Bravoyeur

The Braves have been through their share of first basemen in the past five years – back to the time of Robert Fick – to the Adam LaRoche transition – then Braves fans were shortly introduced to Mark Teixera and then given Casey Kotchman at the end of July 2008.

Well we can rest assured that a face will remain fairly consistent throughout the 1009 season, as the Braves have offered Kotchman a one-year $2.885 million contract according to the faithful AJC.

So that means if Kotchman can produce big numbers we could start regarding him a team staple, because I don’t know about the rest of you – but last season he was THAT player. The one I couldn’t remember his stats or background – let’s hope he gives me a bounty of reasons for that to not be the case this season.

One down, two to go.

Here’s to hoping Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francoeur find a deal soon.

When I reminsce on the days I sat next to my dad watching a Braves game three voices ring clearly in my head.

The first and most trademark was lower, raspier – evident of Skip Caray, the second one that is clearest in my memory was a slightly younger voice, serene and fluid – both voices broadcast Braves baseball for as long as I could remember. Until in 2006 – that second, younger voice left and then this past season the baseball world experienced the pain of losing Caray.

The second voice however, is coming back.

The second voice will be welcome to most Braves fans, who like the AJC is claiming, will want some levels of familiarity in a club that is ever-changing, especially after losing John Smoltz in the off-season.

The second voice is Don Sutton.

With another opening in the voice lineup left by Pete Van Wieren (one of the other voices I can recall so clearly), the Braves have enlisted Atlanta-native Jim Powell from the Brewers.

In my opinion – there was one precursor to the beginning of the end of the Braves success run, and that was the departure of the rocking Leo Mazzone.

Appears, the Orioles did nothing for him in the latest column by Terrence Moore of the AJC.

I wonder how things would be different if he had stayed….but I suppose we will never know.

With five inches of snow in Boone in the past two days, it is almost unthinkable to utter the word spring.

But in the world of baseball, the word is out of the bag.

The Braves announced today that they are inviting Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman and Tommy Hanson to Florida in the coming months. 

Jordan Schafer and Kris Medlin also grace the list of non-roster invitees.

Granted, Heyward and Freeman will likely end the season warmup back in the Minors, their presence at the camp could infuse Braves fans once again with the feeling that the Farm League is where the gold is – and the Braves aren’t finished yet.

Following a particularly bitter winter break from play – Braves fans will be looking for an infusion of hope of what the team can be this season and even farther down the road in seasons to come. 

So take heart Braves fans – Frank Wren hasn’t traded all of the talent yet : ) – let’s just hope he offers our starters (a.k.a. Kelly Johnson, Kotchmann and Francoeur) the money they deserve to return!

The Braves won last night over the D-backs behind one of my obvious favorites – Charlie Morton, and are currently ahead 4-1 in the third inning of tonights game.

My current blog celebration is the departure of Francoeur’s beard, however; thus I dug up the blog he actually is updating at http://www.jefffrancoeur.com/default.asp.

It’s humorous, plus there’s everything for the average Jeff Francoeur enthusiast, like myself.

In response to yesterday’s one run loss against the Giants, I must ask the Braves, when will you learn that Chuck James just isn’t your man?

It could have been worse, granted, but it still could have been a win.

Sigh.

Today I watched my first Braves game in almost a month from the first pitch to the last out, on television. Granted I’ve been to five games this season (which is an accomplishment due to my hectic schedule and distance from ATL). Still, I’m shocked to admit today was the first in such a long time – and at that, another one run loss on the road – go figure.

It’s amazing how watching them I feel like they’ve grown little since I started my baseball sabatical (except perhaps the out of control growing of facial hair. Seriously guys, what’s the deal?). With the loss of Teixera simply a passing tide everyone expected, the gain of a player I’m so unattached to so far I can’t remember his name except to know it starts with a K and doesn’t end with -otsay. We have lost an announcer, which I was so bereaved, I didn’t write a blog on it. I just said a prayer for the Caray family. We have a slightly new realization that a break indeed cannot solve the issues our club holds, and in fact we may have on our hands one more season that will not gain us a pennant to hang over the left field wall.

Still I love it. Still I love them.

Lately this blog is seeming like a unrequited love letter to an organization that is refusing to return the notion.

Oh for the love of sports, at least God is delivering the Olympics at an appropriate time to ease the pain.

Hope this finds you all well…

So I’m a terrible blogger right now, my dearest and sincerest apologies.

I thought I could balance a 60-hour a week internship and a baseball obsession and aparently I’m being negligent right now.

However, I did organize a Braves party last night. Sadly the kids retreated outside in the 3rd inning as Jo-Jo Reyes was taken out of the game. The kids realized a game of their own wiffle ball would be more productive than the Braves last night, and they were right. Dang 4-1 loss.

Anyway, this is mostly to inform you that once again I’m going out of town, so my lack of blogs over the next two weeks aren’t because I’m betrayed and quit, it’s because I’ve betrayed and traveled. Luckily after this break though my life should be much more settled for the ensuing months. And I can settle back down comfortably and critiquingly at my keyboard.

Once again,

Happy Trails (let’s hope that isn’t the theme for the Braves while I’m gone : /)

I will effectively be without television, radio, internet or really much cell phone use for the next four days, or until Sunday so don’t expect me to know what’s going on in the world of Atlanta Braves or nonetheless have an opinion until at least Sunday afternoon. I will be nestled in the hills of Kentucky listening to Christian Rock Bands and chasing around 8-12th graders, woo woo. So sorry for any disappointment this may cause you (I am sad myself, except for maybe that I’ll miss ugly games) and fully expect lots of excellent blogging on all of your behalves so that when I come back I will have a lot of high-quality blogging to catch me up to speed.

Happy Trails.