Live from Braves-Phillies: Guess who’s ‘tremendous-looking’?
Turner Field as of 5:30 p.m. EDT, April 20, 2010. (Evocatively gloomy photo by M. Bradley)
Ryan Howard arrived in Philadelphia in September 2004. The next season he was the National League rookie of the year. Today he stands as the pillar of the club that even rivals concede is the model of excellence. As Brian McCann said Sunday: “The Phillies aren’t just the team in the National League East — the Phillies are the team in the National League.”
Charlie Manuel wasn’t managing the Phillies in 2004, but he arrived in 2005 and has been there since. And Manuel, who has become my favorite manager to hear speak, was asked today by an Atlanta correspondent (i.e., me) if a big-hitting rookie can make a difference not just on a season but on the future of a franchise.
“A player like that brings excitement and energy,” Manuel said. “He brings a whole lot to a team and to a clubhouse.”
The obvious point of reference: Jason Heyward. He’s not yet Ryan Howard — there’s a difference of 222 big-league homers — but he’s the most exciting rookie to emerge since the Philly big man.
Manuel on Heyward: “He’s a highly talented kid. He’s a tremendous athlete. He can do about everything you want a guy to do.”
And he can: Heyward is, to use the scout’s jargon, a five-tool player. Howard, on the other hand, is the classic big-hitting first baseman: He can’t run much, but he hits ‘em so far he gets to trot. Heyward might never have a 40-homer season. (Howard has had four in succession.) Then again, Heyward isn’t apt to strike out 180 times a year, either.
They’re different kinds of players, but the Braves would be delighted if Heyward had a Howard-like effect. Since 1995 the Braves’ batting order has been anchored by Chipper Jones, and he’ll turn 38 this Saturday. The best-case scenario: Heyward and his minor-league buddy Freddie Freeman become to this organization as Howard and Chase Utley are for Philadelphia — middle-of-the-order fixtures.
Asked if, way back when, Howard energized the Phillies with both his production and his presence, Manuel said: “Without a doubt. And he still carries that.”
The Phillies and Braves embarked Tuesday on the first of their three-game set at Turner Field , and the home side having the point to prove. The Phils have won the NL East three seasons running; the Braves haven’t made the playoffs since 2005. The Phils have graced each of the past two World Series, winning it in 2008; the Braves haven’t reached the Fall Classic since 1999, haven’t won a World Series game since 1996.
The Phils still have a deeper well of big-league talent, but the Braves are perkier than they’ve been in year. And that, we must say, isn’t because of Troy Glaus. It’s due to No. 22.
This is baseball, where one player isn’t supposed to make a difference. But Ryan Howard showed us the right man can indeed make a difference. Through two weeks, Jason Heyward has made a difference here. He entered Tuesday’s game with 15 RBIs, one more than the fearsome Howard. (Who did, it must be noted, drive in his 15th run of 2010 with a fourth-inning hit off the mitt of the forlorn Glaus.)
Yes, it’s premature to liken any 20-year-old to Ryan Howard. But it’s almost inevitable, and it’s great fun. It has been more than a decade since the Joneses, Chipper and Andruw, made their debuts. We in Atlanta were way overdue for the next big thing.
And with that, we’ll open the floor for questions, comments and weather forecasts. The Braves believe they’ll be able to get this game in, but I should note that the ground crew put the tarp back on the infield after the home team took batting practice. (No live BP on the field for the visitors, in sum.) It’s not raining now, but the tarp’s advent generally means sprinkles are on the way.
Whatever happens, I’ll be here all night to discuss it. Though I sincerely hope I won’t be here all night, if you take my meaning.
UPDATE: At 5:39 p.m., it started raining. Hard.
UP-TO-THE-MINUTE UPDATE: At 6:12 p.m., the rain has ceased and the sun is shining and the tarp has been lifted. Yay!
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628 comments Add your comment
Reality
April 20th, 2010
9:50 pm
I obviously meant us and am horrible at spelling and grammar usage
Mark Bradley
April 20th, 2010
9:50 pm
I can’t even handle a batting-practice fastball, NC. But thanks all the same.
chem
April 20th, 2010
9:50 pm
When Smoltz starts talking it goes downhill by the second sentence and he refuses to stop when it gets awkward… reminds me of his playing days!
