Archive for the ‘Buzz’ Category

PAUL MAHOLM

On wanting to continue the momentum from Tuesday night:

“Yeah, obviously we’ve clinched a spot in the playoffs but we’ve still got some work to do to keep moving up. our goal is still for the division. We know it’s going to be tough but we’ve got to come in and play hard for the rest of the seven games and for me, I had a little over a week off, so I’m trying to make sure I’m sharp enough. Going out there the first few innings were trying to find the rhythm and get back into it. And going out for the third I felt like I found my rhythm and was able to pretty much throw every pitch for a strike.”

On last couple starts put him in a good frame going into playoffs:

“Yeah you can look at it, I had two out of three good starts, and then the start before I had two out of three bad starts. So for me, it comes down to executing pitches. I’m not going to blow it by anybody. I’m not going to go out there with stuff, where I’m going to strike out a …

Continue reading Braves postgame quotes after Wednesday’s win vs. Marlins »

Michael Bourn’s return to the lineup was delayed by another day again, as he continued to feel some soreness in his left thumb when he hit some in the indoor cages. But tests have revealed no structural damage and manager Fredi Gonzalez thinks he could be back in on Thursday.

“He tried a thumb guard which made it worse because the thumb guard pressed into there,” Gonzalez said. “So he’s progressing the right way and maybe today gets him over the hump to play (Thursday).”

Bourn injured his thumb sliding head-first into second base on Saturday against the Phillies. The Braves originally thought he might be back in the lineup on Tuesday. But now that they’ve clinched at least a wild card berth, they can afford to give him the rest he needs. Jose Constanza started in his place on Wednesday.

Continue reading Bourn misses third game with sore thumb »

CHIPPER JONES

On if there was any doubt they’d get here:

“There was never any doubt. We knew that last year was somewhat of a fluke. We kind of got caught not really knowing what to expect. A lot of these guys they took the attitude of trying to hang on, this year we took the bull by the horns and we were like we were shooting for the stars. We’re still shooting for the division until they close us out. and we’ll let the wild card be a byproduct of finishing second and coming up short. But we’ve still got life.”

On how he missed home plate, with all the drama of the night:

“It’s a good question. I was in between sliding and standing up, nobody was telling me anything. I thought I might have got a toe on it but I wasn’t willing to walk off to the dugout, so I figured I better go back and tough home plate.”

On his feelings, what tonight means, his career, retirement decision:

“It makes it all worth it. I’m happier for these guys. We had a goal coming out …

Continue reading Braves postgame quotes after clinching playoff berth »

Chipper Jones hasn’t started six days in a row all season, but that’s what he aims to do this week as the future Hall of Fame third baseman plays out the last regular season homestand of his career.

He tweeted his intentions on Monday, then sat down with Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez Tuesday to talk about it.

Jones has started five consecutive games multiple times this season but has always taken the sixth day to rest his surgically-repaired knees.

“Our goal is to go ahead and try to clinch and try to get in, and then play it by ear,” Gonzalez said. “He wants to play all the games at home and you can’t blame him. And if we get a chance to clinch, maybe you give him a couple at-bats every day and take him out of the game, that kind of stuff.”

The Braves are honoring Jones in a pre-game ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday night before the start of the Braves-Mets game at 7:35 p.m.

Continue reading Chipper plans to start entire homestand »

**DAVID ROSS

On Hudson

“That’s a really good lineup. He kept them off-balance for most of the day. The only run he gave up was his own fault; at least I don’t get any blame for that.” [laughter]

On Hudson having a big game after some recent inconsistency

“You know, Huddy’s that guy that when the lights are shining brightest, he brings his ‘A’ game. I like my chances with him on the mound against anybody anytime. I know he’s going to go out there and give me everything he has that day, and he’s going to fight and claw tooth and nail to try to win, to try to get their hitters out. I can go to battle with teammates like that any day of the week.”

On taking two out of three from Phillies team that came in hot and was in a must-win situation

“I didn’t know how they were playing. But we came in here – we’re a good team. They’re a good team, we’re a good team. We battled, had some good at-bats early on yesterday from, like, Freeman and Chipper, …

Continue reading Braves quotes after Sunday’s win against Phillies »

**FREDI GONZALEZ

On Mike Minor

“To nagivate that lineup only giving up two hits, he did a terrific job. Sometimes it’s another step in the growing process, pitching with a big lead. Sometimes it’s tough, especially for young pitchers. But he did a nice job. Gave up just a couple of runs there in two different innings.”

