Location: Atlanta, Ga. | Ballpark: Turner Field (50,096) | Spring Training: Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Owner: Liberty Media | GM: Frank Wren | Manager: Bobby Cox | World Championships: 3
That's not what manager Bobby Cox nor general manager Frank Wren expected, either, but here we are.
The good news, though, is that all of those pitchers and the rest of the bullpen are doing a very good job. In fact, until Boyer gave up two earned runs in the eighth inning of the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, the bullpen had pitched 20 2/3 scoreless innings since May 15.
And Cox was so pleased with Campillo's six-inning start in that same game that he is giving Campillo the Saturday start against the Diamondbacks and Randy Johnson. (Campillo, for his part, prayed only that his start would go beyond the four batters his last start did -- Aug. 2, 2005, when his elbow blew.)
Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano, expected to be the closer and setup man, are both on the disabled list, their returns tantalizingly close. Soriano (right elbow tendinitis) is pitching for Class AA Mississippi on a rehab assignment this week. Gonzalez (Tommy John rehab) is supposed to be pitching back-to-back extended spring training games Friday and Saturday, then have his elbow looked at before starting a minor league rehab assignment.
Cox says that with the progress being made by Gonzalez, Soriano and John Smoltz, who, it seems, has adopted a new arm angle, all three could be in the bullpen -- or be close to returning -- in 12 days.
BRAVES 11, METS 4: Jair Jurrjens turned in another outstanding performance, allowing only one earned run on five hits in seven innings. The offense gave him ample run support, including Chipper Jones's 12th home run of the season, the 398th of his career. Jeff Francoeur drove in four runs in his return to the lineup after a game off.
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Phil Stockman is currently at Richmond. He has pitched in 23 1/3 innings in AAA with a 1-0 record and an ERA of 0.77 with 19 Ks and 10 BBs. In his last 10 games he has pitched 17 innings with 12 Ks and 6 BBs and
Mark Texeira was asked by the AJC if he thought he'd be traded soon. Here's what he and Bobby Cox said.
"(Manager) Bobby (Cox) pointed out that there had been rumors about me and (reliever Will Ohman), and he told us not to listen to media reports and to those rumors, because this team is still trying to
Well, the Braves have won three in a row going back before the break and may be putting together a run. they need to continue their hot hitting if they're going to get back into contention in the East.
