Today's Braves' recap will be on starting pitcher Paul Maholm.
Maholm originally made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2005. He spent seven years there until going to the Chicago Cubs before 2012. The Atlanta Braves were in need of starting pitching and acquired him and outfielder Reed Johnson on July 30th for some minor league players.
When Maholm came over to the Braves, he had just won his past five decisions and his record was 9-6 at the time. One thing he failed to do when he came to Atlanta was show consistency. He seemed to do good one start and then falter in his next start. One of his worst outings came on September 2nd against the Philadelphia Phillies, as he only pitched two innings and gave up seven runs on six hits.
When Maholm was on top of his game though, things went a lot different when he pitched. For example, in his second start with the Braves on August 10th, against the New York Mets, he pitched a complete game shutout, giving up only three hits. It was one of the best performances of the year by a Braves' pitcher. Overall with the Braves and Cubs, Maholm went 13-11 with a 3.67 ERA and 140 strikeouts.
The Braves exercised Maholm's contract yesterday, meaning he will be in Atlanta again in 2013. His option only costs the Braves $6.5 million, which isn't bad for a strong starting pitcher nowadays. Some reports said Maholm could still be traded, but if any pitcher leaves, it would most likely be Tommy Hanson. Maholm probably will be the fourth starter for Atlanta, and help give the Braves one of the best rotations in baseball.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Braves' Heyward Wins Gold Glove Award
Jason Heyward was announced as the winner of the Gold Glove award for right field in the National League on Tuesday night. He was running against Jay Bruce of the Cincinnati Reds and Andre Either of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Heyward had a fantastic year in the outfield making many spectacular running and diving catches that saved runs, and games in some situations. One such catch came in the Wild Card game against the St. Louis Cardinals, when he leaped at the wall to bring back a home run off the bat of Cardinals' catcher Yadier Molina.
He also had eleven outfield assists, in which he threw out a runner who was trying to advance on a fly ball out. He only made five errors all year in the 156 games he played in. That equals out to a 98% fielding percentage. He is the first Brave to win a Gold Glove since 2007, when two former Braves won, Andruw Jones and Jeff Francoeur.
Heyward had a fantastic year in the outfield making many spectacular running and diving catches that saved runs, and games in some situations. One such catch came in the Wild Card game against the St. Louis Cardinals, when he leaped at the wall to bring back a home run off the bat of Cardinals' catcher Yadier Molina.
He also had eleven outfield assists, in which he threw out a runner who was trying to advance on a fly ball out. He only made five errors all year in the 156 games he played in. That equals out to a 98% fielding percentage. He is the first Brave to win a Gold Glove since 2007, when two former Braves won, Andruw Jones and Jeff Francoeur.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Craig Kimbrel
Today's second Braves' recap will be over reliever Craig Kimbrel.
Kimbrel was originally drafted by the Braves and made his major league debut in 2010. That was a good year for him to come up and learn from one of the best closers in baseball, Billy Wagner. Kimbrel apparently learned a lot, as he has led the National League in saves the past two seasons and won the Rookie of the Year award in 2011, he had 46 saves that year.
Kimbrel was again dominant in 2012. He didn't have anything negative about his year. Here are a few of the things he did during the season that were great. In 2011 he had eight blown saves, but this year he only blew three saves, he was much more reliable. His ERA was down over a run. Just about every statistic of his improved from 2011 to 2012.
His best stretch of games took place from September 5th to September 30th. He appeared in thirteen games over that stretch and recorded ten saves and three wins. He also had 25 strikeouts in those thirteen games, including a game where he struck out four men in one inning. He finished the year with fantastic numbers, going 3-1 with a 1.01 ERA, 116 strikeouts and 42 saves. One amazing stat so far in Kimbrel's career, he has appeared in 163 major league games and has struck out 283 batters. That is 120 more strikeouts than games he has appeared in, a mind-blowing stat.
Kimbrel will once again be the Braves' closer next season. Fans at Turner Field love to hear "Welcome to the Jungle" play as they know Kimbrel will come running out onto the field. He has been one of the best closers in baseball the past two years, if not the best. When he enters the game, the opposing team knows that the game is basically over. Hopefully Atlanta will keep him around for a very, very long time.
Kimbrel was originally drafted by the Braves and made his major league debut in 2010. That was a good year for him to come up and learn from one of the best closers in baseball, Billy Wagner. Kimbrel apparently learned a lot, as he has led the National League in saves the past two seasons and won the Rookie of the Year award in 2011, he had 46 saves that year.
Kimbrel was again dominant in 2012. He didn't have anything negative about his year. Here are a few of the things he did during the season that were great. In 2011 he had eight blown saves, but this year he only blew three saves, he was much more reliable. His ERA was down over a run. Just about every statistic of his improved from 2011 to 2012.
His best stretch of games took place from September 5th to September 30th. He appeared in thirteen games over that stretch and recorded ten saves and three wins. He also had 25 strikeouts in those thirteen games, including a game where he struck out four men in one inning. He finished the year with fantastic numbers, going 3-1 with a 1.01 ERA, 116 strikeouts and 42 saves. One amazing stat so far in Kimbrel's career, he has appeared in 163 major league games and has struck out 283 batters. That is 120 more strikeouts than games he has appeared in, a mind-blowing stat.
Kimbrel will once again be the Braves' closer next season. Fans at Turner Field love to hear "Welcome to the Jungle" play as they know Kimbrel will come running out onto the field. He has been one of the best closers in baseball the past two years, if not the best. When he enters the game, the opposing team knows that the game is basically over. Hopefully Atlanta will keep him around for a very, very long time.
Braves' Player Recap: Jair Jurrjens
Today, there will be two Braves' recaps, the first one will be on starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens.
Jurrjens made his major league debut in 2007 with the Detroit Tigers. He came to the Braves before the 2008 season in the trade that sent shortstop Edgar Renteria to Detroit. Jurrjens' first two seasons with the Braves were a success. He missed most of 2010 with an injury, but returned in 2011 to have an All-Star year.
2012 was a different story for Jurrjens. He came back from an injury that plagued him at the end of the 2011 season and he just wasn't the same. In his first four starts, he went 0-2 and gave up 17 runs in those games. He was sent to the minors to figure things out. He came back in June and won three of his next four starts and the Braves and their fans thought he was back. His best game in that stretch was against the Boston Red Sox on June 22nd, as he pitched seven and two-thirds innings and gave up one run on three hits.
Unfortunately, Jurrjens wasn't back. On July 17th, he was pitching against the San Francisco Giants and lasted only three innings while giving up eight runs on eight hits. His next start was July 22nd against the Washington Nationals, and it was even worse than the Giants' game. He lasted only two innings and gave up six runs on nine hits. Jurrjens was then demoted to the bullpen where he made only one relief appearance. After that appearance, the Braves said he was injured and he never pitched again during the year for Atlanta. He finished the year with a 3-4 record, a 6.89 ERA and only 19 strikeouts.
Jurrjens' time in Atlanta is most likely over. He is not a reliable starter anymore and has fallen out of favor with the Braves, especially after the emergence of Kris Medlen and Mike Minor. Look for Jurrjens to be pitching somewhere else next year, or even be in the minor leagues once again, trying to find his old self.
Jair Jurrjens was once a dominant force in the Braves' rotation, but now he is just an expendable player in the Braves' system.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Jurrjens made his major league debut in 2007 with the Detroit Tigers. He came to the Braves before the 2008 season in the trade that sent shortstop Edgar Renteria to Detroit. Jurrjens' first two seasons with the Braves were a success. He missed most of 2010 with an injury, but returned in 2011 to have an All-Star year.
2012 was a different story for Jurrjens. He came back from an injury that plagued him at the end of the 2011 season and he just wasn't the same. In his first four starts, he went 0-2 and gave up 17 runs in those games. He was sent to the minors to figure things out. He came back in June and won three of his next four starts and the Braves and their fans thought he was back. His best game in that stretch was against the Boston Red Sox on June 22nd, as he pitched seven and two-thirds innings and gave up one run on three hits.
Unfortunately, Jurrjens wasn't back. On July 17th, he was pitching against the San Francisco Giants and lasted only three innings while giving up eight runs on eight hits. His next start was July 22nd against the Washington Nationals, and it was even worse than the Giants' game. He lasted only two innings and gave up six runs on nine hits. Jurrjens was then demoted to the bullpen where he made only one relief appearance. After that appearance, the Braves said he was injured and he never pitched again during the year for Atlanta. He finished the year with a 3-4 record, a 6.89 ERA and only 19 strikeouts.
Jurrjens' time in Atlanta is most likely over. He is not a reliable starter anymore and has fallen out of favor with the Braves, especially after the emergence of Kris Medlen and Mike Minor. Look for Jurrjens to be pitching somewhere else next year, or even be in the minor leagues once again, trying to find his old self.
Jair Jurrjens was once a dominant force in the Braves' rotation, but now he is just an expendable player in the Braves' system.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Braves Bring Back Maholm, Hudson and McCann
The Atlanta Braves announced today that they have exercised the options of three players. Starters Tim Hudson and Paul Maholm and catcher Brian McCann are all going to be back with the Braves next year. These moves were expected.
Hudson will now earn $9 million next season, he will be the ace of an otherwise young starting rotation. He went 16-7 this past year with a 3.62 ERA. Maholm will earn $6.5 million next season, he will be heavily counted on in the rotation next year also. He went 13-11 this past year with a 3.67 ERA playing with the Chicago Cubs and the Braves.
McCann's option wasn't such a lock as the two pitchers. After having his worst season at the plate, he batted .230 and had 20 home runs, the Braves could have gotten someone a lot cheaper and perhaps younger. McCann will now make $12 million next year, and he is expected to miss the beginning of the season after having surgery on his labrum in his right shoulder, which is his throwing shoulder. This could possibly be his last season in Atlanta if he doesn't do better.
The Braves also had ten players become free agents yesterday since the World Series ended. Center fielder Michael Bourn was the biggest name for the Braves. Joining him were relievers Chad Durbin and Miguel Batista, catcher David Ross, outfielders Reed Johnson, Eric Hinske and Matt Diaz, first baseman Lyle Overbay, and infielder Jeff Baker. Starter Ben Sheets is also on the list, but he announced his retirement last month. The Braves are expected to pursue Ross, Durbin and Johnson. The Braves also want Bourn back but he could demand too much money.
Hudson will now earn $9 million next season, he will be the ace of an otherwise young starting rotation. He went 16-7 this past year with a 3.62 ERA. Maholm will earn $6.5 million next season, he will be heavily counted on in the rotation next year also. He went 13-11 this past year with a 3.67 ERA playing with the Chicago Cubs and the Braves.
McCann's option wasn't such a lock as the two pitchers. After having his worst season at the plate, he batted .230 and had 20 home runs, the Braves could have gotten someone a lot cheaper and perhaps younger. McCann will now make $12 million next year, and he is expected to miss the beginning of the season after having surgery on his labrum in his right shoulder, which is his throwing shoulder. This could possibly be his last season in Atlanta if he doesn't do better.
The Braves also had ten players become free agents yesterday since the World Series ended. Center fielder Michael Bourn was the biggest name for the Braves. Joining him were relievers Chad Durbin and Miguel Batista, catcher David Ross, outfielders Reed Johnson, Eric Hinske and Matt Diaz, first baseman Lyle Overbay, and infielder Jeff Baker. Starter Ben Sheets is also on the list, but he announced his retirement last month. The Braves are expected to pursue Ross, Durbin and Johnson. The Braves also want Bourn back but he could demand too much money.
Braves' Player Recap: Chipper Jones
Today's Braves' recap will be on legendary third baseman Chipper Jones.
Jones was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves and made his major league debut with them back in 1993. He missed all of the 1994 season, but then came back in 1995 to help the Braves win the World Series. In 1999, Chipper won the National League MVP award. He hit .319 that year to go with 45 home runs and 110 RBI's. Chipper helped lead the Braves to the playoffs thirteen times during his spectacular 19-year career.
2012 ended up being Chipper's last year in the big leagues, and he had a final season to remember. He had a great year and helped lead the Braves into the playoffs again. There are three games that he had this year that really stick out though, they will be recapped in order of when they took place.
The first game occurred on May 2nd at home against the Philadelphia Phillies. Phillies' ace Roy Halladay started that game against the Braves, and the Phillies staked him to a 6-0 lead by the fifth inning. That's when things changed for Atlanta. Halladay lost it in the fifth and the Braves eventually tied the game on a Brian McCann grand slam. The game became a back and forth affair and later was tied in the 12th inning 13-13. That is when Chipper strolled to the plate with a runner on. He sent a Brian Sanches pitch over the right-center field wall to give the Braves a dramatic victory, in a game where the Phillies appeared to have locked up a win after a few innings. Chipper went three for six on the night with his home run and two RBI's.
The second game happened on August 16th at home against the San Diego Padres. It was Chipper Jones bobble head night at Turner Field and plenty of fans showed up to get their last bobble head ever of the beloved third baseman. With all the attention on Chipper he didn't disappoint. He hit home runs in his first two at-bats of the night to send the fans into a frenzy. That was probably the loudest Thursday night ever at Turner Field, especially when they were playing the miserable Padres. Chipper finished that night going two for four with his two home runs and three RBI's.
The third and final big game took place on September 2nd, again at home against the Phillies. Chipper only went one for five on the night, but that one hit proved to be the biggest of them all. The Braves were down 7-2 in the bottom of the ninth and somehow scored three runs to make it 7-5. Chipper came to the plate with two men on base and two outs and Phillies' closer Jonathon Papelbon was pitching. Chipper quickly went down two strikes, but Papelbon tried to throw the same pitch, big mistake. Chipper sent this ball once again over the right-center field fence to give the Braves an 8-7 victory in another improbable come-from-behind win over the Phillies. It was the last home run of his infamous career.
I had the special privilege of attending all three of these fantastic games. It reminded me how good of a player Chipper Jones really is. He leaves Atlanta fans with many memories, like these, that we will never forget. He ended up batting .287 with 14 home runs and 62 RBI's this year. His final career numbers: .303 average with 468 home runs and 1,623 RBI's. Chipper will sorely be missed next season, but his legacy will live forever in our hearts. Thank you Chipper, for all you did for the Braves and for the fans of Atlanta.
Jones was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves and made his major league debut with them back in 1993. He missed all of the 1994 season, but then came back in 1995 to help the Braves win the World Series. In 1999, Chipper won the National League MVP award. He hit .319 that year to go with 45 home runs and 110 RBI's. Chipper helped lead the Braves to the playoffs thirteen times during his spectacular 19-year career.
2012 ended up being Chipper's last year in the big leagues, and he had a final season to remember. He had a great year and helped lead the Braves into the playoffs again. There are three games that he had this year that really stick out though, they will be recapped in order of when they took place.
The first game occurred on May 2nd at home against the Philadelphia Phillies. Phillies' ace Roy Halladay started that game against the Braves, and the Phillies staked him to a 6-0 lead by the fifth inning. That's when things changed for Atlanta. Halladay lost it in the fifth and the Braves eventually tied the game on a Brian McCann grand slam. The game became a back and forth affair and later was tied in the 12th inning 13-13. That is when Chipper strolled to the plate with a runner on. He sent a Brian Sanches pitch over the right-center field wall to give the Braves a dramatic victory, in a game where the Phillies appeared to have locked up a win after a few innings. Chipper went three for six on the night with his home run and two RBI's.
