Braves' News Tidbits

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News from the 24th of July.

According to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, talks between the Braves and White Sox regarding a swap of Edgar Renteria and Jon Garland didn't progress very far.
There are no other starting pitchers out there the Braves figure to part with Renteria to get. A healthy A.J. Burnett might have made sense, but they might as well target Bigfoot. Renteria for Matt Morris wouldn't make any sense, though perhaps Renteria for Noah Lowry and Dave Roberts or Randy Winn would. Odds are that Renteria is staying.

The Braves and Angels are the most aggressive suitors for Mark Teixeira, says FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.
Rosenthal labels the Yankees, Red Sox and Giants as on the periphery. The Braves would likely have to part with Jarrod Saltalamacchia to pull off a deal. Yunel Escobar shouldn't be as of much interest to Texas, and Escobar is more useful to the Braves right now anyway. Having Casey Kotchman and Ervin Santana go the other way is the deal that would make the most sense for the Angels. A source told Rosenthal that the chances of a Teixeira deal are 50-50.

John Smoltz was able to keep Barry Bonds and the rest of the Giants' bats quiet on Monday, allowing two runs -- one earned -- over seven innings to improve to 10-5.
Smoltz has allowed eight homers to Bonds, but none since 1998. The only other Giant in the lineup to ever have homered against him was Pedro Feliz. No one left the yard for either team tonight in the Braves' 4-2 win. Three of Atlanta's runs scored in on a bases-loaded double from Brian McCann in the first inning.

Smoltz went right after Bonds and didn't allow a homer. Another great outing by Smoltz and this time he gets the win.

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News from the 25th of July.

Tim Hudson came without one out of a shutout on Tuesday, but he had to settle for a no-decision after being charged with three runs in 8 2/3 innings against the Giants.
And the Braves still don't have a complete game this season. Working with a 4-0 lead, Hudson made the big mistake of issuing his second and third walks of the game to start the ninth. Still, he was left in and he got Barry Bonds and Ryan Klesko to fly out. It was a Rich Aurila soft line-drive to shallow left that plated the first run and knocked Hudson out of the game. Bob Wickman came in and gave up a two-run double and an RBI single -- both on pitches down and out of the strike zone -- to tie it up. Hudson had a similar outing back in April, taking a shutout into the ninth against Florida, getting into trouble and then watching Wickman blow the lead. If Cox was willing to stick with him after the walks, he should have been left in to try to get that final out tonight.

Chipper Jones went 3-for-5 with a homer, a double and two walks as the Braves beat the Giants 7-5 in 13 innings on Tuesday.
Edgar Renteria had a two-run double to give the Braves the lead in the 13th before Chipper singled in an insurance run. It looked like Atlanta would need it when the Giants put four men on and scored a run in the bottom of the inning. However, Tyler Yates struck out Fred Lewis to end it. Chipper is batting .438 with two homers, 10 RBI and 10 walks in 12 games since the All-Star break. At 1046, he's on the verge of taking over the NL OPS lead. Barry Bonds is at 1055.Chip

Triple-A Richmond's Lance Cormier hurled a shutout Tuesday against Ottawa.
He allowed six hits, walked none and struck out four. This makes three strong outings in a row for Cormier, so it might not be long before he returns to the majors, probably as a middle reliever.

Chipper is just doing outstanding at the plate once again. If he can keep it up he should be able to get the MVP however there are a lot of Braves haters out there. There is no doubt that Chipper is helping the Braves win games each and every game.

Hudson pitched another great game but because Wickman eat too many cheeseburgers before the game he blew yet another save. Lucky for him Renteria came up big in the 13th.

I would like to see Cormier do great things and he could be back to Atlanta before the season is over if he keeps it up.

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News from the 26th of July.

Chuck James had his record evened despite pitching six strong innings Wednesday.
He scattered seven hits and two runs, striking out five and walking two as he lowered his ERA to 3.55. James has been excellent over his last five starts, but after wins in the first two, he has failed to win any of the last three.

