Rain Delay

Smoltz the Chancellor of the Change Up

At the beginning of the Spring, John Smoltz made a promise to take things easy and prolong his career on the mound, and he's made strides all spring to do just that. In yesterdays 8-1 rout of the Cards, showed that Smoltz is shying away from being a pure power pitcher, to one of Finesse.

"I'm ecstatic about the progress," said Smoltz, who has a 2.25 ERA in three starts, three scoreless. He has 11 strikeouts with two walks in 12 innings, while allowing nine hits and three runs.

The veteran relied heavily on sliders and change-ups, again eschewing the hard four-seam fastballs and splitters he featured for so long until this spring.

After four elbow surgeries and shoulder problems late last season, his new mantra is slow down, stay in control, pitch and don't overpower. So far this spring, it's been a virtually seamless transition for the venerable ace.

"I'm pitching, and I'm having fun," said Smoltz. He kept the ball in the park Monday on a warm, windy day when Jeff Francoeur and Edgar Renteria homered for the Braves.

"I like everything I'm seeing," manager Bobby Cox said of Smoltz.

He has thrown change-ups frequently and effectively, after using the pitch sparingly last season and hardly ever in 3 1/2 seasons as a closer through 2004.

His arm feels fresher with his new approach. "To me that's the biggest pleasure," Smoltz said. "I feel like I could go back out and pitch tomorrow."

It's good to see that Smoltz is sticking to his word, and its showing promising results. I wish there were a few more 'older' Major League pitchers, or players for that matter realize they can't do what they did when they were younger. Smoltz knows he's no longer a young gun and that to stay in the game and pitch effectively that he's going to have to make some changes, and those changes are suiting him well.

Two weeks out, closer race heats up

It's getting down to the wire now, and a slew of names are being tossed around for the Closer job in the Braves bull-pen. There are three candidates, there were four but Anthony Lerew has had a horrible spring and will likely not make the team, and head to AAA Richmond. So now it's Chris Rietsma, Joey Devine and now a name that's being thrown around now is Oscar Villarreal.

His strong pitching for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic made the Braves coaching staff sit up and take notice. Even if he doesn't get the closer job, Oscar will be a valuable part of the bull-pen if his pitching from the WBC carries over to the regular season.

According to Bobby Cox though, it's Rietsma's job to loose.

"Reitsma was really popping it," manager Bobby Cox said after the right-hander struck out pitcher Taylor Buchholz and Mike Lamb and induced a Chris Burke flyout to end the inning. "He was throwing bullets and had good location."

Since his Canadian team was eliminated from the WBC, Reitsma has pitched in two Grapefruit League games and allowed one hit and one hit batter with four strikeouts in two scoreless innings.

Cox said the closer job isn't decided yet. Joey Devine (15 strikeouts, no earned runs in eight innings) and Villarreal could challenge, but the manager indicated Friday it was still Reitsma's job to lose.

"No reason not to use him right now, the way he's throwing," Cox said.

Before Friday's game, there was a buzz in the clubhouse about Villarreal's performance the night before in Mexico's 2-1 win against the U.S., which effectively eliminated both teams from the WBC.

"Awesome," general manager John Schuerholz said of Villarreal's two perfect innings with two strikeouts, including Jeff Francoeur. "That's not just another guy setting up. That's a guy who could be an important piece of your bullpen."

While the Braves played the Mets on the road Thursday, John Smoltz and others were back in Orlando. Some saw Villarreal pitch in the televised WBC game before a boisterous Anaheim crowd that included flag-waving fans of each country.

"He looked good under those circumstances," Smoltz said. "It was good to see."

Pitcher Tim Hudson had a succinct assessment of Villarreal's work: "Nasty."

Emphasis is not mine. I can't even begin to explain whats wrong with Rietsma closing, didn't anyone pay attention last year? When Rietsma would pitch, was Bobby closing his eye's? Riet's as a set up man? Sure. I just don't think he has the mentality of a closer, which can and will hurt him. Pressure doesn't suite Rietsma. Then again, really Joey Devine an unknown factor at this point.  Things will flesh themselves out in the next couple weeks, I guess we're all going to have to wait till the team breaks camp to see who lands the closer job.

Braves sign Aussie side arm pitcher.

As mentioned in my game wrap, Braves sign former pharmaceutical salesman to a minor league contract. It was his performance in the World Baseball Classic that got him noticed.

He was a former Twins minor-league pitcher who never got above the rookie ball level, never threw a fastball as hard as 90 mph, and had undergone two back surgeries since being released nine years ago.

But six months ago, on a whim, Moylan dropped his arm from the conventional position overhead and starting throwing sidearm. Hard.

