Spiezio Sentenced

Recent R-Brave addition Scott Spiezio was sentenced today for a bizarre offseason event.

Saturday Action

The wife and I went went to the game on Saturday with roughly 800 of our closest friends to watch the Braves put on a nice show.  Rookie pitcher Charlie Morton threw the ball really well.  The guy has some serious heat and a sweet changeup and curve.  The good guys also were hitting like the champs they are.  Spiezio connected for 2 hits, Brent Lillibridge crushed a 3 run bomb and catcher Sal Fasano had 3 hits, including a dynamite standing triple that ought to be the last one the 36 year old ever attempts.  Sal is a pretty beefy dude, and his slap to the right field fence was almost caught on the fly by Rochester’s right fielder, but he couldn’t come up with the ball as Sal kept on chugging, visibly losing steam as he rounded second.  It was pretty great.  The rain held out just long enough for the game, and it turned out to be a real nice afternoon.  I’m really hoping that Richmond isn’t going to give up on the Braves this summer.  That would be a shame, because this team, just like the Atlanta Braves, is going to be stout this year.  I bet we win the Gov Cup again.  Keep rooting, Richmond.

0-1 … but help’s on the way

Kudos to anyone who sat through yesterday’s rugby weather to see the Bravos drop game one of the season to Rochester. RTD reports fewer than 150 in the stands at the conclusion. A couple of ex-prospects trying to make their way back to the bigs – pitcher Damian Moss and first baseman Scott Thorman – were the goats. It’s a bit obvious to say it’s a fitting way to start the last season. Still, things are looking up: Sal Fasano, a face worth rooting for, has been assigned to Richmond to back up Sammons at catcher. Fasano’s a classic journeyman catcher with Hollywook looks. Prediction: a fast fan favorite.

Web Whining; Braves on myspace

I was hoping to hit the opening day game this afternoon vs Rochester, but the weather is so nasty out there - cold and raining – and as a result decided to bag it and listen in on the radio.  So I went to rbraves.com for the easy link.  And the website is down.  For over an hour during the rain delay and into the 2nd inning.  (I just went to 910 AM to listen – I didn’t go to college for nuthin).  The site has always been slow to load, as well as generally glitchy, but to be down for any amount of time on opening day is pretty weak.  It’s a bit after 5 PM and the site just came up on the old computer but moving very slowly.  I see that Los Bravos have a myspace page.  Check it out.  Could be entertaining.

Alumni Update

Willie Harris, who had the best season of his career last year at Atlanta (.270 BA, 17 SB) after an amazing jumpstart in Richmond, is now in Washington.

Tony Pena Jr., who hit .267 in 152 games as the starting SS for the Royals last year, is back starting for KC this year.

Chuck James  is working his way back toward the Atlanta rotation, nearing the end of his recovery from shoulder problems.

Joey Devine is starting the year in Triple-A Sacramento in the A’s organization. He was sent that way in the offseason in the Mark Kotsay deal.

In Ga. …

Gwinnett and A-Braves sidestep naming rights issue, and the county gets its Sunday stadium beer sales permission.

It’s kind of amazing how headlong Gwinnett’s pursuit of the Braves and now of an on-time stadium construction has been.

Good Vibes

Reliever Zach Schreiber is disappointed to be playing in The Diamond again this year. Wes Timmons doesn’t think much of the playing conditions. Longtime GM is traveling weekly to Gwinnett.

Lineup Taking Shape

Gotta like the way the Braves’ lineup is shaping up – at least for now. Lots of speed up the middle with Josh Anderson (41 SB) in center field, Brent Lillibridge (.287, 28 SB, 10 HR, 41 RBI in 87 G at Rich in ‘07) at SS and J.C. Holt (23 SB) at second. Outfielder Brandon Jones (.300 with 26 RBI in 44 G at Rich. in 2007), first baseman/DH Barbaro Canizares (.344 with 34 RB in 49 G for Rich. in ‘07) and 1B/DH/OF Scott Thorman (.298, 15 HR in 81 G in ‘06) should drive in a bunch of runs.

It seems like the everyday front of the lineup would be (1) Anderson, (2) Holt, (3) Lillibridge, (4) Jones, (5) Canizares, (6) Thorman. In the bottom of the lineup, Wes Timmons is back at 3B after hitting .256 with 5 HR and 52 RBI for the Braves last year, and Clint Sammons — .249 with 9 HR between Single-A and Double-A last year – will catch.

Roster News

Some interesting names among those apparently bound for Richmond.

Josh Anderson, who will join Brandon Jones in the outfield, hit .358 in 21 games after a Sept. call-up last season for Houston. He was a less-impressive .273 with 2 HR at Triple-A, but also had 40 steals. Also coming down is former White Sox hotshot prospect outfielder Joe Borchard, who hasn’t panned out yet in his few years in the bigs, and last year’s R-Brave standout Brent Lillibridge, who lost the battle for the Atlanta utility job to Martin Prado.

Bad Buddy Carlyle will be added to an already promising pitching staff, and Scott Thorman, who ripped the ball for Rich. in ‘06 but never found his stroke in the bigs, will be back in an R-Brave uniform. Thorman cleared waivers in order to get sent down — a clear sign of his recent struggles.

These cuts mean that some prominent ‘07 R-Braves in position battles survived: Prado, Gregor Blanco (for the fourth outfield spot) and catcher Brayan Pena. They’re all grown up.

Pitching Again a Strength?

The R-Braves’ roster is far from complete, but it already has the makings of a promising pitching staff.

Prospects Jo-Jo Reyes and Charlie Morton seem locks to start, as the Braves have high hopes for both of them, and four other starting pitchers beyond the prospect stage seem like good bets for success at the Triple-A level.

Matt DeSalvo was great at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year (9-5, 2.70 ERA) – though not so great when he earned some time with the pitching-strapped Yankees (6.18 ERA in 7 games, including 6 starts); Ryan Drese, working his way back from major arm problems, was the Rangers’ opening day starter as recently as 2005 (he seems like the most likely one to make the transition to reliever this year); Jorge Campillo led the Pacific Coast League in ERA last year at Tacoma, posting a 9-6 record to go with his 3.07 ERA; and Francisley Bueno was 5-6 with a 3.55 ERA between Miss. and Rich., playing the hero role in the playoffs for Rich. with 6 IP of no-hit ball against Durham in the Gov. Cup finals. Not too shabby a group.

In addition, already slated for the R-Braves’ bullpen are the accomplished duo of Zach Shreiber (38 SO in 33.1 IP last year for Rich., including a .205 BA against) and Phil Stockman (always effective – even dominant – when healthy).

Pitchers are forever shuttling back and forth between Rich. and Atlanta, but the depth here offers hope that the R-Braves will be as effective on the mound this year as they were last year.