Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop 1/12
By Jeff Schafer
Hank Aaron interested in becoming an Atlanta Hawks’ owner, report says
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Atlanta Braves great and MLB Hall of Famer, Hank Aaron is reportedly looking for a role inside the Atlanta Hawks organization. The basketball team is for sale after an email sent by current owner of the team, Bruce Levenson, came to light earlier this year. Levenson and his partners own 50.1 percent of the Atlanta Hawks.
"Marc Stein of espn.com reported on Sunday night that the Baseball Hall of Famer was part of a group seeking to buy the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Stein reported league sources said Aaron had joined Steve Kaplan, a Memphis Grizzlies minority owner and vice chairman; Jason Levien, a former Grizzlies CEO and now the managing general partner of the MLS team DC United; and Indonesian billionaires Erick Thohir and Handy Poernomo Soetedjo.Atlanta Business Chronicle reported in September that Aaron was open to joining an ownership group for the Hawks."
BRAVES RELEASE JOE LEONARD
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Leonard has been a long time minor league player inside the Braves organization. The third basemen never developed the power or growth the Braves had hoped for. In 2013, he injured his knee and missed a good portion of the season. The other four releases were minor and players who weren’t developing. With the new acquisitions this offseason, the Braves saw these players as excess baggage.
"The Braves released minor league third baseman Joe Leonard, along with catcher Nathan Hass, second baseman Trevor Sprowl and outfielders Juan Puello and Alejandro Piloto.Leonard was a 3rd round pick by the Braves in the 2010 draft out of the University of Pittsburgh. In five seasons in the Braves organization, Leonard hit .251 with only 23 home runs and 212 runs batted in.Last season for Gwinnett Leonard hit .278 in 41 games and then he hit .246 for Mississippi in 36 games."
10 things you didn’t know about the College Football Playoff Championship Game
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: The Braves minor league system and Hank Aaron are all over this Morning Chop. An interesting note that I saw heading into tonights College Football National Championship game between Oregon and Ohio State was that Urban Meyer had a stint in the baseball minor leagues – with the Atlanta Braves. Though his baseball career never panned out, his college coaching sure has.
"Urban Meyer was once a minor league baseball playerYes, it’s true. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves and played two seasons in their minor league system, never advancing past rookie ball. His lifetime .182 batting average in 44 games likely had something to do with that, although the 13th round pick did flash a decent eye, managing a .321 on-base percentage. After those two years, he was handed his release by the Atlanta farm director at the time, none other than Hank Aaron."