Now, the 27-year-old right-hander has a 93-96 mph fastball and a second opportunity to become a major league pitcher — with the Braves.

"It's crazy," the amiable Aussie said Saturday, after allowing one run and four hits in two innings against Cincinnati, his first spring training appearance since 1997. "It's a head trip, even now, to be here."

He sat at a locker Saturday, still in his sweaty Braves uniform, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, a buzz cut and tattoos over much of his arms.

"The Australian looked all right," manager Bobby Cox said after Moylan's debut before a crowd of 9,069 and a bunch of Braves who had no idea who he was, where he came from, or when he was signed.

The Braves are going to give him a look in the next two weeks, then probably assign him to Class AAA Richmond.

The Braves signed him March 11, two days after Moylan pitched 1 2/3 innings for Australia against Venezuela in a World Baseball Classic game. He struck out four, including Bobby Abreu and Magglio Ordonez, but also walked five and gave up a single in an erratic outing.

Moylan attributed the wildness to it being his first game in front of a crowd in nine years. The Braves, Red Sox and Royals were among the teams that saw enough potential in Moylan to try to sign him afterward.

They also mention in the article about signing his team mate from the WBC, Daimian Moss. Who spend time serving a steroids suspension in the M's farm system in 2005.

Braves make first spring cuts..

Braves, go and trim the fat.

Brad Baker, given an outside chance to make the Braves bullpen after being signed as a free agent, was among the team's initial nine cuts Wednesday. In a surprise, also dropped was Kevin Barry, who had a 1.80 ERA and seven strikeouts in five innings.

Sent to minor league camp with Barry were second baseman Jonathan Schuerholz and catcher Clint Sammons, also non-roster spring invitees. The moves left the Braves with 45 players.

Baker, who had 27 saves last year for Portland in Class AAA, sealed his fate with a blown save Tuesday night against Houston. He was 0-2 with a 14.21 ERA.

Baker was optioned to Class AAA Richmond along with first baseman Scott Thorman. Infielders Luis Hernandez and Martin Prado, and outfielder Josh Burrus were optioned to Class AA Mississippi, while pitcher Jose Ascanio was sent to Class A Myrtle Beach.

M's make first roster cut of ST

The Mariners made their first cuts of the spring. Most of these names really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who follows the team closely.

Out Right Released
P Jeff Heaverlo

Optioned to AAA Tacoma
P Renee Cortez
P Travis Blackley
P Cesar Jimenez

Optioned to AA San Antonio
P Yorman Bazardo
P Marcos Carvajal
SS/2B Oswaldo Navarro
OF Wladimir Balentien

Reassigned to Minor League Camp
P Lindsay Gulin
C Andy Dominique
IF Rayon Lampe

Total of 51 remain, with 48 in Camp.(Beltre and Ichiro are still in the WBC. Julio Mateo out with personal matters.)

Fosters season likely over, James could get call..

Well it's looking like south-paw John Foster maybe done for the year.  This maybe also turn into a break for lefty Chuck James.

John Foster, the Braves main left-handed reliever last season, had an MRI on his sore elbow Tuesday and is fearful of the worst. Results won't be confirmed until Wednesday, but season-ending surgery is possible.

Manager Bobby Cox, faced with a potentially serious injury to Foster, said Tuesday that he would have no qualms about using James in relief despite the 24-year-old's inexperience in that role.

"You have to do what it takes to win right now," Cox said. "Our starting rotation is pretty well flooded. If he can help us [in relief], I'm comfortable with using him there."

From what I understand, Tommy John surgery isn't out of the realm of possibility's for Foster.  After being out for most of the 2004 season will shoulder problems, it looked as though in 2005 Foster had put his problems behind him. Then towards the end of the season, his elbow started giving him problems, even though he was pitching great.

"It's funny, that day it hurt, he really threw the ball well," Cox said. "His shoulder is 200 percent. Now it's his elbow."

Bobby and the Braves coaching staff aren't afraid to put Chuck James (Normally a starter) in a relief role even though James has zero experience in the role.

James was 13-7 with a 2.12 ERA in the minors last year, striking out 191 in 161 1/3 innings, before making his major league debut in late September.

Using a promising left-handed starter out of the bullpen wouldn't be a first for Cox. "We did the same thing with Jimmy Key one year in Toronto," he said. "We used him in relief and the next year we started him."

This isn't all of the bull-pen woes at the moment.

In addition to concerns about Foster, the Braves bullpen is also temporarily without Macay McBride because of a sore forearm near the wrist and veteran Mike Remlinger had struggled mightily until two perfect innings Tuesday night against the Astros.