The second game happened on August 16th at home against the San Diego Padres. It was Chipper Jones bobble head night at Turner Field and plenty of fans showed up to get their last bobble head ever of the beloved third baseman. With all the attention on Chipper he didn't disappoint. He hit home runs in his first two at-bats of the night to send the fans into a frenzy. That was probably the loudest Thursday night ever at Turner Field, especially when they were playing the miserable Padres. Chipper finished that night going two for four with his two home runs and three RBI's.
The third and final big game took place on September 2nd, again at home against the Phillies. Chipper only went one for five on the night, but that one hit proved to be the biggest of them all. The Braves were down 7-2 in the bottom of the ninth and somehow scored three runs to make it 7-5. Chipper came to the plate with two men on base and two outs and Phillies' closer Jonathon Papelbon was pitching. Chipper quickly went down two strikes, but Papelbon tried to throw the same pitch, big mistake. Chipper sent this ball once again over the right-center field fence to give the Braves an 8-7 victory in another improbable come-from-behind win over the Phillies. It was the last home run of his infamous career.
I had the special privilege of attending all three of these fantastic games. It reminded me how good of a player Chipper Jones really is. He leaves Atlanta fans with many memories, like these, that we will never forget. He ended up batting .287 with 14 home runs and 62 RBI's this year. His final career numbers: .303 average with 468 home runs and 1,623 RBI's. Chipper will sorely be missed next season, but his legacy will live forever in our hearts. Thank you Chipper, for all you did for the Braves and for the fans of Atlanta.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Hawks Cut Two, Tolliver Makes Team
The Atlanta Hawks announced that they have cut Damion James and James Anderson from the team. This puts the Hawks at fourteen total players, one under the roster limit for the NBA. The Hawks could still choose to cut more players, but it appears they will stand pat with who they have.
Damion James was signed over the off season from the Brooklyn Nets. He was originally drafted by the Hawks two years ago, but traded to the Nets on draft night. He said he felt like this is where he was meant to play all along, and he gave it his all during the preseason, but apparently he didn't fit into the Hawks' plans. James finished the preseason averaging 6.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in six games, which were good numbers with the lack of minutes he got.
Anderson was signed over the off season too, he played with the San Antonio Spurs the past two years. He never seemed to have a shot to make the team after the way James played. Anderson finished the preseason averaging only two points in six games.
With these moves it appears that Anthony Tolliver has secured a spot on the team. He was signed over the off season after spending last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had the most experience out of the three players and earned the most minutes during the preseason, and he made the most of those minutes. He will certainly help the Hawks off the bench this year.
The Hawks open the regular season this Friday, November 2nd. They will host the Houston Rockets at 7:30 p.m.
Damion James was signed over the off season from the Brooklyn Nets. He was originally drafted by the Hawks two years ago, but traded to the Nets on draft night. He said he felt like this is where he was meant to play all along, and he gave it his all during the preseason, but apparently he didn't fit into the Hawks' plans. James finished the preseason averaging 6.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in six games, which were good numbers with the lack of minutes he got.
Anderson was signed over the off season too, he played with the San Antonio Spurs the past two years. He never seemed to have a shot to make the team after the way James played. Anderson finished the preseason averaging only two points in six games.
With these moves it appears that Anthony Tolliver has secured a spot on the team. He was signed over the off season after spending last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had the most experience out of the three players and earned the most minutes during the preseason, and he made the most of those minutes. He will certainly help the Hawks off the bench this year.
The Hawks open the regular season this Friday, November 2nd. They will host the Houston Rockets at 7:30 p.m.
Falcons Move to 7-0
The Atlanta Falcons beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, 30-17. The win helped the Falcons remain the only undefeated team in the NFL at 7-0. It gave coach Mike Smith his 50th win with the Falcons, that made him the coach with the most wins in Falcons' history.
The Eagles never could seem to get anything going against the Falcons. Eagles' quarterback Michael Vick failed to beat his former team for the first time ever. The Eagles fell to 3-4 on the year, Vick and Eagles' coach Andy Reid are on the brink of losing their jobs.
On the other side of the field, the Falcons had a great day. This was their first win in Philadelphia since October 30th 1988. One thing that helped the Falcons get this win, they scored on their first six possessions of the game, the first time they punted was in the fourth quarter. Also, the offense didn't turn the ball over once, and even though the defense wasn't able to intercept Vick or recover any fumbles, they played strong holding the Eagles' offense to only 256 yards.
Matt Ryan threw touchdown passes on the first three drives of the game. One to Drew Davis, one to Jason Snelling and the last one, a 63-yard pass to Julio Jones. Ryan finished the day completing 22 of 29 passes for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. Matt Bryant also kicked three field goals to complete all of the Falcons' scoring. Jones had a huge day receiving with five catches for 123 yards.
The rushing attack still wasn't great, but they looked better. Jacquizz Rodgers finished with 60 yards rushing, Michael Turner added 58 yards. The defense looked a lot better for the Falcons too. Corner back Robert McClain led the team with seven tackles. Defensive end Kroy Biermann had six tackles and a sack. John Abraham and safety Thomas DeCoud also recorded a sack each.
Coach Smiths' 50th win moved him ahead of Dan Reeves for the most wins all-time in Falcons' history. He has accomplished this feat in a little over four years. His fame could increase if he can lead the Falcons to the playoffs again for the fourth time in his five years as coach. The only thing he needs to do different is help the Falcons win a playoff game, which they have failed to do in their last three trips under Smith.
The Falcons will play at home next week against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys lost a heart breaker to the New York Giants on Sunday and they are 3-4 on the year, but still a tough opponent. The game will be at 8:20 p.m. and aired on NBC for Sunday Night Football. The Falcons will look to go 8-0 for the first time in their 47 year history.
Matt Ryan had a great day, which included throwing three touchdowns on the first three possessions of the game.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
The Eagles never could seem to get anything going against the Falcons. Eagles' quarterback Michael Vick failed to beat his former team for the first time ever. The Eagles fell to 3-4 on the year, Vick and Eagles' coach Andy Reid are on the brink of losing their jobs.
On the other side of the field, the Falcons had a great day. This was their first win in Philadelphia since October 30th 1988. One thing that helped the Falcons get this win, they scored on their first six possessions of the game, the first time they punted was in the fourth quarter. Also, the offense didn't turn the ball over once, and even though the defense wasn't able to intercept Vick or recover any fumbles, they played strong holding the Eagles' offense to only 256 yards.
Matt Ryan threw touchdown passes on the first three drives of the game. One to Drew Davis, one to Jason Snelling and the last one, a 63-yard pass to Julio Jones. Ryan finished the day completing 22 of 29 passes for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. Matt Bryant also kicked three field goals to complete all of the Falcons' scoring. Jones had a huge day receiving with five catches for 123 yards.
The rushing attack still wasn't great, but they looked better. Jacquizz Rodgers finished with 60 yards rushing, Michael Turner added 58 yards. The defense looked a lot better for the Falcons too. Corner back Robert McClain led the team with seven tackles. Defensive end Kroy Biermann had six tackles and a sack. John Abraham and safety Thomas DeCoud also recorded a sack each.
Coach Smiths' 50th win moved him ahead of Dan Reeves for the most wins all-time in Falcons' history. He has accomplished this feat in a little over four years. His fame could increase if he can lead the Falcons to the playoffs again for the fourth time in his five years as coach. The only thing he needs to do different is help the Falcons win a playoff game, which they have failed to do in their last three trips under Smith.
The Falcons will play at home next week against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys lost a heart breaker to the New York Giants on Sunday and they are 3-4 on the year, but still a tough opponent. The game will be at 8:20 p.m. and aired on NBC for Sunday Night Football. The Falcons will look to go 8-0 for the first time in their 47 year history.
Matt Ryan had a great day, which included throwing three touchdowns on the first three possessions of the game.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Falcons Look to Stay Perfect
The Atlanta Falcons had a bye week last week and they return to action today to face former Falcon Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons are currently the only team in the NFL that is still undefeated. Their record stands at 6-0.
The Eagles are having a mediocre season at 3-3 but Vick always seems to find a way to shine against his former team. Lately, Vick has been having a rough go, turning the ball over at an alarming rate with interceptions and fumbles. It has been mentioned that he might be benched soon. Also, the NFL's longest tenured coach, Andy Reid, is under tons of pressure and he might lose his job soon if the Eagles can't turn their season around.
The Falcons have three things they need to try and accomplish during their game today. First, Matt Ryan and Michael Turner need to have better games. Ryan, who is fourth in the NFL with 98.8 quarterback passer rating, didn't have his best game two weeks ago. After throwing only three interceptions in the first five games of the year, Ryan threw three in the game against the Raiders. Also, Turner had a horrible game, as he carried the ball eleven times for a mere 33 yards against Oakland.
Second, the defense needs to improve. After being stout and getting a lot of interceptions and turnovers in the first three games, the last three have been rough. They need to hold Vick and the Eagles offense in check today to help produce another win.
Third, the Falcons need to win this one not just to keep their perfect record, but to help out their coach. Mike Smith is tied with Dan Reeves for the most wins in Falcons' franchise history. If the Falcons can win today, Smith could possibly be consider the greatest coach ever for the Falcons. He just needs to win a playoff game to fully secure that status as the greatest.
The Falcons should have rested plenty over the past two weeks. The players will have had time to prepare for the next few games, which should prove to be tougher than before the bye week with the Cowboys and Saints coming up after the Eagles. They will be ready for the Eagles though and their terrorizing fans and should have just enough strength to move to 7-0.
The Eagles are having a mediocre season at 3-3 but Vick always seems to find a way to shine against his former team. Lately, Vick has been having a rough go, turning the ball over at an alarming rate with interceptions and fumbles. It has been mentioned that he might be benched soon. Also, the NFL's longest tenured coach, Andy Reid, is under tons of pressure and he might lose his job soon if the Eagles can't turn their season around.
The Falcons have three things they need to try and accomplish during their game today. First, Matt Ryan and Michael Turner need to have better games. Ryan, who is fourth in the NFL with 98.8 quarterback passer rating, didn't have his best game two weeks ago. After throwing only three interceptions in the first five games of the year, Ryan threw three in the game against the Raiders. Also, Turner had a horrible game, as he carried the ball eleven times for a mere 33 yards against Oakland.
Second, the defense needs to improve. After being stout and getting a lot of interceptions and turnovers in the first three games, the last three have been rough. They need to hold Vick and the Eagles offense in check today to help produce another win.
Third, the Falcons need to win this one not just to keep their perfect record, but to help out their coach. Mike Smith is tied with Dan Reeves for the most wins in Falcons' franchise history. If the Falcons can win today, Smith could possibly be consider the greatest coach ever for the Falcons. He just needs to win a playoff game to fully secure that status as the greatest.
The Falcons should have rested plenty over the past two weeks. The players will have had time to prepare for the next few games, which should prove to be tougher than before the bye week with the Cowboys and Saints coming up after the Eagles. They will be ready for the Eagles though and their terrorizing fans and should have just enough strength to move to 7-0.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Reed Johnson
Today's Braves' recap will be covering outfielder Reed Johnson.
Johnson made his major league debut back in 2003 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent five years there before going to the Chicago Cubs. He spent two years there, then went to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a year before going back to Chicago. During 2012, Johnson was traded to the Braves along with Paul Maholm on July 30th. The Braves needed a utility outfielder after Matt Diaz had thumb surgery and Johnson was a perfect fit.
Johnson only had one issue once he came to the Braves, his bat seemed to cool down. During the first half of the season with the Cubs, he hit .302, but once the Braves acquired him in July, he hit .270 in the second half. Not terrible, but he didn't provide as much offensive output as the Braves were hoping for.
His defense was good as usual, and he is a little more valuable than Diaz because he can play all three outfield positions. Diaz can only play two. Johnson's best game came against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 2nd as he went three for four with a double and three RBI's. He finished the year overall with the Braves and Cubs batting .290 with three home runs and 20 RBI's.
Johnson is a free agent this off season but the Braves have said they want to bring him back. He is a great back up to all three outfielders and he has always been a good hitter, as he has a .284 career average. He has a veteran presence that is good for a young team like the Braves, plus he goes out and hustles and provides a team with some good energy. Look for the Braves to bring Johnson back to Atlanta for at least another year.
Johnson made his major league debut back in 2003 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent five years there before going to the Chicago Cubs. He spent two years there, then went to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a year before going back to Chicago. During 2012, Johnson was traded to the Braves along with Paul Maholm on July 30th. The Braves needed a utility outfielder after Matt Diaz had thumb surgery and Johnson was a perfect fit.
Johnson only had one issue once he came to the Braves, his bat seemed to cool down. During the first half of the season with the Cubs, he hit .302, but once the Braves acquired him in July, he hit .270 in the second half. Not terrible, but he didn't provide as much offensive output as the Braves were hoping for.
His defense was good as usual, and he is a little more valuable than Diaz because he can play all three outfield positions. Diaz can only play two. Johnson's best game came against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 2nd as he went three for four with a double and three RBI's. He finished the year overall with the Braves and Cubs batting .290 with three home runs and 20 RBI's.
Johnson is a free agent this off season but the Braves have said they want to bring him back. He is a great back up to all three outfielders and he has always been a good hitter, as he has a .284 career average. He has a veteran presence that is good for a young team like the Braves, plus he goes out and hustles and provides a team with some good energy. Look for the Braves to bring Johnson back to Atlanta for at least another year.
Braves' Player Recap: Paul Janish
Today's Braves' recap will be on shortstop Paul Janish.
Janish made his major league debut in 2008 with the Cincinnati Reds. He ended up playing parts of four seasons with the Reds. He eventually fell out of favor though because his bat was just not good enough to keep in the everyday lineup. He was in the minors for the beginning of 2012, but when Andrelton Simmons got hurt for the Braves, they traded a minor league pitcher for Janish and he became the everyday shortstop till Simmons returned in September.
Janish had two things that hurt him this year for the Braves. First his bat wasn't that great as previously noted. He especially didn't hit at the end of the season, going hit less in all eleven games he played in September. Then he dislocated his shoulder on September 18th in Miami against the Marlins and that ended the rest of his season.
Janish did have a good game every once in awhile. He had his best game offensively against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 17th as he went three for five. His best thing is his defense. Janish has one of the best gloves for a shortstop in the major leagues these days. He made many spectacular plays that made the loss of Simmons a little easier to swallow for Braves' fans. He ended the year batting .186 with no home runs and nine RBI's.
Janish's future with the Braves looks questionable. He could possibly back up Simmons next year at shortstop and be willing to play second base and third base too. With Tyler Pastornicky learning new positions though, Janish may become expendable, especially since Pastornicky can hit a lot better than Janish. If that is the case, Janish could be out of a spot and looking for a new team for the second year in a row.
Janish made his major league debut in 2008 with the Cincinnati Reds. He ended up playing parts of four seasons with the Reds. He eventually fell out of favor though because his bat was just not good enough to keep in the everyday lineup. He was in the minors for the beginning of 2012, but when Andrelton Simmons got hurt for the Braves, they traded a minor league pitcher for Janish and he became the everyday shortstop till Simmons returned in September.
Janish had two things that hurt him this year for the Braves. First his bat wasn't that great as previously noted. He especially didn't hit at the end of the season, going hit less in all eleven games he played in September. Then he dislocated his shoulder on September 18th in Miami against the Marlins and that ended the rest of his season.
