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Jurrjens Sent Down to AAA Gwinnett

Buck's Braves Blog — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:49:09 GMT

What happens to Jurrjens, if he continues to struggle? The answer is in: He gets sent down to AAA Gwinnett. A shocker to most MLB fans, I'm sure.

He was lights out early last season. Now, he's getting roughed up by Juan Uribe. What's up? They say he's not hurt. The right knee is not bothering him. It's a location thing.

It's gotten plain ugly. Check the numbers: 0-2, with an ERA of 9.37. MLB batters are hitting .411 and he's allowed 30 hits in 16.1 innings. Since the All-Star break last year, Jurrjens is1-5, with a 6.87 ERA.

Jurrjens was told after the loss to the Dodgers that he was being demoted to AAA. At least, he took the news well. He must have anticipated it.

The Jurrjens Plan: "Keep fighting."

He admitted that he's "not the same pitcher."

So, Delgado will remain in the rotation, with Hudson coming back. That's the way it should be. Delgado appears close to settling in and tossing some good baseball. Jurrjens will try to work through his difficulties at AAA.

Jurrjens Looks Shaky

Buck's Braves Blog — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:47:20 GMT

Had great seats for the Braves win over the Mets today. Got a little wet, but my son Rhett didn't mind. So, we hung out. About 10 rows up, behind the Mets dugout.

Great to see the Braves pound the knuckler Dickey. Francisco, Uggla and Freeman hit bombs. Braves had 9 extra-base knocks. Scored 14 runs, on 16 hits. Break out the sticks! Braves now lead the N.L. in runs scored (65).

But Jurrjens wasn't sharp. And that's not good. Just doesn't look like the same guy, since the knee issue hit. He touched 90 a few times, but his fastball sat at 87-88. He looks lighter too. But the stuff ain't the same.

Wonder how long the Braves will stick with him. He struggled all spring. Now this: 3 disappointing starts and a 8.10 ERA. This is scary too: major league hitters are lighting him up to the tune of a .362 average so far.

Jurrjens was dealing with lousy conditions in this start. Wet. Steady rain. Not easy to look good.

Teheran is sharp, down at AAA. Just shutout Norfolk Tuesday, on just 2 hits. He struck out 7. He's learning how to set-up hitters, instead of just relying on blowing them away. That's huge. The guy didn't get down on himself. Went back to work. His stuff is filthy. Just needs to stay out of the middle of the plate.

Delgado is ready too. Impressive. Strong. And did you see that nasty change that struck out Day and Duda, to get out of the inning? This guy is ready to be in the big leagues.

Hudson coming back will be a boost. And if Jurrjens can't get it together, Teheran and Delgado are ready to go.

Swept By The Mets

Buck's Braves Blog — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:47:37 GMT

Talk about the WORST way to start a season. Terrible. The Braves just got swept by the lowly Mets. It was just ugly.

In the season opener, they got shut down by Santana. Ended up with 4 hits and 0 runs. That hurt. In Game 2, they couldn't hit the knuckler and ended up with 2 runs on 7 hits. In the series finale', Niese took a no-hitter into the 7th and the Braves finished the game with just 3 hits. Embarrassing.

So, the frustrations against LH pitchers continues. Last season, the Braves were the worst in MLB against LH's. Only hit .229 against them. Two of the 3 losses against the Mets came against LH's. And waiting in Houston are 2 LH starters.

What's the deal against LH's? The RH bats aren't carrying their weight. Uggla hit .202 against them last season. Dan is the Braves big RH stick. And RH are expected to hit LH pitching. Diaz got the start in both games, but his RH bat isn't enough to break the trend.

Got to get Chipper Jones back! He hit LH better than any Braves regular last season (.270).

No wonder Fran Wren has been searching for a big RH bat to deal for, the last 2 years. Might want to speed up that search, Frank. This is getting ugly.

Braves Shutout in Opener

Buck's Braves Blog — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 20:32:06 GMT

Tough to lose like that on opening day. Got shutout, on 4 hits. Got beat by the lowly Mets. Not exactly the way you want to start the season. The line-up was quiet.

