MLB: Atlanta Braves Baseball News

2008-11-26T07:23:00.000-08:00

I love when players give back to the community, like Kelly Johnson and his wife, who gave out baskets of food to the needy for Thanksgiving. That's five lucky families! you can read the press release here.

2008-10-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

Brave the lines, and get out and vote next Tuesday, November 4th!

2008-10-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

Sounds like Peavy wants to come to Atlanta, no? In an article on www.atlanta.braves.mlb.com, he said he'd waive his no-trade clause to play for the Braves. Bring it on!

As Soon As I Turn My Head

2008-08-20T12:11:00.001-07:00

So...I was happily watching the game last night, feeling okay about our 3-2 lead. Nothing was happening, and I had to run an errand during the 7th inning. And then what the heck happened in that 8th inning, guys? 5 more runs? Crap! Painful stuff.

Olympic Gymnastics

2008-08-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy these last few months. Sorry for all the lack of posts. Currently, I'm so distracted by the Olympics that it's taking up all my sports-watching time.

I'm always torn about the gymnastics stuff. It really takes an amazing amount of skill, strength, and grace. I'm not one of those who thinks it shouldn't be considered a sport. But they have got to do something about the scoring, seriously. I never have any idea why somebody wins or loses or ties. Couldn't they just all do the same routine so we could see who does them the best, or something like that? And why not go back to the perfect 10.0 system? At least then you'd know if someone did well or not.

It's just too confusing. I was absolutely sure a couple of the underdogs should have won last night, but they weren't even close in scores. Or maybe they were. Who knows?

Field Trip

2008-04-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'll be in D.C. this week for a conference, so I decided to see if I could find local events to keep me occupied in the evenings. I had forgotten that the Braves would be there, too. Nice timing!

I already bought the baseball game tickets. I haven't gotten to cheer them on at an away game in quite a while. It's fun to be the bad guy once in a while.

Hopefully the recent blessing from the pope won't give too much luck to Nationals Stadium. I'm going to watch for lightning around my seat just in case!

Braves vs Marlins tonight

2007-08-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

I wonder if I'll actually have time for a game tonight? I hope so, as I'm looking forward to the Braves finishing up their 10-game road trip against the Marlins. Our record hasn't been great, so I figure I'll watch it with a glass of champagne in one hand and a beer in the other, so whether we win or lose I can celebrate or drown my sorrows accordingly.

Happy again with the Atlanta Braves

2007-06-01T13:02:00.001-07:00

So last year it happened, and the streak of titles came to a sad end. But is it me, or do you hear the poosibility raising its head again? John Smoltz is kicking tail right and left, and I'm feeling good.

Very good...

Strongest in the league?

2007-04-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

I'll take it. Granted, it's early in the season, but at the moment the Braves are sitting pretty with the best win/loss average in the MLB. At .833 (5-1) it's true we haven't played as many games as some teams, but there are still a few teams sitting at 5 games played. Long story short, too early to tell, but the early signs leave little room for complaint.

Should I start saving up for the baseball playoff tickets now, or will that jinx it?

The Braves without Cox

2007-03-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

No pun intended! Really, there is one thing I love more than the Braves baseball ... that is sitting in the stands at Turner field watching the Braves win another game. What will this baseball team do when Cox finally steps aside? Who will fill his shoes? Can this team be as brave without Cox?

2007-01-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

Wanted: 2nd baseman for Atlanta Braves. Position still vacant. Likely candidates include Kelly Johnson, Martin Prado, Willy Aybar, maybe even in that order. Manager Bobby Cox expects to make a decision during Spring Training.

Pitcher for a Pitcher

2006-12-10T15:19:00.000-08:00

The Atlanta Braves made a trade last week, left-hander Horacio Ramirez for reliever Rafael Soriano. Ramirez had gone to the disabled list 3 different times this past season, and really hadn't shown any spark since his rookie season where he won 12 games. Soriano hadn't a decent season last year with a 2.25 ERA in 53 appearances coming off of elbow surgery. Hopefully this is the beginning of a plan to bring the Braves back to the dominance that we here in Atlanta expect.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

2006-11-21T14:48:00.000-08:00

Jeff Francoeur of the Atlanta Braves helped deliver frozen turkeys and food baskets to five families in the Turner Field area. It was all part of the Atlanta Braves Foundation Turkey Drop. He was accompanied by his fiancee, Catie McCoy, and the Braves mascot, Homer. The event is made possible by the Georgia Avenue Food Cooperatives, which has been run for 15 years by the Georgia Avenue Ministries.

Baseball History

2006-10-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

The 2006 World Series went into the record books without a whole lot of fanfare. As the long history of major league baseball goes on, setting new records is more and more difficult. Some of the records that get set are regrettable--let's see, did the Tiger pitchers match or break the record for errors in consecutive games?

