AJC Blogs

Delta expects profits to take off next year

Christopher Seward — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:55:50 +0000

Delta Air Lines’ stock got a boost earlier today after the Atlanta-based airline said it expects profits next year to be solid.

The largest carrier serving Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said it will also end this year with an $800 million profit. According to an Associated Press report, analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting adjusted net income of $977 million.

The stock opened at $8.20 Wednesday, but reached as high as $8.34 before settling back to around its opening price. The stock (ticker DAL) remains well off its 52-week high of $13.73, but well above it’s 52-week low of $3.51.

Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson said even higher fuel prices won’t put a crimp in strong earnings expected next year, when the carrier is also expected to cut flying by 2 to 3 percent, which will help cut expenses. Higher fares also have prompted the carrier to raise its current quarterly operating margin outlook.

Delta is pouring a lot of money into its …

College football news and notes

Mike Luck — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:48:00 +0000

Scouring web sites and the wire services for college football news from around the country: MISSISSIPPI PLAYERS SUSPENDED: Coach Houston Nutt has suspended linebacker Clarence Jackson and defensive end Delvin Jones after both were arrested for public drunkenness early Friday morning. Lafayette County Court Records show both were booked at 3:50 a.m. on Friday morning, according to The Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger. Jackson was also arrested in the fall after allegedly stealing a television and other electronic equipment from a dorm on campus. Jackson is listed as a starter on the team’s current depth chart while Jones is fourth-string.

RB LEAVING GATORS: Running back Mike Blakely, considered one of the top recruits in the country, has decided to transfer from Florida. Coach Will Muschamp says Blakely wants to play football elsewhere. Blakely, who ran for 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior at Manatee High in Bradenton last fall, enrolled in January and missed …

The day in sports

Mike Luck — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:46:31 +0000

Scouring ajc.com, the web and the wires for the interesting, odd and informative from the world of sports.

FROM THE AJC: Freddie Freeman is expected to start at first this season, but David O’Brien points out that the Braves have an even better prospect on the mound. Six Braves prospects including five pitchers were named to Baseball America’s top 100 prospects list, led by right-hander Julio Teheran at No. 6. Freeman is No. 17. Read about it here. … Michael Cunningham reports the Hawks are still looking for a point guard. Here’s some candidates.

NAME GAME : Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria wants to get rid of his nickname. Soria has 43 saves last season but he has also picked up a nickname he doesn’t like: “The Mexicutioner.” Soria is from Monclova, Mexico. He says the nickname has a negative connotation and is particularly bad these days with all the drug gang violence in his native country. He wants a different nickname or just to be called by his name.

HAPPY …

U.S. Open qualifying: John Smoltz takes his shot

AJC — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:36:34 +0000

John Smoltz begins his quest to qualify for the U.S. Open Monday at the Marietta Country Club.

The ex-Brave and current baseball announcer will be among 144 golfers competing Monday. The top nine golfers and two alternates at the Marietta Country Club advance to the sectional round of qualifying. The other local qualifying event will be held at Planterra Ridge Golf Club in Peachtree City.

If Smoltz, a plus-2 handicapper, survives Monday’s 18-hole event, the 36-hole sectional qualifier will be all that stands between him and a spot in the U.S. Open field.

The U.S. Open is June 14-20 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will have a reporter at Marietta Country Club, so check back to see how Smoltz fares.

–David Purdum

Former Brave Johnson raising his game in Arizona

Mike Luck — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:36:41 +0000

Kelly Johnson hit his 7th homer Sunday.

Kelly Johnson’s sweet swing is finally paying off. Problem is, it’s happening in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform.

The former Braves second baseman has seven homers this season. In 17 games with the Diamondbacks, he has one fewer home run than he had in 106 games (8) with the Braves last season.

Johnson was not offered a contract by the Braves in the offseason and signed as a free agent with Arizona. He’s hitting .322, with 12 RBIs.

As for the home run surge, Johnson told the Associated Press Sunday: “I don’t think about them. I won’t think about them. I think about them as much as I think about the strikeout. Once it happens I’m on to the next one. I’m just going to try and keep that going and hope they keep flying out.”

The Braves have 12 home runs as a team in 17 games, just five more than Johnson. Jason Heyward leads the Braves with four.

The player manning second base for the Braves now, Martin Prado, has just one …

Ex-Brave Johnson raising his game in Arizona

Mike Luck — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:21:30 +0000

Kelly Johnson hit his seventh homer Sunday.

Kelly Johnson’s sweet swing is finally paying off. Problem is, it’s happening in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform.

The former Braves second baseman has seven homers this season. In 17 games with the Diamondbacks, he has one fewer home run than he had in 106 games (8) with the Braves last season.

Johnson was not offered a contract by the Braves in the offseason and signed as a free agent with Arizona. He’s hitting .322, with 12 RBIs.

The Braves have 12 home runs as a team in 17 games, just five more than Johnson. Jason Heyward leads the Braves with four.

The player manning second base for the Braves now, Martin Prado, has just one …

Jurrjens bounces back with solid outing

Chris Vivlamore — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:11:15 +0000

Jair Jurrjens needed this.

Oh, the Braves needed Sunday’s dramatic 4-3 victory over the Rockies, but Jurrjens needed a solid outing just as much. He was coming off a 17-2 loss to the Padres last Monday. Plagued by an inflamed shoulder in spring training that set him back several weeks, Jurrjens pitched eight innings Sunday in his third start. He allowed three earned runs on five hits, two of which were solo home runs in the seventh and eighth innings that had him on the losing side of the ledger until Jason Heyward’s ninth-inning heroics.

“It’s more important to win the game,” Jurrjens said. “I feel like I turned a corner. I’m getting my arm strength back.”

Jurrjens (0-1) struck out nine, while walking three, in throwing 108 pitches. Eric O’Flaherty worked the top of the ninth inning to get the win. In his three starts, Jurrjens has worked 16.1 innings, allowing 16 hits, 13 runs, 11 earned runs – and now two home runs. Ian Stewart and Carlos Gonzalez hit …

Diaz wastes little time making sure Braves get a hit

Chris Vivlamore — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:51:04 +0000

It took the Braves just one batter Sunday to do what they couldn’t do all Saturday.

Get a hit.

One day after being no-hit by the Rockies, Matt Diaz led off Sunday’s game with a triple to right center field.

It took the Braves just one more batter to bring Diaz home. Martin Prado followed with a sacrifice fly to score Diaz, a day after being shut out.

“Chipper [Jones] was making fun of me this morning before BP,” Diaz said. “He said ‘We are only as good as our leadoff hitter. You go, we go. Last night didn’t work out. Don’t do that to us again.’ So just to get a hit was nice.”

In his first three at-bats, Diaz had a triple, single and double in the dramatic 4-3 win. He could not manage hitting for the cycle as he struck out and flied out to center in his final two at-bats. Then again, he was unaware he had a chance at the rare baseball feat.

“I really didn’t think about the cycle because I didn’t know if they ruled that first one a triple or a …