Angus
April 20th, 2010
9:51 pm
So I just got home from the game – I’ve got a 3rd grader in the midst of CRCT testing, forgive me for the early departure.
An ominous start made me think this would be ugly. No one was there, 32 pitches from Hanson in the 1st, a very weak swing in a one-pitch AB double play by Chipper.
I’m not sure how they came off of Sunday’s high to turn in such a putrid performance. I guess that’s baseball, but this seemed to be a game the Braves should/needed to win.
mr charlie
April 20th, 2010
9:51 pm
Anyone notice kotchman has 3 homers? Sometimes no matter what u do, it is wrong.
Judson
April 20th, 2010
9:51 pm
Here’s was Kendrick’s last outing
1.2 innings 6 hits 6 runs 3 walks 17.47 Era. And we can’t get a run. Pathetic
Mark Bradley
April 20th, 2010
9:53 pm
Goodness gracious sakes alive, as Coach Wooden would say. Matt Diaz breaks his bat to end the eighth.
mr charlie
April 20th, 2010
9:53 pm
Cmon, don’t bash smoltz, he’s marks fav.
Judson
April 20th, 2010
9:53 pm
3 shutouts in past 5 games at home. One a no hitter. This is that awesome Braves offense!! Way to go management! You sure know how to bolster that O! I bet we had more runs through this many games last than this year even with that 16 or whatever score we had against the cubs.
Sid
April 20th, 2010
9:54 pm
a sad looking bunch in that Braves dugout. The empty stadium reminds me of the glory days of the 70’s-80’s. At least you can get really good seats.
Chef Boy R D
April 20th, 2010
9:54 pm
With this team, it’s like all or nothing.
gcs
April 20th, 2010
9:55 pm
Gloss needs to go.
Jo
April 20th, 2010
9:55 pm
I said before this season started….no offense……j-hey cant make up for the fact that we have an iffy 3rd baseman, and no hitters in one outfield and first base positions…..
Raul Mondesi's Fan Club President
April 20th, 2010
9:55 pm
End of night for Kendrick.
Sid
April 20th, 2010
9:56 pm
Mr charlie, still cannot believe they traded Kotchman. Terrific defensive first baseman and I thought a pretty good hitter. It is so obvious the ownership whoever they are don’t care and neither do the fans.
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
9:56 pm
Sutton likes dead air like stalin liked capitalism.
Not Don Waddell
April 20th, 2010
9:57 pm
Why did my post get erased? How much longer can we deny that TROY GLAUS SUCKS! HE IS KILLING THIS LINEUP
Youngerthan Thatnow
April 20th, 2010
9:57 pm
John Smoltz… and I like John Smoltz… makes Don Sutton… ditto on Don Sutton… seem like a monastery monk. I guess the man’s just got a lot to say.
Mark Bradley
April 20th, 2010
9:57 pm
The Braves didn’t think Kotchman was a starting first baseman.
That said, I’m not sure they have a starting 1B now.
kerryb
April 20th, 2010
9:57 pm
I’ve been a Braves fan my whole life. I went to the games in the 80’s when you could get a dugout seat 5 min before the game. I enjoyed the 90’s like everyone else. I was there the night they won it all but, the last 4 years have been more frustrating than the 80’s. The thing is that it is not all Frank Wren’s fault. What can he do with an ownership group based in Denver than only cares about the bottom line owns the team. How can anyone in Denver care anything about the ATLANTA Braves. I bet they all have luxury suites at Coors Field. I can’t wait for their agreement with MLB to be over so that the team can be sold to an owner who cares and takes pride in the team. Until then I’m not buying a ticket to give more money to them.
Raul Mondesi's Fan Club President
April 20th, 2010
9:58 pm
Stingy kid has two balls.
Mark Bradley
April 20th, 2010
9:58 pm
Post got erased because of the use of two starred euphemisms. That’s one over the limit.
NCBravesFan
April 20th, 2010
9:58 pm
Every time I’ve seen Chavez this year he’s looked really, really good.
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
9:58 pm
at least kotchman wasnt old.
Not Don Waddell
April 20th, 2010
10:00 pm
Some may say that Tr*y Gla*s would be two starred euphemisms.
Raul Mondesi's Fan Club President
April 20th, 2010
10:00 pm
Crazy Jesse hasn’t been too bad in the pen.
