Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop Former Brave Signs With Japan
By Jeff Schafer
Cunningham eyes opportunity after Braves’ offseason moves
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: After the Atlanta Braves made multiple trades and signings this offseason that dealt especially with the outfield positions, Todd Cunningham seems to have a shot at some playing time this season. Cunningham will head into the 2015 Spring Training as probably the fourth or fifth outfielder. If he proves himself worthily of a big league uniform, we’ll see him in Atlanta. If not, he’ll spend his third season in Gwinnett.
"That’s what he told about 400 youths at a free baseball clinic put on by retired Jacksonville State coaching great Rudy Abbott and JSU’s baseball team Sunday.The JSU and Jacksonville High alum working his way up the Atlanta Braves organization told the story while making a point about baseball teaching lessons about how to handle failure."
"“If you fail seven times out of 10, you’re in the Hall of Fame,” he said.“It’s definitely nice that there’s at least an opportunity,” Cunningham said before his appearance at Sunday’s clinic. “Nothing is ever guaranteed, but you at least get a chance to compete for a spot. That’s all you can really ask for.”"
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Julio Franco, 56 Years Old, Joins a Japan Team as Player-Manager
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Former Brave, Julio Franco, has reportedly signed a contract with a Japan team to be a player/manager for the 2015 season. A .298 career MLB hitter with 173 homers and 1,194 RBIs, Franco could still have something left in the tank even close to 60-years-old. You’re only as young as you feel and act. The spokesman for the team hasn’t said how much he’ll play, bat or even the position he’ll play but I can’t imagine it will be a lot – he’ll most likely be the teams manager with the occasional AB’s.
"The Ishikawa Million Stars of Japan’s independent Baseball Challenge League said they have signed the 56-year-old Franco as player-manager for the 2015 season, which starts in April.Franco made his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1982 and won the batting title playing for the Texas Rangers in 1991 with a .341 average. Overall he played for eight teams in Major League Baseball and was selected to the All-Star team three times. He last played in major-league ball in 2007 for the Atlanta Braves.The native of the Dominican Republic announced his retirement in 2008 following a stint with the Quintana Roo Tigers of the Mexican League, but he returned to the field in 2014 as a player-manager for the Fort Worth Cats of United League Baseball. He had 6 hits in 27-at-bats."
Perth claim second consecutive Shield
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: As we talked about yesterday, the Perth Heat that has an Atlanta Braves member, Matt Kennelly, who their fourth championship on Sunday. Perth went down in the series after losing the first game of the three game series but then came back to win back-to-back games to claim the championship and the Claxton Shield. Matt Kennelly will be invited to the Braves Spring Training facilities for the 2015 season.
"For the fourth time in five years, Perth reign supreme atop the pedestal of the Australian Baseball League. The Alcohol. Think Again Perth Heat beat the Adelaide Bite, proudly presented by SA Power Networks, 12-5 in Sunday’s third and final game of the ABL Championship Series presented by ConocoPhillips, to take home the Claxton Shield for the second consecutive season.The series victory had historical implications beyond Perth taking home its fourth title in the five-year existence of the new ABL. With the win, Western Australia moved into a second-place tie with South Australia on the all-time Claxton Shield premiership list. The victory also came one night after Perth leveled the championship series with a tenth-inning win.“We’re a bunch of fighters,” Tim Kennelly said. “We’ve done that for years, so it was good to bounce back with that win.”"