The Braves blew 3 straight scoring opportunities, in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings. And that's where the Braves lost the game. Heyward and Bourn falied to deliver in the 5th. In the 6th, Freeman and Diaz hit it hard, but came up short. In the 7th, Constanza and Bourn failed, with Pastornicky at third, after his triple (1ST MLB HIT!). So, 0-6 in those key at-bats.

That's how you lose, even with outstanding pitching.

Hanson delivered a good performance. It gave the team a chance to win. Tommy had the curve ball dialed in. His line: 5-4-1. Good for the loss.

Medlen was dominant, in 2 innings. Fastball had movement at 92-93. Change was outstanding at 82. Threw the curve for strikes. Impressive.

Venters is just nasty. Throwing bullets, with that hard sinker at 94-95. Had the breaking ball working. Dude, he was just filthy.

Braves get outstanding pitching in the season opener and lose, 1-0. Ouch. That stings. Disappointing way to start the season.

But only 1 of 162, right? Go win the series now.

Tommy Hanson's New Weapon

Buck's Braves Blog — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 01:07:13 GMT

Can't wait to see more of Hanson's newest weapon...the "Hard Sinker." Put it to the test against the hard-hitting Tigers, in his last spring training start. Man, it looked good. Bascially, we're talking 2-seam fastball, which has some movement. And Tommy is throwing it up there 89-93. Nasty. Filthy.

David Ross thinks it could be a game-changer for Hanson. Tommy's stuff was already top of the rotation caliber. A 4-seam fastball in the low 90's. Slider and curve. Tried to mix in a change up. Where did that repertoire get him? After 3 seasons in The Show, he has a 3.28 ERA.

Now he could feature the "Hard Sinker." And that means challenging guys more with the hard stuff. More fastballs. 2-seam fastballs. Sounds good. On the attack! It sure worked for Venters, uh?

I'm all in on Hanson this season. It'll be a big season for him. Gets the opening day start. Embrace that opportunity, which is the next step in the process of becoming a top pitcher. Then, go have a big season. Tommy was on the way to having that season a year ago, when the shoulder pain shut him down. The repertoire is just filthy now.

Get ready to see his new weapon, against the Mets Thursday. This should be good.

See New Braves Faces

Buck's Braves Blog — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:23:15 GMT

Count me as one of the guys that totally enjoyed the Braves vs. Future All-Stars exhibition game at Coolray Field. Been wanting to see some of these new guys, who the Braves have invested in recently. Basically, the top picks over the last couple of years.

Last year's 1st round pick, lefty Sean Gilmartin was impressive. Throws strikes and mixes his pitches. Got some pop on that fastball too. His change-up is a plus pitch. Keep an eye on this guy, as he starts the year in AA-Mississippi.

Matt Lipka, the Braves 1st round pick in 2010, starts his 2nd season in the organization at High-A Lynchburg. He's just 19. He drew a 1st inning walk, leading off against Minor, stole second and came around to score an unearned run. Like his game. Athletic. Competitive.

Also got a first look at newest Brave...Juan Francisco. He looks like Pablo Sandoval, the Giants 3rd baseman. Juan hit some rockets in BP. Got to see him swing around a pitch from Gilmartin and ground out to first. Need to see more.

Frank Wren has stockpiled some talent at 3B, with Chipper retiring. Francisco has a shot. Joey Terdoslavich will be the AAA 3B. Also, Edward Salcedo moves up to High-A Lynchburg. May the best man win.

Braves Opening Day Starters

Buck's Braves Blog — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:10:07 GMT

Braves legend Phil Niekro leads the way with 8 opening day starts. Phil got the honor in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1983. No one will ever touch that lofty number of 8.

The Big 3: Maddux got 7 and Smoltz and Glavine had 4 each. Those were the good times, uh? Future HOF's on the mound to start the season for a decade and a half. Amazing.

You probably forgot that Rick Mayler had 5 opening day opportunities in Atlanta. Of course, it's understandable. The 80's weren't a lot of fun. Braves lost 456 games in the 5 season's Mayler was the opening day starter.

Derek Lowe got the last 3 ODS. Hudson has had 2 (would have got this one, if he was ready to go). Pat Jarvis and Carl Morton got the honor twice.

Hanson now joins a list of other 1-timers: Tony Cloninger (1966), Denny Lemaster (1967), Gary Gentry (1973), Andy Messersmith (1977), Tommy Boggs (1981), Len Barker (1984), Zane Smith (1989), John Burkett (2001) and Russ Ortiz (2004).

