SB Nation User Blog: Mike de La Hoz

Re: Heyward

Mike de La Hoz — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:18:53 -0000

From Baseball America:

Jason Heyward, rf, Braves: Heyward hasn’t officially been on the DL, but he has missed several games and been kept from playing in the field with a hip flexor injury, according to the The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News. Heyward, 19, has played in only five of high Class A Myrtle Beach’s 12 games since April 22—he missed a stretch of five straight games from April 27 to May 2—and has served as the Pelicans’ DH in all but one game of that 12-game stretch.

At this time of need...

Mike de La Hoz — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:43:49 -0000

With things turning to dung at this time...I miss Velcro Vernacular.

reprinted from TC arcival records.

A Complex Metaphor for Last Night's Game

by Velcro Vernacular on Jul 25, 2007 12:27 PM EDT 22 comments

Yesterday Rain Delay suggested that I write something about Heap and Frenchy's high school days. Of course those two had actual high school days together (sort of -- they didn't go to the same school, but apparently they were buddies then, too), but what fun would that be unless I pretended that the others went to school with them? I'd already written this sort of unfunny thing about where the Braves would sit at lunch if they went to high school together -- you know, the cool seniors table (Chipper, Rent, Smoltz, Andruw, Huddy), then the semi-cool but mostly dorky juniors table (Frenchy, Heap, Scooter, formerly Davies, Thor, Chuckie), the bullpen (Wicky, etc.: lots of eating contests), the freshmen (Yuney, Salty, now Jo-Jo) and of course the dorks (Diaz, Woodward, and the king of the dorks, Orr, running his elaborte Connect Four tournaments from the Dork Table).

So that was kind of lame and I just put it aside, but now, thanks to RD's suggestion and some inspiration from last night's game, I have come up with the perfect high school metaphor, and yeah, it's kind of weird, but at least not as dark as the Huddy-beats-the-ever-loving-crap-out-of-Wicky idea I had earlier.

It's after five o'clock at Random Suburban High School, and a group of students has stayed late to work on their science project . . .

Heap: Man, Huddy, I'm so glad we have you to help us with this.
Frenchy: Yeah, you're like. Awesome at science.
Huddy: Thanks fellas, and may I say that I am feeling particularly awesome at science tonight?
Heap: Yeah, I could tell! So what's the plan?
Huddy: A working volcano, of course!
Scooter: Brilliant!
Heap: I'll help you draw up the plans.
Frenchy: I'll go buy the supplies.
Scooter: And I'll paint it when you're done!

Huddy: Cool, sounds good. But aren't there two more people in our group?
Chipper: /shows up at the classroom door
Chipper: /smacking gum arrogantly
Heap: /whispers to Frenchy
Heap: Oh my God it's Chipper Jones!!
Frenchy: Shut up, shut up! Act cool.
Heap: /nods enthusiastically
Chipper: Hey.
Huddy: Hey, man. You gonna help us?
Chipper: I sure am.
Chipper: /dumps an armload of materials on Huddy's desk
Chipper: There ya go.
Huddy: Wow, thanks! I'll be able to make an awesome volcano with this stuff.
Chipper: No problem. Later.
Frenchy: BYE CHIPPER!
Chipper: /saunters off

Frenchy organizes the supplies while Heap and Huddy make plans. When the volcano is constructed, Scooter puts on the finishing touches.

Heap: Wow, that was easier than I thought it would be! Great job, Huddy!
Huddy: Thanks, kid. Just have to test it to make sure it works--
Huddy: /pours chemicals in

Volcano: /does nothing
Huddy: Oh, dammit! Why isn't this thing working!
Frenchy: Man, we were almost done, too!
Huddy: Hmm, what did I do wrong . . .?