Remlinger, who will turn 40 soon and is coming off arm problems, had a 20.25 ERA in his first three appearances, but retired the six Astros he faced, with a strikeout. "Obviously, this one you want to build on," Remlinger said.

McBride, who got into 23 games with the Braves last year, hasn't pitched since March 6. He could return to the mound this weekend.

It would seem that our bull-pen is a bit banged up.

Moss, a Brave..Again.

The Braves have signed left handed pitcher Damian Moss to a minor league deal. Yes, the same Damiam Moss that went 12-6 as the fifth starter in 2002.

The 29-year-old Moss was in uniform Sunday on the back minor league fields at Disney. He will now compete for a spot in Richmond's rotation, with the possibility of being an option for Atlanta if needed later in the year.

"I'm glad to come home," Moss said.

Moss just finished pitching for Australia in the WBC. He started against the Dominican Republic last week and suffered a loss (4 runs on 4 hits in 2.2 innings, 4 walks, and 1 strikeout). The scout that signed Moss as a sixteen-year-old for Atlanta back in 1993, Phil Dale, was his pitching coach on the Australian team and recommended him to the Braves.

I guess you can never have enough lefties. He should fit in just fine for the R-Braves, and it's always good to know we have another lefty that we can call up if needed.

Andruw returns to camp, injured no less

Well I guess you could say that the World Baseball Classic claimed it's first injury victim: Andruw Jones. He wasn't injured on any play in the field, instead he slipped on the steps of the dugout in Puerto Rico injuring his back trying to take pictures.

Yep, you read that right. He hurt himself taking some snap shots.  He was a late scratch from the line up yesterday as the Braves teed off against the Cards. Bobby Cox thinks that's its no big deal, and he should be playing today.

"I think he's fine," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He felt it when he took batting practice and tried to run, [but] he might be able to play tomorrow."

[..]

"Those friggin' steps in Puerto Rico," said Cox, who remembers problems there when the Montreal Expos played some games in San Juan. "Half our team fell down them the first year we were over there."

Jones, had a less than stellar outings in the WBC, going 0-6. He was sick going into the Classic, and returned still not feeling 100%. The back injury not with standing, which impacted him more.

"The next day I couldn't even walk," said Jones, who didn't play Friday in the Netherlands's seven-inning no-hitter against Panama.

Jones took the incident in stride — "Those things happen," he said — and still enjoyed playing in the WBC, although he would change some things next time.

Jones then goes on to say something, that allot of us Bloggers have been saying:

"It was a good learning experience for everybody," he said. "We all think it should be at a different time, maybe after the World Series."

Well Andruw, at least with me your preaching to the choir. Though my thoughts about the WBC have changed some what after watching some of the games. I guess seeing just how into it, other countries were was an eye opener for me. But I'm still not going to chance my stance that, it feels like it was thrown together, and they need to find a different time to play it.

If the NHL can shut down for a couple weeks, why couldn't Major League Baseball?

Being Richie Sexson

Some times you have to wonder what goes on inside the brain of a Major League player. Though, I'm sure there's several things we wouldn't want to see either. This spring Richie Sexson has been tinkering with his swing, this has produced a .538 average. Here's the catch, he's not "happy" with the way it feels.

“As a power hitter, you want the swing to build,” he said Saturday. “I don’t typically hit a lot of home runs in camp, and I don’t feel ready yet. My swing is a little long. There’s more to get right."

He realizes the pressure that's there with being a power hitter and the numbers he put up last year. And now that he's healthy, it's even more of a expectation for him to reproduce last year. Or even put up a better year.

“You talk to people and if you hit 39 home runs, they say, ‘Why didn’t you get to 40?’” Sexson said, laughing. “You hit 45 home runs, they want to know why you didn’t hit 50. You can’t please everyone.

“Besides, I tell folks I hit 46 home runs last year – seven times I doubled off the top of the wall at Safeco Field. Those are home runs most places, so I told them they counted. Some people took me seriously.”

Emphasis, and Mt Dew on my monitor is all me. That has to be one of the better quotes this spring, aside from when Grover trys to wax poetic.

Mateo leaves camp

Mateo leaves spring training, after the death of his older brother.

Seattle Mariners reliever Julio Mateo left spring training Saturday after learning his older brother had died in an automobile accident in the Dominican Republic on Friday night.

"We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the Mateo family," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. "The thoughts and prayers of the entire Seattle organization are with Julio and his family as they deal with this tragic accident."

No other details were immediately available of the death of Luis Manuel Mateo.
Julio Mateo has returned home to Bani, Dominican Republic. He will remain there indefinitely.

Hopefully we'll see Julio back in a M's uniform soon. As for now, keep him and his family in your thoughts. It's never easy dealing with the death of a loved one.