Red Sox Will Go Slow with John Smoltz

No, that old guy in the red sweats isn't part of the grounds crew. That's future Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz.

The 42-year-old former Brave -- bald, a bit scraggly and unshaven and with just a hint of a tummy -- arrived at Red Sox camp in Fort Myers, Fla., without missing a beat, taking part in conditioning drills with other players young enough to be his sons, never giving a hint that he was anything but his familiar, indomitable, unrestrainable, competitive old self.

"I don't doubt that there's going to be times when we have to sit on him, and we will," manager Terry Francona told The Boston Globe.

Francona envisions Smoltz returning to action by June 1, coming along slowly as he recovers from shoulder surgery. How Smoltz feels and performs -- and how the Red Sox rotation and bullpen is doing -- likely will help determine whether he will start or come out of the pen.

Does Anyone Want Andruw Jones?

Perhaps my favorite line from any of the news articles reporting Andruw Jones' release by the Dodgers is this one by Ken Peters of the AP:

When the Dodgers added Manny Ramirez in a trade deadline deal July 31, that left Jones with minimal opportunities. But with the staggering performance by Ramirez (.396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 games) and the fine work of fellow outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, Jones was hardly missed.

Um, Jones was batting in the .150s. Mario Mendoza could have been in the outfield for the Dodgers and Jones wouldn't have been missed.

Jones' collapse started a couple years ago. He truly fell off a cliff in 2008, however, "hitting" .158 with three homers and 14 RBI. The Dodgers finally threw in the towel late last week.

What is the likeliest destination for Jones now? Somebody is going to take a chance on him, after all; the first 10 years of his career combined very good offense with what some argued was all-time-great defense in center field.

His old team, the Braves, may be the most likely landing spot for Jones. The fact that after his release by the Dodgers Jones attended a college basketball game in Atlanta wearing a Braves cap lends credence. But the Braves are said willing to offer only a minor-league contract, despite the fact that the team signing Jones will only have to pay him the MLB minimum (because the Dodgers are still on the hook for $21 million).

Red Sox Close to Adding Kotsay

After receiving the news that All-Star J.D. Drew is headed to the DL, the Red Sox moved quickly and are close to adding Braves centerfielder Mark Kotsay.  The veteran, known as much for his defensive prowess as his oft-injured back, is batting .289 this season, coincidentally the same clip at which Drew was hitting prior to his injury.  While Kotsay may be able to duplicate Drew's average, his power numbers fall well short of Drew's level of production.  Compared to 19 home runs and 64 RBIs for Drew, Kotsay has contributed only 6 and 37 respectively.  Kotsay has a limited no-trade clause and Boston is making a concerted effort to convince him to waive it.

Tom Glavine's Injury Leaves Hole in Braves Rotation

The outlook for the Braves rotation remains muddled with Tom Glavine's latest collapse, an outing which saw him give up four walks, seven hits and seven runs in just four innings in last week's loss to the Cubs.

Struggling with elbow pain, the 42-year-old lefty was unable to achieve much more than 80-mph on his fastball, and he immediately returned to the disabled list to await a probable examination of his torn flexor tendon by famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews.

It could mean the end of his career.

"It's a little sore now," Glavine told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "(I'll) see how it feels tomorrow and the next day. It feels the same as it felt in my two rehab starts."

For the season, Glavine is 2-4 with a 5.54 ERA, and with this latest trouble is the third member of the big three in the Braves rotation to go down succession, John Smoltz and Tim Hudson having been disabled with season-ending surgery. Moreover, Mike Hampton remains a question mark, having surrendered five hits and six runs in four innings in his last outing against the Diamondbacks.

The Braves have called up Matt DeSalvo from Triple A Richmond to replace Glavine, but as a reliever he is no solution in the team's effort to fill out the rotation.

Brian McCann Passes Brain Functionality Exam

Braves catcher Brian McCann -- having sat out a week after sustaining a concussion in a home plate collision with Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino -- is about to be cleared to return to the field this week after a successful brain functionality comparison test.

