Chipper to rehab in Rome Sat and Sun; chatting with Heyward
(Staff writer Carroll Rogers is filling in this series for David O’Brien.)
CINCINNATI – First off an update on Chipper Jones….There’s been a change in plan and he’s going to go on up to Single-A Rome to play in rehabilitation games tonight in a 7 p.m. start and tomorrow (Sunday) in a 2 p.m. start.
The Braves plan is for him to DH tonight and then either DH or play third base on Sunday. The idea is to give the surgically-repaired right knee a real test. If all goes well this weekend, he could be ready to come off the disabled list as early as Monday against the Pirates.
This has been a back and forth thing the past few days as you know. First Jones was going to Rome to rehab this weekend, then he wasn’t. I think what it boils down to is the Braves want him to get a rehab in and rather than put it off until next week, Jones will go ahead and get it in now.
He felt some soreness in his knee after taking batting practice mid-week in Gwinnett, but nothing Jones categorized as a setback.
So there you have it.
Catching up with Heyward
So it’s a little hot for a fireside chat, here in late July in Cincinnati, but what the heck. That’s a little what it felt like the conversation I had with Jason Heyward this morning in the clubhouse.
He’s got a lot going on, the Braves’ second-year right fielder, who’s had some hard times at the plate this season, a shoulder injury to fight through, and has come face-to-face with some serious sophomore struggles.
Now, a week away from the trade deadline Heyward faces the prospect that the Braves will go out and acquire a right-handed outfield bat, maybe even a Carlos Beltran, who will eat away at his playing time.
All along we’ve said Heyward seemed more mature than his age – he’ll turn 22 on August 9. He seemed it again this morning when I asked him about these things. Here was his response, when I asked if he was motivated by the possibility that the Braves would bring in another outfielder. (Hey, he’s hit two runs in the past two days.)
“I really don’t need any extra motivation than I have right now,” Heyward said. “That’s what’s great about this game. Certain things can make or break you, for me I enjoy a struggle sometimes.”
Not something you hear every day is it? Here’s him expanding on what he meant:
“Sometimes you need it to teach yourself how to get out of certain things,” Heyward said. “Because coming up in the minor leagues I hurt a little bit here and there, not necessarily a struggle. I wouldn’t say I was anywhere long enough to struggle.”
Good point. He hit .296 or above at every step in the minor leagues with the exception of a seven-game stint in Myrtle Beach in 2008 (.182, 4-for-22). He hit .296 in the GCL, .313 in Danville, .323 in Rome, .296 in Myrtle Beach in 2009, .352 in Mississippi and .364 in Gwinnett.
So yes, hitting .228 75 games into his second season in Atlanta has provided new challenges.
“It’s a good way to relearn some things,” Heyward said. “Figure out what works here, what I can tamper with here. Teach myself again. It’s not a question of putting the work in. I know how to work. Once I grasp what I need to work on, I’m ready and willing to go do it.”
Heyward said what’s he’s working on right now is thinking about his hands, something he said he got away from when he was dealing with the shoulder soreness.
“For me, I’m back to using my hands more so than my body, trying to break some bad habits,” Heyward said. “Seeing some good results, getting back to being myself at the plate.”
Braves lineup
Last night’s pinch-hitting hero Dan Uggla is back in today. He tested the left calf running in the outfield and came away ready to go.
Jordan Schafer did some swinging today but isn’t ready yet to get back in the lineup today. Fredi Gonzalez did say he might pinch hit Schafer. He’s available to pinch run and play defense.
1. Martin Prado 3B
2. Jason Heyward RF
3. Brian McCann C
4. Freddie Freeman 1B
5. Dan Uggla 2B
6. Eric Hinske LF
7. Alex Gonzalez SS
8. Nate McLouth CF
9. Derek Lowe P
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1,304 comments Add your comment
ernesto
July 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
still hate FOX
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
First (I usually hate this, but . . .)
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
Oh, Ernesto, you got me
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
0-2 is 0-2
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:39 pm
A-Gon is wasting space again…….
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:39 pm
Oh, look! A pop up by the F***ing loser Gonzalez…
tiger297
July 23rd, 2011
4:39 pm
how the hell do you not bunt there
The A Bomb
July 23rd, 2011
4:39 pm
Rally killer strikes again. Standing ovation.
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:40 pm
Help yourself out here, DLowe!
bravesfaninnc
July 23rd, 2011
4:41 pm
very smart idea not to send Dan.Come on D Lowe give us the lead
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:42 pm
DLowe!!!!!
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:42 pm
They wont score
Thank you Gonzalez, you F***ing piece of sh!t.
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
god love ya D-lowe…
tiger297
July 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
how is it a single with no throw to the plate and lowe on 2nd?
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
Never mind
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
July 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
Dude’s been hitting lately!!
bravesfaninnc
July 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
Yesss D Lowe that how you hit great Ab
Tomahawk Mafia
July 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
Lowe needs to be in the lineup everyday.
The A Bomb
July 23rd, 2011
4:44 pm
There’s a reason to keep the drag racer.