But I don't think baseball fans should forget this, and it must be some kind of record. The Detroit Tigers went from horrible (119 losses) to American League Champs in only three years. Something for coaches and players at every level to remember.

And We’re Off to Detroit!

2006-10-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulation, Cardinals! (Congrats to you Mets, too—you made this a fun NLCS!) Now, you’re going to want to win the World Series in four games (naw, I doubt it), or five, so you can take the title in front of the hometown crowd. They’ve been waiting awhile! (But so have the folks in the Motor City.) One way or another, I would love at least one pair of World Series tickets.

CARL CRAWFORD: NEXT LEADOFF HITTER?

2006-10-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

The most important thing the Atlanta Braves need to do is find a good leadoff hitter. Hopefully, that will be Carl Crawford. Maybe a trade with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays will be the way to go. The Braves could trade Kyle Davies or Chuck James. Crawford has a lot of potential. Let's hope the Braves aquire him.

WAY TO GO, BRIAN McCANN!

2006-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, Brian McCann will win the Silver Slugger award this year after his first full Major League season with the Atlanta Braves. He's had such a fantastic season. I also read that he was selected to play the All-Star Game, and that he almost reached the qualifying number that would have allowed him to finish third in the NL batting race. By the way, does anyone know the best way to get tickets to the All-Star Game?

If we're going down, we're taking the Astros with us!

2006-10-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I guess we all knew from the start that this wasn't likely to be a great season for our dear Atlanta Braves. Loyal fans always hold onto hope, but not everyone can win, right?

The good news is we got one last kick in today before we went down entirely. For those of you who gave up and stopped watching weeks ago, our Braves hosted the Houston Astros at Turner Field today. It was too late for us to make it to the playoffs, but with a 3-1 lead, we knocked the Astros out of the running too.

It may not be nice, but sometimes having other teams join in your misery is all you've got.

Atlanta Kills Cubs with Brave Home Runs

2006-05-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

Edgar Renteria hit two home runs on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. So did Adam LaRoche. It was an amazing day for the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field and when it was all said and done the team hit a total of 8 home runs, setting a franchise record. What a game!

Come on Braves! Let’s get busy!

2006-05-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta Braves are not doing as well this season as I would like. They are going to have to win quite a few games this month or I am afraid the season might be lost. I know we have a lot of season left but it is true that the first two months speak volumes when it comes to playoff chances and such.

Slow Start for Braves in California

2006-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta Braves will be playing their home opener tonight at Turner Field. We are coming off a rain-soaked road trip in which we played the LA Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. Coming home with only three wins, the Braves will most likely benefit from being reunited with their hometown fans. It is hard to start the season away from home, so I don’t blame the Braves for getting off to a slow start.

Tournament Interferes with Spring Training

2006-03-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

The Atlanta Braves players who participated in the World Baseball Classic have returned and they had a really good time. Chipper Jones, Oscar Villarreal and Jeff Francoeur enjoyed the experience, but are ready to get back to their normal lives. Was it worth it for these players to miss so much practice for this new event?

I’ve already got my tickets for the start of baseball season!

2006-02-14T09:46:00.000-08:00

With baseball season just over the horizon, I am getting a little restless with anticipation. The first thing I am going to do is buy some tickets for the Atlanta Braves spring home opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then I am going to buy Opening Day tickets for the gang so we can take off work and spend the day at Turner Field.

Those darn young’ins don’t know any better!

2006-01-30T17:38:00.000-08:00

I have been watching all the Atlanta Braves rebuilding efforts this off-season and I am hopeful that 2006 will be a winning season. The Super Bowl is coming up and I wish the Falcons had made it this year. I’ll be cheering on the Seattle Seahawks because my sister is a Steelers fan even though Atlanta is her hometown. Do tradition and loyalty mean nothing to these young people anymore!

18 Innings for the Season

2005-10-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

Another season ending with a division title, and another postseason ended too soon. For the second year in a row, the Braves lost to the Houston Astros in the Divisional Series of the playoffs. What is it about the playoffs that scare the Braves so badly? Well if I take anything away from this disappointing postseason, it will be the game that knocked the Braves out. The Astros won game 4, in the 18^th inning 7-6, the longest playoff game in the history of the majors. This game was an epic in all ways, for the ESPN generation, an instant classic. This game was a true test of determination for each team, with starters coming in for relief appearances, and the bench slowly becoming empty, each team had to find a way to not only win the game, but just finish it.

Smoltz Back Where He Wants To Be

2005-10-08T02:58:00.000-07:00

The Braves came back with a bang on Thursday with a resounding defeat of the Houston Astros at home. Now they are on the road for the next two games, and they will have to take one away from the Astros at home. In John Smoltz’s first start in October since 1999, he pitched 7 innings only allowing 1 earned run, and 5 strikeouts. “There's a thousand emotions going through my head right now,” Smoltz said. “I'm going to sleep a long time tonight.” The game of coming outs continued with rookie Brian McCann who hit a home run at his first postseason at bat, and he hit it against none other than Roger Clemens. The Braves definitely have won the momentum back, and are looking to continue Saturday at Houston.