Sure hope Tommy can take this opportunity and run with it. It's nice to be honored with an opening day start, but to do it multiple times means you're legit.

Braves 2012 Rotation Set

Buck's Braves Blog — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:50:53 GMT

Tommy Hanson gets the honor of starting on opening day. Jurrjens is up next, as the #2 guy. And Jair gets the home opener, which is a honor too. Fredi has the lefty Mike Minor in the 3 slot. Beachy is set to go, in the 4th spot.

So, it'll be Hanson, Jurrjens, Minor and Beachy, until Hudson returns. That's a deep and solid rotation. Minor & Beachy are young guns taking the next step. Hanson & Jurrjens were two of the top pitchers in the N.L. last season, at the mid-way point. Both are close to multi-year deals, if they can put a full season together. Hudson should come back strong. It's a solid group.

As far as the 5th spot goes...Fredi is waiting to announce that. Delgado and Teheran have competed for that spot. Both have had good and some rough moments this spring. Julio's issue was keeping the ball out of the middle of the plate and in the ballpark. And when he did, Julio was dominant.

Delgado or Teheran would get 2-3 starts, before Hudson is ready. So, it looks like both are destined for AAA most of this season. Especially, with the Braves signing Livan Hernandez to spot start.

Medlen is correctly slotted to get some tough outs in the 7th & 8th innings, working out of the bullpen. This allows Venters and O'Flaherty to get some days off this season.

Sure hope Tommy Hanson takes this opportunity and runs with it. Establishes himself as a top of the rotation dude. In his 3 big league seasons, Hanson has a 3.28 ERA. That's to be respected. He's tweeked his wind-up, trying to lessen the torque on his right shoulder. That's also quickened up his release, which should help hold runners better. His stuff has always been nasty. Time to deliver, Tommy! Go get'em.

Jurrjens put together two quality starts, at the end of camp. He's trending up, hopefully. Can the knee hold up? That's the big question. McCann told me that Jurrjens success rides on the velocity of his fastball. Need it to be sitting in the low 90's, in order to set up his off-speed stuff. Some believe Jair's knee injury will prevent him from throwing that hard again. Anyway, this is a huge season for Jair, with free agency looming.

Minor just looks to me like he's turned the corner. Mike is throwing hard and working the fastball on both sides of the plate. His change is effective. Now he can throw the breaking ball for a strike, or bury it out of the zone. He's comfortable and confident. Maybe he takes off this season.

Beachy is a quality guy. Good stuff. He's focused on getting outs earlier in at-bats...trying to go deeper into the game. We should see the best of what Brandon has to offer this season.

Is this the best rotation in the N.L. East? Probably not. But it's solid and it's deep. It'll give the Braves a chance to win every day.

Braves Quiet at Winter Meetings

Buck's Braves Blog — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:15:21 GMT

   The Marlins are the buzz of the Winter Meetings. Got Jose Reyes. Got Heath Bell. Going hard at Pujols. The Mets acquired 3 power arms for their bullpen. The Nationals are reportedly going hard at more pitching. The Phillies locked down Papelbon.
   Meanwhile, Wren and the Braves have been quiet. But I wouldn't get down about that. Seriously.
   The one obvious need is a new shortstop. It really looks like Tyler Pastornicky is going to get a shot at the job. As a former minor leaguer, I like that. And the Braves have gone public with their belief that this young man is ready for the opportunity. Can't wait to get to spring training to see this.
   Pastornicky came over from the Blue Jays in the Escobar trade. He was a 5th round pick by Toronto in 2008. He spent most of last season in AA MIssissippi, where he hit .299 in 90 games. Tyler finished the season at AAA Gwinnett, where he hit .365 in 27 games.
   Defensively, he can pick it. He can run and steal. And he has good plate discipline. Got to like that skill set, right? He's a right-handed hitter. Most believe he is a candidate to lead-off, as his major league career unfolds...he struck out in less than 9% of his at-bats last season.
   He rarely throws his helment, when he makes an out...so that's a big change from Alex Gonzalez.
   As far as trading Jurrjens or Prado, Frank Wren is smart to slow that process down. Once C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle sign, the price tag on JJ goes up...probably get more in return. And if Frank deals Martin Prado, we're going to need a corner OF and a 3B, because Chipper can't play everyday at 40 years old.
   So, chill out a little. Don't get down on the Braves for not making a splash, at the Winter Meetings. There is plenty of time to improve the club, before spring training arrives.

