http://tomferda.com Sportswriter Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:48:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/fat-lady-warming-up-her-mic-for-the-braves/ http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/fat-lady-warming-up-her-mic-for-the-braves/#comments Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:10:49 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=27 Previously published in Baseball Digest Daily on July 29, 2008. ATLANTA - At All-Star break the Atlanta Braves were poised to make a run. Their schedule allowed them a realistic opportunity to create a tight, four-way race in the NL East. Being in the hunt for a playoff spot would put the Braves in the position most analysts expected them to be in throughout this season. Being in the hunt could also convince Braves GM Frank Wren to stop accepting calls inquiring about a Mark Teixeira trade. On July 16 with the Braves sitting 6.5 games behind first and the last-place Nationals coming to town, it wasn't time for the Fat Lady to sing just yet.]]> http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/fat-lady-warming-up-her-mic-for-the-braves/feed/ 0 http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/braves-need-early-win-streak-to-save-teixeira/ http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/braves-need-early-win-streak-to-save-teixeira/#comments Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:11:47 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=75 Previously published in Baseball Digest Daily on July 16, 2008. ATLANTA- Now that we've taken a few days to come down from the adrenaline rush furnished by the longest game in All-Star history that included appearances from Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones and Brian McCann, it's time to take a look at the importance of a strong Braves start to begin the second half. As the Braves come out rested after the break, two issues seem to be of interest. One, closing the gap on the NL East leaders and two, GM Frank Wren seems to need a reason to keep clean-up hitter Mark Teixeira past the July 31 trade deadline.]]> http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/braves-need-early-win-streak-to-save-teixeira/feed/ 0 http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/demoted-francoeur-joins-dontrelle-willis/ http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/demoted-francoeur-joins-dontrelle-willis/#comments Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:08:46 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=101 Previously published in Baseball Digest Daily. DETROIT - This year, star MLB players are learning there are no guaranteed positions on the rosters. Despite receiving enormous salaries and long-term contracts, All-Star players and fan favorites are being forced to trade chartered flights to MLB cities for trips to away games on a bus. Dontrelle Willis (29 million over three years) discovered that in June when the Detroit Tigers sent the All-Star left-handed pitcher to their Single A affiliate in Lakeland. Willis was given that assignment after posting an 0-1 record with the Tigers over four starts, lasting a total of 11.1 innings. He experienced severe control problems in those games, walking 21 (almost two per inning average) and posting an ERA of 10.32.]]> http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/demoted-francoeur-joins-dontrelle-willis/feed/ 0 http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/jair-jurrjens-making-early-run-for-rookie-of-the-year/ http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/jair-jurrjens-making-early-run-for-rookie-of-the-year/#comments Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:24:35 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=79 Previously published in The Detroit Free Press and Baseball Digest Daily on May 28, 2008. ATLANTA - The last time Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox said, "This kid can pitch, he'll be around here for a while." he wasn't kidding. The year was 1988, Cox was the GM for the Braves and the "kid" he was referring to was John Smoltz, a young, hard-throwing pitcher who had just been obtained in a trade with the Tigers. Since then, Smoltz, who still pitches for the Braves, has blossomed into a sure Hall of Famer, posting 210 wins, 154 saves and over 3,000 strike outs. In May, 2008 as manager of the Braves, Cox made a similar statement, "This kid can pitch, he's gonna' be a good one". This time the "kid" Cox is referring to is another acquisition from the Tigers.]]> http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/jair-jurrjens-making-early-run-for-rookie-of-the-year/feed/ 0