Jay Dubu
July 23rd, 2011
4:44 pm
Not quite to put all the burden on DLowe today. He has to pitch and drive in the runs.
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:44 pm
Can Lowe play SS?
jeffrey d
July 23rd, 2011
4:45 pm
That puts Lowe .004 BA points behind AGon
Jay Dubu
July 23rd, 2011
4:45 pm
Alrighty Heyward…here’s an opportunity to do some damage.
bravesfaninnc
July 23rd, 2011
4:45 pm
Good eye Prado
Tom O'Hawke
July 23rd, 2011
4:45 pm
Thanks, Carroll.
That’s really good to hear Heyward say that about his struggling. Excellent attitude!
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:46 pm
DP machine coming up. Prove me wrong Heyward. PLEASE!!!
Tomahawk Mafia
July 23rd, 2011
4:46 pm
The improved patience of this team is outstanding right now. I am loving it, but they need a few more runs because this ballpark is a joke and crazy things happen to Derek Lowe when he pitches.
BFChris26
July 23rd, 2011
4:46 pm
Lets go Braves!!!!!!!!!!!!
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:47 pm
Make ‘em pay for the dissing, JHey!
Hummon
July 23rd, 2011
4:47 pm
Who is this tool doing the color on FOX? Hired to be opinionated, I suppose.
Mike
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
Damn
bravesfaninnc
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
why why not take anther pitch jeezz
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
at least it wasn’t a DP
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
You been giving Homer credit so far the entire game, you tool
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
Whonu Heyward popping up in a critical sitshashun
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
So totaly unexpected from Heyward
ChrisfromSacramento, Ca
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
Heyward back to normal. Pop out!
Mike
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
I hope Mac homers to shut these guys up.
Jay Dubu
July 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
The Braves can’t continue to waste scoring opportunities like they have the 1st 2 innings.
Carroll Rogers
July 23rd, 2011
4:50 pm
D Lowe is 8-for-36 (.222) with six RBIs on the season….Hudson gets him for style points with the homer, but Lowe is distancing himself in average. Hudson is 5-for-40 (.125)
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:50 pm
Oh, Brian, here’s a good shot to blow out this game!!!
Tomahawk Mafia
July 23rd, 2011
4:50 pm
That atbat by Heyward went from promising to a joke.
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
July 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm
Oh, so close
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm
Effin kiddin me?
kirkinga
July 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm
I think it’s Mitch Williams attempting to do color today for Fox.
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm
Only the Braves.
Mike
July 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm
Damn that was sad. Lowe does the damage while Jhey and Mac cant. BIG missed opportunity. We had Bailey on the ropes.
Jay Dubu
July 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm
Should have given Heyward the greenlight 3-0.
TBFKB (Billy)
July 23rd, 2011
4:52 pm
I do not give the game callers much grief, but these ;people are atrocious.
Tomahawk Mafia
July 23rd, 2011
4:52 pm
That inning was good, but they need more than 2 runs. Heyward is coming around, but he is still putting too many weak balls in play.
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:52 pm
same ole same ole….having Beltran at bat in a situation like this would have helped.
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:52 pm
Imagine if Upton was a Brave in that spot….hmmmm NOPE!
Tom O'Hawke
July 23rd, 2011
4:53 pm
I wonder if Lowe could play a little in center?
Tomahawk Mafia
July 23rd, 2011
4:53 pm
Lowe was out on the hot basepaths for several minutes in that inning. I would be surprised if the Braves escape the bottom of the second inning unscathed and with the lead.
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:53 pm
Don’t yall be talkin bout my boy Mitch now, He s handicapped, that Joe Carter Homerun still make him have the shakes.
TNScott
July 23rd, 2011
4:54 pm
We left Lowe in the heat that inning for nothing.
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:54 pm
The Phillies, even with an old handicapped lady at the plate, would had blown the game open.
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:54 pm
OUCH! payback for that dinger last nite!
My Cap Has Been Tipped.........
July 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
Mitch Williams really hates the Braves as it is obvious in his color commenting on Fox. He was a former Philthy. Gut needs to shut his freaking mouth a darn minute. I think he and Homer may go on a mancation after the game. He has talked about everything Homer except what they did last night. Oh. Yea in the midst of ranting Mac really blew a chance to make this game ugly. Lowe gonna give up some runs this inning after standing at second for 30 min
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
have to have the leadoff runner on in every inning in this series. It must have been in a contract somewhere
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
Gonny Jomes..what a joke
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
Here we go. The Meltdown.
G
July 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
Mitch Williams is an idiot. Why does Fox rum the morons out there?
TNScott
July 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
Hope the last inning on the bases doesn’t come back to bite D-Lowe.
Jay Dubu
July 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
DLowe angry that he had to stand out on the basepath most of the inning, after having to drive in all of the Braves’ runs, so he plunks 1st batter in the box.