Janish did have a good game every once in awhile. He had his best game offensively against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 17th as he went three for five. His best thing is his defense. Janish has one of the best gloves for a shortstop in the major leagues these days. He made many spectacular plays that made the loss of Simmons a little easier to swallow for Braves' fans. He ended the year batting .186 with no home runs and nine RBI's.
Janish's future with the Braves looks questionable. He could possibly back up Simmons next year at shortstop and be willing to play second base and third base too. With Tyler Pastornicky learning new positions though, Janish may become expendable, especially since Pastornicky can hit a lot better than Janish. If that is the case, Janish could be out of a spot and looking for a new team for the second year in a row.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Hawks Lose Preseason Finale
On a night when some players could possibly be playing their last NBA game of the year, the Hawks as a team didn't make a good impression, losing to the lowly Detroit Pistons, 104-88. Hawks' Anthony Tolliver, Damion James, Mike Scott and James Anderson are all fighting for the last few spots available on the team. The roster has to be set at a maximum of fifteen players by October 29th.
The Pistons led after the first quarter and never looked back. Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight each scored sixteen points to lead the Pistons during the game. Longtime Pistons' star Tayshaun Prince added fifteen points to help the Detroit finish the preseason at an even 4-4 record.
The Hawks never seemed to find an offensive rhythm, as they were down by eleven at the half and ended up losing by sixteen points. Most of the games this preseason, the Hawks would have five or six players in double figures with points. Tonight was different, as they only had two. Lou Williams led the way with seventeen points off the bench and Al Horford finished with ten. Horford pulled down six rebounds and James, one roster hopeful, also pulled down six, as they tied for the lead in that category.
The Hawks finish their preseason with a 3-4 record. They hope to perform a lot better in the regular season. Recently, ESPN said they believe the Hawks will finish as the number two seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the Miami Heat. That puts the Hawks under a ton of pressure to not have a let down season. They will begin their pursuit of a sixth consecutive playoff appearance next Friday, November 2nd at 7:30 p.m. against the Houston Rockets at Philips Arena.
New Hawk Kyle Korver drives in for a lay-up against the Detroit Pistons. The Hawks lost 104-88.
Photo Courtesy of yahoo.com
The Pistons led after the first quarter and never looked back. Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight each scored sixteen points to lead the Pistons during the game. Longtime Pistons' star Tayshaun Prince added fifteen points to help the Detroit finish the preseason at an even 4-4 record.
The Hawks never seemed to find an offensive rhythm, as they were down by eleven at the half and ended up losing by sixteen points. Most of the games this preseason, the Hawks would have five or six players in double figures with points. Tonight was different, as they only had two. Lou Williams led the way with seventeen points off the bench and Al Horford finished with ten. Horford pulled down six rebounds and James, one roster hopeful, also pulled down six, as they tied for the lead in that category.
The Hawks finish their preseason with a 3-4 record. They hope to perform a lot better in the regular season. Recently, ESPN said they believe the Hawks will finish as the number two seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the Miami Heat. That puts the Hawks under a ton of pressure to not have a let down season. They will begin their pursuit of a sixth consecutive playoff appearance next Friday, November 2nd at 7:30 p.m. against the Houston Rockets at Philips Arena.
New Hawk Kyle Korver drives in for a lay-up against the Detroit Pistons. The Hawks lost 104-88.
Photo Courtesy of yahoo.com
Braves' Player Recap: Tim Hudson
Today's Braves' recap will cover veteran starting pitcher Tim Hudson.
Hudson started his career back in 1999 with the Oakland Athletics. He was acquired in a trade by the Braves before the 2005 season. In Hudson's 14-year career, he has won ten games or more in each season except 2009, when he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Ever since he was acquired by Atlanta, he has been the ace of their staff.
Hudson had a great year for the Braves this season. Two things stood out though that weren't that good. First thing he couldn't help, he was recovering from off season back surgery and missed all of April. Second, when Hudson didn't have his stuff, he really didn't have it. There were six games during the year when he gave up five or more runs. The odd thing about it, the Braves were still 3-3 in those games, and in those three wins, Hudson was off the hook.
Despite missing the whole first month though, Hudson still came through and won sixteen games for the Braves. In the 28 games he pitched in, he went seven or more innings in 13 of those games. That definitely helped save some wear and tear on the bullpen throughout the year. His best game came on June 5th, when he pitched a complete game shutout, giving up only five hits to the Miami Marlins. He finished the year with a 16-7 record, a 3.62 ERA and 102 strikeouts.
Hudson will be back for the Braves next year and will be the anchor of a rather young starting rotation. Not only is he a great pitcher, but he is also able to mentor and tutor the younger pitchers and help them grow and develop. Plus, he only needs three more wins to reach the milestone of 200 wins in his big league career. That will put him into an elite status as one of the best pitchers of all time, especially in Braves' history.
Hudson started his career back in 1999 with the Oakland Athletics. He was acquired in a trade by the Braves before the 2005 season. In Hudson's 14-year career, he has won ten games or more in each season except 2009, when he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Ever since he was acquired by Atlanta, he has been the ace of their staff.
Hudson had a great year for the Braves this season. Two things stood out though that weren't that good. First thing he couldn't help, he was recovering from off season back surgery and missed all of April. Second, when Hudson didn't have his stuff, he really didn't have it. There were six games during the year when he gave up five or more runs. The odd thing about it, the Braves were still 3-3 in those games, and in those three wins, Hudson was off the hook.
Despite missing the whole first month though, Hudson still came through and won sixteen games for the Braves. In the 28 games he pitched in, he went seven or more innings in 13 of those games. That definitely helped save some wear and tear on the bullpen throughout the year. His best game came on June 5th, when he pitched a complete game shutout, giving up only five hits to the Miami Marlins. He finished the year with a 16-7 record, a 3.62 ERA and 102 strikeouts.
Hudson will be back for the Braves next year and will be the anchor of a rather young starting rotation. Not only is he a great pitcher, but he is also able to mentor and tutor the younger pitchers and help them grow and develop. Plus, he only needs three more wins to reach the milestone of 200 wins in his big league career. That will put him into an elite status as one of the best pitchers of all time, especially in Braves' history.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Eric Hinske
Today's Braves' recap will be on outfielder/first baseman Eric Hinske.
Hinske broke into the big leagues back in 2002 with the Toronto Blue Jays and won the Rookie of the Year award hitting 24 home runs and 84 RBI's and batting .279. Since then, he has played for the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees. He came to the Atlanta Braves in 2010 as a free agent.
Hinske has had success as a Brave. He is always remembered for hitting a clutch home run in 2010 against the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs. This past year, he had a great game against the Colorado Rockies on May 4th. In that game he went four for six with a double, a home run and three RBI's.
After that game though, Hinske's season took a drastic turn for the worse. As a matter of fact, this was the worst season he has ever had in his career. When he had that great game against the Rockies on May 4th, his batting average was at .412. Through the rest of the season, his average fell over 200 points and he finished the year batting .197. His playing time decreased and he fell out of favor with manager Fredi Gonzalez. Along with his miserable batting average, Hinske hit only two home runs and only had thirteen RBI's.
Hinske's tenure with the Braves is most likely over. He didn't do anything this year to earn a spot on the roster next season. He even said himself on the day after the wild card game, that he had fun playing here and understood it's a business. So, thank you Eric Hinske, but good luck next year playing somewhere else and good luck to anyone that takes a chance on him.
Eric Hinske didn't produce at all this season for the Braves, he will be playing somewhere else next year.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Hinske broke into the big leagues back in 2002 with the Toronto Blue Jays and won the Rookie of the Year award hitting 24 home runs and 84 RBI's and batting .279. Since then, he has played for the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees. He came to the Atlanta Braves in 2010 as a free agent.
Hinske has had success as a Brave. He is always remembered for hitting a clutch home run in 2010 against the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs. This past year, he had a great game against the Colorado Rockies on May 4th. In that game he went four for six with a double, a home run and three RBI's.
After that game though, Hinske's season took a drastic turn for the worse. As a matter of fact, this was the worst season he has ever had in his career. When he had that great game against the Rockies on May 4th, his batting average was at .412. Through the rest of the season, his average fell over 200 points and he finished the year batting .197. His playing time decreased and he fell out of favor with manager Fredi Gonzalez. Along with his miserable batting average, Hinske hit only two home runs and only had thirteen RBI's.
Hinske's tenure with the Braves is most likely over. He didn't do anything this year to earn a spot on the roster next season. He even said himself on the day after the wild card game, that he had fun playing here and understood it's a business. So, thank you Eric Hinske, but good luck next year playing somewhere else and good luck to anyone that takes a chance on him.
Eric Hinske didn't produce at all this season for the Braves, he will be playing somewhere else next year.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Jason Heyward
Today's second Braves' recap is on outfielder Jason Heyward.
Heyward broke into the major leagues in 2010 after being the Braves top prospect the year before. He started off with a bang too, a three-run home run in his first major league at-bat off of then Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano. Heyward even made the All-Star team his first season. His second season was marred by injury and poor play, but he came back with a bang this year.
Heyward started the season off slow. After two months he was only batting .233. He just didn't seem to have an eye for the ball. The same problem happened the year before and manager Fredi Gonzalez started platooning him with Jose Constanza. This year, Gonzalez stuck with Heyward and it proved to be the right move.
Heyward turned things around. He had two games in June where he hit two home runs in each game. One was against the Miami Marlins on June 7th and the other against the New York Yankees on June 20th. The Braves won both of those games. He finished the year batting .269 with 27 home runs and 82 RBI's. He also had 21 stolen bases, which made him the first Brave to have 20+ home runs and 20+ steals in a season since 2000 when Andruw Jones accomplished the feat. He also provided stellar defense in the outfield, including robbing Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina of a home run in the wild card game.
Heyward will definitely be starting in right field next year for the Braves. He had his best season yet, but that will bring along added pressure. Heyward will be counted on heavily to help replace Chipper Jones, now that he is retired. Jones said recently that Heyward and Freddie Freeman will be two of the Braves main supporters now that he is gone. Hopefully Heyward will prove him right and have an even bigger season in 2013.
Heyward broke into the major leagues in 2010 after being the Braves top prospect the year before. He started off with a bang too, a three-run home run in his first major league at-bat off of then Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano. Heyward even made the All-Star team his first season. His second season was marred by injury and poor play, but he came back with a bang this year.
Heyward started the season off slow. After two months he was only batting .233. He just didn't seem to have an eye for the ball. The same problem happened the year before and manager Fredi Gonzalez started platooning him with Jose Constanza. This year, Gonzalez stuck with Heyward and it proved to be the right move.
Heyward turned things around. He had two games in June where he hit two home runs in each game. One was against the Miami Marlins on June 7th and the other against the New York Yankees on June 20th. The Braves won both of those games. He finished the year batting .269 with 27 home runs and 82 RBI's. He also had 21 stolen bases, which made him the first Brave to have 20+ home runs and 20+ steals in a season since 2000 when Andruw Jones accomplished the feat. He also provided stellar defense in the outfield, including robbing Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina of a home run in the wild card game.
Heyward will definitely be starting in right field next year for the Braves. He had his best season yet, but that will bring along added pressure. Heyward will be counted on heavily to help replace Chipper Jones, now that he is retired. Jones said recently that Heyward and Freddie Freeman will be two of the Braves main supporters now that he is gone. Hopefully Heyward will prove him right and have an even bigger season in 2013.
Braves' Player Recap: Tommy Hanson
Today, there will be two more Braves' recaps, the first one will be on starting pitcher Tommy Hanson.
Hanson broke into the big leagues back in 2009 with Atlanta. He was the Braves' top rated pitching prospect and he showed why. He went 11-4 in his rookie season with a 2.89 ERA. Ever since then, Hanson has had a hard time showing why he was once a top rated prospect.
Hanson had a few troubles this year. One problem since his rookie season, his ERA has gone up, and it ballooned to 4.48 this season. He also lost six of his last seven decisions, which ultimately hurt the Braves down the stretch. One of his roughest games came against the Washington Nationals on July 20th. Hanson threw four innings, gave up eight hits, eight runs, walked four batters and gave up two home runs. Not quite what you would expect out of someone who was once a top prospect.
Hanson did pitch really well at the beginning of the season, and a lot of experts thought he got snubbed when he didn't make the All-Star team. One of his best outings came against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 9th, when he pitched eight innings, gave up only two runs on five hits and struck out four. Hanson also set a personal mark, winning thirteen games, the most ever for him in a season. He finished the year at 13-10 with the 4.48 ERA and had 161 strikeouts.
Hanson's place with the Braves looks cloudy for next season. Tim Hudson, Kris Medlen, Mike Minor and Paul Maholm are locked in the rotation. Hanson needs to have a good spring to beat out Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran for the fifth spot in the rotation. Brandon Beachy will return in late June or July though and could knock Hanson out of the rotation if he makes it.
He needs to pitch well, if he makes the rotation, to stick around with the Braves, otherwise he could be used as trade bait next year at the trade deadline. There is also the possibility that the Braves will want to improve their team this offseason via trade. If that's the case, Hanson could leave sooner.
Hanson broke into the big leagues back in 2009 with Atlanta. He was the Braves' top rated pitching prospect and he showed why. He went 11-4 in his rookie season with a 2.89 ERA. Ever since then, Hanson has had a hard time showing why he was once a top rated prospect.
Hanson had a few troubles this year. One problem since his rookie season, his ERA has gone up, and it ballooned to 4.48 this season. He also lost six of his last seven decisions, which ultimately hurt the Braves down the stretch. One of his roughest games came against the Washington Nationals on July 20th. Hanson threw four innings, gave up eight hits, eight runs, walked four batters and gave up two home runs. Not quite what you would expect out of someone who was once a top prospect.
Hanson did pitch really well at the beginning of the season, and a lot of experts thought he got snubbed when he didn't make the All-Star team. One of his best outings came against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 9th, when he pitched eight innings, gave up only two runs on five hits and struck out four. Hanson also set a personal mark, winning thirteen games, the most ever for him in a season. He finished the year at 13-10 with the 4.48 ERA and had 161 strikeouts.
Hanson's place with the Braves looks cloudy for next season. Tim Hudson, Kris Medlen, Mike Minor and Paul Maholm are locked in the rotation. Hanson needs to have a good spring to beat out Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran for the fifth spot in the rotation. Brandon Beachy will return in late June or July though and could knock Hanson out of the rotation if he makes it.
He needs to pitch well, if he makes the rotation, to stick around with the Braves, otherwise he could be used as trade bait next year at the trade deadline. There is also the possibility that the Braves will want to improve their team this offseason via trade. If that's the case, Hanson could leave sooner.
Braves' Player Recap: Cory Gearrin
Today's Braves' recap will be on reliever Cory Gearrin.
Gearrin was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves and came up through their minor league system. He is one of the Braves up and coming relief pitchers. He made his major league debut last year with the Braves and struggled. He had a 7.85 ERA in only eighteen games.
Gearrin was an All-Star with Triple-A Gwinnett before the Braves called him up to the majors this year. He had a rough outing in his second appearance against the New York Yankees, as he gave up a game-tying home run to Nick Swisher. He got demoted back to Gwinnett the next day.
When the Braves brought him back up in July, Gearrin was a different pitcher. He was stellar, only giving up three more runs in twenty games. One of his best outings came on August 1st against the Miami Marlins, as he pitched two innings, gave up only one hit and struck out three men. Gearrin finished the year with an 0-1 record, a 1.80 ERA and had 20 strikeouts.
