Live from the ballyard: Smoltzie and I avoid each other!
I spent about a half-hour in and around the Red Sox clubhouse, and I should tell you the Red Sox have a great vibe about them. Kind of like the old Braves, only a tad livelier, and nothing like the new Yankees, who come across as spoiled and surly. The Red Sox, I can report, have a splendid mix of guys.
And now you’re wondering: Amid this splendid mix, did I encounter My Favorite Pitcher in said clubhouse? Not really. (Nor did I go looking for him, or he, I feel sure, for me.) My Favorite Pitcher and I almost crossed paths when the Sox were preparing for batting practice, but we both turned our heads. (We’re really good at this, as you may know.)
I can also tell you I’m writing a little something for Sunday print — and for posting here later today — on Red Sox manager Terry Francona, whom I see as the New Bobby Cox. (And I mean that, Larry, as the highest possible compliment.) Francona is a delightful conversationalist, and we media types got to talking with him about Michael Jordan — whom Tito, as he’s known, managed in Birmingham in 1994 — and then we got around to Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith.
And I’m thinking, “Gee, Bobby Cox never has that sort of conversation with the media.” But lo and behold, I walk across to Cox’s Batcave and he brings up Michael Jackson, and then John Schuerholz, who’s sitting there, asks Cox what was the first record he ever bought, and Cox says he never bought a record in his life and Schuerholz says his was “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets. And there we went.
I brought up the Temptations and the Supremes as my first recorded purchase. Dave O’Brien mentioned Wild Cherry. (I swear.) Then we got going on Kiss — O’Brien’s first concert, you should know — and Mark Lemke said something about Gene Simmons that I choose not to reproduce here.
And now you’re up to date on all essential baseball matters. And if you’d care to share your feelings about Michael Jordan or Michael Jackson or Anna Nicole Smith or Gene Simmons or even this afternoon’s Braves-Red Sox game … well, I’ll be happy to chat back all afternoon long.
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227 comments Add your comment
The Herd
June 27th, 2009
5:37 pm
Is there any chance the Braves could demote Francouer again? In spite of his recent, er, uh, surge?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:39 pm
Cox is now yelling at plate umpire Marty Foster. Vazquez didn’t get a call on 2-2 and 3-2 to Ortiz. The Red Sox finally have a man in scoring position.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:40 pm
If they weren’t going to demote Frenchy when he was hitting .240, they’re not going to do it now.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:41 pm
Trade deadline isn’t until 7/31 so don’t expect much until we get within a week of that date. What I want to know is when will we give someone else a chance in right field? How many at bats does it take to know Francoeur needs to be replaced on a regular basis? We obviously can’t send him back to the minors. We can still win the division and if we hit a hot streak going into the playoffs anything can happen … but it’s unlikely unless we get some consistent production at the plate from all of our outfielders. Nate is doing okay and GA’s bat has come around so we cannot continue to tolerate Francoeur’s lack of hitting .249 average and only 12 walks in ~270 at bats and lack of power 8 doubles and 5 homers(!)
sidslid
June 27th, 2009
5:44 pm
Scary. Vazquez pithces are now getting good swings on them. It is raining in Sandy Springs. Could use a little rain delay at the Ted about now
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:44 pm
Tough luck for Vazquez. He has struck out eight Sox, and two of the first four singles were on broken bats. And now he’s behind 1-0. Mark Kotsay poked one into left to score Youkilis, who’d walked ahead of the walk to Ortiz. And I know we’re going to hear afterward how Big Papi should have been called out twice.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
Clouding up big-time at the ballyard. One of those pop-up storms, I’d say. Just call me Ken Cook.
BT
June 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
GA charges the sharp hit to left by Kotsay, comes up throwing with his rifle arm and nails the runner at home. That is what happened isn’t it?
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
Bradley: You try playing the outfield position over 162 games, many of them in 100 plus degree temperatures, and let’s see you back up every ground ball hit to an infielder and hustle on every single play…I’m not excusing GA, I’m just pointing out that you are making a mountain out of a mole hill giving the real problems (lack of hitting and/or power from RF, 1B, and 2B are killing us overall (plus you could have put CF and LF in that group too up until Nate’s arrival and GA turning it on a bit) we obviously have as a team.
Reid Adair
June 27th, 2009
5:46 pm
Come on, Mark. Why should you avoid John Smoltz? I certainly hope it’s not because you are worried about what his reaction to all of your written criticism of him might be.
bali
June 27th, 2009
5:47 pm
in your opinion who are the braves that hustle and give effort and those that do not/ wonder why they keep playing people who are just going through the motions
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:48 pm
I just wouldn’t want to subject either of us to one of those Awkward Moments, Reid. Life is too full of Awkward Moments as it is.