What a Way to Lose

2005-09-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, was a killer of a game. The Braves fell down 2 times to 3 run deficits and always came back to tie it. But in the 10^th inning rookie Ryan Howard hit his second grand slam of the year to bring the Phillies ahead for the win. The Braves are in no real danger of losing their division lead, but that has just got to hurt. The Braves had been fighting the whole game trying to keep up, and then with one swing of the bat, game over. They just have to shake it off and give it back to them on Thursday.

Katrina Wants to Play Too

2005-08-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

Monday night’s game against the Washington Nationals was rained out while Hurricane Katrina makes her eastern seaboard tour. But since that time of year is coming up, it’s time to talk about whether this is the year. The Braves are on their way to winning their 14^th straight division title, not counting the strike season of 1994, but in this stretch they have managed to win the World Series only once, in 1995. The Braves could feasibly be looked at as one of the great sport dynasties of all time, if they could just follow through in the post season. Every year it’s the same thing, a promising 162-game season followed up by a disappointing early exit from the playoffs. Well, maybe the 14^th time is the charm.

2005-06-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

It happens and when it does it is real bothersome. Cramps are a pain in the neck. Just ask Tim Hudson.

''I was sweating like a maniac out there, just lost too much fluid.” – Hudson

It is very important for athletes to retain water and have plenty of sodium in their bodies because cramps will pull them out of the game, but no need to worry Tim Hudson should be back soon.

Win series against Mets

2005-05-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

The Braves have been starting to knock it back again. The three game sweep was a much needed boost after the loss to the Red Sox. The Braves kept the Mets to two shutout games. We will be facing the Phillies next with John Smoltz stepping onto the mound for the first game of the series.

Kyle Davies has been an extremely helpful asset to the Braves. In this past game, Davies kept the Mets to only six hits and struck out six in the 5 1/3 innings that he was in. In a game against the Red Sox, Davies was able to knock down 5 frames with no score. In two starts, Davies has already recorded himself a great record.

"Davies was better tonight than he was in Boston. He was good in Boston, but tonight he was even better. I thought he was just outstanding."
- Braves Manager Bobby Cox

Smoltz Opinions by Jim Bunn

2005-05-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

I've been watching John Smoltz since he was in his 20's, he has that effortlessly mowed down the heart of the any order of any National league club over the last 10 years ask any ball player that had to face him during this time period, would not say one of the top 5 pitchers I dreaded facing during this time period, Hall Of Fame Material, and he probably won't win the magic number of 300 wins. He's like Roger Clemens, where if John had the DH like Roger he would be approaching 300 wins, if he hadn't sacreficed himself for the team, and became the stopper, he would had taken free agency, you never know what might have happened. I pitched in Little league, Babe Ruth league, and high school, I was more like Don Sutton, there are certain pitchers that put the fear of God in you and that's where John Smoltz is, there's very few of them but when you see a John Smoltz come along in your life time, enjoy him.

Smoltz looking to get #4

2005-05-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz has gone 3-0 in his last three games pitching. The Braves have had a lame start against the Padres, losing their series opener. So, it’s up to Smoltz to rebound this game.

Smoltz has been one of the most reliable pitchers in the National League. In all his games, he has only allowed up to 4 runs. He is currently 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA.

San Diego’s LHP Darrell May is currently 0-0, with this game being his first start of the year.

Team Report:

2005-05-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

LF Brian Jordan has been one of the few Braves who have hit well (.333 average) with runners in scoring position this season. Jordan's outfield partners,

CF Andruw Jones (.179) and RF Raul Mondesi (.231), have been overaggressive at the plate in such situations. . . .

LHP John Foster has transformed himself from thrower to pitcher since his Braves debut in 2002. He missed all of 2004 recovering from shoulder surgery and learned that he could be just as effective with a well-located 88-mph fastball as he was with the 92-mph fastball he threw.

Dan Kolb

2005-05-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

Dan Kolb has not been living up to the expectations that the Braves had with him coming onto the $3.4 million contract. Kolb, who came from the Milwaukee Brewers, has been lacking his former potential and being a pretty crappy closer. He gained himself entrance into the All-Stars with 1.62 ERA which right now is at 6.28 ERA.

Typically, Kolb is the ‘go to’ guy, but beginning late in last season, he began a downward spiral with the Brewers. But, the season is just beginning, so hopefully he will show his true colors before being taken out of his closing position.

Team Report:

2005-05-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

RHP Dan Kolb, the closer, is struggling because he is trying to be more of a pitcher than a thrower. Lacking aggressiveness, Kolb is allowing too many walks and is not finding the sink on his pitches that made him effective last year. . . .

A split-finger fastball has helped RHP Tim Hudson. He abandoned it midway through the 2004 season because it wasn't having its usual effect. He regained a feel for it during spring training. . . .