Gearrin will be with the Braves next season. After his strong performance down the stretch, he should have earned himself a spot in the bullpen at the start of the season. If the Braves re-sign Chad Durbin, Gearrin could possibly begin the season back at Gwinnett. He is a young, cheap and effective reliever though, which might be a better option for the Braves at this time.
Cory Gearrin pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies. He should be a main part of the Braves' bullpen next season.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Gearrin was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves and came up through their minor league system. He is one of the Braves up and coming relief pitchers. He made his major league debut last year with the Braves and struggled. He had a 7.85 ERA in only eighteen games.
Gearrin was an All-Star with Triple-A Gwinnett before the Braves called him up to the majors this year. He had a rough outing in his second appearance against the New York Yankees, as he gave up a game-tying home run to Nick Swisher. He got demoted back to Gwinnett the next day.
When the Braves brought him back up in July, Gearrin was a different pitcher. He was stellar, only giving up three more runs in twenty games. One of his best outings came on August 1st against the Miami Marlins, as he pitched two innings, gave up only one hit and struck out three men. Gearrin finished the year with an 0-1 record, a 1.80 ERA and had 20 strikeouts.
Gearrin will be with the Braves next season. After his strong performance down the stretch, he should have earned himself a spot in the bullpen at the start of the season. If the Braves re-sign Chad Durbin, Gearrin could possibly begin the season back at Gwinnett. He is a young, cheap and effective reliever though, which might be a better option for the Braves at this time.
Cory Gearrin pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies. He should be a main part of the Braves' bullpen next season.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Monday, October 22, 2012
Hawks Win in Tune-up against Mavericks
The Atlanta Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday 110-94. It was a game that the Hawks took the lead first and never looked back. Also, the Hawks used the rotation that coach Larry Drew hopes to use this season, and they performed well.
The Mavericks, who are playing without All-Star Dirk Nowitzki and starting center Chris Kaman, never really put up a fight. Rookie Jae Crowder scored fifteen for Dallas, and Vince Carter added thirteen. Nowitzki is out for six to eight weeks after having knee surgery.
Kyle Korver hit a three-pointer in the beginning for the Hawks, Anthony Tolliver hit one shortly there after and the Hawks ran away with the game after that. The Hawks led by fifteen points at halftime, and ended up winning by sixteen. That's only because the Mavericks scored by the plenty in the fourth quarter. The Hawks were up by over twenty at one point in the quarter.
Rookie Mike Scott led the Hawks with seventeen points. He was one of seven Hawks that scored in double figures, as this new and balanced scoring attack looked impressive. Ivan Johnson and Lou Williams each had thirteen, Devin Harris added eleven and Josh Smith, Anthony Morrow and Damion James each had ten. Smith had a double-double as he brought down thirteen rebounds to lead the Hawks.
Al Horford, who scored four points, only played fourteen minutes and didn't return after suffering from a sore calf muscle. The Hawks also didn't have Jeff Teague, Zaza Pachulia and John Jenkins as each sat out with different injuries. The Hawks, who are now 3-3 in the preseason, don't play again till Friday against the Detroit Pistons. The game will be at 7:30 p.m. in Detroit and it is the Hawks final preseason game before the regular season begins.
Damion James drives to the basket for the Hawks, James finished with ten points for the night.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
The Mavericks, who are playing without All-Star Dirk Nowitzki and starting center Chris Kaman, never really put up a fight. Rookie Jae Crowder scored fifteen for Dallas, and Vince Carter added thirteen. Nowitzki is out for six to eight weeks after having knee surgery.
Kyle Korver hit a three-pointer in the beginning for the Hawks, Anthony Tolliver hit one shortly there after and the Hawks ran away with the game after that. The Hawks led by fifteen points at halftime, and ended up winning by sixteen. That's only because the Mavericks scored by the plenty in the fourth quarter. The Hawks were up by over twenty at one point in the quarter.
Rookie Mike Scott led the Hawks with seventeen points. He was one of seven Hawks that scored in double figures, as this new and balanced scoring attack looked impressive. Ivan Johnson and Lou Williams each had thirteen, Devin Harris added eleven and Josh Smith, Anthony Morrow and Damion James each had ten. Smith had a double-double as he brought down thirteen rebounds to lead the Hawks.
Al Horford, who scored four points, only played fourteen minutes and didn't return after suffering from a sore calf muscle. The Hawks also didn't have Jeff Teague, Zaza Pachulia and John Jenkins as each sat out with different injuries. The Hawks, who are now 3-3 in the preseason, don't play again till Friday against the Detroit Pistons. The game will be at 7:30 p.m. in Detroit and it is the Hawks final preseason game before the regular season begins.
Damion James drives to the basket for the Hawks, James finished with ten points for the night.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Braves' Player Recap: Freddie Freeman
The second Braves' recap today will continue with first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Freeman was orignally drafted by the Braves and he made his major league debut in 2010. His first ever home run came a few days after his debut, he hit it against Phillies ace Roy Halladay. He finished runner-up to teammate Craig Kimbrel for the Rookie of the Year last season, after he batted .282 and hit 21 home runs.
Freeman was a big part of the Braves again this year. Unfortunately he had a few down parts to his season. He suffered through two freak injuries, one where Jose Reyes of the Miami Marlins threw a ball to first and hit Freeman in the hand. Freeman was trying to break up a double play and his fingers were jammed when the ball hit him. The other one was when he got dry eyes after a west coast trip. He tried eye drops and sports goggles, but his eye for the ball was obviously hindered. That brought on another problem as Freeman's average fell to only .259.
Freeman was stellar most of the season though, his defense was great, he is one of the best fielding first baseman in the league. He also hit more home runs and drove in more runs than last season. One of his best games occurred on April 19th as he went three for five with a double, two home runs and five RBI's against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Another highlight took place when he hit a two-run walk-off home run to beat the Marlins on September 25th to beat the Marlins and clinched a spot in the wild card game for the Braves. Freeman ended the season with his .259 average, and 23 home runs and 94 RBI's. He was trying to become the first Brave to reach 100 RBI's since 2007, when Jeff Francoeur did it.
Freeman will definitely be around in Atlanta next season and starting at first base for the Braves. He will hope to have a full season of being healthy. Also, the Braves need him to be healthy as he will be heavily counted on to help replace the production that Chipper Jones gave the Braves. Look for Freeman to continue to grow and have another stellar season in 2013.
Freeman was orignally drafted by the Braves and he made his major league debut in 2010. His first ever home run came a few days after his debut, he hit it against Phillies ace Roy Halladay. He finished runner-up to teammate Craig Kimbrel for the Rookie of the Year last season, after he batted .282 and hit 21 home runs.
Freeman was a big part of the Braves again this year. Unfortunately he had a few down parts to his season. He suffered through two freak injuries, one where Jose Reyes of the Miami Marlins threw a ball to first and hit Freeman in the hand. Freeman was trying to break up a double play and his fingers were jammed when the ball hit him. The other one was when he got dry eyes after a west coast trip. He tried eye drops and sports goggles, but his eye for the ball was obviously hindered. That brought on another problem as Freeman's average fell to only .259.
Freeman was stellar most of the season though, his defense was great, he is one of the best fielding first baseman in the league. He also hit more home runs and drove in more runs than last season. One of his best games occurred on April 19th as he went three for five with a double, two home runs and five RBI's against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Another highlight took place when he hit a two-run walk-off home run to beat the Marlins on September 25th to beat the Marlins and clinched a spot in the wild card game for the Braves. Freeman ended the season with his .259 average, and 23 home runs and 94 RBI's. He was trying to become the first Brave to reach 100 RBI's since 2007, when Jeff Francoeur did it.
Freeman will definitely be around in Atlanta next season and starting at first base for the Braves. He will hope to have a full season of being healthy. Also, the Braves need him to be healthy as he will be heavily counted on to help replace the production that Chipper Jones gave the Braves. Look for Freeman to continue to grow and have another stellar season in 2013.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Juan Francisco
Today there will be a few Braves' recaps. The first one will be on third baseman Juan Francisco.
Francisco broke into the major leagues back in 2009 with the Cincinnati Reds. He had been one of the Reds top prospects as he showed a lot of power but he wasn't the slickest at fielding. He had only spent parts of three seasons with the Reds when the Braves acquired him for reliever J.J. Hoover before the season. His purpose was to help backup Chipper Jones at third base, while Chipper recovered from his knee surgery before the season.
Francisco did a good job at times helping out the Braves when Chipper was absent from the lineup. At one point during the season though, he struggled and was having a hard time. He was lazy, didn't run much, made errors in the field, and just didn't seem to care much about the game. Manager Fredi Gonzalez finally sat Francisco down and told him if he didn't improve and start playing better, he would be released from the team.
That talk turned Francisco's season around and he became one of the Braves most dependable players for the next few months. He scored the winning run against the Colorado Rockies on September 6th, as he hustled and stole home on an error. Also, on July 25th against the Miami Marlins, he went three for four at the plate with a home run and three RBI's. He finished the year hitting .234 with nine home runs and 32 RBI's.
Francisco will be back next year for the Braves. He will have a big part of trying to replace Chipper at third base. Don't expect him to be the everyday third baseman, but possibly be in a platoon with another player, such as Martin Prado. He will also be a valuable player to come off the bench in certain situations.
Francisco broke into the major leagues back in 2009 with the Cincinnati Reds. He had been one of the Reds top prospects as he showed a lot of power but he wasn't the slickest at fielding. He had only spent parts of three seasons with the Reds when the Braves acquired him for reliever J.J. Hoover before the season. His purpose was to help backup Chipper Jones at third base, while Chipper recovered from his knee surgery before the season.
Francisco did a good job at times helping out the Braves when Chipper was absent from the lineup. At one point during the season though, he struggled and was having a hard time. He was lazy, didn't run much, made errors in the field, and just didn't seem to care much about the game. Manager Fredi Gonzalez finally sat Francisco down and told him if he didn't improve and start playing better, he would be released from the team.
That talk turned Francisco's season around and he became one of the Braves most dependable players for the next few months. He scored the winning run against the Colorado Rockies on September 6th, as he hustled and stole home on an error. Also, on July 25th against the Miami Marlins, he went three for four at the plate with a home run and three RBI's. He finished the year hitting .234 with nine home runs and 32 RBI's.
Francisco will be back next year for the Braves. He will have a big part of trying to replace Chipper at third base. Don't expect him to be the everyday third baseman, but possibly be in a platoon with another player, such as Martin Prado. He will also be a valuable player to come off the bench in certain situations.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Hawks Cruise Past Hornets
The Atlanta Hawks easily beat the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday night, 97-68. The game didn't start off easy for the Hawks, as the Hornets were pesky through the first half. The Hawks used a 21-1 run to start the third quarter to pull away.
Rookie Anthony Davis, who played at Kentucky last year, led the Hornets with nineteen points and really looked dominant in the first half. The Hornets went toe-to-toe with the Hawks, and it was tied 40-40 at halftime. The Hawks looked horrible before the half, playing with no defense and missing open shots, including lay-ups at the rim. Zaza Pachulia stuck out the most, as he missed four easy lay-ups and turned the ball over a few times.
The Hawks then had their 21-1 run to open the third quarter and Devin Harris led the rally, as he scored nine of the points. When the quarter finished, the Hawks held the Hornets to only seven points and the game seemed all but over. The quarter wasn't all happiness though, as Jeff Teague injured his ankle and didn't return to the game.
The Hawks again had five players in double figures in points. Josh Smith led the way with sixteen points, Anthony Morrow had fifteen, Harris ended up with fourteen, while Lou Williams and Al Horford had ten. Horford had a double-double as he pulled down eleven rebounds to lead the Hawks.
The Hawks played without rookie John Jenkins, he sat out with a contusion on his hand. Also, coach Larry Drew decided to hold Kyle Korver, Ivan Johnson, Johan Petro and Damion James out of the game. The Hawks will continue the preseason on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks. The game will be at 7 p.m. in Atlanta.
In other news, the Hawks released Cardell "Squeaky" Johnson, which brings the number down to sixteen players on the roster. The Hawks have until October 29th to get the number down to the league maximum of fifteen players. Johnson played in one preseason game and didn't score.
Devin Harris drives the lane against the Hornets' Austin Rivers. Harris finished with fourteen points.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Rookie Anthony Davis, who played at Kentucky last year, led the Hornets with nineteen points and really looked dominant in the first half. The Hornets went toe-to-toe with the Hawks, and it was tied 40-40 at halftime. The Hawks looked horrible before the half, playing with no defense and missing open shots, including lay-ups at the rim. Zaza Pachulia stuck out the most, as he missed four easy lay-ups and turned the ball over a few times.
The Hawks then had their 21-1 run to open the third quarter and Devin Harris led the rally, as he scored nine of the points. When the quarter finished, the Hawks held the Hornets to only seven points and the game seemed all but over. The quarter wasn't all happiness though, as Jeff Teague injured his ankle and didn't return to the game.
The Hawks again had five players in double figures in points. Josh Smith led the way with sixteen points, Anthony Morrow had fifteen, Harris ended up with fourteen, while Lou Williams and Al Horford had ten. Horford had a double-double as he pulled down eleven rebounds to lead the Hawks.
The Hawks played without rookie John Jenkins, he sat out with a contusion on his hand. Also, coach Larry Drew decided to hold Kyle Korver, Ivan Johnson, Johan Petro and Damion James out of the game. The Hawks will continue the preseason on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks. The game will be at 7 p.m. in Atlanta.
In other news, the Hawks released Cardell "Squeaky" Johnson, which brings the number down to sixteen players on the roster. The Hawks have until October 29th to get the number down to the league maximum of fifteen players. Johnson played in one preseason game and didn't score.
Devin Harris drives the lane against the Hornets' Austin Rivers. Harris finished with fourteen points.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Robert Fish
Today the Braves' recap continues with reliever Robert Fish.
Fish has not made his major league appearance yet. He was acquired by the Braves in the 2011 Rule 5 draft from the Los Angeles Angels. He was in the Angels minor league system from 2006-2011 and he never put up very good numbers, which made it interesting trying to figure out why the Braves took him.
Unfortunately for Fish, he suffered a major arm injury in spring training and didn't pitch at all in the Braves' organization this past season. Fish will most likely begin next season in the minors for the Braves, either at Mississippi or Gwinnett. If he pitches good enough, he might get called up. With the emergence of Luis Avilan though, his future in Atlanta doesn't look too bright, and he might be a good trade piece.
Fish has not made his major league appearance yet. He was acquired by the Braves in the 2011 Rule 5 draft from the Los Angeles Angels. He was in the Angels minor league system from 2006-2011 and he never put up very good numbers, which made it interesting trying to figure out why the Braves took him.
Unfortunately for Fish, he suffered a major arm injury in spring training and didn't pitch at all in the Braves' organization this past season. Fish will most likely begin next season in the minors for the Braves, either at Mississippi or Gwinnett. If he pitches good enough, he might get called up. With the emergence of Luis Avilan though, his future in Atlanta doesn't look too bright, and he might be a good trade piece.
Braves' Player Recap: Chad Durbin
Today the Braves' recap continues with reliever Chad Durbin.
Durbin broke into the big leagues back in 1999 with the Kansas City Royals. Since then, he has played with the Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, back to Cleveland and then with Atlanta this past year. He started the 2012 season with the Washington Nationals during spring training, but they deemed him not good enough, released him, and the Braves signed him.