Blanco with a leadoff single.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:49 pm
That storm cell hitting Sandy Springs right now is heading south by southeast (down I-75) but will likely miss Turner Field as its angling more eastward (per my desktop weather application on my p.c. courtesy of The Weather Channel)….
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:49 pm
I think the Braves hustle and give professional effort, with the occasional exception of Mr. Escobar.
Homer
June 27th, 2009
5:49 pm
“Yeah, Moe, that team (The Braves)sure did suck last night. They just plain sucked! I’ve seen teams suck before, but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked!”
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:50 pm
Thanks, All I’m Saying. And we’ll call you … how about Glenn Burns?
Or would you prefer Dagmar?
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:52 pm
Alert the wire services! (Actually, they know. Mr. Newberry is sitting behind me, as was mentioned earlier.) The Braves just executed a sacrifice bunt. Martin Prado did the deed. Man on second, No. 10 at the plate.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
More rotten luck. No. 10 hit the ball hard for the first time all day, but Pedroia gloves it. Two out, No. 16 at the plate.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
Bradley and Smotlz are both acting egotistically cowardly by not burying the little grudge they have. Egotistically in that they each believe this thing between them is REALLY IMPORTANT such that neither can speak or acknowledge each other (like any of us really care) and cowardly because neither one will actually bring it up, put it behind them, and move on to (far) more interesting things…(honestly, Bradley, please stop writing about whatever it is that’s got you and Smoltz’s underwear in a wad—most of us really don’t give a hoot.
bali
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
always thought dob was a wild cherry kind of guy
NCBravesFan
June 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
Could say Guy Sharpe with a pulse. But that would be a little creepy.
dawgfan1911
June 27th, 2009
5:54 pm
Vasquez is dealing but you know this line-up the Braves are throwing out here is horrible. They look like a minor league hitting line-up and Mcain is the only threat in the batting order. Chipper looks old, his swings look slow and of course noone else is doing anything as usually. The starters this year have pitched their azzess off and the hitters arent doing anything, another line out by Chipper??????? This is one of the most boring teams in baseball to watch. They need to clean house fire bobby cox, frank wren, terry i dont do anything pendelton and start over from scratch.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:55 pm
It would be creepy, NC. But it did make me laugh. Out loud.
McCann grounds to first. Into the seventh, 1-0 Sox. And I’ll admit this Braves’ lineup isn’t looking like Harvey’s Wallbangers against Tim Wakefield.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
5:58 pm
More on Francoeur (per MLB.com):
On one hand, in the 45 games that he’s played dating back to May 1, Francoeur has hit .229 with two homers and a .557 OPS. In addition, Francoeur has hit just .226 in his past 62 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
On the other hand, Francoeur is batting .317 with a 5/4 BB/K ratio since the beginning of June.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:58 pm
About here, the aging Mr. Bradley feels compelled to educate you younger folks. Tim Wakefield beat the Braves in Game 3 of the 1992 NLCS and was way ahead in Game 6, and we geniuses down the right-field line in the auxiliary press box at the old stadium decided Pittsburgh manager Jim Leyland needed to pull the knuckleballer from Game 6 and then start him in Game 7 the next night. But Leyland didn’t, and the Pirates’ starting pitcher — Doug Drabek — carried a shutout into the bottom of the ninth. Whereupon Terry Pendleton led off with a double into the right-field corner.
I have no memory of what happened next.
bigmacattack
June 27th, 2009
5:59 pm
If Javy or the bullpen gives up just 1 more run and this thing will be a blowout
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
5:59 pm
And with that, Tim Wakefield is removed for a pinch-hitter. Mike Lowell flies to right. Seventh-inning stretch.
dawgfan1911
June 27th, 2009
6:02 pm
By the way, screw John Smoltz and I hope he gets knocked around all year long! He wanted out of Atlanta but tried to blame the Braves like it was the organization that was getting rid of him. He wont last an entire year with Boston he will be hurt again.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:02 pm
Can I just say something? “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” does nothing for me. Of course, I’m an urbanite from the metropolis of Maysville, Ky.
NCBravesFan
June 27th, 2009
6:05 pm
It’s only 1-0 but it feels like we’re behind by six runs, doesn’t it?
Life in the 'box
June 27th, 2009
6:05 pm
GA gets barbequed for slacking off on a play, yet “journalists” can blog back and forth between each other separated by 2 feet and that’s doing what you’re paid to do????
StingerSplash
June 27th, 2009
6:05 pm
At what point is it good pitching (Beckett and Wakefield) and just plain lousy hitting (1 run through 16 innings at this point)?