RHP Jorge Sosa has the potential to be a big-league closer. He throws in the high 90s, but his lack of control remains an issue.

All-Star Ballot

2005-05-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

The Braves are backing up their All-Stars to be voted in to the All-Stars team. Two of these players include Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones (among them Adam LaRoche, Rafael Furcal, Raul Mondesi and Brian Jordan).

Chipper Jones has been picked for the All-Star games five times between 1996 and 2001. The only time he was not chosen was during 1999, but he was awarded the National League MVP Award.

This year’s Stats:

.369 Avg
4 Home Runs
14 RBIs

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ALL-STAR AND GET THEM ON THE TEAM!!!

Team Report:

2005-04-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

RHP Dan Kolb, the closer, is struggling because he is trying to be more of a pitcher than a thrower. Lacking aggressiveness, Kolb is allowing too many walks and is not finding the sink on his pitches that made him effective last year. . . .

A split-finger fastball has helped RHP Tim Hudson. He abandoned it midway through the 2004 season because it wasn't having its usual effect. He regained a feel for it during spring training. . . .

RHP Jorge Sosa has the potential to be a big-league closer. He throws in the high 90s, but his lack of control remains an issue.

Atlanta Beats Washington

2005-04-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

Smoltz has been having a pretty lame start to the season. As of now, he is 0-3 going into the game against the Washington Nationals. I’m currently viewing the game, so it’s sort of hard to call right now. The game has been keeping very close. Smoltz has had a clean start only allowing one run in the 4th.

Center fielder Wilkerson for the Washington Nationals made the only score up to the 9th inning. But now, it looks like its starting to turn around. After an error made by shortstop Christian Guzman, two runners were able to advance in due to a hit by Raul Mondesi.

So, the final score ended at 2-1 and Atlanta has taken the victory. There will be a follow-up game to the series tomorrow.

Mondesi was thrown out of his previous game aagainst the Astros on a faulty call made against him. Raul shouldn’t have argued it as much as he did, but he was right about the call. He should not have been called out.

Hampton

2005-04-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

- comment by concerned fan

I believe Hampton's problems have been not having run support, how many games did he loose because the bullpen failed to hold a one run lead, Hampton his above average hitter and helps himself almost all of the time, he's a fighter a battlier as the best analyst and who should be a majorleague manager, don sutton says and I've learned more about pitching from don sutton over the years, but thats another story. Mike hampton I've had mixed feelings about over the years since he's started with the braves but just observing him I believe he's one of the best pitchers in baseball.
- Jim Bunn

Team Report

2005-04-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

LF Brian Jordan proved his left knee is sound and earned an everyday job. If he stays healthy, he could start more than 145 games this year. He still possesses good speed, and if he can get hot at the plate, he could move into the fifth spot in the order to give CF Andruw Jones protection. . . .

The bullpen might be better than advertised. RHP Kevin Gryboski appears healthy, and RHP Ramon Colon looks mature and capable of getting outs. Throw in RHP Jorge Sosa, and the bullpen has good depth. . . .

1B Adam LaRoche could pitch in an emergency. He has thrown bullpen sessions and displayed a good fastball, changeup and curve.

Braves Opener

2005-04-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

So, the season is finally back in full swing. A lot of different things happened along the lines to either bring up or cut down teams throughout spring training. But, all of this is behind us now and it is time to look forward on to the future.

The Braves just took on the Florida Marlins. This wasn’t exactly the most ultimate show of skill. John Smoltz, who was just signed to the Braves, gave up seven runs at the beginning of the game. The Braves could not recover afterward and the Marlins kept them to a scoreless game. The final score was 9-0.

Jordan Chats with Fans On-line

2005-03-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

Brian Jordan of the Atlanta Braves sat down recently to take a few moments out for the fans. Many different people joined on to ask this baseball player questions regarding his past, present and future.

- from the official site of the Atlanta Braves

Some questions included:

Brian Jordan: Thanks everybody for showing up for this chat. I'm looking forward to talking to you and then getting ready for tonight's game.

ndsubison1: Where do you look to be in the lineup and what do you think of your chances of getting back to the playoffs, providing everyone staying healthy?

Jordan: I'd say I'll bat fifth or sixth and I think we've got a great chance to get back to the playoffs, providing everybody stays healthy.

choppinmama: Welcome back, No. 33. How do you think the Falcons are looking for the 2005 season? Do we have all the positions covered to make the playoffs again this year?

Jordan: I think the Falcons are definitely going to be back in the playoffs if they get a No. 1 quality receiver.

sweet13braves: What team did you root for when you were younger?

Jordan: The Baltimore Orioles. That was the hometown team.

clearwall: I believe every question today will center around your knee and your recent struggles. I want to ask, what makes you confident that you can come back to the form you had during your first time with Atlanta?