On Minor’s midseason turnaround

“All the credit goes to him, but Roger’s done a terrific job with him. We’ve run him out there every fifth day. What’s he got, 28 or 29 starts? We did it with Beachy last year. And you see it. You can’t speed up the process of maturity. Just got to keep running him out there, be patient. He’s done a nice job.”

On the offense and the two-out hits

“We got some big hits and did a nice job. You see Michael Bourn coming and getting some hits here and there. He swung it pretty good. Most of the damage came from that top of the order. That’s what you want the top of the order to do.”

On …

Continue reading Braves quotes after Saturday’s win against Phillies »

**TOMMY HANSON

On whether couple of those homers would’ve gone out at other ballparks

“I don’t know. I mean, I pitched here and they went out. I stink. Both those pitches caught too much of the plate. And they didn’t just hit it in the gap or hit it hard for a single, they put it in the seats for the most part.”

Do you think things are any better than they were right after All-Star break?

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m battling my ass off to help my teammates out and to help my team win, and as of right now I’m not doing a very good job. It was a horse[bleep] day. I’m not pulling my weight around here right now.”

On his fastball command

“Today I just wasn’t very consistent with it.”

**FREDDIE FREEMAN

On Phillies’ hot streak, are you guys conscious of their position, wary of perhaps facing them in wild-card game?

“That didn’t even cross my mind out there. You know, we’re not even worried about that. We haven’t lost the division …

Continue reading Braves quotes after Friday’s loss to Philly »

**KRIS MEDLEN

On Braves building a 3-0 lead in first three innings

“We manufactured a run that first inning, did the same the next couple of innings. It was huge. Anytime you go against a guy like that, with what his ERA was the last two or three years, he’s a dude you know you’ve got to bring you’re ‘A’ game with. He’s a tough pitcher and we manufactured some runs.”

How’d you feel tonight?

“I felt good. I didn’t necessarily have that two-seamer coming back to lefties; I was kind of pulling it a little bit. But overall, I felt great. Just tried to get a feel for the game, see if they were going to be aggressive or patient, and just kind of mixed and matched.”

You don’t seem stressed about the mounting win streak in your starts (21 Braves wins in a row in his starts)

“It’s awesome. My wife’s told me, there’s been a couple of people tell me who I’m being talked about with. Whitey Ford? Let’s go. Come on. Don’t even say it. I think …

Continue reading Braves quotes after Wednesday’s Medlen win vs. Miami »

**FREDI GONZALEZ

On tying in 9th, losing in 10th

“We came back and scored three and tied it, and felt pretty good that we were going to have a chance to win the game. We had, what, first and third, with two outs there in the ninth? But we couldn’t get the last knock.

“These guys battled through a tough night facing Eovaldi. He was really, really good. I have’t seen a starter pitch that deep in the ballgame still cranking 97, 98 miles an hour on the fastball. It’s been a while since we’ve seen that. We come in in the ninth inning, tie the ballgame up, and feel like we’ve got a good chance.

“We got out of that bottom of the ninth with Jonny and Gearrin, feel like we’ve still got a chance. And then we just couldn’t get out of the other jam, with Gearrin in the 10th.”

Did you think the odd configuration and angles of the 420-feet center-field fence might have thrown off Bourn on the triple?

“I haven’t even asked him so I’m talking out of school here, …

Continue reading Braves quotes after Tuesday’s loss to Marlins »

**FREDI GONZALEZ

On game getting close late

“We got a six-run lead and kind of let them back in the game. I thought Huddy made some good pitches, looking at the quick-video things. May have just caught the plate a little bit too much on some. Off the top of my head, he gave up four two-strike base hits, something like that. But nevertheless, we won the ballgame. The bullpen did a terrific job. Prado had a great night offensively. Danny had the three-run homer, but to me Danny saved us defensively. There’s a guy that gets a bad rap defensively, at times, and he saved the game for us today, making a bunch of plays.”

On his improved hitting past week and half

“Yeah, you see signs. He’s heating up at the right time, now we need to continue that.”

Prado’s four-hit, two-RBI game

“That last RBI was big. It really was. And four hits. Yesterday he wanted to fight me because I gave him a day off. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or whatever, but it seems like every …

Continue reading Braves quotes after Monday’s win against Marlins »