Rookie Danville's Cody Johnson hit his sixth homer Wednesday for the only run in a 1-0 win.
Johnson, the 24th overall pick in the 2006 draft, is batting .255/.325/.519 in 106 at-bats. He's expected to keep moving slowly, but with his 35- or 40-homer potential, he's already something of a fantasy prospect.

Isaiah "Kala" Ka'aihue went 0-for-4 Wednesday in his debut for Double-A Mississippi.
He was definitely due for a promotion. The 22-year-old Ka'aihue hit .298/.410/.583 with 22 homers in 309 at-bats for Single-A Myrtle Beach.

Chipper Jones was rested Thursday after tweaking his right groin during Wednesday's game.
He flied out as a pinch-hitter to end the game. Jones felt something last night in the same area where he was hurt a month ago. "It's not serious," he said. "I just don't want it to get any worse." Chipper could play Friday.

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News from the 27th of July.

Sources told FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal that the Braves are offering Jarrod Saltalmacchia, Matt Harrison and Elvis Andrus to the Rangers for Mark Teixeira alone.
If that's the truth, why haven't the Rangers accepted it already? We wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers were floating this to try to get other teams to improve their offers. To get one of baseball's truly elite prospects and two more top-150 guys for a year and a third of Teixeira would be a fine deal for Texas.

The Boston Globe reports that the price to acquire Texas slugger Mark Teixeira remains too prohibitive to think the Sox are likely to make a move.
According to the Globe, Texas wants Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury and a third player. Jon Lester might be the third player; he's another player whose name is being brought up by potential trading partners in every conversation. For the same reason, it appears Jermaine Dye has become too expensive for Boston to acquire.

The Angels seem to have focused their trade efforts on landing Mark Teixiera, the Los Angeles Times reports.
There's still a chance they could get Jermaine Dye, but Paul Konerko is no longer an option and it appears the Angels have given up the idea they can land Adam Dunn. Casey Kotchman would be part of any deal for Teixeira and while Texas originally coveted Ervin Santana, now in Triple-A, it appears Joe Saunders will do the trick. Texas is seeking a third player in the deal and if it's Brandon Wood or Nick Adenhart, the deal probably won't happen. But the Rangers are also apparently interested in Reggie Willits, Nathan Haynes or Terry Evans.

Octavio Dotel, considered one of the top candidates to go before the trade deadline, would like to talk extension with the Royals.
"I would love to talk to them now," he said. "I mean, right now. I like it here. It’s not like I want to be somewhere else. I like the players here. I like the coaches. I like everything about Kansas City. There’s nothing not to like about the city or the club." Nothing? It would probably take at least a three-year, $20 million to lock up Dotel, who is earning $5 million under the terms of the one-year deal he signed last winter. The Indians, Dodgers, Red Sox, Tigers and Braves have interest in acquiring him.

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News from the 28th of July.

Jo-Jo Reyes was roughed up for seven runs in just four innings against the Diamondbacks on Friday but did not factor into the decision.
Reyes only walked two batters in the outing, but he gave up seven hits. Three of the seven hits were homers and accounted for five runs. With more walks (11) than strikeouts (six) to go with five homers in four starts, Reyes doesn't appear ready for the majors just yet. Another bad outing may get him sent back to the minors.

John Smoltz surrendered three runs in seven innings Saturday in a no-decision Saturday against the Diamondbacks.
It could have been a loss if the Diamondbacks didn't intentionally walk light-hitting Julio Franco in front of Smoltz's RBI single in the fourth. That was the last run of the game until the 10th, when Arizona won it 4-3. Smoltz pretty clearly wasn't at his best today, but he's better than most when he's 90 percent. Expect him to continue to gut it out.

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Is Tex playing tonight?

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I believe he will be, I don't know for sure but I'm thinking there will be a good chance.

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News from the 29th of July.

David O'Brien from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that the Mark Teixeira trade is almost definite.
Atlanta will send Jarrod Saltalmacchia and either Matt Harrison and Elvis Andrus, or both. Tex would likely bat cleanup (or No. 5) in the Braves lineup, vastly improving it.