Jordan: Just all the hard work in the offseason. The knee feels very strong. So I feel like I can return to form.

sweet13braves: What made you choose baseball instead of football?

Jordan: Longevity. You can definitely play baseball longer than football.

BREAKOUT PLAYER:

2005-03-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

- from FOXSports.com

Hampton hasn't been regarded among the game's elite hurlers since he made his highly lucrative trek to Colorado before the 2001 season. His first two seasons in Atlanta have provided a wave of emotions. Two disappointing first halves have been followed with great second halves. Offseason surgery repaired a left knee that has given him trouble the past two years. His sinker still baffles opponents and gives him the potential to be a 20-game winner again like he was in 1999 with the Astros.

Adam Bernero Restoration

2005-03-17T17:59:00.000-08:00

At 28, Adam Bernero has played for the Tigers and the Rockies, but still has not made a name or place for himself. In steps the Atlanta Braves to take control of a situation that might have spiraled to destruction. Braves manager Bobby Cox sees something in Bernero that other teams might have just passed up on.

Bernero now is joining a list of pitchers whose career has been saved by the Atlanta Braves. But, this is all on a basis of whether he shows improvement or not.

"Every once in a while, guys have seen me during batting practice and then say, 'Did we face you before?' I say, 'Yeah, I shut you guys out a couple of years ago.'"
- Adam Bernero

Two Prospects Too Soon

2005-03-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann are two top prospects for the Atlanta Braves currently, but they will not be playing this season. After a loss to the Pirates, the Braves announced a stream of cuts from the team. Francoeur and McCann were among these names.

This does not mean that the Braves are not very interested in these players. Actually, the fact of the matter is quite the contrary. Francoeur and McCann, both very youthful players at 21, are being put into Minor League teams with the eyes of the Braves continuously cataloguing their development.

"They'll be back and forth. It's not like they're sent down forever."
- Braves manager Bobby Cox

Coming Up:

2005-03-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

- from the official site of the Atlanta Braves

Tim Hudson will make his Braves debut against Tom Glavine and the Mets in Port St. Lucie on Monday afternoon. Following Hudson will be Dan Kolb (who will also be making his Braves debut), Anthony Lerew, Buddy Hernandez and Tom Martin.

Mike Hampton is scheduled to make his second start on Tuesday at Disney against Randy Johnson. If the Big Unit's calf allows, this game will match the same starting pitchers who squared off on May 18 last year in Atlanta. That was the evening Johnson tossed a perfect game against the Braves.

Braves Updates

2005-03-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

- from FOXSports.com

Andruw Jones appears to be the Braves' choice as cleanup hitter. The center fielder has averaged more than 30 homers for five seasons, and while primarily hitting seventh last year he still produced 91 RBIs. He's a better run producer than Raul Mondesi, who struggles with runners on base, and Chipper Jones wants to hit third in the lineup. . . .

1B Julio Franco still believes he'll play another four seasons until he reaches his 50th birthday. Manager Bobby Cox says the 46-year-old Franco will once again serve as the team's top pinch hitter and see plenty of action in a platoon role at first base with Adam LaRoche. . . .

RHP Dan Kolb has been working with pitching coach Leo Mazzone on a changeup, and Kolb is gaining confidence that he can throw his sinker down and away to righthanded hitters. These are two pitches that made LHPs Chris Hammond and Mike Remlinger so effective under Mazzone's tutelage earlier this decade.

A Young Bench

2005-02-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

This year it seems that the Braves will have a very youthful bench. With the loss of Mark DeRosa, who will be playing for the Rangers, the only remaining veteran ballplayer will be Julio Franco. The first baseman at 46-years old produced a .348 batting average last year as a pinch hitter.

The Braves came out as a very clutch team last year. Winning 13 games after the seventh inning, a few of the players proved that they can handle themselves in these situations. Nick Green, for example, came in and replaced Marcus Giles for a period of time. Most of his runs came during times of tying the game or placing Atlanta in the lead. Green, at 26, is only over his rookie season. He is placed as a utility infielder.

Another prospective for an infield position will either be Pete Orr or Wilson Betemit. Betemit hit .278 with 13 homers and 59 RBIs at Triple-A Richmond last year. Orr hit .320 with a homer and 35 RBIs at Richmond in 2004. Both are being looked at, but most likely Orr will take the position.

Braves Begin Community Caravan

2005-02-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

The Braves have just kicked off their caravan for outreach to the community. This caravan is an outreach program made for the team to be able to take a part in community events and show that they are not only interested in what goes on in the diamond.

The caravan rides through most of the metro Atlanta area, including parts of Alabama and Tennessee. The Braves’ players are trying to make all the best stops to show their community spirit.

One of the first stops was to the Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital. During this stop, a few of the players got to talk and spend time with some of the children in the ward; a little hope in a world that needs it. Good job Braves!!!

Joining the team is ...

2005-01-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

Raul Mondesi signed a one year contract worth $1 million dollars and is now the right fielder for the Atlanta Braves.

