Odds and Ends

Kenshin Kawakami allowed 2 runs in 6 innings on Monday, March 30th. If he pitches that well consistently he will win atleast 15 games for Atlanta. He also faced his fellow Japanese country-men Dice-K. Bobby Cox was quoted, "He can rise to the occasion, you can just see it in him." (Nice choice of words Bobby). In reality Bobby Cox was talking about all the Japanese media that were there covering the exhibition game.

The Braves won Monday's game against the Red Sox 4-3 in 10 innings.

The Braves are apparently working on a 3 year contract extension with Chipper Jones. I wonder if John Smoltz has seen that news story yet? Where was Smoltzy's contract extension? Or better yet, how about Atlanta works out an extension for Chipper when his contract has expired. In the mean time use some of that money to sign Wil Ohman or another veteran lefty reliever presence. I'm not picky, just someone who can get 1 out a game. Look for an official announcement as early as today.

Garrett Anderson will start in left field today. I hope he takes his ginseng before each game or eats a banana. The Braves do not need another injury.

My centerfielder is Jordan Schafer. What do the Braves have to lose? Give the kid a chance, if he stinks it up in the first month there is Gregor Blanco waiting in the wings. Gregor Blanco is good for a .250 average and 3 bunts a game.

Braves Wheeling and Dealing

Josh Anderson for RHP Rudy Darrow

AtlantaBraves.com reports the Braves had determined the centerfielder race came down to Jordan Schafer and Gregor Blanco. Josh Anderson was given every chance this spring to win this job, hitting .280 however, wasn't the way to win it outright. The Braves had a hard time finding a suitor for Anderson because he was out of options. The Braves would not have been allowed to send Josh Anderson to the minors without revealing him to the waiver wire. Josh Anderson will now be the 4th or 5th outfielder for Detroit, backing up Curtis Granderson in center.

Gregor Blanco has a tough road a head of him if he wants this centerfield job to be his with the hot spring Schafer is having. Blanco may have hurt himself playing for Venezuala in the World Baseball Classic. Gregor Blanco did not impress last year in his 144 games for Atlanta and Schafer was slapped with a 50 game suspension for Human Growth Hormone and set his ETA in Atlanta back a little bit. Flip a coin-heads Blanco wins the job; tails-Schafer wins the job.

RHP Rudy Darrow is a 25 year old relief pitcher who is slated to begin the season in the minors at either AA Mississippi or AAA Gwinnett. Darrow is a side-armer who is compared to a Pete Moylan type. (I smell another Tommy John candidate for Atlanta, but I hope I'm wrong).