Barry Bonds: /walks through the hall, clutching his own science project
Barry Bonds: /peeks into the classroom where our heroes are puzzling over theirs
Barry Bonds: Hey guys.
Huddy: Huh? Oh hi, Barry.
Barry Bonds: Check this out.
Barry Bonds: /holds up a professional-looking volcano that is spewing lava successfully
Huddy: Hey, what the hell! How'd you finish yours so fast, and where's the rest of your group?
Barry Bonds: Those clowns? Who cares, this project is all about me and my genius.
Huddy: So how'd you do it?
Barry Bonds: Uh, you know. Science.
Huddy: Well, yeah, but what chemicals did you use?
Barry Bonds: Um.
Barry Bonds: Sodium?
Huddy: Sodium! You don't even know -- you paid someone to make that for you, didn't you!
Barry Bonds: You can't prove that!!
Huddy: Whatever, get out of here!
Huddy: /slams the door in his face

Huddy: Ugh, I need to get some fresh air and think. You guys hold down the fort while I take a walk, okay?
Heap: Sure, Hud.
Huddy: /walks off

Frenchy: Mannnn, this is taking longer than I thought it would. I'm hungry!
Heap: Well get over it, we have to finish this or we'll fail!
Scooter: I'm hungry, too. Maybe we should run down to the vending machines?
Frenchy: Yeah!!
Heap: Alright, fine. I guess I could use a snack.

A few minutes later, they return to the classroom with food from the vending machines . . .

Wicky: /standing in the doorway
Wicky: Uh, hey guys. Sorry I'm late.
Heap: Oh, that's okay, we're practically done anywa-- OH MY GOD
Volcano: /almost completely gone, only a few shreds of papier mache clinging to a plywood board
Frenchy: WHOA
Scooter: What the hell happened??!
Wicky: /sad face
Wicky: I . . . sat on it.
Heap: WHAT?!
Wicky: Okay, I ate it!!

Huddy: /appears in the doorway
Huddy: WICKY ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME
Wicky: Sorry, I'm really sorry! I only wanted to help!!
Heap: And eating our science project helps how?!
Wicky: It seemed like a good idea at the time!
Huddy: All my hard work!
Scooter: We're gonna fail!

Rent: /appears in the hallway
Rent: Hey guys, what's wrong?
Huddy: EVERYTHING
Rent: Oh gosh, I'm sorry to hear that. I just wanted to let you guys know that I went ahead and finished our science project and turned it in this afternoon.
Huddy: Buh--wha--I didn't even know you were in our group!
Heap: Yeah, we would have helped you!
Rent: Oh, that's okay, I don't mind! Anyway, see you later!

Huddy: /stunned silence
Wicky: /glances at Frenchy
Wicky: Um
Wicky: You gonna finish those Funions?

Later . . .

Frenchy: Oh my God, look at him over there.
Heap: So?
Frenchy: C'monnnn, it's too sad to watch him eating lunch alone! Let's invite him to sit with us.
Heap: Um, do you realize who you're talking about?
Frenchy: So he's a little weird, so what? Everyone deserves friends!

Frenchy: Hey, Salty, come sit with us!
Salty: /head jerks up
Salty: /runs over, grinning
Salty: Hey guys!
Frenchy: Hey! How are you?
Salty: Me? Oh I'm awesome of course, couldn't be better. What's that you're eating? String cheese? Did you know my great uncle invented string cheese? Yeah we're pretty much millionaires because of it, well, more like billionaires, possibly trillionaires, only, you know, we don't believe in like, showing off, so we donate most of it to charity.
Frenchy: That's--
Salty: Yeah the S'lamacchia family has built like, probably 900 homeless shelters. We're just giving like that. I had a Porshce once, but I gave it to a homeless guy. He cried.
Heap: /glares at Frenchy
Salty: Anyway, you should probably give me half of that string cheese. I mean you kinda owe me, since my family invented it and all.
Frenchy: Um, sure--
Salty: /sings "You're Simply The Best"
Salty: /with a mouthful of string cheese
Heap: /leaves the table

GWINNETT / Hanson open with a W

Mike de La Hoz — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:49:51 -0000

The Gwinnett Braves, behind the pitching of right-handers Tommy Hanson and Kris Medlen, defeated the Charlotte Knight 9-1 Thursday at Knights Stadium in Fort Mill, SC. The Opening Day win marked the first in Gwinnett history.