Mondesi is 33 years of age and is pretty damn good ball player. He has had two All-star selections, two Golden Gloves, and the Rookie of the year honors in 1994. I feel this a good move for both sides. Mondesi will fill a void the Braves had in right field and for a good price too.

Alabama native grew up 'idolizing' Braves

2004-12-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

by Associated Press, from ESPN.com

Tim Hudson was a high school junior in 1991 when John Smoltz pitched the Atlanta Braves to their first division title in nine years.

Now that he will join Smoltz in the Atlanta rotation, Hudson hopes to help the Braves finish atop the division for an unprecedented 14th straight season.

"I grew up idolizing those guys," Hudson said Friday. "When I was out in Oakland, there were a lot of comparisons to the Atlanta staff. I was blown away just being compared to those guys."

The Braves introduced Hudson, who grew up in east Alabama and starred at Auburn, a day after acquiring him in a deal that sent top pitching prospect Dan Meyer, outfielder Charles Thomas and reliever Juan Cruz to the Athletics.

The 29-year-old Hudson has a .702 career winning percentage, which ranks third in history among pitchers with 100 decisions. Oakland general manager Billy Beane called Hudson, who was visiting with family members in Auburn, to tell him of the trade.

"There's obviously a lot of emotions over the last day," Hudson said. "This is the first time we've ever had to deal with something like this. There's obviously a lot of sadness involved. On the other hand, there's also a lot of excitement."

According to Hudson, the cost-conscious A's never approached him about extending a contract that expires after the 2005 season. He will earn $5 million next season.

Smoltz, who agreed to return to the rotation after setting a franchise record with 154 saves, reached terms on a new agreement Thursday that will pay him $20 million through 2006. Hudson has yet to discuss a long-term contract with the Braves, but he hopes either to sign a new deal or to put talks on hold before spring training starts in two months.

"Come spring training, I don't want the focus to be on the contract," Hudson said. "Nobody likes this part of baseball. I don't have to like it, but I do understand it."

Oakland drafted Hudson in the sixth round of 1997, the same year he was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. He went 20-6 with a 4.14 ERA in 2000, his first full season in the majors.

His 81 victories over the last five years tied him for most in the AL and fifth overall. Braves general manager John Schuerholz and Hudson disputed any lingering problems from the strained left oblique muscle that left him under 30 starts and 200 innings for the first time in five years.

Even so, Hudson finished 12-6 with a 3.53 ERA with 103 strikeouts and 44 walks in 188 2/3 innings. Schuerholz first approached Beane about Hudson as the GM meetings last month in Key Biscayne, Fla.

"We feel the addition of Tim to our starting rotation, with John Smoltz coming back and the addition of Dan Kolb as closer gives us as formidable a pitching staff as we've had in a long time," Schuerholz said. "When you can acquire a player of Tim's caliber and excellence, he becomes a leader not only of our pitching staff but our team as well."

Last season was the first Atlanta entered since '91 without a true ace. Tom Glavine left to sign with the New York Mets in 2003, and Greg Maddux signed with the Chicago Cubs last offseason. Though Russ Ortiz led the NL with 21 wins in '03, he allowed 112 walks, second-most in the NL, and his ERA rose 18 points to 4.13.

Ortiz left earlier this month to sign a new deal with Arizona, and Jaret Wright, who emerged as the Braves' best starter last year, did the same with the New York Yankees.

Manager Bobby Cox indicated that Smoltz, who won the Cy Young Award in 1996, would open 2005 as the No. 1 starter with Hudson, Mike Hampton, John Thomson and Horacio Ramirez following him.

"We've had some great pitching staffs all these years or we wouldn't have won that many divisional titles," Cox said. "That's for sure. It's been our history here in Atlanta to have good pitching, and once again we're going to have great pitching."

Showalter Edges Twins' Gardenhire in AL

2004-11-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

by Associated Press, from ESPN.com

Bobby Cox and Buck Showalter were given little chance of success after payroll purges pushed out key players. Proving the predictions wrong, their teams won, anyway, and so did the managers.

Cox was voted NL Manager of the Year on Wednesday for leading the Atlanta Braves to an unexpected 13th straight division title, and Showalter won the AL honor for turning the last-place Rangers into a contender after Texas traded MVP Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees.

"Some of the fans probably thought we weren't going to make it this year, but we did,'' Cox said following his third manager of the year award. "I think I'm as thrilled this year as I ever have been with one single team.''

Coming off four straight last-place finishes in the AL West, Texas cut its payroll in half and wasn't predicted to do well. But the Rangers rebounded and remained in contention until the final week of the season.

"I would have picked us the same place everybody did, too,'' said Showalter, who won for the second time.

Cox received 22 first-place votes and 10 seconds for 140 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Tony La Russa of St. Louis, who has won four manager of the year awards, was second with 62 points after leading the Cardinals to a major league-best 105-57 record. Jim Tracy of Los Angeles was third with 52.