The Braves Blame Game

Buck's Braves Blog — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:13:02 GMT

   That was the biggest collapse in the Atlanta Braves 45 year history. Led the Cardinals by 8.5 games and went 9-18 in September. Thank goodness, the Red Sox were even worse, so the national media had less time to focus on the Braves poor play. But locally, this was difficult to digest.
   Now the "Blame Game" starts.
   Fredi Gonzalez will get slammed for wearing out his bullpen (O'Flaherty 78 appearances, Venters 85, Kimbrel 79). His first season as manager is now stained with that collapse. Not exactly something you want on the resume', in your first year on the job.
   Derek Lowe might get run out of town. He's making top dollar and fell down on the job. That's not a good combination either. Lowe was 0-5 in September, with an ERA of 8.75. Braves might have to pick up more than half of that $15M salary next year, just to get rid of him.
   Jason Heyward was supposed to be a star this season. Instead, he barely showed up. Jason hit .227, with only 42 RBI. Not exactly what the Braves had in mind. His confidence and mechanics are shot right now. Wonder how this turns out?
   All-Star Brian McCann finished poorly. September was his worst month, hitting .200. That's when the team needed his bat the most. Fans never expected to see that finish.
   Frank Wren can't bring this team back together, after that collapse. Got to shake it up now.

Win or Stay Home For Braves

Buck's Braves Blog — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:21:20 GMT

   It's come down to this. One game. Win or get tagged with the biggest collapse in Atlanta Braves 45 year history. And it's difficult to have any confidence, since the guys have lost 4 in a row and 12 of their last 17 games.
   But you've got to admit, this is exciting. The season rides on the outcome of this one game.
   Try and cling to something positive. For example, we've got Hudson going tonight. He's our ace. And he's another bat in the line-up. And we face Joe Blanton, who is not exactly one of Philly's aces.
   It's so easy to slam and criticize right now. So easy to be negative. Check the fan reaction to the many blogs out there. These faceless people are just killing Fredi, Lowe, Chipper and the guys. Ripping them. And no, these folks won't be attending tonight's game at Turner Field.
   So, come on out for the finale. Good seats are available. And this Braves team needs your support tonight.
The Braves are our team. This is no time to turn your back on them. This will be a night to remember. Make last minute plans to be there...to cheer them on.
   Remember how last season ended?
   The Braves and Hudson beat the Phillies in the season finale. Then, they watched the Giants close out the Padres, which clinched the WC spot. A celebration took place, with Bobby Cox leading the way. Special night.
   Now, the Braves and Hudson try to pull it off again.

Postseason Hopes Ride Against Phillies

Buck's Braves Blog — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:31:08 GMT

   Wonder what the next 3 days will bring? I do know this: If you can't score, you can't win. And if we can't win, we can't play meaningful October baseball. This has been frustrating. Can only imagine the frustration that the Braves team is feeling right now.
   Delgado gets the start in Game 1 tonight. The Phillies throw Cliff Lee at us. Advantage Phils. Can't really expect the kid to go out there and shut down this line-up, can we? Although the Phillies have had trouble scoring runs too, since they shut it down after clinching.
   Game 2 of the series has Lowe and Oswalt matched up. D-Lowe was signed to pitch in these big games, but this season has been a disappointment. This could be the end of the road here in Atlanta for Lowe. He's due another chunck of change next year, but the Braves could dump him anyway, if they could find a team that wanted him.
   Wednesday is a critical day. Hudson is scheduled to go, but if we do get in...that takes Tim out of the first couple of games in the NLDS series. We need our ace going in Game #1. Our best shot is to wrap this wild-card spot up in the next 2 days. The Phillies have taken Hamels out of Game #3 and will go with a bullpen start (pitch the bullpen for 9 innings).
   Of course, we could activate Smoltz, Maddux and Glavine and we'd still be in trouble. Our line-up as gone soft. Can't score. We can get runners on, but we can't get them home. It's troubling. makes you want to scream and throw something.
   Maybe it changes today. Perhaps a return home can spark this offense.