And, Mr. Bradley, tell Paul he saw me as shotgun to Jay again at Augusta National, just like the old days.
NO MORE BOBBY
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
SMOLTZ FOR MANAGER 2010
dawgfan1911
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
the Braves need to get rid of Garret Anderson, Francour, Kelly Johnson, Kotchman, and bring up the young guys from the farm system and let them play. We have nothing to lose. I know we are only 4 games out but with this lineup we cant beat any of the teams in front of us. Bring up the young guys and let them do what these old guys are doing now, Fly out, pop out, ground out, strike out, its terrible to watch. That inning lasted all but 4 minutes. Its horrble. I love the Braves but I am ashamed at what I am watching on the field.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
Manny Delcarmen just threw a pitch the scoreboard registered as 96 mph. The one fastball I remember Tim Wakefield throwing was clocked at 74 mph.
The_Superhoo (Montana by way of Virginia)
June 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
SIGH. on the one day we get offense, we have no pitching. Then we get pitching back, and have no offense.
Pathetic.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:08 pm
Good pitching beats good hitting. And good pitching beats the living heck out of bad hitting.
BugKiller
June 27th, 2009
6:09 pm
But Mark, come on man.
Cox would NEVER have come back from 3-0 down to beat the Yankees in the ALCS.
And you can bet your butt that Cox would have found SOME way to lose to the far-less-talented Rockies two years ago in the Series.
Just as he did in 1993, 1996 (when up 2-0), 1998, and 2000.
Bobby Cox can’t hold Francona’s jock, to use a baseball expression.
Francona, when given a great team, produces.
Cox, when given great teams, underwhelms.
The new revised-history of the Atlanta Braves has Cox taking control of mediocre talent and winning 14 straight divisions with them.
How quickly EVERY Cox Apologist forgets that for a time, the Braves WERE the Red Sox and Yankees.
Without, you know, the multiple trophies.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:11 pm
My apologies to BugKiller. I gave a shout-out to Cox critic Larry above but plumb neglected his comrade. Won’t happen again.
sidslid
June 27th, 2009
6:13 pm
There is an Eric Clapton look-alike making the moves on a Mike Smith look-alike in “The Plaza”
YoungerThanThatNow
June 27th, 2009
6:14 pm
Mr. Bradley (see how polite I am) you look much too urbane to hail from Maysville KY… I’ve been there!!
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:15 pm
Sid, I’m going to pretend I didn’t read that.
Great battle here. Vazquez still throwing seeds, Youkilis fouling off Strike 3. Two real pros at work.
YoungerThanThatNow
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
Enter your comments here
Jon
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
“And good pitching beats the living heck out of bad hitting.”
I would crack wise about a lead off hitter averaging barely above .100, but given his 2-3 performance so far, I’ll cut Blanco some slack.
The_Superhoo (Montana by way of Virginia)
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
UGH. great.
All I'm Saying Is...
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
Kelly Johnson: 229 at bats in 2009 and a .218 average with 5 homers, 20 RBIs, 15 doubles, 20 walks and 39 strikeouts—-most teams have either speed or sluggers playing second base and Braves are getting neither this year [Dan Uggla with Marlins: 256 at bats in 2009 and a .223 average with 15 homers, 45 RBIs, 11 doubles, 40 walks, and 60 strikeouts]
Casey Kotchman: 211 at bats in 2009 and a .275 average with 2 homers, 28 RBIs, 17 doubles, 17 walks, 23 strikeouts—most teams get far more from their 1B at the plate [Pujols: 256 at bats in 2009 and a .328 average with 28 homers, 75 RBIs, 17 doubles, 58 walks, 29 strikeouts]
Pujols is a future HOF but not Uggla.
Mark Bradley
June 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
And Youkilis triples off the right-field fence on the 11th pitch of the at-bat. What a ballplayer.
Vazquez is done. O’Flaherty to pitch to Ortiz.
BravesGrrrl
June 27th, 2009
6:18 pm
Would you say there are more Sox fans or Braves fans in attendance? On TV, it looks like a Sox homegame. Frustrating . . .
Gaijin
June 27th, 2009
6:18 pm
121 pitches – and now Cox is pulling him!
BAD play by Francouer – either catch the ball or play it off the wall – you live out there for crying out loud – you should KNOW if you have a chance or not!
YoungerThanThatNow
June 27th, 2009
6:19 pm
Vazquez is coming out with two out in the eighth and has pitched much too good to be trailing by a run, with not much hope of the score changing before the whistle blows. IMO that’s about as good a job toeing the rubber as one can do against the BoSox.