In the test McCann was asked simple questions like: Who is president of the United States? What is the date or your birth? What is your address? What is your mother's maiden name?

McCann's ability to answer promptly and easily was then compared to an identical test he took at the beginning of the season. Because his responsiveness matched favorably, McCann will be cleared to return to the backstop after being limited to pinch hitting only.

Concussions otherwise known literally as brain bruises -- even relatively mild ones such as that experienced by McCann -- are not to be taken lightly, especially considering this season's experience with Mets outfielder Ryan Church. Church missed a number of games after suffering post-concussive dizziness, nausea, headaches and other manifestations, and had to return to the sidelines after several truncated attempts to return to action.

Fortunately for McCann, his symptoms were limited to little more than cranial discomfort, which has passed. But for others such as former Giants catcher Mike Matheny and Brewers outfielder Cory Koskie, post-concussive syndrome not only put an end to their careers, but continues to impact their lives.

Angels Acquire Mark Teixeira

The Braves have traded Mark Teixeira to the Angels for Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Stephen Marek.

This move is a little surprising, since Arte Moreno is known to be adamantly opposed to trading young talent for potential two-month rentals, but giving up only Kotchman for the biggest bat on the market would have been really tough to turn down. The club also has Kendry Morales to fall back on if they cannot resign Teixeira, who could command a $200 million contract this winter. It would have been nice to upgrade at a different position, since Kotchman has arguably been the team MVP. That being said, this addition definitely makes the Angels, who already have the best record in baseball, THE World Series favorite.

Braves brass probably has mixed opinions of this trade. On the one hand they did not get the top pitching prospect they were seeking, and only got one major league ready player, but that player is a gold-glove caliber first baseman, who is under team control through 2011, and has arguably been the best of the best team in baseball.

Angels Willing to Part with Adenhart

The emergence of all-stars Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders has caused the Angels to rethink their stance on trading previously untouchable pitching prospect Nick Adenhart, if it means acquiring a prized bat such as Matt Holliday or Mark Teixeira.  Saunders, previously regarded as a future 4th or 5th starter, and Santana, previously regarded as crap, now combine with John Lackey to form arguably the most formidable front end rotation baseball.  

MLB.com suggests that the Angels would have to part with either Adenhart, Jeff Mathis, Howie Kendrick, or Ervin Santana to get their hands on Holliday.  The latter three have all been integral parts of the Angels MLB best 57-38 record and are unlikely to be traded.  A package including Adenhart, Rivera or Matthews, and another pitching prospect could get a deal done.

The Angels are thought to be more interested in Holliday than Teixeira.  He would likely take over left field for Garret Anderson in '09.   Assuming that Vladamir Guerrero's $15 million option is picked up, the Angels would then only have to focus on resigning Francisco Rodriguez and signing a 5th starter to take the spot Adenhart would have otherwise occupied (although Kelvim Escobar is signed through '09). 

Braves Offense Might be Worse than Dodgers

For the third night in a row, a Dodgers starter has taken a no-hitter into the 5th inning against the Braves.  For the second time in three nights, a Dodgers starter has taken a perfect game into the 7th.

The Braves offense might be worse than the Dodgers, which would be terribly embarrassing. 

The Braves Almost Had a Huge Problem

The Braves came dangerously close to losing Larry Jones (Chipper Jones for those with an unfortunate sense of humor) for an extended period of time when he hit a foul ball that ricocheted off the batting cage and hit him just below his left eye.

He was immediately taken to the hospital, where a CT scan showed no fracture. He is listed as day to day and is likely to look like he got socked in the face tomorrow.

Larry leads major league baseball with a .414 batting average.

John Smoltz to Halt Rehab, Rejoin Braves

An additional rehabilitation appearance by Braves hurler John Smoltz -- as recently as Monday thought to be a 50-50 option -- has evidently been rejected and Smoltz likely will return to the team forthwith, MLB News Online has learned.

Expect Smoltz to join the team during the Braves ongoing road trip, with a potential that he could appear out of the bullpen as soon as the series against Milwaukee, and no later than the end of the week, an organizational source said.