At first, it looked like a bad pick-up for the Braves. Through his first fourteen games of the season, Durbin allowed eleven runs, including five home runs and his ERA was a whopping 8.25. After that, he seemed to settle down and turned in a fine season, one of the best of his career actually. He also got a little revenge on the Nationals for releasing him on August 21st, when he entered the game and struck out all three batters he faced.
Durbin came into multiple games when the Braves were in tough situations, and he was able to get out of them. He was able to do that with his good sinking ball, which in turn would get the batters to hit ground balls and the Braves could turn double-plays. Durbin finished the year with some great numbers. He was 4-1 with 49 strikeouts on the year and a save. He also brought that ballooning ERA of 8.25 down to a respectable 3.10, his best since the 2008 season with the Phillies.
Durbin is a free agent this winter. The Braves have many good, young arms down in the bullpen so Durbin could be out of the picture in Atlanta. He would definitely get a chance somewhere else after the year he had. If the Braves were smart though, they would make it a priority to bring him back for another season to provide some veteran leadership in what is a very young relief staff.
Durbin broke into the big leagues back in 1999 with the Kansas City Royals. Since then, he has played with the Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, back to Cleveland and then with Atlanta this past year. He started the 2012 season with the Washington Nationals during spring training, but they deemed him not good enough, released him, and the Braves signed him.
At first, it looked like a bad pick-up for the Braves. Through his first fourteen games of the season, Durbin allowed eleven runs, including five home runs and his ERA was a whopping 8.25. After that, he seemed to settle down and turned in a fine season, one of the best of his career actually. He also got a little revenge on the Nationals for releasing him on August 21st, when he entered the game and struck out all three batters he faced.
Durbin came into multiple games when the Braves were in tough situations, and he was able to get out of them. He was able to do that with his good sinking ball, which in turn would get the batters to hit ground balls and the Braves could turn double-plays. Durbin finished the year with some great numbers. He was 4-1 with 49 strikeouts on the year and a save. He also brought that ballooning ERA of 8.25 down to a respectable 3.10, his best since the 2008 season with the Phillies.
Durbin is a free agent this winter. The Braves have many good, young arms down in the bullpen so Durbin could be out of the picture in Atlanta. He would definitely get a chance somewhere else after the year he had. If the Braves were smart though, they would make it a priority to bring him back for another season to provide some veteran leadership in what is a very young relief staff.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Pacers Keep Hawks in Check
The Atlanta Hawks tried to rally late against the Indiana Pacers, but it wasn't enough as they lost on Tuesday night, 102-98. In the last three games since their win against the Heat, the Hawks have tried to rally late in each game. Obviously that is not a good tactic for them as they have lost all three games.
Paul George was the nemesis for the Hawks tonight, he scored twenty points for the Pacers. He hit a three-pointer at the end of the first half to give the Pacers a 49-47 lead and they never looked back. Also, when the Hawks pulled within two points in the fourth quarter, George hit two clutch free throws to seal the win for Indiana.
Lou Williams led the Hawks with eighteen points. Anthony Tolliver had a good game with fourteen points, Kyle Korver had thirteen, Ivan Johnson had twelve and Jeff Teague had eleven. Devin Harris, playing in his first preseason game, also had eleven to give the Hawks six players in double figures. Damion James had another solid performance pulling down eight rebounds to lead Atlanta in that category.
The Hawks are now 1-3 in the preseason. They return to Atlanta and will face the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday night at Philips Arena. The Hornets are 3-1 this preseason. The game will start at 7:30 p.m.
Lou Williams led the Hawks with 18 points in the loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Paul George was the nemesis for the Hawks tonight, he scored twenty points for the Pacers. He hit a three-pointer at the end of the first half to give the Pacers a 49-47 lead and they never looked back. Also, when the Hawks pulled within two points in the fourth quarter, George hit two clutch free throws to seal the win for Indiana.
Lou Williams led the Hawks with eighteen points. Anthony Tolliver had a good game with fourteen points, Kyle Korver had thirteen, Ivan Johnson had twelve and Jeff Teague had eleven. Devin Harris, playing in his first preseason game, also had eleven to give the Hawks six players in double figures. Damion James had another solid performance pulling down eight rebounds to lead Atlanta in that category.
The Hawks are now 1-3 in the preseason. They return to Atlanta and will face the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday night at Philips Arena. The Hornets are 3-1 this preseason. The game will start at 7:30 p.m.
Lou Williams led the Hawks with 18 points in the loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Matt Diaz
Today outfielder Matt Diaz will be the topic for the Braves' recap.
Diaz broke into the major leagues back in 2003 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, as they were still called at the time. He came to Atlanta in 2006 as a free agent, left in 2011, only to be re-acquired by trade halfway through the '11 season from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has been a valuable bench asset for the Braves, as he can play both left field and right field, and he is a great contact hitter. For example, in his first five-year stint with the Braves, he hit above .300 in three of those seasons.
Diaz had a few good games this year, one of his best came against the Washington Nationals on May 25th, as he went two for four with a double and three RBI's. There were two bad parts to his season though. First, he had the lowest batting average of his career, hitting only .222, but that could have been caused by the second part. He had to have thumb surgery from a previous injury that ended his season after July 19th. He finished the season with low outputs due to playing only half the year. He had his .222 average with two home runs and 13 RBI's.
Diaz's chances of returning to the Braves took a hit after he was injured. The Braves went out and traded for Reed Johnson, another outfielder who is a great contact hitter, and can play all three outfield positions. Johnson is a free agent but the Braves want him back. If the Braves bring Diaz back, it will most likely be a minor league invite to spring training to see if he will have made a full recovery and join the team. Otherwise, Diaz might be looking for a new home.
Diaz broke into the major leagues back in 2003 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, as they were still called at the time. He came to Atlanta in 2006 as a free agent, left in 2011, only to be re-acquired by trade halfway through the '11 season from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has been a valuable bench asset for the Braves, as he can play both left field and right field, and he is a great contact hitter. For example, in his first five-year stint with the Braves, he hit above .300 in three of those seasons.
Diaz had a few good games this year, one of his best came against the Washington Nationals on May 25th, as he went two for four with a double and three RBI's. There were two bad parts to his season though. First, he had the lowest batting average of his career, hitting only .222, but that could have been caused by the second part. He had to have thumb surgery from a previous injury that ended his season after July 19th. He finished the season with low outputs due to playing only half the year. He had his .222 average with two home runs and 13 RBI's.
Diaz's chances of returning to the Braves took a hit after he was injured. The Braves went out and traded for Reed Johnson, another outfielder who is a great contact hitter, and can play all three outfield positions. Johnson is a free agent but the Braves want him back. If the Braves bring Diaz back, it will most likely be a minor league invite to spring training to see if he will have made a full recovery and join the team. Otherwise, Diaz might be looking for a new home.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Randall Delgado
The Braves' recap continues today with young starting pitcher Randall Delgado.
Delgado made his major league debut last year, and his first start was against a tough opponent, the Texas Rangers, who had just gone to the World Series the year before. He lost that game unfortunately, but that didn't take away his status. Delgado is regarded as one of the Braves' best young pitchers. He showed glimpses of that this year.
Delgado had two really good games during the season, one was on May 3rd against the Philadelphia Phillies and the other was on June 17th against the Baltimore Orioles. In both games he pitched eight innings and gave up only two runs, but due to a lack of run support, he lost both games. Delgado's worst outing came against the lowly Boston Red Sox, as he only pitched one inning and gave up four runs.
Delgado had another problem this season, he struggled giving up runs. He made 17 starts this year for the Braves, and in every game, he gave up at least one run. Out of the 17, ten of them he gave up three runs or more. That will change as he gains more experience, but it is hard for a team to stay in the game if the pitcher is giving up that many runs. Delgado finished the year with a 4-9 record, a 4.37 ERA and 76 strikeouts.
Delgado is one of the best arms in the Atlanta organization right now, so the Braves will probably keep him. If they do, he most likely will start the year in the minors to gain more experience, plus the Braves are stocked full of starting pitchers. On the other hand, the Braves want to upgrade their offense over the off-season, so they could use Delgado as trade bait to acquire a big bat.
Delgado made his major league debut last year, and his first start was against a tough opponent, the Texas Rangers, who had just gone to the World Series the year before. He lost that game unfortunately, but that didn't take away his status. Delgado is regarded as one of the Braves' best young pitchers. He showed glimpses of that this year.
Delgado had two really good games during the season, one was on May 3rd against the Philadelphia Phillies and the other was on June 17th against the Baltimore Orioles. In both games he pitched eight innings and gave up only two runs, but due to a lack of run support, he lost both games. Delgado's worst outing came against the lowly Boston Red Sox, as he only pitched one inning and gave up four runs.
Delgado had another problem this season, he struggled giving up runs. He made 17 starts this year for the Braves, and in every game, he gave up at least one run. Out of the 17, ten of them he gave up three runs or more. That will change as he gains more experience, but it is hard for a team to stay in the game if the pitcher is giving up that many runs. Delgado finished the year with a 4-9 record, a 4.37 ERA and 76 strikeouts.
Delgado is one of the best arms in the Atlanta organization right now, so the Braves will probably keep him. If they do, he most likely will start the year in the minors to gain more experience, plus the Braves are stocked full of starting pitchers. On the other hand, the Braves want to upgrade their offense over the off-season, so they could use Delgado as trade bait to acquire a big bat.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Hawks Fall to Grizzlies
The Atlanta Hawks lost Sunday night to the Memphis Grizzlies 110-102. Mike Conley, of the Grizzlies, was the top performer of the game, he scored 18 points, including making all five of his 3-pointers.
The Hawks made 53 percent of their shots in the first half to take a 59 to 54 lead into half time. Memphis went on a 13 to 3 run in the third quarter though to take the lead and they never looked back.
Al Horford led the Hawks with thirteen points, as he was one of five Hawks that scored in double-digits. Anthony Morrow added twelve points, Kyle Korver had eleven, and Lou Williams and Ivan Johnson each scored ten points. Zaza Pachulia finally played his first preseason game, he chipped in nine points and led the Hawks with nine rebounds.
Devin Harris didn't play again, he hasn't appeared in a preseason game yet. DeShawn Stevenson also missed his second preseason game. The Hawks are now 1-2 in the preseason. They will play the Indiana Pacers next. That game will be on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Indiana.
Zaza Pachulia pulls down a rebound against the Grizzlies. He played for the first time this preseason and had nine points and nine rebounds.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
The Hawks made 53 percent of their shots in the first half to take a 59 to 54 lead into half time. Memphis went on a 13 to 3 run in the third quarter though to take the lead and they never looked back.
Al Horford led the Hawks with thirteen points, as he was one of five Hawks that scored in double-digits. Anthony Morrow added twelve points, Kyle Korver had eleven, and Lou Williams and Ivan Johnson each scored ten points. Zaza Pachulia finally played his first preseason game, he chipped in nine points and led the Hawks with nine rebounds.
Devin Harris didn't play again, he hasn't appeared in a preseason game yet. DeShawn Stevenson also missed his second preseason game. The Hawks are now 1-2 in the preseason. They will play the Indiana Pacers next. That game will be on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Indiana.
Zaza Pachulia pulls down a rebound against the Grizzlies. He played for the first time this preseason and had nine points and nine rebounds.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
A Little Luck Helps Falcons to 6-0
The Atlanta Falcons were able to pull off another fourth quarter comeback on Sunday, this time against the Oakland Raiders. In what should have been an easy win for the Falcons, another Matt Bryant field goal proved to be the difference in the 23-20 victory.
The Raiders showed they were not going to roll over and die, they put up a good fight. Along with Matt Ryan throwing three interceptions, he had thrown three in the first five games alone, the Raiders almost gave the Falcons their first loss. The biggest play of the game for the Falcons, other than Bryant's kick, was Asante Samuel's interception that he returned for a touchdown.
The Raiders were driving down the field in the fourth quarter when Samuel stepped in front of the pass from Raiders' quarterback Carson Palmer and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders were able to score quickly, which then meant the Falcons had to score again with only 40 seconds left in the game. Ryan threw four quick passes and then Bryant's 55-yard field goal sealed the win.
In a sloppy first half, the Falcons only scored once before overtime, when Ryan completed a four yard pass to Roddy White for a touchdown. Ryan's three interceptions before half time tied for the most he has ever thrown in a game, which he did back in 2009 against the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons trailed 13-7 at the half, but with Bryant's three field goals and Samuel's interception return, they were able to overcome the deficit in the second half and extend their winning streak.
Ryan had a mediocre game, passing for 249 yards and a touchdown. His quarterback rating, which is usually over a hundred, was only 59.4. Michael Turner had another horrible day, rushing for only 33 yards. White had six catches for 72 yards and his touchdown to lead the offense. On defense, John Abraham had a huge day, recording three sacks. Line backer Sean Weatherspoon had nine tackles and corner back Dunta Robinson had eight.
Overall though, this was one of the Falcons worst games this year. The offense could never seem to get things going. Even when defensive end Ray Edwards recovered a fumble and returned it to the Raiders one yard line, the Falcons couldn't score on four plays and had to kick a field goal. The defense was sloppy too, constantly missing tackles and letting the Raiders run all over the field. If the Falcons wish to keep this perfect season going, their play will have to improve dramatically from today to do so.
Asante Samuel (22) returns his interception for a touchdown to help the Falcons beat the Raiders, 23-20.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
The Raiders showed they were not going to roll over and die, they put up a good fight. Along with Matt Ryan throwing three interceptions, he had thrown three in the first five games alone, the Raiders almost gave the Falcons their first loss. The biggest play of the game for the Falcons, other than Bryant's kick, was Asante Samuel's interception that he returned for a touchdown.
The Raiders were driving down the field in the fourth quarter when Samuel stepped in front of the pass from Raiders' quarterback Carson Palmer and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders were able to score quickly, which then meant the Falcons had to score again with only 40 seconds left in the game. Ryan threw four quick passes and then Bryant's 55-yard field goal sealed the win.
In a sloppy first half, the Falcons only scored once before overtime, when Ryan completed a four yard pass to Roddy White for a touchdown. Ryan's three interceptions before half time tied for the most he has ever thrown in a game, which he did back in 2009 against the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons trailed 13-7 at the half, but with Bryant's three field goals and Samuel's interception return, they were able to overcome the deficit in the second half and extend their winning streak.
Ryan had a mediocre game, passing for 249 yards and a touchdown. His quarterback rating, which is usually over a hundred, was only 59.4. Michael Turner had another horrible day, rushing for only 33 yards. White had six catches for 72 yards and his touchdown to lead the offense. On defense, John Abraham had a huge day, recording three sacks. Line backer Sean Weatherspoon had nine tackles and corner back Dunta Robinson had eight.
Overall though, this was one of the Falcons worst games this year. The offense could never seem to get things going. Even when defensive end Ray Edwards recovered a fumble and returned it to the Raiders one yard line, the Falcons couldn't score on four plays and had to kick a field goal. The defense was sloppy too, constantly missing tackles and letting the Raiders run all over the field. If the Falcons wish to keep this perfect season going, their play will have to improve dramatically from today to do so.
Asante Samuel (22) returns his interception for a touchdown to help the Falcons beat the Raiders, 23-20.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Braves' Player Recap: Jose Constanza
The Braves' recap continues today with outfielder Jose Constanza.
Jose Constanza made his major league debut last year with the Braves after spending several seasons in the minors with different organizations. He is a speedy little outfielder that can play all three outfield positions. That's what makes him valuable for the Braves, he can back up Martin Prado, Michael Bourn and Jason Heyward.
