Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Boxing, Near No-no, and UGA Theft?

Public domain. http://badgerlandhomeloans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/wi-mortgage-calculator.jpg

Stat Monitoring

Well, we’ve been worried about the Atlanta offense and whether this small-ball, low-power approach was gonna work.  Let’s check:

• 175 team strikeouts… lowest in the National League (Cardinals 186)
• 93 team walks… 4th in the NL (Dodgers 99)
• .326 team OBP… 4th in the NL (Cardinals .341)
• 125 runs scored… 3rd in the NL (Padres 140)

That all clearly points to one thing:  the offense isn’t a problem – it’s been the pitching.

• 4.03 Starters’ ERA (5th worst in NL)
• 4.25 Bullpen ERA (6th worst in NL).  Over the past 14 days, that’s been 5.53 (3rd worst).

Now the question is whether the offense can keep going while the pitching gets itself figured out (mostly thinking about Alex Wood and the bullpen there).

Still shot from a ‘Get 2 The Game’ YouTube video. No credit supplied. https://www.youtube.com,/watch?v=JbmKrN2WwDY

Top UGA football signee to work out for the Atlanta Braves

MICHAEL CARVELL / RECRUITING BLOG OF AJC.COM

One of UGA’s top football signees will be working out for the Atlanta Braves before next month’s baseball draft.

Terry Godwin is a 5-star receiver from Callaway High School, and he signed a football scholarship with UGA last February.

Godwin is also a standout at third base for Callaway’s baseball team. He impressed a few scouts enough to earn an invitation to a pre-draft camp with other prospects with the Braves at Turner Field on May 28.

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How good is Godwin in baseball? It wouldn’t be fair to say that Godwin is baseball’s equivalent of a 5-star, but he has definitely turned some heads. This season, Godwin has compiled a .305 batting average with two homers and 18 RBIs. He also has 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts. He is being evaluated mainly as a third baseman, and he also impressed scouts with his limited pitching appearances. Godwin’s fastball was clocked at 90 mph by the Braves this spring. “He’s extremely athletic, as far as baseball goes,” Hubbard said. “He is a plus-defender. He’s such an instinctual infielder and has a great arm. He’s raw with his hitting. And that’s more because of the timing of it. He has always been a three-sport guy. To be a really good hitter in baseball, it just takes so much time. But that one thing he does have is a lot of pop in his bat. He’s got the ability to hit for power. He’s a plus-runner, and very instinctual runner as well. So he has got a lot of the capabilities of what you would call a five-tool kid.”

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Should UGA football fans be worried about this baseball thing with Godwin? Let’s skip to the bottom line: “I don’t think so,” Hubbard said. “I think, no matter what, he is going to be at Georgia this fall. … We’ll have to see how everything unfolds. But Terry is preparing for it. There is no doubt about that. He has talked to his parents. His parents are preparing for it as well. If it comes to fruition, they will have a plan for it. I think, right now, that there’s a very, very good possibility that he’ll be at Georgia on June 1 and he’ll be there all summer long for this summer, no matter what. He’ll be there for his first football season.”

Public domain.  Photo Credit: http://unclebobsballparks23.tripod.com/fivecountystadium/

Janas Nearly Perfect as Mudcats Win Again

STAFF / CAROLINAMUDCATS.COM

ZEBULON, NC – Steve Janas improved to 4-0 with a seven inning complete game shutout victory against the Hillcats at Five County Stadium in game one of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. Janas struck out four and lost a perfect game in the seventh as the Mudcats defeated the Hillcats 6-0 in the first game*. The Mudcats also took game two of the twin bill 8-3 and have won eight straight games.

Janas retired 12 batters faced via groundout, two on flyouts and struck out the remaining four batters faced. Clint Frazier of the visiting Hillcats (9-18) collected the only hit of the game with a groundball past second baseman Eric Garcia in the seventh. Janas retired 19 straight batters in consecutive order before Frazier’s hit to right.

The Mudcats (15-10) provided their starter with plenty of early run support after scoring twice in the first and three times in the second. Dustin Peterson and Joey Meneses both had run scoring hits in the first off Lynchburg starter Mike Rayl. Rayl (0-2, 8.36) allowed three hits and two runs in the first. He also gave up three runs and three hits in the second of game one. Meneses drove in two in the second and was 2-for-3 with three RBI in the 6-0 game one victory. Sean Godfrey drove in the final run in the fourth with a solo home run to left off reliever Nick Pasquale.

The Mudcats followed up the 6-0 game one victory with an eight run and 11 hit performance in game two. Carolina received doubles from Meneses, Garcia, Joe Odom and Johan Camargo in game two. Garcia had two doubles and was 3-for-4 with a run and one RBI in game two.

(much more at the link above)

* [ Ed. note:  given that the teams play just 7 innings for doubleheaders, Janas was just 2 outs from the no-no-perfecto when a single was grounded through the infield. ]

Next: Yet Another Arm added to the Bullpen Merry-go-Round