Morning Chop: Braves 6/10
By Jeff Schafer
Uggla’s 2 HRs power Atlanta Braves to 8-1 win over Dodgers
June 9, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman
Dan Uggla(26) hits a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
"Dan Uggla had two homers and four RBIs, Freddie Freeman drove in three more runs with a double, and Mike Minor kept the Atlanta Braves’ rotation rolling with six solid innings in an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.Minor (8-2) allowed a run and six hits, struck out six and walked three while helping the NL East leaders gain a split of the four-game series. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA over his last seven starts.Atlanta’s rotation has yielded four runs in 37 1-3 innings spanning the team’s last six games. The stretch includes eight innings of one-hit ball by rookie Julio Teheran — who came within four outs of a no-hitter on Wednesday against Pittsburgh — and back-to-back starts by Tim Hudson and Paul Maholm in which each allowed one run in Braves losses."
Atlanta Braves – PlayerWatch
"–OF Jordan Schafer is 18-for-52 inr his last 22 games after going 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit assignment against the Dodgers on Saturday. Schafer is now 26-for-76 with two home runs against right-handers.–RHP Kris Medlen improved to 3-6 record with a 3.14 ERA after his impressive start against the Dodgers on Saturday in a 2-1 win. Medlen had just two wins against six losses coming in but was pitching much better than the record indicated with a 3.14 ERA. The problem is run support. The 3.14 runs the Braves average in his starts is seventh lowest in the National League and the lowest in the NL East. In fact, until his last start on June 3, the Braves were averaging just 2.51 runs in his starts. Medlen also hit his first career home run against the team he grew up rooting for."
Jason Heyward Finally Batting .200: Are the Atlanta Braves Now the Team to Beat in the NL?
"Since returning from his Appendectomy surgery on May 17, Heyward has raised his average 79 points to an even .200. He is also in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak which includes five multi-hit performances.With Heyward’s bat finally awake, the Braves have gone 17-6 since his return to the lineup. Although the month of June in only nine days old, the J-Hey Kid is hitting .345 with an on-base percentage of .367 during this latest section of the calendar.It may be too early to throw him a parade just yet. While his average is heading north for the summer, his power numbers are still hibernating. Heyward has only one home run and five RBIs in his last 21 games. Some could argue he still needed to build his strength back after undergoing surgery, but he had just two homers and five runs drive in before he went under the knife."
Huntingdon’s Joseph Odom drafted by Atlanta Braves in 13th round
"Huntingdon College catcher Joseph Odom became the highest Major League Baseball draft in school history, as the Atlanta Braves selected him Saturday with the 403rd overall pick in the 13th round."
"“I used to think Javy Lopez had the best job in the world,” Odom said on the school’s website, referring to the former Braves catcher. “That’s what I wanted to do. It’s still what I want to do. I feel blessed. It’s exciting to be able to pursue your dream.“When you’re a kid, people always ask you what you’re going to be when you grow up. My answer was always that I’m going to be a professional baseball player. Most people don’t take you seriously and tell you that’s a one-in-a-million chance. I’ve had to work hard for everything I’ve accomplished, but I’ve always believed I could do it.”"