While the Diamondbacks have made an offer for Mark Teixeira, it's not as strong as others the Rangers have received, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.
Conor Jackson was probably involved, as there'd be nowhere for him to play in Arizona if Teixeira came to town. The Diamondbacks could also have moved pitching prospects like Brett Anderson, Micah Owings or Brooks Brown. However, unless Tony Pena counts, they don't have any particularly outstanding young arms to put in play. Teixeira appears likely to go to the Braves if he's dealt.

2006 supplemental first-round pick Steven Evarts pitched five scoreless innings Saturday in his third start for Rookie Danville.
Evarts made news last December when he was arrested on charges of criminal mischief after damaging a vehicle. If he can avoid more off-field incidents, his above average fastball and quality change could quickly make him one of the Braves' top pitching prospects.

Single-A Myrtle Beach's Eric Campbell went 3-for-7 with his 12th and 13th homers Saturday.
That only ups his average to .188 for the month. Campbell has been a real disappointment this year, but part of that is due to a thumb injury and it seems like his power is still there. He's batting .223/.299/.400 in 265 at-bats.

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News from the 30th of July.

The Braves are reportedly involved in discussions with the Reds regarding Bronson Arroyo.
The Reds are under no pressure at all to move Arroyo, who is signed through 2010 with an option for 2011. The Braves may have the money to take him on -- he big extension doesn't kick in until 2009, so he'll make less than $6 million through the end of 2008 -- but they're starting to run low on minor league talent to pull off another major deal. They'd likely have to include Jo-Jo Reyes, another quality pitching prospect (Tommy Hanson) and one of their top remaining minor league position players.

The Rangers are expected to announce the Mark Teixeira deal with the Braves this afternoon, pending final medical approval.
When it's announced, the Rangers are supposed to get Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz and a player to be named later. The PTBN could be Matt Harrison, with the Rangers potentially have the option of taking someone else if Harrison's shoulder is worse than thought. The Dallas Morning News believes the Rangers will play Salty at first base for the rest of the season.

The Octavio Dotel deal between the Royals and Braves is no lock to get done, as the Braves are still waiting to finalize the Mark Teixeira trade.
For some undisclosed reason, the Braves aren't going to be ready to commit to the deal with the Royals before the Teixeira trade goes through, something that apparently won't happen until Tuesday. It's believed Atlanta will swap Kyle Davies for Dotel, who would likely set up Bob Wickman, but it's still possible Dotel could go elsewhere. The Mariners, Dodgers, Red Sox and Indians were among those interested.

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News from the 31st of July.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the Dodgers were focusing on acquiring Ocatvio Dotel, who is still expected to go to the Braves.
The Dodgers would use Dotel as a seventh-inning bridge to reach setup man Jonathan Broxton and closer Takashi Saito. It is believed the two sides were discussing Chin-lung Hu, the Most Valuable Player in this year's All-Star Futures Game, in exchange for Dotel.

Carlos Silva had drawn interest recently from the Braves, Diamondbacks, Cubs and Mets.
The Mets reportedly would have used Silva as a reliever. If the Twins trade Silva, they'd probably give Kevin Slowey another opportunity at the back of the rotation.

The Braves are reportedly offering Jo-Jo Reyes in a deal for Bronson Arroyo.
A deal still seems like a long shot, but the Braves have been extremely aggressive. Reyes would likely go right into Cincinnati's rotation if dealt. However, he's a whole lot more interesting in NL-only leagues as a Brave.

The Braves reportedly will considering moving Bob Wickman, pending the completion of the Octavio Dotel deal.
Maybe Dotel could continue to close after all. Still, it's a long shot. Wickman isn't really any good these days and probably wouldn't succeed in any role outside of closing. If the Braves keep him -- and they probably will -- he'll probably remain the primary ninth-inning guy.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Yunel Escobar is involved in the conversations between the Braves and Reds for Bronson Arroyo.
Escobar and Jo-Jo Reyes for Arroyo is a fair offer. The Reds, though, have Alex Gonzalez signed through 2009, and it's doubtful Escobar would prove to be an upgrade on Edwin Encarnacion at third base. If they did get Escobar, it could be to move him for pitching in the offseason. He's definitely in demand.

