15-5

Big weekend for the Good Guys capped off by yesterday’s shellacking of the Tides.  Gregor Blanco had a grand slam and – this is kind of surprising – it was the first homer for a Brave this season at home.  Who needs power when there’s such domination from the pitching?  Well…some, I suppose.  Always cool to see someone go long.  Sunday’s final score was 11-0; Saturday’s game went into the 11^th before the Braves could nip the Tides 6-5. 

There’s another big weekend coming up here in the Ricci – the spring nascar race at RIR.  I’ll be in attendance, which brings me to this….I’m trying to hit the Diamond for a game this week and write a review, but going to both could be cost prohibitive, so I might have to bag it.  For the purposes of this blog, it’s been a goal to go to one game for every home-stretch this season and post a review.  I’m on the fence as of now.

12-5

Peapod Harris led the Braves to another W last night, going 3 for 3, driving in a run and stealing 2 bases.  Again, baserunning and pitching won the game, with
Richmond pitchers combining for 8 strikeouts and allowing 5 hits by the Tides.  The Braves remain atop the IL South.

A Man…Who Does Not Exist

The RBraves website has a new featured player – 31 year-old left fielder Doug Clark.  I wish I had a decent Hot Nuts joke, but…alas.  #29 has seen his share of struggles in Richmond this year with a batting average hovering around .200.  This is his first season in the Braves organization; last year he played for Sacramento in the Pacific Coast League for the most part, but he did see some time in the Show with the Athletics for 6 games. 

It could be time for the good people at rbraves.com to tweak their “Featured Player” column, because old Doug either was nonplussed about the interview, or he has the charisma of a garden rake.  I mean, Doug…c’mon…this is a prime opportunity to personally introduce yourself to the insanely rabid
Richmond Braves fanbase.  Lifted from the interview, here are 3 surprising things he does during the season: hang gliding, archery and amateur ham radio.  Pretty cool, huh?  Well, it’s not true.  His real answer was sleep, read and workout.  Oh.  I’m no behavioral analyst, but technically he does those things in the offseason, as well.  He refused to divulge any locker room stories, citing confidentiality.  They all say that.  And his idol growing up was – get ready for this – “parents”.   Whoah. 

Allright, enough teasing, because he and I share a common dream, a passion rather, that neither of our thirsts will be quenched until we see it coming to fruition….bringing Knight Rider back to TV.  The time is right.  The Hoff is sober again.  Kitt recently has been in the news after its highly publicized auction, and the guy who did his voice is still acting.  Unfortunately, Edward Mulhare, the Oscar/Emmy/Tony/Nobel winner who played Devon Miles, has been dead for 10 years.  We’ll have to improvise there.  Doug’s also asked why he’d like to see Knight Rider back, but the ever stoic one remains silent, leaving us to ponder his reasons. 

http://www.rbraves.com/team/featured/index.html?article_id=353 

11-5

A very good win for wily vet Buddy Carlyle and the Bravos, who defeated Louisville and budding ace Homer Bailey, one of the premier pitching prospects in all of baseball. Carlyle, Buddy Hernandez and Paul Bush combined to strike out 12 while allowing just five hits, three walks and a single run.

Around the IL

Crazy stat: Ottawa currently leads the IL in batting at .291 and has scored 72 runs in just 13 games – that’s 10 runs more than the Braves in one fewer game — yet the Lynx lineup, which occasionally includes old Richmond hero Pedro Swann, has yet to hit a single home run.

Sweet April

One particularly encouraging aspect of the R-Braves’ hot start is that the team looks balanced — Richmond is second in the IL in batting (.281) and third in pitching (2.90 ERA) – so that the string of wins doesn’t seem like a mere stroke of luck.

Four hitters are among the league leaders in batting average — Willie Harris (.378 with 6 2B, 2 3B and 3 SB), Gregor Blanco (.349 with 3 SB), Yunel Escobar (.339, 10 RBI, 2 SB) and Martin Prado (.327) – and each applies pressure on the bases with solid to excellent speed. The lineup lacks a major power threat, such as Scott Thorman provided last year, but Escobar has demonstrated an ability to drive in runs without the longball and aggressive baserunning has taken care of the rest.

Three starting pitchers have ERA’s lower than 3.00 – Kevin Barry (2.51), Anthony Lerew (2.84) and Trey Hodges (1.54) – and the bullpen has been even better. Performances from relievers such as Manny Acosta (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SVS, 10 SO, 4 H, 9.1 IP), Buddy Hernandez (2-0, 1.69), Paul Bush (1.08, 8.1 IP, 3 H, 8 SO) and Phil Stockman (0.00 ERA, 6 IP, 1 H, 6 SO) might be the most important reason for Richmond’s robust April so far.

Steve Patras

Richmond Braves Radio Broadcaster dies at 58.  Steve Patras was part of the RBraves broadcast team since 2003.

10-4

RBraves came from behind last night in Indianapolis to whip the Indians 6-2. The Braves scattered 13 hits, including a 5^th inning homer by right fielder Bill McCarthy and 3 hits by Carlos Mendez. Richmond pitchers struck out 8 in their 2^nd straight walloping of the Tribe.  The Braves head to Louisville tonight.

Some Great Swagger

How bout them Braves?  Not only are they feeling it, they are talking about feeling it.  I love it.  There are few things as satisfying in sports as having your team perform well.  And there are few things as cool as the resulting swagger and cockiness that accompanies winning.  As of today, the ABraves are 10-5 after losing to the Cubs yesterday.  The RBraves are also off to a fast start after yesterday’s 11^th inning W against the Bats, and the confidence is growing as evidenced by some great quotes from last night by Peapod Harris and Yunel Escobar – although Yunel’s proclamations came in Spanish, translated by RBrave Carlos Mendez, so quite frankly Yunel could’ve been asking for some Big League Chew and only a few would’ve noticed.  Here’s a pretty sweet quote from Yunel about scoring the tying run on a sacrifice fly in the 8^th, “Always expect the unexpected when I’m running the bases…I was playing the cards, and the cards came out right. Even if he dropped the ball, I was going to score.”  I’d say he was feeling it.  Leadoff batter Peapod, who got three hits last night, including the game winning (infield hit) RBI, had this to say about the final play, “(Bats’ 2^nd baseman Aaron Herr) was diving, and he knows who’s running,” said Harris, who has 229 career stolen bases. “He feels like he’s got to hurry.”  Awesome, because it’s true.  Peapod has wheels.  “Speed and pitching won that ballgame.”  It looks like some confidence is seeping into the Braves these days, which evidently is also helping to win ballgames.

Oh, and as of today, Los RBravos are sitting atop the IL South.

6-2

Scorching pitching continues as the RBraves win their 3^rd straight.  The Braves take on the Bats again tonight at The Diamond.