Braves in September Funk

Buck's Braves Blog — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:21:06 GMT

   This is getting to be quite frustrating, as a Braves fan. This is a time when you want to be playing you're best baseball. Not you're worst.
   Again, just getting to the PS is not enough from my seat. Got to get there AND THEN, WIN. Little chance of that, it seems...and that's IF we can get there.
   The Braves are 6-12 in their last 18 games. The Cardinals are 15-5, in their last 20. There are only 8 games to play. Can we hold on? Or again, does it matter? What good is it to get there...and then, get swept out of the PS?
   Kimbrel and Venters have hit a rough spot. Not long ago, they were almost automatic.
   The starters are struggling toward the finish line, with the lone exception being Hudson. This Hanson & Jurrjens rushing back is just not realistic. And it's difficult to feel good about trotting anyone else out there. Beachy is the next best option and he can't go past 6 innings. The bullpen will be extended in the games Lowe and Minor pitch.
   And the line-up is about to drive me crazy. So many scoring opportunities wasted.
   It's official: the Braves are in trouble.

Wrong Time For Downward Spiral

Buck's Braves Blog — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 15:01:04 GMT

   The Braves are struggling at the wrong time. Lost 7 of their last 10 games. Starting rotation is now Huddy & The Kids. Shocker: even Venters and Kimbrel are suddenly allowing runs. And the line-up is struggling to score. This is scary stuff. Concern has set in.
   It doesn't look good. Thought this team was going places. Now, the only place they are going is down. And it's so disappointing. As a fan, you have so much time invested...tuning in every night for months. And now this. We are limping towards the finish line. Even if we get in, it looks like a quick out.
   It's too late for Hanson and Jurrjens to make it back. For some reason, the Braves brass are holding Teheran back. Don't get that either. He's dominated this season. But they now have decided to ship him to the bullpen. Looks like Minor and Delgado will get the call these final couple of weeks. What's up with that?
   Too many solo HRs lately for the offense. That's been the only production. Solo HRs. Freeman finally broke a 15-game skid, with a 2-run blast, in game two against the Cardinals. Prado has disappeared. Heyward has had a season to forget. It's disappointing.
   Things are going so bad even Venters and Kimbrel are no longer automatic.
   Sirens are blaring. The season ends in 16 games. This is getting ugly.

Braves Face Phillies Next!

Buck's Braves Blog — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:32:57 GMT

   The Braves hit Philadelphia 7.5 games back, with 23 games remaining. So, sweeping a team that hasn't been swept probably isn't likely. But even then, we'd still be 4.5 back, with 20 to go.
   But isn't it more about the Braves finding out how they match-up with these guys, heading into the PS. The Phillies haven't faced the new Braves. The line-up with Bourn at the top. And the one that features Uggla banging. Philly hasn't seen us in 2 months.
   Go up there and play tough, win the series...and the Braves send a message. If we see you in the PS, we can beat you. Maybe get in their head a little bit.
   Lowe gets Lee in the opener. Hudson takes on that hot-shot rookie Vance Worley in Game 2. It's Beachy versus Oswalt in the finale.
   Minor and Delgado go in the New York DH.
   Wonder if Jurrjens can go next Friday in St. Louis? That's probably going to be Delgado, again. Which might be a good thing. The kid looks strong right now. Jurrjens doesn't.

McCann Busts Out in Chicago

Buck's Braves Blog — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:01:06 GMT

   Our All-Star catcher got his swagger back, on an afternoon at Wrigley when the wind was blowing in. Great to see. That 1st inning, 3-run bomb, off a Garza change-up, broke an 0-15 slide. Later in the game, Brian delivered a solo shot, to make it 7-3. This was his day, going 2-4, with 2 HR and 4 RBI.
   He was saying after the game that his stroke has been a little off, since he came off the DL, with that oblique pull. The last 3-4 days, he has been working OT in the cage. Finally felt confident today.
   Bet McCann goes on a tear now. Big September. Finishes strong. Gets in the N.L. MVP discussion.
   Bourn looked great in the Chicago finale too. He went 4-5. Dude gets on base 4 times and the Braves have a good shot at winning. His ability to get on base and steal 2nd, to get in scoring position, is just huge. It's been a missing piece in Atlanta, since Furcal exited. Good to have that back at the top.