Smoltz, 41, has been observed experimenting with a lower arm angle to hasten his return, but early success with it may portend of trouble.

While in active rehab, Smoltz threw to hitters this past week but was mum on his progress afterwards in what is tantamount to a media blackout, with even his handlers reticent after Smoltz allowed one hit on 12 pitches for Double A Mississippi in a road game against the Smokies in Kodak, Tenn.

Some tightness Smoltz reportedly was feeling Sunday is not the critical issue. More important was the fact that he changed his arm angle during the outing, indicating he is not free of pain in his pitching shoulder. It's quite possible this points to the beginning of the end for the Cooperstown-bound Smoltz, according to an independent medical assessment based in part on archival data and general medical histories.

When a pitcher in this class of talent changes his pitching motion, it can induce series of adverse biomechanical events to the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow, such as in the case of Hall of
Famer Sandy Koufax.

Koufax was struck by a batted ball in the foot which resulted in his having to favor the injury in order to pitch, ruining his arm and unraveling his career. There is no way to know if this is absolutely cause and effect with either Koufax or Smoltz, but when a pitcher of this caliber sees a necessity to alter his motion, after having paid the bills with it for so many years, there is reason to believe his undoing is right around the corner.

Outlook for John Smoltz Still Unclear

Though John Smoltz struck out six while surrendering just two hits in his most recent victory -- his decision to take himself out of the game after throwing just 78 pitches over five innings points to continued health difficulties for the 41-year-old Atlanta Braves ace.

Having missed time early last year and again this spring due to discomfort when he throws, Smoltz appears to be taking it easy on his troubled shoulder to make sure not to overstress it, which of course could undercut his potential numbers of starts for the remainder of the season.

Smoltz took himself out early in the 3-1 win over the Mets even though he hates to come out of a game before the sixth inning, having averaged approximately 6.5 innings per appearance last year and over the past four years since he left the bullpen for the rotation.

Smoltz frequently lasts into the seventh inning and occasionally beyond, and has a dogmatic objective to do so, which can be expected to be his goal for the rest of the year if he can only stay healthy.

Deja Vu All Over Again for John Smoltz

That same troublesome shoulder that bothered John Smoltz for the first half of last year before ultimately putting him on the disabled list, is acting up again.

But this time Smoltz is going to try to outsmart it.

Smoltz, a candidate for the disabled list again this year, indicated to Atlanta Journal-Constitution baseball beat writer David O'Brien that he would try to overcome the problem this year by thinking positively and not obsessing over it.

"... I'm gonna change that mind-set," Smoltz said.

Apparently Smoltz's strategy runs counter to the trainer's advice to rub some dirt on it and walk it off.

Braves Deal for Mark Teixeira Quiet, Too Quiet

When it comes to the Braves supposed attempt to trade top prospect Jerrod Saltalamacchia for Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, no news is good news -- at least if you're a Braves fan.

Atlanta's front office typically buttons up just before a deal is made. No one is saying a peep. If that's any indication -- even as a stretch -- don't be surprised if the deal comes down any minute.

3-34 Slump Bodes Poorly for Braves Scott Thorman

With Braves first baseman Scott Thorman in a 3-34 slump -- and barely keeping his season's average above the Mendoza line -- it's easy to extrapolate manager Bobby Cox providing more and more opportunities for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to play first base.

Saltalamacchia -- whose 14-letter name means "jump the mark" in Italian -- might already have completely jumped over Thorman except that first-string catcher Brian McCann has been struggling with a knee injury and has frequently needed Saltalamacchia to play behind the plate.

While the left-handed Thorman has been unable to hit better than .240 even against righties, the right-hitting Saltalamacchia is hitting some 100 points higher against both lefties and righties, hitting in the .330 range overall.

With a recent MRI indicating McCann's knee is on the mend, don't be surprised if Thorman all but disappears after the All-Star break. Thorman already spends an inordinate amount of time on the bench.

