Morning Chop: Atlanta Braves’ News 2/13/14
Atlanta Braves Link Dump: 2/13
Braves News
Pitchers & Catchers Report & Are Chomping at the Bit
Mark Bowman reports from Lake Buena Vista, which is where pitchers, catchers (and a good chunk of the rest of the team) are already chomping at the bit as the NL East Champions prepare to defend their crown and attempt to go even further during this upcoming season.
DOB Compares Freeman to Chipper
In his latest blog for the AJC, DOB covers a gauntlet of Braves subjects (including the details to Jason Heyward‘s new contract, in case you missed that one), but spends the bulk of the article comparing a once-young Chipper Jones after his first three seasons to currently-young Freddie Freeman as he heads into his 4th season with the biggest contract in club history.
Fregosi suffers stroke on MLB alumni cruise
Former All-Star shortstop and big league manager Jim Fregosi suffered a stroke during a Major League Baseball alumni cruise, and was flown to Miami from the Cayman Islands on Tuesday.
Fregosi, 71, had the stroke last weekend, but doctors in the Cayman Islands had to stabilize his condition before he could be flown back to the mainland, where his recovery continues.
Fregosi has been a special assistant to the Atlanta Braves’ general manager the past 13 seasons.
Originally signed out of high school by the Boston Red Sox, Fregosi was an Expansion Draft selection of the Los Angeles Angels in December 1960. He was a six-time All-Star as a shortstop during an 18-year career, playing for the Angels, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates. After 11 years with the Halos, Fregosi was the key player the club sent to the Mets for a young Nolan Ryan on Dec. 10, 1971.
Atlanta Braves Will be Even Better in 2014
The Atlanta Braves will be one of the more intriguing teams in 2014, especially when keeping in mind that they lack a true ace on the pitching staff and a true superstar on offense.
The Braves won 96 games last year en route to the second best record in the National League and the NL East Division title. Dumped out in the divisional round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta’s season ended in utter disappointment. But what they managed to accomplish in 2013 was somewhat unexpected (though not quite as bewildering as the struggles of the Washington Nationals).
The team was incredibly young and suffered a plethora of injuries, some of which should have proved crippling – Brian McCann’s six-week stint on the disabled list at the beginning of the year and Tim Hudson’s season-ending broken ankle against the New York Mets on July 24, among them. But with youth comes resiliency, and often an incredible desire to win.
MLB Braves’ Videos
Gattis Arrives at Braves’ Camp
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Outlook: Freeman, 1B, ATL
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