Hanson, making his first Triple-A start, worked 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing only three hits while striking out 10. Medlen, who was credited with the win, retired all 11 batters he faced in 3.2 scoreless frames.

Braves' first baseman Barbaro Canizares was 3-for-5 with a two-run home run off RHP John Van Benschoten in the third. Second baseman Brooks Conrad added a two-run shot in the sixth and an RBI single in the ninth. Canizares paced the G-Braves with seven RBI as Conrad followed with five.

GREAT WHITE: LIVE @ Rogers Centre

Mike de La Hoz — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:21:28 -0000

Forgive the attempt at humor but Chipper and McCann aren't the only Bravos participating in the World Baseball Classic.

Gregor Blanco, AKA Greg White, has started in CF and batted leadoff for Team Venezuela in two of their four games in the WBC. He has logged 3 hits in each game with 3 RBIs, 2 triples, 1 double and a stolen base.

While he has been scortching in Canada, Josh Anderson seems to be doing little with the opportunity to nail down the CF job with his room temperature performance in Florida.

Blanco could be elevating his profile not only with the Braves but with other teams who might be using the Global Hardball Festival to scout for missing pieces to their pennant puzzle.

Camp Chipper

Mike de La Hoz — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:21:02 -0000

For years Leo Mazzone conducted "Camp Leo" workouts for Braves pitchers prior to their report to spring training. It sounds like Chipper Jones has taken that concept over to the hitting side.

Recently, in the midst of Andruw Jones' latest chapter in his Long Strange Trip we saw him working out with Chipper and McCann in an effort to clean up the scar tissue from an '08 season that has seen Andruw fall to the depths of mediocrity and have his team basically pay him to leave town.

Now comes this from Rotowire concerning another player who may or may not be in the process of a career threatening flame-out:

Francoeur is learning a new batting stance this winter - a more balanced position at the plate, with his hands farther back and a shorter stride. "His mindset is from gap to gap. You can’t be out on your front foot the way he was all year last year, and head moving up and down, and his stride was too long, and thinking about pulling the ball around the left field foul pole. His weight distribution is allowing him to think right center to left center and he is killing balls, just absolutely crushing it," teammate Chipper Jones, who has been working out with Francoeur.

Let's hope he recovers.

As we move closer to camps opening the news seems to be getting warmer, as well.

SMOLTZ to the BOSOX

Mike de La Hoz — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:31:41 -0000

Damn. MLBTR is reporting that Smoltzy is signing with the Red Sox! Damn. Damn, Damn, Damn!!!

9:58pm: MLB.com's Mark Bowman says Smoltz will call the Braves tomorrow morning to tell them he will sign with Boston. The incentives in the deal are said to be "very attainable." Does this push Tim Wakefield to the bullpen during the summer? It's a good problem to have.

9:20pm: In addition to Rocco Baldelli, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting that the Red Sox may be close to signing John Smoltz.

As of last night, sources indicated that Smoltz was leaning toward Boston's offer which was said to be somewhere in the vicinity of $5.5 million guaranteed with the opportunity to earn a few million in incentives which could hike the salary up to $10 million. The Sox and Smoltz have been talking since before the Winter Meetings. The Sox do not anticipate that Smoltz will be ready until later in May, but one of the incentives being discussed would be a roster bonus if he's with the team by June 1.

Smoltz will be 42 in May and made $14MM with the Braves last season. It would be quite a surprise to see him leave the Braves after all these years.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Mike de La Hoz — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:36:17 -0000

Forget the House of the Rising Sun Opening Day...This is truly opening day and our boys from Fulton Co. are lifting the lid on what will be one of the greatest in Braves history. Opening day is the absolute greatest. You can almost smell the grass, the popcorn, the grill...Quaff , oh, Quaff., the wonder that is opening the baseball season. Breath deep, hold it in your lungs and exhale sparingly as you enter another year that suspends you like an updraft...that elevates you above the cares of the world...that separates you from the afflictions of life, sick kids, cranky bosses, nagging spouses, ailing parents. A wonder indeed. Love it, appreciate it, and spread the word far and near. Baseball is back...AAHHH!!!