Demotion Cuts Braves Kelly Johnson's Production

Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson has accepted his demotion from leadoff to No. 7 in the batting order, though the move will cut into his production for the remainder of the season.

Worse, reserve middle infielder Yunel Escobar is staking a claim to Johnson's appearances vs. lefties.

Even if Johnson can eventually reclaim full-time playing status -- which remains questionable -- a statistical analysis shows that the number of Johnson's hits can be expected to fall by up to 20 percent and his home run total up to five percent due to his demotion due to his lineup demotion alone.

Johnson's decline may be anticipated not only because the move will cost him some 50 at-bats, but because he no longer will be followed in the batting order by such productive players as Edgar Renteria and Chipper Jones.

Manager Bobby Cox demoted Johnson after the promising lefty fell into a slump, most notably a 2-17 spell during the week of June 18-24. The move also enabled Cox to exploit the hot bat of outfielder Willie Harris, hitting at a better than .300 clip with a .500 slugging percentage in limited appearances.

On days when facing a left-handed batter, Johnson will be backed up by right-hitting catcher Jerrod Saltalamacchia, who for the time being has settled into a lefty-righty first base platoon with disappointing rookie first Scott Thorman, who has had difficutly keeping his average much above .200 for most of the year.

Saltalamacchia may gain more and more playing time as he improves his play at first base, but Cox is being cautious so as not to leave himself without a backup catcher late in games. Thorman is struggling against left-handed pitchers, but so far Saltalamacchia has shown proficiency against both lefties and righties.

Martin Prado Does It All, But All Is Not Enough

Braves prospect Martin Prado this spring has batted .381 with a .426 on-base and .524 slugging percentage; has hit six doubles while striking out only four times in 42 at-bats and played spectacular defense. In other words, he has done everything necessary to win the starting second base job -- but win it.

Expect Prado to lose out to Kelly Johnson, the 38th overall pick in 2000 whose arm has been surgically repaired after it blew out in Johnson's attempt to convert to the outfield last year. Johnson will win the job because he long ago was envisioned as the player who would make it possible for the team to save $6 million a year by letting veteran pivot Marcus Giles depart to San Diego.

Johnson is hitting a more pedestrian .262 in spring play, but projects as a top middle infield power source, though his career thus far has been truncated.

All that remains now is to determine not whether Prado deserves to make the club, but whether room can be found for him as a reserve on a very crowded roster.

Mike Hampton Must Face Down Loss of Confidence

Braves starting pitcher Mike Hampton -- trying to come back from a year's layoff due to injury -- faces confidence issues related to a rehabilitative throwing program that has caused bleeding and breaking of fibrous tissue beneath the skin in his surgically repaired elbow.

By the opening of the season, Hampton theoretically should be ready to let 'er rip -- uh, better rephrase that -- be ready to face major league hitters. But Hampton remains an unknown until proved otherwise. Though Tommy John surgery has a purported success rate exceeding 90 percent, numerous pitchers such as former Colorado hurler Pete Harnisch have lost their careers after the procedure.

A common manifestation of the operation is pain, fiber failure and straining as scar tissue breaks. The condition seems to have at least temporarily caused Hampton to doubt his durability, according to word out of Florida where he is training. But the former 20-game winner should be far enough along that his capability can be plainly evaluated when he appears in exhibition contests during spring training.

Manager Bobby Cox has penciled Hampton in the No. 3 spot in the rotation behind John Smoltz and Tim Hudson. If health issues continue to affect Hampton's game, expect youngster Chuck James to slide into his spot for the first few months of the season.

Earth to Adam LaRoche...Earth to Adam LaRoche...

Adam? Adam???? HEY, ADAMMM!!! It might sound funny but it's no joke. Pirates newly acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche must take a specially formulated, legal stimulant manufactured from amphetamines or methylphenidates to help protect him from the manifestations of a debilitating neurological disorder known as ADD -- attention deficit disorder.