Braves World Series Caliber?

Buck's Braves Blog — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:55:33 GMT

   The Braves are 1 of six teams that are capable of winning the World Series. The other 5: Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, Phillies and Brewers. Giants don't look capable of doing the back-to-back thing. And the Braves just exposed the Diamondbacks. Six. That's it.
   This new line-up and the bullpen make it possible. Bourn can create a scoring opportunity. Prado is great in the 2-slot. Run producers are at 3-4-5-6 (McCann, Uggla, Freeman and Chipper). Heyward, Constanza and Gonzalez can be a factor at the bottom.
   Give this bullpen a 7th inning lead and it's lights out. Seriously. O'Flaherty, Venters and Kimbrel have been dominant. The other contenders know they better have the lead going to the 7th. The Braves have shortened the game to 7.
   As strange as it sounds, it's the starters that have me concerned. Lowe's struggling. Hanson is hurting. Jurrjens is no longer the ace of this staff. Right now, it's Hudson and Beachy leading the way. We should be seeing Teheran up here again soon. Test him in September. He might have to go come October.

Vizcaino Debue

Buck's Braves Blog — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:58:30 GMT

   The kid was rushing that fastball up there at 96-97. The curve had some downward bite. The stuff looked nasty. There is a lot to like about this guy.
   I know what you're thinking: Dude can't throw stikes.
   Give the kid a break. His teammates certainly did. He's 20 years old. Started the season in High-A ball. Had to be anxious, when he stepped on top of the mound.
   That heater had some movement to it. A late tailing action. Love that. And it sizzled coming up there at 97. He's going to be able to attack with that pitch. Proctor's was too straight.
   Sure was awesome to see Venters come in and get Vizcaino off the hook. That debue's now over. Now he can settle in. Can't wait to see him the next time.

Braves Stare Down Deadline

Buck's Braves Blog — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 03:29:26 GMT

   It's now time to play your hand. What do the Braves do?
   Most all the Braves players have mentioned how they believe in this team AND they hope Wren will improve it. Sounds like they are counting on something happening before Sunday 4:00 pm rolls around.
   The buzz today was surrounding Astros CF Michael Bourn. MLB Insiders reported the Braves were back in on Bourn. Houston sources had stated the Astros wanted Minor earlier. But today the name Arodis Vizcaino's name was being tossed into this conversation.
   Bourn has had a hot bat. Right now, he's over .300 and is on pace to score 97 runs. And he's stolen 39-46 bases. Did I mention Bourn is also an above average CF? He is. So, he fits. Braves need a CF, who can lead off. The only negative is that he's another LH hitter. The Astros signed him to a 1-year contract worth $4.4M, prior to this season. Next year, he's arbitration bound. Then, he's a free agent in 2013. Insiders are saying that the Astros are asking for 2 of those 4 top pitchings prospects. Wren's not going there, I can assure you.
   I'd go Upton down in Tampa. Braves would have him through next season. His numbers are down again, but he a plus-defender, with some pop from the right side. And he can steal too.

Big Hit For Heyward

Buck's Braves Blog — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:05:32 GMT

   The Braves needed Jason to get a big hit and he delivered. On TV, Chip Caray mentiond it was his first bases-loaded hit all season. And it came at a nice time. Down 3-1 to the Pirates, after a 3-1 loss the night before. And on a 3-game losing streak. Lot of bad vibe in the park.
   Easy to like how he did it too. Jason was patient. Watched two pitches out of the zone. Got it to a hitters count, where he could look hard stuff. That is, if you want to call Karstens hard stuff hard. Jason ripped a 2-0, 88 mph FB, right up the middle. Tie game. Crowd roars. Braves dugout exhales. It was a beautiful thing.
   The J-Hey Kid is back!
   Probably too soon to say that out loud, but it was good to see. He has struggled obviously. The second time around has not been easy. Talking with DOB, from the AJC...we both agreed to give him a wild card this season. Too soon to get down on him. And he really seems to be a good guy. I'm pulling for him. The Braves need him now. Sure hope he gets hot. If that happens, he could carry us for a few weeks. Put us over the top.