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/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/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