Whether ADD was the cause, only he can say -- but upon being acquired by Pittsburgh from Atlanta, LaRoche recently missed his first extended coast-to-coast broadcast interview with XM Radio's Ronnie Lane. LaRoche not only failed to check in with Lane's show at the appointed time, he was nowhere to be found when he was repeatedly telephoned on his sprawling Fort Scott, Kan., ranch.

LaRoche, 27, is among perhaps 15 million Americans suffering from the incurable malady which causes distraction, inattentiveness and forgetfulness so severe that the slender, 6-foot-two slugger even drifts off during games. In Atlanta, the task of repeatedly prodding LaRoche to pay attention while playing first base primarily fell to second baseman Marcus Giles, lest a speedy, routine grounder roll down the right field line for a single.

LaRoche was greeted with a chorus of boos in Atlanta last May when he came to the plate after allowing Washington's Nick Johnson to reach base during the previous inning on a little roller about 12 feet from the bag. It should have been an automatic out, but as LaRoche dreamily floated toward the bag Johnson hustled down the line safely.

The job of keeping LaRoche alert may wind up with 2006 National League batting champion Freddy Sanchez, possibly the Pirates prospective new, full-time second baseman, who played third base last year. Though LaRoche's handicap is a nuisance, the potential of LaRoche hitting nearly .300 with perhaps 30 homers or more entirely redeems him as far as the Pirates are concerned.

Craig Wilson's Playing Time to be Limited for Braves

The Braves signing of 1B/OF Craig Wilson to help make up for the loss of 1B Adam LaRoche effectively puts an end for now to Wilson's status as a full-time player, as manager Bobby Cox will use him as little more than a spot starter against lefties, a pinch hitter and bench player.

As reported earlier by www.MLBnewsonline.com, LaRoche's trade to Pittsburgh opened a spot for a veteran bat on the Braves 25-man roster. But Wilson's sluggishness in the field, poor footwork and other limited defensive skills preclude him from winning a great deal of playing time.

Wilson, 30, has punished left-handed hitting during his six-year major league career, but the fact he was passed over by New York, Boston, Baltimore, Los Angeles and other American League teams needing help at first base or designated hitter betrays his reputation as a defensive liability. Worse, his lifetime batting average against right-handed pitching is a mere .262, and when given an opportunity to prove himself in New York he hit just .212 in 40 games. No wonder the Yankees didn't want him.

That leaves left-handed rookie 1B Scott Thorman as the primary candidate to play first base and hit in the lower third of the lineup on a near everyday basis, barring his complete collapse at the plate.

Wilson's career year was 2004, when he hit .264 with 29 homers in 561 at-bats. The Braves had been scouting Wilson since last year, when his glove cost him his starting job with the Pirates.

Adam LaRoche Trade Sets Stage for Braves Faceoff

Atlanta Braves GM John Schuerholz waited patiently for two months while the Pirates tied up closer Mike Gonzalez with a one-year, $2.35 million contract, then pulled the trigger to trade first baseman Adam LaRoche for him and set the stage for a potential battle between two of Atlanta's top prospects.

Scott Thorman, 24, a surprisingly agile, 6-foot-3, 235-pound rookie, will be given the first shot to replace LaRoche this spring after impressing the front office with a .298 batting average and 15 homers in limited time with AAA Richmond. But Thorman took a step back in 128 atbats with the Braves, hitting a tepid .234 with five homers, and is hardly a sure thing.

In consideration of a Thorman shortcoming, look for Schuerholz to pick up a backup veteran corner infielder in the mold of former Brave Robert Fick, contemplate moving third baseman Chipper Jones to first base to be replaced by Willy Aybar at third, and all the while keep an eye on 21-year-old prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia over the long term.

Saltalamacchia, a switchhitting former No. 1 pick, has come up as a catcher, but with budding star Brian McCann solidified behind the plate with the parent club, Saltalamacchia stands to be converted to first or third base and be given a shot to compete at the major league level perhaps by 2008, maybe even when rosters are expanded in September of 2007.

With his backstop skills still not ready for prime time, a corner infield spot likely is a better fit for Saltalamacchia, who brings good footwork, decent leather and a unique, Sicilian-style tenacity to the game.