"I thought Tony deserved it, to be honest,'' Cox said. "I would be more than happy to split that trophy and have both our names on it.''

Atlanta, struck by injuries to key players, was 33-39 after a loss at Baltimore on June 25, then went 63-27.

"We were treading water for a good part of the season until we got everybody back and finally took off,'' Cox said.

Cox won the AL award with Toronto in 1985 and the NL award with the Braves in 1991, the first year of Atlanta's record run.

After the departures of pitcher Greg Maddux and sluggers Gary Sheffield, Javy Lopez and Vinny Castilla, the Braves were predicted by most to finish third or lower in the NL East. But the Braves wound up 10 games ahead of second-place Philadelphia.

Atlanta lost 3-2 to Houston in the first round of the playoffs. Despite all the division titles, the Braves' only World Series championship under Cox was 1995.

"I'm not a real paper reader, and I don't listen to talk shows,'' Cox said. "Fans want to win. We gave it our best shot. We simply were pitched out the last ballgame.''

Showalter received 14 first-place votes, nine seconds and four thirds for 101 points, finishing ahead of Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire, who got 11 firsts, 11 seconds and three thirds for 91 points.

Texas went 89-73 -- its most wins since 1999 -- and finished third in the AL West behind Anaheim and Oakland, just three games out of first. The Rangers committed to several younger players after the 2003 season, and for Showalter that was key.

"There was a sense of urgency since Day 1. They walked through the door and had a blast,'' he said. "We lost our first two games of the year. It would have been easy in Oakland to have a here-we-go mentality creep in again. Our players refused to give in.''

Showalter also won the award in 1994 with the Yankees. Gardenhire, who managed the Twins to their third straight AL Central title, finished second in the voting for the second straight season.

"Sometimes the best managing you do is the managing you don't do,'' Showalter said, "to get out of the way and trust them.''

Braves Drop Opener at Home

2004-10-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

It wasn't like chances weren't there. It was the fact the chances given were taken away from Roger Clemens. Frustrated with the memory of the past two NLDS, the Braves don't want to find themselves in that situation again. So today is a must win, as the Braves try to turn the tide against 'Stros.

But the game is played and their are winners and losers. The victor will always take advantages given them and create situations to put runs on the board. Many a opportunity arose for the Braves to have big innings. But falling short after big outings from Houston's "Killer Bees" the Braves dropped a harsh 9-3 and are down in the serious 0-1.

The Braves, have beaten the Astros nine of their previous ten playoff games against the Astros.

The Braves also need big performances from J.D. Drew and Chipper Jones who went hitless yesterday against Houston.

Go Braves!

Braves can clinch 13th straight division title

2004-09-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

From ESPN.com, the SportsTicker

BRISTOL, Connecticut - Another year, another division title for the Atlanta Braves.

Bobby Cox has guided the Braves to a record 12 consecutive division crowns. On Thursday, Atlanta can extend that streak to 13 with a win coupled with a loss by the Florida Marlins.

The Braves (89-63) had a chance to clinch a tie for the National League East title on Wednesday, but closer John Smoltz yielded five ninth-inning runs in an 11-8 loss to Cincinnati.

But the loss merely delays the inevitable, which is yet another division crown for the Braves, who host the Reds Thursday night while the defending champion Marlins (79-72) play Philadelphia. The Braves started the streak with three NL West crowns before switching to the East, which they have ruled since 1995.

Atlanta's string of success is overlooked because the Braves have won just one World Series title in that span.

But the latest division title may be the most satisfying one for Cox since the Braves lost three prominent players - pitcher Greg Maddux, outfielder Gary Sheffield and catcher Javy Lopez - in the offseason and were predicted by many to finish behind Philadelphia and Florida.

But the team received big contributions in 2004 from outfielder J.D. Drew, who was acquired from St. Louis, and Jaret Wright, a 15-game winner.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins were the first teams to secure division titles. The Cardinals locked up the National League Central Division title, while the Twins captured the American League Central Division for the third straight season on Monday.

Major League Baseball's postseason starts October 5. The three division leaders in each league plus the team with the next best record will compete in opening-round best-of-five series.

Based upon the American League's victory in the All-Star Game, it will have home-field advantage in the World Series for the third straight year.

Atlanta (85-60) at New York (63-82), 7:10 p.m. ET

2004-09-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Mets think they can slow us down, but they're wrong. I'm looking forward to a solid win tonight. A 13th consecutive division crown will be nice.

Drinking and Driving

2004-09-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

From ESPN.com
Associated Press

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal returned to the starting lineup Saturday night after issuing a public apology for his second DUI arrest in four years.

"I want to say I'm sorry to Bobby Cox and also all my teammates and all the fans, the baseball fans who follow me in my career and follow the Atlanta Braves," Furcal said before Saturday night's game against the Montreal Expos.