ESPN's Buster Olney says the Mark Teixeira deal is done, with Matt Harrison as the player to be named.
Olney says Kyle Davies would have been substituted in had Harrison failed his physical, killing the Octavio Dotel deal. Now both deals should get done. Davies will go to Kansas City for Dotel.

Ron Mahay was traded from the Rangers to Braves in a seven-player deal.
Mahay brings a 2.77 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 28 appearances this season with him to Atlanta. The Braves would have far preferred C.J. Wilson than the 36-year-old free-agent-to-be, but maybe he’ll be of a little help.

Braves acquired first baseman Mark Teixeira and LHP Ron Mahay from the Rangers for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, shortstop Elvis Andrus, RHP Neftali Feliz, LHP Matt Harrison and LHP Beau Jones.
Teixeira, a Georgia Tech product, is expected to be installed as the Braves’ cleanup hitter. The team might designate Scott Thorman for assignment, as there’s no longer any need for him at all. Teixeira should lose some value in mixed leagues because of the ballpark switch, but now that he’s in the playoff chase, he might be extra motivated to make up for it. Andruw Jones will likely be moved down in the order, perhaps to the sixth spot behind Brian McCann against right-handers. Edgar Renteria and Chipper Jones should both benefit from Teixeira’s presence and score some extra runs the rest of the way. McCann and Jeff Francoeur will also be helped with more RBI chances. The huge addition comes at an even bigger price, but it’s one John Schuerholz and Bobby Cox won’t have to pay if they retire after 2008.

Braves acquired RHP Octavio Dotel from the Royals for RHP Kyle Davies.
The Braves beat out the Mariners and Dodgers for Dotel, who is expected to be a setup man in Atlanta. There haven’t been any additional rumors about Bob Wickman getting moved.

Rangers owner Tom Hicks revealed Tuesday that he offered Mark Teixeira an eight-year, $140 million contract two weeks ago.
The Rangers became more intent on trading him after he turned down the proposal. "I thought we made enough of an offer to keep him a Ranger for life," Hicks said. :I'm disappointed he turned it down, but I think we did everything we could to keep him. Now, we've got some very good young players coming here and I feel with some good moves and free-agent signings, we can be a championship team."

Braves acquired LHP Royce Ring from the Padres for LHP Wilfredo Ledezma and LHP Will Startup.
We like Ring as a specialist, but he's not worth both Ledezma and Startup, each of whom could be useful in greater roles. Ring had a 3.60 ERA and a 17/14 K/BB ratio for the Padres this season before being sent down last week. He could join the Atlanta pen right away if the team can find room for him along with Octavio Dotel and Ron Mahay.

Braves purchased the contract of catcher Corky Miller from Triple-A Richmond.
The Braves apparently have really soured on Brayan Pena's defense. The 31-year-old Miller was hitting .210/.342/.320 for Richmond, giving him an OPS about 120 points below Pena's. He'll take over Brian McCann's backup.

Braves optioned RHP Chad Paronto to Triple-A Richmond.
Paronto goes to make room on the roster for Mark Teixeira, who could be available as a pinch-hitter after arriving during tonight's game.

Chuck James got plenty of run support Tuesday as he won for the ninth time this season.
In five innings, he gave up six hits and four runs, walking one and striking out, hardly his best effort of recent performances. But Atlanta was smacking the ball around -- especially after he departed -- so James bagged the W. His ERA, however, rose to 3.70.

Kelly Johnson hit two home runs and drove in five runs Tuesday to help power the Braves past Houston 12-4.
Johnson had four hits in all, raising his BA to .295 with 55 RBI. Jeff Francouer and Brian McCann also went yard for the Braves. Just a few weeks ago, the Atlanta lineup couldn't hit its way out of a paper bag and now it's mashing anyone in its way. Just imagine how good this offense will be with Mark Teixeira moving into the cleanup spot on Wednesday.

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News from the 1st of August.

Braves optioned RHP Jose Ascanio to Double-A Mississippi.
The Braves aren't going to carry Royce Ring right now, but they did need to cut Ascacio with both Octavio Dotel and Ron Mahay joining the pen. Ascanio has allowed three runs -- one earned -- over seven innings in two stints with the Braves.