BFChris26
July 23rd, 2011
4:56 pm
Per Ken Rosenthal:
For all the talk of the Braves and Carlos Beltran, Rosenthal reminds us that Atlanta could also use a right-handed reliever. Jonny Venters (lefty), Craig Kimbrel (righty), and Eric O’Flaherty (lefty) are all in the Top 4 in the NL for total appearances. Atlanta is hopeful Peter Moylan will return in August, and they just moved Arodys Vizcaino to their Triple-A bullpen. They’ve also got three hard-throwing Triple-A righties as options, but each is also drawing trade interest: Anthony Varvaro, Jairo Asencio, and Juan Abreu. Each has a K/9 of 10.7 or higher.
tiger297
July 23rd, 2011
4:56 pm
forgot to close the other blog and I’ve been posting there…oops
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
HUGE DP…
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
Yup we need that scrub, go get em frank
kirkinga
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
Williams was right about one thing, Bailey isn’t fooling the Braves. This doesn’t feel like one of those games where a struggling/mediocre/just called up starter stymies everyone in the order.
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
Hey, im jinxing them pretty good so far…
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
OK, I appreciate that he’s keeping the runner close here, but why in blue heck did he ignore the guy with 20 steals or however the heck many that other guy had?
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh…
TBFKB (Billy)
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
I laugh as he shut up when the DP was turned. I’m really surprised how stupid these people announcers are.
G
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
Braves turn a double play and the announcers say nothing… Fox is a joke
McCmann and Aquahoss
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
How come no one talks about marlon Byrd?
Hey ward should be benches
July 23rd, 2011
4:58 pm
Why is hey ward still an everyday starter, his numbers are no better than francouer and we know what happened to him
Wookie Ninja
July 23rd, 2011
4:58 pm
VNJ Lowe!
tiger297
July 23rd, 2011
4:58 pm
jeffrey – did you compare there slugging?
Bravefaninok
July 23rd, 2011
4:58 pm
Nice inning D Lowe…..
Jay Dubu
July 23rd, 2011
4:59 pm
That 2 run double by DLowe is one reason the Braves need to keep him. He’s a gamer.
Tomahawk Mafia
July 23rd, 2011
4:59 pm
I love it when my assumptions and predictions are wrong because I thought Lowe would struggle, but the double play from Gomes was a life saver.
Jeff FrankGore
July 23rd, 2011
4:59 pm
Enter your comments here
keylargo
July 23rd, 2011
4:59 pm
Gomes is coming to the Braves for sure. Did you see his BroHawk haircut?
flbravesfan
July 23rd, 2011
4:59 pm
its hilarious that mitch w. shut up after the double play amd had nothing to say about the k to end the inning.
Heath
July 23rd, 2011
5:00 pm
If… and I mean if Lowe would get traded, he would have a lot more value for an NL team, huh? Looking good at the plate these days lol.
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
5:00 pm
McCmann and Aquahoss
July 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
How come no one talks about marlon Byrd?
been wondering that myself…not sure what his contract is.
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
5:02 pm
I guess the Cubs don’t want to trade him, McCmann and Aquahoss
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/marlon_byrd/
MikeInFl
July 23rd, 2011
5:02 pm
and they just moved Arodys Vizcaino to their Triple-A bullpen.
Is this true? I hadn’t heard that he was at Gwinnett.
Jeff FrankGore
July 23rd, 2011
5:02 pm
Varvaro, Ascencio and Abreu all trade possibilities yet they still have Proctor. What a joke.
chc4
July 23rd, 2011
5:02 pm
Heyward sounds like a veteran but he isn’t. He hasn’t earned the benefit of the doubt. People may take his quotes as being mature and grounded but I see it as nonchalant. When he pops out on a 3-1 pitch w/ the bases loaded and 1 out or grounds into a DP in a clutch spot he shows no emotion. Fact is he has been truly awful this season. I hope he turns it around but I’m less optimistic all the time.
Tom O'Hawke
July 23rd, 2011
5:04 pm
Marlon Byrd has been discussed on here quite a bit, actually.
tiger297
July 23rd, 2011
5:05 pm
kl – what fishing license/permit stuff do I need to get?
Jay Dubu
July 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
Did the ump issue a warning for hitting Uggs?
That was payback foe DLowe plunking a batter.
tiger297
July 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
don’t send uggla..ski is likely to foul off 5 here
My Cap Has Been Tipped.........
July 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
If the Reds take the lead Mitch will be back to babbling about how Homer will be the next great one. Wish Peter Moylan was in Cinncy so he could run that bloke a tranquilizer so he won’t be con
science.
count_schemula
July 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
Uggla is 5′11″ and 207# ? I’m 5′11 and 220 and I would run so fast from a fight with him, lol…
Rilo
July 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
Ski has looked lost today…That was awful
Mike
July 23rd, 2011
5:07 pm
Come on Hinske
JC from DR! (You gotta tip your cap to ____)
July 23rd, 2011
5:07 pm
Hinske with the clutch hit …NOT!
Heath
July 23rd, 2011
5:07 pm
Bailey up to 65 pitches after that K of Kinske… We’re running up his pitch count