Constanza had his best game against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 30th when he had three hits and an RBI. He never had a horrible game to point out, but the one thing that he didn't do this year, that he did last year, was provide a spark. Last season, the Braves were struggling and called Constanza up, he immediately gave them some energy. He finished last season batting .303 with two home runs and ten RBI's. He also chipped in seven stolen bases and great defense, mainly in left and right field. This year, he only batted .250 and had no home runs and four RBI's and didn't play nearly as much as last season.
The Braves have a lot of outfielders in their organization. They also have a few becoming free agents that they would like to keep, including Constanza. If Michael Bourn ends up leaving this winter, and the Braves don't get a true center fielder to replace him, Constanza might return. If they keep Bourn and re-sign Reed Johnson and Matt Diaz, Constanza's time with the Braves could be over. He could always return to the minors for the Braves, but he is good enough to sign somewhere else if he wishes to move on.
Jose Constanza made his major league debut last year with the Braves after spending several seasons in the minors with different organizations. He is a speedy little outfielder that can play all three outfield positions. That's what makes him valuable for the Braves, he can back up Martin Prado, Michael Bourn and Jason Heyward.
Constanza had his best game against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 30th when he had three hits and an RBI. He never had a horrible game to point out, but the one thing that he didn't do this year, that he did last year, was provide a spark. Last season, the Braves were struggling and called Constanza up, he immediately gave them some energy. He finished last season batting .303 with two home runs and ten RBI's. He also chipped in seven stolen bases and great defense, mainly in left and right field. This year, he only batted .250 and had no home runs and four RBI's and didn't play nearly as much as last season.
The Braves have a lot of outfielders in their organization. They also have a few becoming free agents that they would like to keep, including Constanza. If Michael Bourn ends up leaving this winter, and the Braves don't get a true center fielder to replace him, Constanza might return. If they keep Bourn and re-sign Reed Johnson and Matt Diaz, Constanza's time with the Braves could be over. He could always return to the minors for the Braves, but he is good enough to sign somewhere else if he wishes to move on.
Falcons Look to Continue Historic Run
The Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders get set to play today, and the Falcons will try to continue their best start in team history by going 6-0. Oakland is looking for just their second win of the year, as they are 1-3.
Everything is pointing in the Falcons direction to win today. First they have a perfect record, and the Raiders aren't that great. Also, the Falcons won the last time they played the Raiders, 24-0 out in Oakland back in 2008. They held the Raiders to only 77 yards of offense, the lowest output ever by a Raiders team. The last time the Raiders came to Atlanta they lost too, 35-10 back in 2004. Another reason the Falcons have a good chance, the Falcons rank fifth in the NFL in offense, the Raiders rank 30th in the NFL in points given up per game.
It appears the Falcons have it all locked up before the game has even started, but they need to do one thing today that they have struggled at recently. That's starting the game out by getting a lead and keeping that lead. Two games ago against the Panthers, the Falcons had to come back and kick a field goal with less than ten seconds to win the game 30-28. Last week, the Falcons had to score the last ten points of the game to pull out a 24-17 victory over the Redskins.
One way to accomplish getting that lead is through Matt Ryan and the passing game. Ryan is having a superb season at quarterback and is leading the team through this remarkable beginning of the 2012 season. His top targets, wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez, need to have big games too. White is among the leaders in the NFL at receiver with 31 receptions for 481 yards and three touchdowns through the first five games. Gonzalez leads the NFL with 39 receptions, to go along with 388 yards and four touchdowns.
This Falcons team came into the year with big goals. Winning today would show they are serious about accomplishing those goals. They have a great chance to do just that against this lowly Raiders team, who haven't won on the road yet this year. Look for the Falcons to extend this historic run, stay perfect and pull out win number six.
Everything is pointing in the Falcons direction to win today. First they have a perfect record, and the Raiders aren't that great. Also, the Falcons won the last time they played the Raiders, 24-0 out in Oakland back in 2008. They held the Raiders to only 77 yards of offense, the lowest output ever by a Raiders team. The last time the Raiders came to Atlanta they lost too, 35-10 back in 2004. Another reason the Falcons have a good chance, the Falcons rank fifth in the NFL in offense, the Raiders rank 30th in the NFL in points given up per game.
It appears the Falcons have it all locked up before the game has even started, but they need to do one thing today that they have struggled at recently. That's starting the game out by getting a lead and keeping that lead. Two games ago against the Panthers, the Falcons had to come back and kick a field goal with less than ten seconds to win the game 30-28. Last week, the Falcons had to score the last ten points of the game to pull out a 24-17 victory over the Redskins.
One way to accomplish getting that lead is through Matt Ryan and the passing game. Ryan is having a superb season at quarterback and is leading the team through this remarkable beginning of the 2012 season. His top targets, wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez, need to have big games too. White is among the leaders in the NFL at receiver with 31 receptions for 481 yards and three touchdowns through the first five games. Gonzalez leads the NFL with 39 receptions, to go along with 388 yards and four touchdowns.
This Falcons team came into the year with big goals. Winning today would show they are serious about accomplishing those goals. They have a great chance to do just that against this lowly Raiders team, who haven't won on the road yet this year. Look for the Falcons to extend this historic run, stay perfect and pull out win number six.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Former Brave McLouth Shines with Orioles
The Atlanta Braves weren't able to make it far in the playoffs this year. One of their former outfielders made it further though, and he shined in the playoffs with the Baltimore Orioles. As a matter of fact, he was starting to shine before the playoffs and was showing flashbacks of the player he used to be.
Nate McLouth, who spent parts of three seasons with the Braves, is that outfielder. Before the Braves acquired him in 2009, he was an All-Star for the Pirates in 2008, as he had 26 home runs and 94 RBI's. Then the Braves acquired him the next year and he finished that season with 20 home runs and 70 RBI's and the Braves thought they had their center fielder of the future.
The next two seasons though were horrible for McLouth. In 2010, he only played in 85 games and had six home runs and 24 RBI's as he was injured most of the year. The next year was even worse, he played in 81 games and had only four home runs and 16 RBI's and again was injured throughout the year. At the beginning of this season, he went back to the Pirates to find his old magic, but instead he hit rock bottom. McLouth played in only 34 games before they released him, he had no home runs and two RBI's.
McLouth was signed by the Orioles and they sent him to the minor leagues. He worked really hard and got called up to the big league club in August and stayed with them the rest of the season. McLouth had some big games in those two months, including a few walk-off hits to win some games for the Orioles. He finished the regular season with seven home runs and 20 RBI's.
Then in the wild card playoff, McLouth had one of the biggest hits in the Orioles win over the Rangers. In the Division Series against the New York Yankees, he was undoubtedly the Orioles best hitter. He ended up hitting .333 in the five game series with a home run and three RBI's. His home run helped the Orioles to win game four and force a decisive game five. Unfortunately, the Orioles lost game five, and their remarkable season was over.
Now that McLouth has re-discovered his stroke and proved he can come through in the clutch, as he did multiple times, he should be back in the major leagues for good. He should be able to hook on with a team for next season. He probably hopes to re-sign with the Orioles though, and help them finish what they couldn't get done this year.
Nate McLouth almost hit another home run in game five of the Division Series, but it went just foul. An usher at Yankee stadium said after the game the ball grazed off the pole.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Nate McLouth, who spent parts of three seasons with the Braves, is that outfielder. Before the Braves acquired him in 2009, he was an All-Star for the Pirates in 2008, as he had 26 home runs and 94 RBI's. Then the Braves acquired him the next year and he finished that season with 20 home runs and 70 RBI's and the Braves thought they had their center fielder of the future.
The next two seasons though were horrible for McLouth. In 2010, he only played in 85 games and had six home runs and 24 RBI's as he was injured most of the year. The next year was even worse, he played in 81 games and had only four home runs and 16 RBI's and again was injured throughout the year. At the beginning of this season, he went back to the Pirates to find his old magic, but instead he hit rock bottom. McLouth played in only 34 games before they released him, he had no home runs and two RBI's.
McLouth was signed by the Orioles and they sent him to the minor leagues. He worked really hard and got called up to the big league club in August and stayed with them the rest of the season. McLouth had some big games in those two months, including a few walk-off hits to win some games for the Orioles. He finished the regular season with seven home runs and 20 RBI's.
Then in the wild card playoff, McLouth had one of the biggest hits in the Orioles win over the Rangers. In the Division Series against the New York Yankees, he was undoubtedly the Orioles best hitter. He ended up hitting .333 in the five game series with a home run and three RBI's. His home run helped the Orioles to win game four and force a decisive game five. Unfortunately, the Orioles lost game five, and their remarkable season was over.
Now that McLouth has re-discovered his stroke and proved he can come through in the clutch, as he did multiple times, he should be back in the major leagues for good. He should be able to hook on with a team for next season. He probably hopes to re-sign with the Orioles though, and help them finish what they couldn't get done this year.
Nate McLouth almost hit another home run in game five of the Division Series, but it went just foul. An usher at Yankee stadium said after the game the ball grazed off the pole.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Braves' Player Recap: Michael Bourn
Today for the Braves' recap center fielder Michael Bourn will be discussed.
Bourn broke into the majors back in 2006 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was acquired mid-way through the season in 2011 by the Braves, so 2012 marked his first full year with the club. Bourn is a speedster on the bases and is a great defender in the center field.
He had a superb season going in the first half. One of his best games came against the Cincinnati Reds on May 22nd. He had three hits in the game, a double and two home runs and drove in two runs. It was definitely a difference for him as Bourn has never been known as being a power hitter. He made the All-Star team in July, but after that, Bourn's season turned for the worse.
On May 15th, Bourn had a batting average of .340, which is great for a lead off hitter, it means he was getting on base and giving the team a chance to score runs. That was exactly why the Braves got Bourn almost a year earlier. Bourn's average slowly declined, but even on July 15th he was still batting .311. Bourn had a complete fall out after that and ended the year batting .274, which isn't horrible, but when he is the lead off hitter, you need something higher than .274. Bourn's average fell over sixty points in the last four months of the season. Since he didn't get hits, the Braves had nobody to drive in, which equals less runs being scored.
Another failure for Bourn, he struck out 53 times over the last two months of the year, that's basically once a game. His biggest whiff during the season came in the wild card game against the Cardinals, as he came to bat in the bottom of the eighth and struck out with the bases loaded. He just seemed to lose his eye for the ball as the season went on.
He finished the year with a .274 batting average, and career highs with nine home runs and 57 RBI's. He also stole 42 bases, but that was 19 less than last year when he stole 61 combined for the Braves and Astros.
Michael Bourn is a great player and great center fielder, but he isn't worth what he will demand on the free agent market this winter. His agent is Scott Boras, who is known throughout baseball for being the toughest agent to do business with. Boras always wants too much money for his clients.
Braves' general manager Frank Wren says re-signing Bourn is a key priority, but the Braves should really think about this one. He showed last year he can't be consistent. Due to his first half this past season though, Bourn is going to make big bucks. Hopefully it's somewhere other than Atlanta.
Bourn broke into the majors back in 2006 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was acquired mid-way through the season in 2011 by the Braves, so 2012 marked his first full year with the club. Bourn is a speedster on the bases and is a great defender in the center field.
He had a superb season going in the first half. One of his best games came against the Cincinnati Reds on May 22nd. He had three hits in the game, a double and two home runs and drove in two runs. It was definitely a difference for him as Bourn has never been known as being a power hitter. He made the All-Star team in July, but after that, Bourn's season turned for the worse.
On May 15th, Bourn had a batting average of .340, which is great for a lead off hitter, it means he was getting on base and giving the team a chance to score runs. That was exactly why the Braves got Bourn almost a year earlier. Bourn's average slowly declined, but even on July 15th he was still batting .311. Bourn had a complete fall out after that and ended the year batting .274, which isn't horrible, but when he is the lead off hitter, you need something higher than .274. Bourn's average fell over sixty points in the last four months of the season. Since he didn't get hits, the Braves had nobody to drive in, which equals less runs being scored.
Another failure for Bourn, he struck out 53 times over the last two months of the year, that's basically once a game. His biggest whiff during the season came in the wild card game against the Cardinals, as he came to bat in the bottom of the eighth and struck out with the bases loaded. He just seemed to lose his eye for the ball as the season went on.
He finished the year with a .274 batting average, and career highs with nine home runs and 57 RBI's. He also stole 42 bases, but that was 19 less than last year when he stole 61 combined for the Braves and Astros.
Michael Bourn is a great player and great center fielder, but he isn't worth what he will demand on the free agent market this winter. His agent is Scott Boras, who is known throughout baseball for being the toughest agent to do business with. Boras always wants too much money for his clients.
Braves' general manager Frank Wren says re-signing Bourn is a key priority, but the Braves should really think about this one. He showed last year he can't be consistent. Due to his first half this past season though, Bourn is going to make big bucks. Hopefully it's somewhere other than Atlanta.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: J.C. Boscan
Today continues the Braves' player recap and next up is catcher J.C. Boscan.
After years of playing in the minor leagues, Boscan first got called up to the Braves in 2010. Since then, he has only appeared in eleven games for the Braves, including six this year. He is usually called up from the minors when starter Brian McCann or backup David Ross suffer an injury, he is basically the Braves' emergency catcher.
Boscan didn't have much success with the Braves again this year. In his six games, he went hit less in four of them. He only had two hits all year. One of them factored into his highlight of the year though, his first major league RBI. He got that in a losing effort to the Washington Nationals on May 26th. He added another RBI on the last day of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finised the year batting .200 with no home runs and two RBI's.
If Boscan stays with the Braves, it will once again be in Triple-A Gwinnett, where he will only be called up as an emergency catcher if injuries occur. He just doesn't possess enough of the skills to be an everyday catcher at the major league level or even a reliable backup. Class act ball player though, as he plays for the love of the game.
After years of playing in the minor leagues, Boscan first got called up to the Braves in 2010. Since then, he has only appeared in eleven games for the Braves, including six this year. He is usually called up from the minors when starter Brian McCann or backup David Ross suffer an injury, he is basically the Braves' emergency catcher.
Boscan didn't have much success with the Braves again this year. In his six games, he went hit less in four of them. He only had two hits all year. One of them factored into his highlight of the year though, his first major league RBI. He got that in a losing effort to the Washington Nationals on May 26th. He added another RBI on the last day of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finised the year batting .200 with no home runs and two RBI's.
If Boscan stays with the Braves, it will once again be in Triple-A Gwinnett, where he will only be called up as an emergency catcher if injuries occur. He just doesn't possess enough of the skills to be an everyday catcher at the major league level or even a reliable backup. Class act ball player though, as he plays for the love of the game.
Hawks Make Cuts
The Atlanta Hawks moved closer to trimming their roster down to the required amount of 15 players. They cut former Georgia Tech player Isma'il Muhammad and last year's second round draft pick Keith Benson. The Hawks currently have 17 players on the roster, they have until October 29th to cut two more.
Muhammad didn't even get to play in the Hawks first preseason game against the Miami Heat. In the last game against the Spurs, Muhammad scored one point and didn't impress coach Drew enough to stick around.
Like Muhammad, Benson didn't play against the Heat either. He did play against the Spurs, and unlike Muhammad, Benson had a good game. He scored ten points in ten minutes and hit five of his eight shots. He also pulled down two rebounds.
Since the Hawks need a few more big men to play at forward, it was a surprise to see them cut two bigs, or at least Benson, who was cut last year during training camp by the Hawks. Benson later signed with the Golden State Warriors and played in three games but never scored a point for them.