Braves designated first baseman Julio Franco for assignment.
Bizarre. The Braves liked Franco enough to play him regularly for two weeks, but now they're cutting him and keeping Scott Thorman, who has no role on the team with Mark Teixeira in town. Franco went 9-for-36 with seven RBI in his return to Atlanta. Maybe another club will want him as a pinch-hitter.

Buddy Carlyle left his start Wednesday against Astros in the sixth inning with an apparent oblique injury.
Carlyle was hurt swinging the bat in the fifth, and he decided to cut his outing short after warming up for the sixth. He gave up two runs before leaving and was in line for the win.

Mark Teixeira paid instant dividends for Atlanta, homering and driving in four runs to lead Atlanta to another slaughter of Houston on Wednesday, 12-3.
He drew a bases-loaded walk to get things going for the Braves, then turned the game into a laugher with his three-run blast in the sixth. Teixeira scored twice and struck out twice in his Atlanta debut.

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News from the 2nd of August.

The Braves are hoping that Julio Franco will pass through waivers and accept an assignment with the organization.
"We're hoping he'll take an assignment in the organization," said Braves manager Bobby Cox. "He gave us spark not only catching the ball, but hitting. He was a tough out." The Braves hope that Franco will stay with the organization as a player or player-coach in the minor leagues.

Edgar Renteria left Thursday's game against the Astros in the eighth inning with an apparent ankle injury.
No word yet on the severity of the injury. With Renteria out, Chipper Jones moved from third base to shortstop and Willie Harris went from left field to third base. For Jones it was his first game at shortstop since the 2000 season. If it's enough to give him shortstop eligibility in your league then Chipper owners should consider themselves rather fortunate.

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News from the 3rd of August.

Mark Teixeira hit his second home run since joining the National League but the Braves still lost the game 12-11 in 14 innings against the Astros.
Maybe he won't miss Texas after all. Teixeira, who also homered in his debut with the Braves, hit a two-run shot off Astros starter Woody Williams in the fourth inning. Teixeira also doubled and walked in eight trips to the plate.

Buddy Carlyle says he will have no issue making his next scheduled start even though he left Wednesday's game with an apparent elbow injury.
"It'll be fine," said Carlyle. "I don't think it's going to be any problem." Carlyle hyperextended his elbow while swinging a bat in the fifth inning. His next scheduled start is Tuesday in New York.

Jo-Jo Reyes will be sent to Triple-A Richmond on Friday.
Reyes was sent down to create room on the roster for Lance Cormier, who will pitch out of the bullpen for now.

The Braves are expected to recall Lance Cormier from Triple-A Richmond on Friday to provide depth in the bullpen.
"[Cormier will] be in relief tomorrow," said manager Bobby Cox, who used all seven relievers Thursday, including Ron Mahay for three innings. "We've got to have a starter, too, and he would be it. But we've got to have somebody to pitch the next couple days."

Braves recalled RHP Joey Devine from Triple-A Richmond.
Devine was drafted as a closer-of-the-future, but the Braves have no shortage of better ninth-inning options at this point. He'll try to work his way into a steady gig as a middle reliever.

Braves placed SS Edgar Renteria on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained ankle.
Renteria left Thursday's game in the eighth inning, with Chipper Jones sliding over to shortstop, but the Braves will go with Yunel Escobar as his full-time replacement. Losing Renteria now is a huge blow to the Braves' playoff chances, as he was hitting .336 with an 879 OPS in 105 games.

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News from the 4th of August.

Mark Teixeira homered Friday for the third time in three games since joining the Braves.
Teixeira smacked a solo homer in the ninth inning with the Braves down 9-1 and also collected a single earlier in the game. So far at least Teixeira hasn't missed the Rangers' hitter-friendly ballpark one bit.

With Edgar Renteria (ankle) on the disabled list, Yunel Escobar started at shortstop and led off Friday.
Escobar went 1-for-4 in a loss to the Rockies, but will receive a major fantasy boost if he continues to lead off with Renteria out.

