June 2009 Archives

Just a guess here: Tension is creeping into the Atlanta Braves locker room. Not so much for the losing, but the growing performance divide between pitchers and hitters.

Jair Jurrjens and Javier Vazquez, scheduled for mound duty Wednesday and Thursday against the Phillies at Turner Field, are having all-star-worthy seasons. Their ERAs are to die for: 2.93 and 3.04. Their records -- 5-6 and 5-7 -- are grounds for justifiable homicide. . .

Against Braves hitters, tutored(?) by coach Terry Pendleton, who apparently has a lifetime contract.

If you're a home-schooled teen and yearn to play football -- or any other sport, for that matter -- 26 states allow you to suit up at the public school in your district.

Georgia isn't one of them. The state's high school association (GHSA), whose voice is loud and clear with the state assembly, is opposed to the notion, saying it would be ripe for recruiting violations. Besides, it maintains, the home-schooler may fill a uniform that would otherwise go to a student at the school.

The biggest difference between back-to-back slots in the NBA Draft is Nos. 30 and 31. Picked 30th, you conclude Round One and are guaranteed a two-year contract. Picked 31st, you open Round Two and are guaranteed nothing, other than to compete with free-agent signings in training camp for a roster berth that may not exist.

It seemed like yesteryear but was actually 11 seasons ago when Atlanta Braves skipper Bobby Cox replaced outfielder Andruw Jones in mid-inning for failing to hustle down a fly ball.

The Atlanta Falcons would have taken a seventh-round draft pick in exchange for Michael Vick. The 53rd player on someone's roster. A crate of new helmets. Anything.

In the end, they got nuthin'.

In the least surprising news of the summer, along the lines of "warmer weather on the way," the Falcons cut Vick loose. Now, 31 other teams -- like Seattle, coached by Vick fan club president Jim Mora -- can ponder picking him up.

   Chipper Jones can hit. That, we know.

   Tom Glavine is a union guy, through and through. That, too, we know.

   Tommy Hanson? Not sure what we know yet about him.

   Another whack weekend for the Atlanta Braves began when Glavine, unceremoniously dumped, made the media rounds to bash his longtime employer. Glavine said he felt used and abused, harsh words for a franchise that paid him millions over the years.

   It was even reported that Glavine may file a labor grievance because of his belief that finances was the sole reason for the cut. Haven't heard that one before in the big leagues. But the former Braves union player rep considers himself a role model on this front, too.

   Pitching, on the whole, is not the Braves' problem, so his arm won't be missed -- even if his usually warm personality will be. Hitting? Another story. As Glavine's harsh words were broadcast all over town, his old club was shut out on consecutive days by the Milwaukee Brewers.

   Come Sunday, Glav's indirect replacement, Hanson, toed the mound for the first time. Given the frigid Braves bats and the overwhelming expectations heaped upon Hanson, a 1-0 win seemed a best-case scenario..

   Well, the Braves won by a run -- 8-7. For three innings, Hanson was dead-solid perfect. Nine up, nine down, five by strikeout.

  Then, second time through the batting order, Hanson was more like a rookie call-up in mid-September. The Brews, having adjusted to Hanson's acclaimed fastball, rocked him for seven runs, six earned, in three innings.

   As for Chipper, as we gripe about his frequent absences, we must admire his textbook swing. Sunday: four hits, including two homers, and five RBIs. Jones is hitting .329. Hope he gets enough bats between injuries to qualify for the hitting title.

   The Glavine story isn't going away soon, so the Braves cannot wait for more on-field distractions. Circle Friday on your calendar -- Hanson's next start.

Thursday's washout of the Cubs game has given Braves Nation a chance to chill and let sink in the management decisions that drove its citizens to overload blogs and chat rooms. Fire Frank Wren! Being back Maddux!! Hear what Smoltzie said???

(Though, even with not a pitch thrown Thursday, Bobby Cox created a buzz by listing Chipper Jones at cleanup, not his choice spot, in the batting order. But that's for another day.)

One dude's thoughts:

1. Management came across as heartless for whacking Tom Glavine at the tail end of his minor-league rehab starts and on the eve of his anticipated return to Turner Field. In hindsight, the team might have cared so much about Glavine that it gave him extra opportunities to alter the feeling that he couldn't cut it anymore. Any other player might have been let go sooner.

2. Will we ever trust those scoreboard numbers on the speed of pitches? Glavine backers say he was throwing 83 to 86 mph, based on the radar gun figures flashed to stadium fans. Not so, says Braves management, claiming the digits were in error. I've always wondered about the accuracy of those numbers, especially after having been pulled over by a radar-gunned cop once and accused of driving a speed that seemed inflated.

3. A case is being made that Glavine should have been awarded at least one start to verify or disprove management's assessment. In essence, it might have turned out as a one-game farewell -- at a cost of $1 million to the club. Ultimately, it's the fans who wind up paying such frivolous expenses. As an occasional ticket-buyer, I say, uh-uh.

4. One overlooked trait that new centerfielder Nate McLouth brings to the Braves is speed. Atlanta has 12 stolen bases, fewest in baseball, which is a dreadful total for a power-starved team. McLouth was 23-for-26 last season with Pittsburgh.

5. Give it up for the Braves farm system for having three attractive minor-leaguers to offer up for McLouth. Pitcher Charlie Morton might have his day in the bigs, though at age 25 his window is closing. Outfielder Gorkys Hernandez has fleet feet and a strong arm, but his bat lags. Jeff Locke is another pitcher, but there's no shortage of those on the big-league roster.

6. Braves Nation should extend thanks to the Pirates -- and condolences to their fans -- for being an eternally rebuilding, low-rent franchise.

7. Now we gotta wait till Sunday for Tommy Hanson's debut? Damn rain.

  Five years ago, when high school senior Dwight Howard told me one of his life's missions was to get a Biblical element added to the NBA logo, I figured the Atlantan's religious convictions would someday ruffle feathers.

That day has come. After Howard and the Orlando Magic ruined the NBA Finals' dream matchup -- and exposed an unsportsmanlike side of LeBron James -- Howard credited God partly with the series win. Not to be misunderstood, he subsequently said God would remain in the Magic's camp against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now, I can't vouch for what Howard really meant but will give him the benefit of the doubt here that his Lord is not picking sides, merely rewarding those who follow their faith. So, it's not like The Big Guy (or Gal) has it out for LeBron or Kobe Bryant, only that Howard believes he adheres to Christianity and will get a pat on the back for it.

That's a debatable point, of course, but whatHoward seems not to be doing is distinguishing athletics competition, where there is always a loser, with other walks of life. A business person can be blessed without someone else suffering for it. Not so in a game or a match or a race. So, one guy's blessing is another's curse.

 Whatever he is trying to say, Howard talks from the heart. Trust me. He's not stylin', profilin' or lyin' with the God-speak. That's his upbringing, the environment of school and family that molded him.

Take it or leave it. Regardless, admire the wonderful player who has worked for everything he's gotten.

  Josh Anderson is hitting .277 for the Detroit Tigers, holding down first place in the AL Central. Why should Braves Nation care?