Weekend in New York

This season I am much more cognizant about how I am feeling about how the Braves are doing. Wins are so exhilarating, and losses more demoralizing. Then I remember that one or two games doesn't mean so much over the course of the 162 game season. It's more important for players to be working toward playing their best baseball. Jason Heyward hasn't been getting that many hits, but he's been blistering the ball. BJ Upton takes off two games to get his timing down. The Braves lose two straight, but they are 9-2 in their last eleven games. Can't complain about that.

Enjoyed listening to Tom Verducci's color commentary Saturday night against the Mets. Unlike many Fox announcers, he is not over the top, but spot on. His partner kept feeding him questions and topics, and Verducci had plenty to talk about, and many different topics: the cold Memorial Day weekend weather (a good weekend for a New Yorker to be out of town), the grounds crew fighting the wind to keep the tarp down, the beautiful sunset over the NYC skyline (featuring the newly lit Freedom Tower) - but mostly great baseball talk. Mike Minor pitched another gem, collected a single and long home run into the wind, and was robbed of a third hit. The announcers pointed out the grin painted on Minor's face as he stood in the batter's box. The Vanderbilt alum very well could earn a return trip to Citi Field in mid-July.

Also made sure she knew that Monday night Gattis was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. The White Bear has been on a tear, and the SportsCenter anchors are even showing his strikeouts with runners in scoring position. Quite a long weekend he had in the Big Apple and Toronto: his penniless hostel story, the game-tying single, the game-tying opposite-field home run. Will we tire of Gattis' endless stories?

Hudson struggled again Monday night. His blankedy-blank pitch quote makes me wonder if he's feeling the pressure of Beachy's imminent return.

Tuesday my wife watched the entire ten inning day game, and provided me several updates. She didn't know that I was following DOB and Mark Bowman's Twitter feed. She thought SkyDome looked dreary with the roof closed, until I told her it was raining outside. Also knew to tell her the dome had been open the night before, even though I missed the game (I was sneaking peeks to Twitter at our cookout). Later I showed her the pictures DOB had tweeted.