Braves’ St. Pat’s Day lineup looks like Opening Day

♣ Jupiter, Fla. – A happy St. Paddy’s Day to all, and we’ve got something akin to Irish weather – rainy, upper 60s – and what looks to be the Braves’ opening day lineup, ‘cept Tommy Hanson pitching instead of Derek Lowe.

Hanson is pitching, and today's Braves' lineup otherwise looks like it could be opening day.

We steered the rental ride, a Pontiac G5 with New York plates — which seem to make me shout at other drivers to get out of the way; gotta be the plates — down the Fla. Turnpike at breakneck speed to get here for batting practice.

It was a smooth ride despite the presence of troopers in unmarked Chargers (not fair, guys). Two hours with a nice Montecristo, a tumbler of coffee, and great new CDs by The White Stripes — live album, absolutely fierce — and unofficial MIB blog band The Drive-By Truckers, to stay alert and tapping the wheel (six of the first seven songs on the Truckers’ The Big To-Do are stellar, and a few after that are, too.) Oh, and some from the Pogues’ boxed set, on St. Pat’s.

The Braves are wearing bright green caps – available at stadium concessions stands, of course, and a souvenir store near you – and the game’s on SportSouth, though Tommy Glavine’s not doing color today. They’re using a unique arrangement with a split announcing crew of both Braves and Marlins broadcasters.

Talked to old friend Leo Mazzone for quite a while down on the field during batting practice, and it was interesting. The man openly talked about how much he misses it and wishes he was still with the Braves, by Bobby Cox’s side as pitching coach. He also believes the Braves can win the division.

I’m going to write a little something on that interview this afternoon, and I’ll try to remember to let you know when I’ve posted it. I’ll throw a quote or two on the regular blog as I’m transcribing it.

Also going to do a little something on the Brooks Conrad-Joe Thurston battle for what appears to be the final utility job on the roster, and one of only two or three jobs not already filled, the others being one or two bullpen spots.

I’ve said in the past that Craig Kimbrel almost certainly needs more seasoning before he’ll be brought to the majors, but he’s impressed so much this spring that I think there’s at least a small chance that the 21-year-old could make the team out of camp.

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I asked Cox as much this morning, and the indication I got was that it’s not beyond the realm. He loves the guy.

“He’s pretty well advanced,” Cox said of the hard-throwing Kimbrel, a likely closer-in-waiting who’s allowed two hits and three walks in four scoreless innings this spring, with six strikeouts. “He’s going to walk a guy now and then, but he’s around the plate. He’s not all over the place.”

Still, Kimbrel has pitched all of 13-2/3 innings above A-ball, so I’m thinking it’s still more likely he’ll get at least a little more time in the high minors before they bring him up during the season. But I’m not going to be shocked if I’m wrong, either.

Cox also had praise for lefty Jonny Venters, who’s allowed five hits and one run in five relief innings this spring. But he also pointed out that Venters, who’ll be 24 in three days, has been almost exclusively a starter in the minors. He made 29 starts in the high minors last season, going 4-4 with a 2.76 ERA at Double-A Mississippi and 4-7 with a 5.62 ERA in 17 starts at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Venters also walked a ton of guys last season – 77 walks with 98 strikeouts in 156-2/3 innings.

Alright, we’re about to start. So we’ll stop it there.

Braves lineup

1. McLouth CF
2. Prado 2B
3. Chipper 3B
4. Glaus 1B
5. McCann C
6. Escobar SS
7. Heyward RF
8. Diaz LF
9. Hanson RH

Marlins lineup

1. Chris Coghlan LF
2. Cameron Maybin CF (their Jason Heyward, in terms of this spring’s “it” kid)
3. Hanley Ramirez SS
4. Jorge Cantu 3B
5. Logan Morrison 1B
6. Hector Luna 2B
7. Bryan Peterson RF
8. Brad Davis C
9. Andrew Miller LHP

Let’s take it out with the greatest traditional Irish rock band in the world. If you’ve never heard The Pogues, here’s a link to this song.

THE BODY OF AN AMERICAN by Shane MacGowan (The Pogues)

The cadillac stood by the house

And the yanks they were within

And the tinker boys they hissed advice

‘Hot-wire her with a pin’

Then we turned and shook as we had a look

In the room where the dead men lay

So big Jim Dwyer made his last trip

To the home where his father’s laid

♦

But fifteen minutes later

We had our first taste of whiskey

There was uncles giving lectures

On ancient Irish history

The men all started telling jokes

And the women they got frisky

At five o’clock in the evening

Every bastard there was piskey

♦

Fare thee well going away

There’s nothing left to say

Farewell to New York City boys

To Boston and PA

He took them out

With a well-aimed clout

He was often heard to say

I’m a free born man of the USA

♦

He fought the champ in Pittsburgh

And he slashed him to the ground

He took on Tiny Tartanella

And it only went one round

He never had no time for reds

For drink or dice or whores

And he never threw a fight

Unless the fight was right

So they sent him to the war

♦

Fare the well gone away

There’s nothing left to say

With a slainte Joe and Erin go

My love’s in Amerikay

The calling of the rosary

Spanish wine from far away

I’m a free born man of the USA

♦

This morning on the harbour

When I said goodbye to you

I remember how I swore

That I’d come back to you one day

And as the sunset came to meet

The evening on the hill

I told you I’d always love you

I always did and I always will

♦

Fare thee well gone away

There’s nothing left to say

‘cept to say adieu

To your eyes as blue

As the water in the bay

And to big Jim Dwyer

The man of wire

Who was often heard to say

I’m a free born man of the USA

♦

This morning on the harbour

When I said goodbye to you

I remember how I swore

That I’d come back to you one day

And as the sunset came to meet

The evening on the hill

I told you I’d always love you

I always did, I always will

♦

Fare thee well gone away

There’s nothing left to say

‘cept to say adieu

To your eyes as blue

As the water in the bay

And to big Jim Dwyer

The man of wire

Who was often heard to say

I’m a free born man of the USA