Drew
April 20th, 2010
10:00 pm
Mark, do you believe Terry Pendleton is the problem or a problem?
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
10:01 pm
to euphamize the old book, kotchman has a chance to be an all star one day. troy glaus will be whatever the troy glauses of the world are one day.
NCBravesFan
April 20th, 2010
10:01 pm
Hopefully Troy will get his Glaus in gear soon …
TruthSeeker
April 20th, 2010
10:01 pm
You’re right, Chef Boy. One thing I’ve observed about the Braves the last few years is that it seems like if we don’t score 12 runs we score one or two. Those 12-run games bring the average up and make us look like a decent offensive team, but there seems to be very little consistency. That was certainly our problem last year. If we could have just scored a consistent four or five runs a game we would have come close to 100 wins with our stellar pitching. But we had too many solid starts wasted with no run support. Same story this year. A couple of offensive outbursts against the Cubs and Rockies surrounded by a lot of offensive nothingness.
Pete Rock
April 20th, 2010
10:02 pm
T.R.O.Y. Glaus They reminisce over you! (Hip Hop heads will get it)!
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
10:02 pm
I believe that was sort of quote from Casey Stengel.
Reality
April 20th, 2010
10:03 pm
Has anyone read Odd Man Out by Matt McCarthy. Its a hilarious book, and Casey Kotchman’s Dad is a key character. He and Casey are polar opposites.
Mark Bradley
April 20th, 2010
10:03 pm
Ryan Madson in to close. He has been hit hard here before.
Judson
April 20th, 2010
10:03 pm
It’s pretty sad you go to a braves game and the most excitement is the other team throwing no hitters and shut outs.
Not Don Waddell
April 20th, 2010
10:03 pm
Casey Kotchman was terrible. Don’t let Troy Glaus’s relative patheticness skew the point that Kotchman is a bum.
I don’t know why Hinske is not getting any starts, especially against that scrub right-hander that Philly threw up tonight.
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
10:04 pm
@#$%*@!
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
10:04 pm
does that count as only one starred euphamism?
stupup74
April 20th, 2010
10:05 pm
Phils have too many places to attack the braves lineup.
The phils also play a very crisp type of baseball. They don’t bobble the ball, they make tough plays routinely. They don’t strikeout. They have alot going for them.
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
10:05 pm
reality, yes it was an excellent book. almost a latter day ball four.
Trey
April 20th, 2010
10:05 pm
What great batting averages by these braves players!!
Raul Mondesi's Fan Club President
April 20th, 2010
10:05 pm
I like Charlie Manuel’s style. Not bad for a West Virginian.
rob graner
April 20th, 2010
10:06 pm
3 of last 5 games at home are shut outs…with Big Roy pitching tomorrow…great!
Raul Mondesi's Fan Club President
April 20th, 2010
10:06 pm
Should we pinchrun for our leading base stealer?
Mark Bradley
April 20th, 2010
10:06 pm
Chipper takes his base.
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
10:06 pm
the older kotchman came off in the book like a crude boor and total jerk.
Roto Rooter
April 20th, 2010
10:06 pm
I’m rooting for the Braves but Madsen is on my rotisserie team. So I lose either way.
Youngerthan Thatnow
April 20th, 2010
10:07 pm
Less than 19K playing the Phils, even on a Tuesday with school tomorrow and the Hawks playing in the playoffs a short distance away is not good. But you know, times are hard for a lot of people right now… most are more concerned about making mortgage and car payments than they are about going out to the game… and it’s not a budget friendly proposition.
Me and the Mrs. went to the Saturday no hitter… no hitter a first for me… and it easily cost us 2 bills. We live nearly three hours away and we ate at the ballpark, which was our choice, and I pay a little more to park at the Bullpen so we can get out and back on 75 fairly quickly… but it was just me and her. But back when the kids tagged along it was still costly and gas was under a buck a gallon and most of the time we don’t have to pay for tickets… but the little stadium trinkets are ridiculously expensive… and the cotton candy guy was getting 5.50 per, and you don’t even get a paper cone.
todd grantham
April 20th, 2010
10:07 pm
it might be better when you can say “chipper takes his leave”.
Mark Bradley
April 20th, 2010
10:07 pm
Guess who’s up.