Near No-No

Wednesday night I watched most of the Braves game and worked on the computer. Still compiling the list of Braves team rosters and stats, working backwards from 2013. Last night was 1992. Twenty-one down, 26 to go. Then on to the Falcons, or UGA or GT. Later I read my Third Bullet book.

Carroll, DOB, and Mark Bowman were mentioning the no-hitter on Twitter. Even the AJC Gametracker was mentioning it. I didn't hear the Braves TV crew mention that Teheran until they came back from commercial to start the eighth inning. Only then did Teheran lost the no-hitter. Earlier Chip and Joe did beat around the bush, talking about how it was a "special day." Chip should've said what his father Skip would always say, that nothing they say up in the booth has any impact on what happens down on the field.

I love all those old baseball superstitions, like not talking about a no hitter. Great how the Turner Field crowd knew to stand and applaud after Teheran gave up the single. They gave him another ovation was he walked off the field when the inning ended.

Stephen Stasburg has only pitched into the eighth inning once in his 57 major league starts. Teheran has now pitched into the eighth in two of his 15 starts. Some say its because the Nationals were coddling Strasburg, but last year the Braves were quick to pull Teheran as well. Good thing the Braves didn't trade Teheran after he struggled so last season.

Haven't mentioned how Gattis won Rookie of the Month for the second straight month. With yesterday's homer, he may be on his way to winning the award for June. Soon we'll have to compare his rookie season to Bryce Harper's 2012 season.

Good SI article on the two highly ranked high school players from outside Atlanta. More mentions of the extensive travel ball program. Said that 75% of Georgia high school players play summer travel ball. In the Atlanta metroplex the number has got to be closer to 100%. Interesting that Georgia only ranks behind California, Texas, and Florida in the number of MLB players, as well as the number of number one draft picks. The article mentioned how those two players were "jetted around" to showcases and tournaments around the northern hemisphere. Sounds like AAU basketball. Rarely do articles like this make the jump to why there are few African-American baseball players. African American youths are recruited into the jet-setting world of AAU basketball, but it usually takes the time and money of two devoted parents to produce a college or pro baseball player in the United States.