The Hawks will continue the preseason schedule when they play the Memphis Grizzlies this coming Sunday at 6 p.m. in Memphis.
Muhammad didn't even get to play in the Hawks first preseason game against the Miami Heat. In the last game against the Spurs, Muhammad scored one point and didn't impress coach Drew enough to stick around.
Like Muhammad, Benson didn't play against the Heat either. He did play against the Spurs, and unlike Muhammad, Benson had a good game. He scored ten points in ten minutes and hit five of his eight shots. He also pulled down two rebounds.
Since the Hawks need a few more big men to play at forward, it was a surprise to see them cut two bigs, or at least Benson, who was cut last year during training camp by the Hawks. Benson later signed with the Golden State Warriors and played in three games but never scored a point for them.
The Hawks will continue the preseason schedule when they play the Memphis Grizzlies this coming Sunday at 6 p.m. in Memphis.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Matt Ryan Becoming One of the Best
The Atlanta Falcons own a perfect record so far this year at 5-0. First time ever in Falcons' history that a team has started a season this good. Many factors have contributed to this perfection to start a season for the Falcons, but none are greater than their quarterback, Matt Ryan.
Ryan, or Matty Ice as some people call him, is in his fifth year with the Falcons after they drafted him out of Boston College back in 2008. This fifth year, is shaping up to be his best year. So far, Ryan has completed over 68 percent of his passes, has thrown for more than 1,500 yards, and has thirteen touchdown passes compared to only three interceptions. Oh I can't forget to mention his quarterback rating is 106.1 through five games. For those of you that don't know, that's putting him in an elite status.
Ryan has had a few comeback games this year that has just made him look even better. First one came two weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers, and then last week against the Washington Redskins. That has given him 18 come-from-behind wins in his career, probably one reason he has earned the nickname Matty Ice. Also, another reason could be how tough he is in clutch situations.
A day or two ago, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski stated his five best quarterbacks currently in the NFL. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning made the list. Before I continue, I want the reader's to know I respect all of these quarterbacks, and they are great quarterbacks, some of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the game. In current times though, this list is bogus. One reason why, Manning, Brees and Rodgers all have losing records right now with their teams. Bradys' and Mannings' teams are both 3-2 currently.
My first thought when I saw the list, "Where's Matt Ryan?" Now I'm sure I wasn't the only one that thought that, because Ryan has just been too good. His team is 5-0, they are perfect. Matt Ryan is the biggest reason why, he is playing near perfection. His quarterback rating is over 100. If I were to put him on the list, he would be number one.
Matt Ryan, passing against the Redskins last week, is becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Photo Courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
Ryan, or Matty Ice as some people call him, is in his fifth year with the Falcons after they drafted him out of Boston College back in 2008. This fifth year, is shaping up to be his best year. So far, Ryan has completed over 68 percent of his passes, has thrown for more than 1,500 yards, and has thirteen touchdown passes compared to only three interceptions. Oh I can't forget to mention his quarterback rating is 106.1 through five games. For those of you that don't know, that's putting him in an elite status.
Ryan has had a few comeback games this year that has just made him look even better. First one came two weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers, and then last week against the Washington Redskins. That has given him 18 come-from-behind wins in his career, probably one reason he has earned the nickname Matty Ice. Also, another reason could be how tough he is in clutch situations.
A day or two ago, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski stated his five best quarterbacks currently in the NFL. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning made the list. Before I continue, I want the reader's to know I respect all of these quarterbacks, and they are great quarterbacks, some of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the game. In current times though, this list is bogus. One reason why, Manning, Brees and Rodgers all have losing records right now with their teams. Bradys' and Mannings' teams are both 3-2 currently.
My first thought when I saw the list, "Where's Matt Ryan?" Now I'm sure I wasn't the only one that thought that, because Ryan has just been too good. His team is 5-0, they are perfect. Matt Ryan is the biggest reason why, he is playing near perfection. His quarterback rating is over 100. If I were to put him on the list, he would be number one.
Matt Ryan, passing against the Redskins last week, is becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Photo Courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
Braves' Player Recap: Brandon Beachy
The Braves recap continues with one of the clubs bright stars of the future, starting pitcher Brandon Beachy.
Beachy came up through the Braves' minor league system and made his major league debut in 2010. In 2012, Beachy showed the Braves that he has great potential and could be an ace of the Braves' staff one day. Unfortunately for Beachy those plans had to be put on hold, as he suffered a serious elbow injury. He had "Tommy John" surgery in June, and his great season he had been putting together was finished.
Other than having surgery, Beachy's only other dark spot of the season was losing four of his last five games, including the game he got hurt in. Beachy had several great games before that though, as he won five straight decisions from April 15th to May 17th. His best outing of the year came against the Miami Marlins on May 17th actually. Beachy was unhittable as he pitched a complete game shutout, the first complete game of his career, allowing only five hits and striking out six. At the time, it improved his record to 5-1 and gave him a league-leading ERA of 1.33. He finished the year with a 5-5 record and a 2.00 ERA and 68 strikeouts.
Beachy will continue to be out for a little longer when the season starts for the Braves, but he should be able to return in June, July at the latest. Once he returns, Beachy should have no problem claiming his place in the Braves' rotation and continuing to become the ace that the Braves envision him being.
Beachy came up through the Braves' minor league system and made his major league debut in 2010. In 2012, Beachy showed the Braves that he has great potential and could be an ace of the Braves' staff one day. Unfortunately for Beachy those plans had to be put on hold, as he suffered a serious elbow injury. He had "Tommy John" surgery in June, and his great season he had been putting together was finished.
Other than having surgery, Beachy's only other dark spot of the season was losing four of his last five games, including the game he got hurt in. Beachy had several great games before that though, as he won five straight decisions from April 15th to May 17th. His best outing of the year came against the Miami Marlins on May 17th actually. Beachy was unhittable as he pitched a complete game shutout, the first complete game of his career, allowing only five hits and striking out six. At the time, it improved his record to 5-1 and gave him a league-leading ERA of 1.33. He finished the year with a 5-5 record and a 2.00 ERA and 68 strikeouts.
Beachy will continue to be out for a little longer when the season starts for the Braves, but he should be able to return in June, July at the latest. Once he returns, Beachy should have no problem claiming his place in the Braves' rotation and continuing to become the ace that the Braves envision him being.
Spurs Beat Hawks in Last Second
The Atlanta Hawks looked like they were going to go into San Antonio and beat the Spurs, but they fell short of that. When by short, it actually means within the final second, as the Spurs Nando De Colo hit a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to seal the 101-99 win.
On a night when Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich decided to rest his three best players, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Hawks had a good chance. The Hawks only managed to out score the Spurs in the third quarter though and just couldn't seal the deal on defense as De Colo won the game. Former Hawk Josh Powell scored fourteen points against his old team to lead the Spurs.
The Hawks were led by camp invitee Damion James as he scored eleven points and pulled down eight rebounds. Second round draft pick Mike Scott scored eleven points also even though he only played thirteen minutes. Louis Williams, Jeff Teague and last year's second round draft pick Keith Benson all had ten points to give the Hawks five players in double-digits.
Zaza Pachulia and Devin Harris didn't play for the second game in a row. Anthony Morrow and DeShawn Stevenson joined them on the bench. Pachulia, Harris and Morrow all have minor injuries that coach Larry Drew doesn't want to risk getting worse in preseason games. The Hawks don't take the court again until Sunday when they travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.
In other Hawks news, former Hawk Tracy McGrady couldn't come to terms with any NBA team this off-season and has decided to go play in China. He had career lows in just about every category as a Hawk last year, he also didn't play much and he and coach Drew had their differences. He sent a thank you note to everyone that gave him a chance over the course of his outstanding career.
The Hawks Mike Scott ties the game with seconds left, he scored eleven points in the loss.
Photo Courtesy of the AP
On a night when Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich decided to rest his three best players, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Hawks had a good chance. The Hawks only managed to out score the Spurs in the third quarter though and just couldn't seal the deal on defense as De Colo won the game. Former Hawk Josh Powell scored fourteen points against his old team to lead the Spurs.
The Hawks were led by camp invitee Damion James as he scored eleven points and pulled down eight rebounds. Second round draft pick Mike Scott scored eleven points also even though he only played thirteen minutes. Louis Williams, Jeff Teague and last year's second round draft pick Keith Benson all had ten points to give the Hawks five players in double-digits.
Zaza Pachulia and Devin Harris didn't play for the second game in a row. Anthony Morrow and DeShawn Stevenson joined them on the bench. Pachulia, Harris and Morrow all have minor injuries that coach Larry Drew doesn't want to risk getting worse in preseason games. The Hawks don't take the court again until Sunday when they travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.
In other Hawks news, former Hawk Tracy McGrady couldn't come to terms with any NBA team this off-season and has decided to go play in China. He had career lows in just about every category as a Hawk last year, he also didn't play much and he and coach Drew had their differences. He sent a thank you note to everyone that gave him a chance over the course of his outstanding career.
The Hawks Mike Scott ties the game with seconds left, he scored eleven points in the loss.
Photo Courtesy of the AP
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Miguel Batista
The recap continues with another player that didn't spend much time as a Brave, reliever Miguel Batista.
Batista is a veteran, he made his major league debut back in 1992 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He started off the 2012 season with the New York Mets, but pitched poorly for them and was released. The Atlanta Braves picked him up as a free agent a few weeks later and sent him to Gwinnett to pitch in the minors.
Batista was then brought up to Atlanta at the end of August to help out in the bullpen. Batista didn't get much of a chance with the Braves, only appearing in five games with the Braves, he wasn't included on the postseason roster. His totals for the Braves, six innings pitched and he gave up two runs in those five games. Combined for the Braves and Mets, Batista posted a 1-3 record with a 4.61 ERA and 36 strikeouts.
Batista is at the end of his career. He mostly likely will not be back with the Braves next year. The only way he even pitches in the majors next year is if he can hook on with a team desperate for pitching. If he can't, look for Batista to call it quits over the winter.
Batista is a veteran, he made his major league debut back in 1992 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He started off the 2012 season with the New York Mets, but pitched poorly for them and was released. The Atlanta Braves picked him up as a free agent a few weeks later and sent him to Gwinnett to pitch in the minors.
Batista was then brought up to Atlanta at the end of August to help out in the bullpen. Batista didn't get much of a chance with the Braves, only appearing in five games with the Braves, he wasn't included on the postseason roster. His totals for the Braves, six innings pitched and he gave up two runs in those five games. Combined for the Braves and Mets, Batista posted a 1-3 record with a 4.61 ERA and 36 strikeouts.
Batista is at the end of his career. He mostly likely will not be back with the Braves next year. The only way he even pitches in the majors next year is if he can hook on with a team desperate for pitching. If he can't, look for Batista to call it quits over the winter.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Jeff Baker
Today the Braves' player recap continues, and the next one to be reviewed is utility man Jeff Baker.
Baker started his career in 2005 with the Colorado Rockies. He began this season with the Chicago Cubs and then was traded to the Detroit Tigers. He wasn't even in Detroit for a month before the Braves acquired him on August 31st, that's so he could be included on the postseason roster for Atlanta. The Braves also got him because he can play first base, second base, third base and left or right field.
Baker only appeared in fourteen games with the Braves. In those games he batted nineteen times and only managed to get two hits. He struck out more than anything, whiffing ten times. Baker's only bright spot for the Braves was on September 17th against the Miami Marlins, he got one of those hits and drove in a run to help Atlanta win. Overall with the Braves, Tigers and Cubs, Baker batted .239 with four home runs and 25 RBI's.
The Braves have talent that can come off the bench with Paul Janish and Tyler Pastornicky being examples, so I don't really see Baker returning to the Braves. If the Braves go into spring training worried that Janish or Pastornicky can't handle those duties, maybe Baker would return, but my guess is he will have already signed with another team looking for bench help.
Baker started his career in 2005 with the Colorado Rockies. He began this season with the Chicago Cubs and then was traded to the Detroit Tigers. He wasn't even in Detroit for a month before the Braves acquired him on August 31st, that's so he could be included on the postseason roster for Atlanta. The Braves also got him because he can play first base, second base, third base and left or right field.
Baker only appeared in fourteen games with the Braves. In those games he batted nineteen times and only managed to get two hits. He struck out more than anything, whiffing ten times. Baker's only bright spot for the Braves was on September 17th against the Miami Marlins, he got one of those hits and drove in a run to help Atlanta win. Overall with the Braves, Tigers and Cubs, Baker batted .239 with four home runs and 25 RBI's.
The Braves have talent that can come off the bench with Paul Janish and Tyler Pastornicky being examples, so I don't really see Baker returning to the Braves. If the Braves go into spring training worried that Janish or Pastornicky can't handle those duties, maybe Baker would return, but my guess is he will have already signed with another team looking for bench help.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Braves' Player Recap: Luis Avilan
For the next month or so I am going to do a recap of each player that is on the Braves roster. The recap will include their stats, some of their best games, some of their worst games and if I think they will be around next year or not. The first player featured will be reliever Luis Avilan.
Avilan made his major league appearance this year on July 14th against the New York Mets, he faced one batter and struck him out. When the Braves called him up, he was a little known left-handed pitcher at Double-A Mississippi in the Braves minor league system. His purpose coming up to Atlanta was to help out with an injury to Jonny Venters, who is also a left-handed pitcher. Little did Avilan know, he was around to stay as he remained with the Braves throughout the year and even made it on the postseason roster.
Avilan's roughest outing occurred against the New York Mets on August 11th, pitching only one inning and giving up two runs. September 30th is when Avilan's best outing of the season happened. He pitched in two innings, striking out three men, helping the Braves to a 6-2 win.
Overall, Avilan appeared in 31 games going 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 33 strikeouts. Also, he gave up only one home run during the year and had five holds. That win came on the last day of the season, and it was the first win of his major league career.
After the season Avilan had, an impressive one at that, he will definitely be around in the Braves' organization next season. Whether he starts the year in the minor leagues or major leagues will be determined in the spring during training camp. If he does go to the minors to begin the year, don't be surprised to see him trotting out of the Braves' bullpen a month or two later.
Avilan made his major league appearance this year on July 14th against the New York Mets, he faced one batter and struck him out. When the Braves called him up, he was a little known left-handed pitcher at Double-A Mississippi in the Braves minor league system. His purpose coming up to Atlanta was to help out with an injury to Jonny Venters, who is also a left-handed pitcher. Little did Avilan know, he was around to stay as he remained with the Braves throughout the year and even made it on the postseason roster.
Avilan's roughest outing occurred against the New York Mets on August 11th, pitching only one inning and giving up two runs. September 30th is when Avilan's best outing of the season happened. He pitched in two innings, striking out three men, helping the Braves to a 6-2 win.
Overall, Avilan appeared in 31 games going 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 33 strikeouts. Also, he gave up only one home run during the year and had five holds. That win came on the last day of the season, and it was the first win of his major league career.
After the season Avilan had, an impressive one at that, he will definitely be around in the Braves' organization next season. Whether he starts the year in the minor leagues or major leagues will be determined in the spring during training camp. If he does go to the minors to begin the year, don't be surprised to see him trotting out of the Braves' bullpen a month or two later.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Hawks Beat Heat to Open Preseason
The Hawks opened preseason play today against the defending NBA champion Miami Heat and beat them 92-79. The Heat played the game without All-Star Dwayne Wade, who is recovering from surgery in the off-season.