Cox, the Braves manager, said he was not reluctant to put Furcal back in the starting lineup after the player was arrested early Friday morning.

Furcal was charged with driving under the influence, speeding and reckless driving. He spent much of Friday in two separate Atlanta area jails before arriving at Turner Field in time to watch Friday night's game

Atlanta 3, philadelphia 1

2004-09-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

Yeeaaah! Pass that plate of BBQ and throw me another cold one! Okay, back to the game...

Enjoy the Carnage.

2004-09-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

Atlanta (77-54) at Philadelphia (65-67), 7:05 p.m. ET

I plan to invite a few friends over, order some pizza, and watch the Braves demolish that other team.

71/53.

2004-08-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

We have the NL East.

Thomson starts tonight against his former team, The Rockies. The Braves enter with a 7 1/2 game divison lead. I plan to enjoy the carnage.

Atlanta (67-50) at San Diego (63-55)

2004-08-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

The story from their official site:

Two of the National League's best pitchers will square off when Jaret Wright opposes Jake Peavy in the second game of a three-game set between the Braves and Padres at PETCO Park on Tuesday night.

Wright, who posted an 8.37 ERA in 39 appearances as a Padres reliever last year, has rejuvenated his career since coming to Atlanta. He hasn't lost any of his past 15 starts, dating back to May 22. More impressively, he's posted a 1.58 ERA in his last eight starts.

As for Peavy, the 2.14 ERA he has posted in 18 starts would lead the Major Leagues if he hadn't missed six weeks with a right forearm injury. The right-hander has limited opponents to two runs or less in 17 of those starts.

There's a chance these two teams could see each other again in the postseason. While the Braves own an eight-game lead in the National League East standings, the Padres trail the Giants by a game in the NL Wild Card race.

This should be one heck of a game.

Milwaukee (53-58) at Atlanta (63-48), 7:05 p.m. ET

2004-08-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well, we're still leading the NL East, and tonight we're taking on Milwaukee: this is the middle of the series, and we plan to even out the tie. This is definitely a good game to check out. My team will pull through and win this series. That is all for now.

Solid NL East Lead.

2004-08-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

Lookin' good: 58/46 with the Phillies holding second at 53/52. Tonight we take on Roger Clemens and the Astros in the sweltering city of Houston, Tx.

To quote a quote from mlb.com:

"We're just playing some good ball all around. It's fun to be out there playing." -- Braves second baseman Marcus Giles

And it's definitely fun to watch 'em play.

Word to Your Mothers

2004-07-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

Largest division lead of the year. Indeed.

Sure, my team members have a sensitive side, but they are not overly concerned with the self-esteem of our eye-patch wearing, wooden leg touting rivals, so I say 'stomp those damn pirates!' Mr. Byrd, may the wind be at your back and your offense backup solid!

Back in the saddle again

2004-07-20T09:39:00.000-07:00

Chad here, taking over where that no-good floozie, Julia left off. Sure, this blog is supposed to be about baseball, so I'll save my rant about women for my psychiatrist (my beautiful, faithful bloodhound, Izabel).

Anyhow, where was I? Oh yes, my favorite hard-hitting, pseudo-Native American, cussin', spittin', wooden stick-wielding buddies known as The Braves. We (yes, I consider myself to be an unofficial member of my officially favorite team) are leading the NL East with 49 wins. Yeah, yeah, the Phillies are nipping at our heels, but we ain't sweatin' it. I hear that there is no "I" in the word "team", but a special congratulations still needs to be sent out to Mr. Mike Hampton: you, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar... well, maybe neither of those assertions are true, who knows... but one thing is for certain: Hampton pitched one heck of a ball game, thus pushing us up to #1. Am I gloating? Perhaps, but after such a rough start this season, a little gloating is well-deserved.

Braves Snag Phillies Series

2004-07-13T13:54:00.000-07:00

Atlanta took the series this weekend with the Phillies 2-1. Great work, guys! Still same place in the standings with a .517 average. The Braves will host Montreal for a weekend series starting Thursday. Something tells me this one could easily be in the bag. The Expos' record is simply laughable, and they're playing away.

Don't forget to watch JOHNNY ESTRADA in the ALL-STAR game TONIGHT!!! Thanks for representing Atlanta so well, Johnny!!! Go get 'em!!

MOVIN ON UP

2004-07-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Braves are up against the PHillies this weekend in a 3 game series. We're right below the Phillies at the top of the NL East, and this is a great chance to move up to the top. We'd have to win all three, but even if we don't, we can improve our record against theirs. I'm closing up shop at the ol' job right now so I can't ramble too much, but I'll be watching this weekend.

GOOD LUCK BRAVES!!!

New Braves Post

2004-07-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

I'm making a new Atlanta Braves weblog to track their progress and express my thoughts on the Braves and baseball in general. I always welcome your comments, and hope that you enjoy my blog!

GO BRAVES!!!