo thing, and the McCarver thing (although I doubt either of these are you).
OK, I’ll admit I still find the Deion line funny, however stupid it may be.
Mekons
March 7th, 2009
2:24 pm
Jeter doubles, Chipper up.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:24 pm
Hey man, I’ve seen Jeff throw it 10 rows up on a play to the plate, so I don’t think the armstrength is the problem..
brian
March 7th, 2009
2:25 pm
Jeff321, he was throwing to the cut off man. There’s a difference between being a stud, and making the smart decision to get the ball back to the infield.
Plus Tex isn’t THAT slow. He’s the fleetest on his feet, but still, on a routine play like that, you just get the ball in quickly.
Vlad Guerrero couldn’t have thrown Tex out on that play, or any other great outfielder.
Jeff321
March 7th, 2009
2:25 pm
>Hey man, I’ve seen Jeff throw it 10 rows up on a play to the plate, so I don’t think the armstrength is the problem..
I agree. Its his lack of accuracy.
Steve from OH
March 7th, 2009
2:26 pm
Base hit to left by Infante to lead off the inning.