John Smoltz allowed seven runs (five earned) in Friday's loss to the Rockies, falling to 10-6.
Smoltz allowed nine hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings and also made an error, although both unearned runs came from a Mark Teixeira miscue defensively. He came into the game with a 1.71 ERA in the second half, so the poor outing isn't cause for great concern.

Lance Cormier was called up from the minors on Friday August 3.

Julio Franco plans to accept his minor league assignment with the Braves.
"He was disappointed," Franco's agent Chuck Berry said of the Braves' decision to designate Franco and keep Scott Thorman. "But on the other hand, he's been around long enough to understand the rationale behind things. If he has the opportunity to come back and play in September and play in the playoffs if they make it, he can live with it." Franco is expected to clear waivers Monday. He will be recalled in September.

The Braves claimed Ryan Drese off waivers.
Drese, who underwent Tommy John surgery last April, will be assigned to Single-A Myrtle Beach initially. He could see some emergency starts towards the end of the season if he proves his arm has recovered from the surgery.

Chipper Jones jammed his right thumb during an at-bat Thursday night and is in pain, according to manager Bobby Cox.
Jones, who missed 19 games earlier this season due to a thumb injury, was in the lineup on Friday. He may need to miss a game or two if the thumb continues to bother him.

Andruw Jones will not be in the starting lineup Saturday because of a sore left elbow.
Jones, who has been dealing with elbow soreness for a couple of days, played with the elbow wrapped on Friday and then had a cortisone shot after the game. This problem may sideline Jones Sunday as well, as the Braves want him healthy for two big series next week against the Mets and then the Phillies. Willie Harris will get the start in center field Saturday in place of Jones, leaving Matt Diaz to occupy left field.

Matt Diaz, getting a chance to start with Andruw Jones hurting, hit a solo homer and scored three runs on Saturday.
Diaz is up to .345, including a .337 mark against righties. The Braves need to figure out how to get him into the lineup more often.

Tim Hudson again delivered a big pitching performance when the Braves needed it the most, tossing seven shutout innings as Atlanta beat Colorada 6-4 on Saturday.
Hudson has made a habit of ending Braves' losing skids. This was his 12th start following a Braves loss (they had lost their past two heading into tonight) and Atlanta has gone 10-2 in those games. Hudson helped the cause offensively as well tonight, delivering a two-run single. The Braves are within 4.5 games of the Mets now. Hudson moves to 12-5 with the win, lowering his ERA to 2.95. He gave up five hits and two walks, fanning seven. His last loss -- and last homer allowed -- came back on June 19. Hudson could be the hottest NL pitcher not named Carlos Zambrano right now.

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News from the 5th of August.

Willy Aybar has completed his rehab program for substance abuse.
He's currently working out in Florida in preparation for a minor league assignment. The team hopes to have Aybar back when rosters expand in September.

Buddy Carlyle (elbow) plans to throw a bullpen session Sunday in preparation for his start Tuesday against the Mets.
After hyperextending his elbow swinging at a pitch Wednesday night, he has maintained the elbow is not a problem. He's scheduled to get two starts in week 19.

Andruw Jones wasn't in the lineup against the Rockies on Sunday but is expected to return when the Braves play the Mets on Tuesday.
Jones is battling a sore left elbow and had a cortisone shot on Friday night. The Braves are off on Monday, giving Jones three days of rest before the important series against the club's division rival.

Chipper Jones went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI against the Rockies on Sunday.
Jones singled, doubled, and walked in addition to his homer. He also scored twice and was caught stealing in the contest. The 35-year-old third basemen still hasn't shown any signs of decline with his bat, but that he'll fail to play in 140 games for the fourth straight season limits his value.

Yunel Escobar drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning of a 6-5 win over the Rockies on Sunday.
Escobar, who is filling in at shortstop with Edgar Renteria on the disabled list, had already collected one RBI single in the fourth inning. Then in the 10th, Jeff Francoeur doubled off Taylor Buchholz with one out. Matt Diaz was then intentionally walked, setting the stage for Escobar to hit a walk-off single to left. Escobar is batting .331 in 157 at-bats and is well worth using in NL-only formats while Renteria is out.