Morning Chop: Atlanta Braves News 3/27/14
Ted Turner says, ‘I wouldn’t have moved the Braves to Cobb County’
Holding his tongue can’t be easy for former Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner. He has a history of, well, saying what’s on his mind.
An exception: The topic of the Braves moving from downtown Atlanta to suburban Cobb County and a new $672 million stadium, plans for which the team announced in November. At first, all Turner said was that he didn’t own the team anymore, he hadn’t since 2001, and he hoped they kept winning in their new home. It was almost a “no comment.” Later that month, a TV station in Atlanta got Turner to say at a Turner Field event, “I’d like to see ’em stay here.” Ah. Now we’re getting somewhere.
Turner on Wednesday finally said what has been on his mind since November: He wouldn’t have moved the Braves out of Turner Field. The Atlanta Business Chronicle cornered Turner briefly at the Georgia Technology Summit being held, coincidentally, at the Cobb Galleria Theatre — practically in the shadow of where the new stadium will go:
Tyler Pastornicky Making His Case For Atlanta Braves Bench Job
As Tyler Pastornicky started the spring knowing that his work with the Atlanta Braves might not be until the last week or two of Spring Training, it’s probably good to guess that he had his doubts of making the Opening Day roster in just a few days. However, with his brief performance, he’s really showing the team that he wants to be in Milwaukee for the opening series. If he continues to play this way, he’ll make it impossible for the team to send him anywhere other than where the Braves go.
On Wednesday, Pastornicky got a chance to start the game at second base and took that opportunity to play some of his best baseball. In his five games since joining the big league club, he has went 5-12 and has four RBI. Against the Miami Marlins, Pastornicky went 3-for-4 (three singles) and walked once, plating three of his four RBI on the spring. With that bat, it’s easy to see that he has come to the team ready to show everyone that he is ready to play at the highest level in 2014.
Teheran strikes out 9 in Braves rout of Marlins
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Julio Teheran struck out nine over six innings in his final tuneup for opening day and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Miami Marlins 9-2 on Wednesday.
Teheran will start at Milwaukee on Monday. He finished the spring with a 1.80 ERA after allowing two runs on seven hits.
His only walk was intentional and he threw 71 of his 100 pitches for strikes.
“I’m happy with what I did this spring training, and I hope to continue it into the season,” he said.
“I’m excited about pitching on opening day.”
Teheran, who was 14-8 last season as a rookie, worked 25 innings in six spring starts and had 26 strikeouts to four walks.
“I feel good. I’m ready for the season,” Teheran said. “I used more my breaking pitch and it worked pretty good.
“I was happy to go deep into the game.
“I feel strong.”
Charitable Kimbrel joins Motte’s campaign vs. cancer
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Craig Kimbrel takes great pride in his role as the spokesman for Curing Kids Cancer. Now, the Braves closer has aligned himself with another cancer-fighting initiative started by Cardinals reliever Jason Motte.
Kimbrel stands as the Braves representative for Motte’s “Let’s Strike Out Cancer” campaign that allows Major League Baseball fans to purchase team specific T-shirts that are adorned with a large backward K standing over the word “CANCER.”
The website 108stitches.com went live on March 17, with 108 Stitches showcasing the “Strike Out Cancer” tees in each team’s colors. Each is promoted by a different player who agreed to join Motte in a partnership that will benefit multiple charities. Each participating player has chosen a charity that will benefit from the T-shirts sales, and for each shirt sold, $5 will go to the Jason Motte Foundation and $5 to a charity of that player’s choice. A full list of recipient charities will be listed on the 108 Stitches website soon, along with a photo of each player rep in his team-colored shirt.
Mike Mills’ song pushes Dale Murphy for Hall
ale Murphy lost his final chance to be voted into the Hall of Fame by writers in 2013. Is it possible a new song written about him by another Hall of Famer will give his candidacy new life?
Mike Mills, an avid sports fan and the talented singer, musician and composer for the Athens band R.E.M. (inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007), has written a song called, “To The Veteran’s Committee,” which pleads for Murphy’s long overdue induction into Cooperstown. The song appears on the just released CD, “The Baseball Project: 3rd,” which is the third collections of baseball rock songs from the band that includes Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate), Peter Buck (R.EM.), Scott McCaughey and Linda Pitmon.
“I was already touring with the Baseball Project,” said Mills, a long-time Braves fan (and sports Fantasy League player) who even remembers being taken to an Atlanta Crackers as a youth. “I guess you could say I was a bench player before and now I’ve been called up.”