The Hawks started off slow, as the Heat scored 26 in the first quarter and the Hawks only managed 19. After that, the Hawks scored more points in the next three quarters to easily beat Heat. Heat forward Chris Bosh, who played his college ball at Georgia Tech, led the Heat with 22 points. LeBron James only scored ten and the newest addition to the Heat, former Boston Celtic Ray Allen, also added ten.
The Hawks were led by Josh Smith on offense, he scored 21 points. New Hawk Lou Williams scored 18 points in a strong showing off the bench. He is expected to have the same role that Jamal Crawford had when he was with Atlanta, being that sixth man off the bench to provide some pop. Another new Hawk, DeShawn Stevenson, scored eleven points, including three 3-pointers. Camp invite Damion James pulled down eight rebounds to lead the Hawks.
The Hawks played without big man Zaza Pachulia and Devin Harris, who is also new to the team after being acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz. Both of them have recently been limited in practice as they recover from minor injuries, Pachulia with his groin and Harris with his knee. The Hawks next preseason game will be at San Antonio on Wednesday.
Hawks forward Josh Smith throws down a dunk, he led the Hawks with 21 points in the win over the Heat.
Photo Courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
The Hawks started off slow, as the Heat scored 26 in the first quarter and the Hawks only managed 19. After that, the Hawks scored more points in the next three quarters to easily beat Heat. Heat forward Chris Bosh, who played his college ball at Georgia Tech, led the Heat with 22 points. LeBron James only scored ten and the newest addition to the Heat, former Boston Celtic Ray Allen, also added ten.
The Hawks were led by Josh Smith on offense, he scored 21 points. New Hawk Lou Williams scored 18 points in a strong showing off the bench. He is expected to have the same role that Jamal Crawford had when he was with Atlanta, being that sixth man off the bench to provide some pop. Another new Hawk, DeShawn Stevenson, scored eleven points, including three 3-pointers. Camp invite Damion James pulled down eight rebounds to lead the Hawks.
The Hawks played without big man Zaza Pachulia and Devin Harris, who is also new to the team after being acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz. Both of them have recently been limited in practice as they recover from minor injuries, Pachulia with his groin and Harris with his knee. The Hawks next preseason game will be at San Antonio on Wednesday.
Hawks forward Josh Smith throws down a dunk, he led the Hawks with 21 points in the win over the Heat.
Photo Courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
Ryan, Offense Lead Falcons to Record
Matt Ryan and the Falcons had a superb day offensively and beat the Washington Redskins, 24-17. With the win, the Falcons are 5-0 on the season. This is the first time ever that the Falcons start a season with five straight wins.
The game didn't start well for Ryan, as he threw an interception, that Redskins' linebacker Ryan Kerrigan returned for a 28-yard touchdown. The Falcons were just barely able to tie it at seven right before halftime. Ryan threw a one-yard pass to Tony Gonzalez for the touchdown. It was Gonzalez's 99th career touchdown, moving him one step closer to being placed in an elite category in NFL history.
The Falcons didn't score in the third quarter, but they did take Redskins' star rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III out of the game. Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon hit Griffin hard in the head while making a legal tackle, Griffin was believed to have left with a concussion, he didn't return. Kirk Cousins, another rookie, took Griffin's place and he even threw a touchdown that put the Redskins ahead for awhile in the fourth quarter.
Wide Receiver Julio Jones caught an 18-yard touchdown in the fourth to give the Falcons the lead 14-10. Jones' catch was textbook, keeping both feet inbounds and hanging onto the ball. After Cousins threw his touchdown the Falcons were down 17-14 until kicker Matt Bryant kicked a clutch 53-yard field goal to tie it at seventeen, he is ten for ten kicking field goals this year.
The Falcons corner back Dunta Robinson came up big and picked off Cousins on the Redskins next drive. Michael Turner then had a 13-yard touchdown run to put the Falcons in the lead for good. Safety Thomas DeCoud sealed the deal, as he intercepted his fourth pass of the season and the Falcons ran the clock out for the win.
The offensive line came up big this week after a poor showing last week. Ryan was sacked only once today compared to seven times a week ago. This helped Ryan to have another great day, throwing for 345 yards and two touchdowns. Gonzalez had a huge game, catching thirteen passes for 123 yards and his touchdown. Jones also had a big showing after having a few off games. He finished the day with ten catches with 94 yards and his spectacular touchdown.
The Falcons will try to continue their record-setting start to the season next week, when they take on the Oakland Raiders. Oakland is only 1-3 on the year, so the Falcons should have no problem going 6-0 and continuing their march to another playoff berth.
Tight end Tony Gonzalez had a big day, including his 99th career touchdown catch.
Photo Courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
The game didn't start well for Ryan, as he threw an interception, that Redskins' linebacker Ryan Kerrigan returned for a 28-yard touchdown. The Falcons were just barely able to tie it at seven right before halftime. Ryan threw a one-yard pass to Tony Gonzalez for the touchdown. It was Gonzalez's 99th career touchdown, moving him one step closer to being placed in an elite category in NFL history.
The Falcons didn't score in the third quarter, but they did take Redskins' star rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III out of the game. Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon hit Griffin hard in the head while making a legal tackle, Griffin was believed to have left with a concussion, he didn't return. Kirk Cousins, another rookie, took Griffin's place and he even threw a touchdown that put the Redskins ahead for awhile in the fourth quarter.
Wide Receiver Julio Jones caught an 18-yard touchdown in the fourth to give the Falcons the lead 14-10. Jones' catch was textbook, keeping both feet inbounds and hanging onto the ball. After Cousins threw his touchdown the Falcons were down 17-14 until kicker Matt Bryant kicked a clutch 53-yard field goal to tie it at seventeen, he is ten for ten kicking field goals this year.
The Falcons corner back Dunta Robinson came up big and picked off Cousins on the Redskins next drive. Michael Turner then had a 13-yard touchdown run to put the Falcons in the lead for good. Safety Thomas DeCoud sealed the deal, as he intercepted his fourth pass of the season and the Falcons ran the clock out for the win.
The offensive line came up big this week after a poor showing last week. Ryan was sacked only once today compared to seven times a week ago. This helped Ryan to have another great day, throwing for 345 yards and two touchdowns. Gonzalez had a huge game, catching thirteen passes for 123 yards and his touchdown. Jones also had a big showing after having a few off games. He finished the day with ten catches with 94 yards and his spectacular touchdown.
The Falcons will try to continue their record-setting start to the season next week, when they take on the Oakland Raiders. Oakland is only 1-3 on the year, so the Falcons should have no problem going 6-0 and continuing their march to another playoff berth.
Tight end Tony Gonzalez had a big day, including his 99th career touchdown catch.
Photo Courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
Falcons Hope to go 5-0
The Atlanta Falcons get set to face the Washington Redskins at 1 p.m. today, looking to set a new team record. If the Falcons can win this game, they will be 5-0, the best start in franchise history. They currently are one of two teams still undefeated, along with the Houston Texans, who face the New York Jets on Monday night.
The Falcons are coming off of a come-from-behind thriller against the Carolina Panthers, getting a field-goal with less than ten seconds left to win 30-28. Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Michael Turner all had terrific games to lead the Falcons to another win. There are a few things that the Falcons need to improve on to be able to pull out another win against the 'Skins.
First, they had a rough time containing Panthers quarterback Cam Newton last week, and it won't be any easier this week with Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III running around. He has already set a Washington record for most rushing yards for a quarterback with 234, and he has four rushing touchdowns too. Don't forget, he can also throw the ball really well. The Falcons need defensive ends John Abraham and Ray Edwards to step up and get sacks, and linebackers Sean Weatherspoon and Stephen Nicholas to stop him when he runs.
Second, the offensive line needs to step-up and protect Matt Ryan. Ryan was sacked a career-high seven times last week as the line failed to protect him throughout most of the game. Ryan, who was just named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September, will have another big game if the line can do their job and protect their quarterback.
And finally, two offensive players need to step-up and have good games. The Falcons need another big game from Michael Turner. Turner rushed over 100 yards for the first time this year last week. It wouldn't hurt if he could do that again today and take a little pressure off of Ryan and the receivers. Mentioning receivers, Julio Jones is the other player that needs to produce in today's game. Jones had six catches for 108 yards in the first game against the Kansas City Chiefs this year. In the three games since, he only has ten receptions for 111 yards. Jones needs to find his old form and become the playmaker the Falcons have envisioned him being. Also, it would help to take pressure off of Roddy White.
If the Falcons can execute these three things today, along with continuing their high-level of play in other areas of the game, they will win. This is one of the best Falcons' teams in years, 5-0 should be no problem.
Julio Jones, catching his only pass against the Panthers, needs to have a good game today to help the Falcons to a win.
Photo Courtesy of news.yahoo.com
The Falcons are coming off of a come-from-behind thriller against the Carolina Panthers, getting a field-goal with less than ten seconds left to win 30-28. Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Michael Turner all had terrific games to lead the Falcons to another win. There are a few things that the Falcons need to improve on to be able to pull out another win against the 'Skins.
First, they had a rough time containing Panthers quarterback Cam Newton last week, and it won't be any easier this week with Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III running around. He has already set a Washington record for most rushing yards for a quarterback with 234, and he has four rushing touchdowns too. Don't forget, he can also throw the ball really well. The Falcons need defensive ends John Abraham and Ray Edwards to step up and get sacks, and linebackers Sean Weatherspoon and Stephen Nicholas to stop him when he runs.
Second, the offensive line needs to step-up and protect Matt Ryan. Ryan was sacked a career-high seven times last week as the line failed to protect him throughout most of the game. Ryan, who was just named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September, will have another big game if the line can do their job and protect their quarterback.
And finally, two offensive players need to step-up and have good games. The Falcons need another big game from Michael Turner. Turner rushed over 100 yards for the first time this year last week. It wouldn't hurt if he could do that again today and take a little pressure off of Ryan and the receivers. Mentioning receivers, Julio Jones is the other player that needs to produce in today's game. Jones had six catches for 108 yards in the first game against the Kansas City Chiefs this year. In the three games since, he only has ten receptions for 111 yards. Jones needs to find his old form and become the playmaker the Falcons have envisioned him being. Also, it would help to take pressure off of Roddy White.
If the Falcons can execute these three things today, along with continuing their high-level of play in other areas of the game, they will win. This is one of the best Falcons' teams in years, 5-0 should be no problem.
Julio Jones, catching his only pass against the Panthers, needs to have a good game today to help the Falcons to a win.
Photo Courtesy of news.yahoo.com
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Atlanta Fans Stand-up for Braves
Throughout all of my days of attending Braves, Hawks, and even Thrashers games, I have seen many, many things occur. At one Braves game, I saw a guy in a wedding dress run around on the field, only to get leveled by a security guard. Another game, I saw fans break out into a fight, in what appeared to be the difference of colleges they attended, Georgia and Georgia Tech.
At a Hawks game, I saw a man propose to his girlfriend over the video board. Another game, I saw the famous Sky Hawk doing his routine of jumping onto the trampoline and dunking the ball in fantastic ways, only to dislocate his shoulder after jumping too far. When the Thrashers were still here, every game some bald guy would come on over the video board and chug a beer. Another guy wore a viking outfit and held two battle-axes in his hands. People would also beat on the metal wall at the top and make annoying noises no matter what would be going on in the game.
One thing that I saw as a constant whenever I attended some games for all three teams, was more fan support for the other team. Atlanta is notorious for having low fan support and it's obvious when the stadium or arena is half full of the other teams' color.
I attended two of the three games that the Yankees played at Turner Field this year, including the one where Alex Rodriguez hit the grand slam off of Braves reliever Cory Gearrin to tie the game. I would have sworn I was in the Bronx with how loud and proud Turner Field got for the Yankees. Turner Field...loud...for the YANKEES? Those two aren't supposed to match up.
Also, when the Boston Celtics came to town to play the Hawks in last year's NBA playoffs, Celtics' green covered Philips Arena. Every time the Celtics scored, that place would erupt. That's not the only team it happens with, the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, heck even the Denver Nuggets draw a crowd. While seeing this happen on a regular basis, it made me upset to think we, as Atlanta, couldn't offer our teams a home-field advantage. That all changed Friday evening, when I saw something never seen before in Atlanta.
As everyone by now knows, Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons batted in the eighth inning with one out and sent a pop-fly into the outfield and the umpire called it an infield fly as it fell in between two Cardinals players and would have loaded the bases for Atlanta. In my mind it was a bogus call that factored into the Braves loss. The reaction that occurred next was amazing. Atlanta fans littered Turner Field with cans, cups, bottles, bins, and anything else that could reach the field. This showed one thing to a national television audience and to me. The fans cared.
I'm not saying every time there is a bad call now we need to throw our garbage onto the field or the court. And yes some fans took it over board by still throwing crud onto the field twenty minutes later. The initial reaction is what mattered, fans were angry, they were upset. Their team had been cheated, and it bothered them. They ended up not getting their way, of course, but a point was proven. They support their team. Bravo Atlanta, Bravo.
Turner Field is littered with trash as fans react to a disputed call by umpire Sam Holbrook that factored into the Braves loss to the Cardinals.
Photo Courtesy of news.yahoo.com
At a Hawks game, I saw a man propose to his girlfriend over the video board. Another game, I saw the famous Sky Hawk doing his routine of jumping onto the trampoline and dunking the ball in fantastic ways, only to dislocate his shoulder after jumping too far. When the Thrashers were still here, every game some bald guy would come on over the video board and chug a beer. Another guy wore a viking outfit and held two battle-axes in his hands. People would also beat on the metal wall at the top and make annoying noises no matter what would be going on in the game.
One thing that I saw as a constant whenever I attended some games for all three teams, was more fan support for the other team. Atlanta is notorious for having low fan support and it's obvious when the stadium or arena is half full of the other teams' color.
I attended two of the three games that the Yankees played at Turner Field this year, including the one where Alex Rodriguez hit the grand slam off of Braves reliever Cory Gearrin to tie the game. I would have sworn I was in the Bronx with how loud and proud Turner Field got for the Yankees. Turner Field...loud...for the YANKEES? Those two aren't supposed to match up.
Also, when the Boston Celtics came to town to play the Hawks in last year's NBA playoffs, Celtics' green covered Philips Arena. Every time the Celtics scored, that place would erupt. That's not the only team it happens with, the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, heck even the Denver Nuggets draw a crowd. While seeing this happen on a regular basis, it made me upset to think we, as Atlanta, couldn't offer our teams a home-field advantage. That all changed Friday evening, when I saw something never seen before in Atlanta.
As everyone by now knows, Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons batted in the eighth inning with one out and sent a pop-fly into the outfield and the umpire called it an infield fly as it fell in between two Cardinals players and would have loaded the bases for Atlanta. In my mind it was a bogus call that factored into the Braves loss. The reaction that occurred next was amazing. Atlanta fans littered Turner Field with cans, cups, bottles, bins, and anything else that could reach the field. This showed one thing to a national television audience and to me. The fans cared.
I'm not saying every time there is a bad call now we need to throw our garbage onto the field or the court. And yes some fans took it over board by still throwing crud onto the field twenty minutes later. The initial reaction is what mattered, fans were angry, they were upset. Their team had been cheated, and it bothered them. They ended up not getting their way, of course, but a point was proven. They support their team. Bravo Atlanta, Bravo.
Turner Field is littered with trash as fans react to a disputed call by umpire Sam Holbrook that factored into the Braves loss to the Cardinals.
Photo Courtesy of news.yahoo.com
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