Gattis Schafer Wohlers Smoltz

Going into Thursday night’s game the Braves were 8-1 in regular-season games against the Cardinals since the beginning of 2012. Right after Tim Hudson broke his ankle on July 25 the Braves swept the Cardinals, including the nationally-televised games Saturday afternoon (Fox) and Sunday night (ESPN).

Now Beachy is having elbow problems again. Frank Wren needs to be fired if he can’t trade BJ Upton and Dan Uggla to the Tigers for Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander.

Not sure if Gattis is taking balls to right field as much, though I have seen him go that way some. Doesn’t seem like he is being pitched any different. Gattis had that long fly in NY that advanced the runner to third (why isn’t that a sac fly? Had he bunted the runner over it would’ve been a sacrifice). Gattis continues to hit the ball hard, but strikes out like everyone else. Last night he made a strong throw to second that almost nailed the runner. In NY he skied that long throw to first after Simmons tried to deek the runner.

Seems like Schafer is still more productive than BJ. I’m glad to see all the quotes from the Uptons that show them to be caring, team-oriented guys. I know BJ must be one of the fastest on the team, but it didn’t look like he was running hard on that grounder last night. maybe he just let up a little when he saw the play had been made.

Another wild pitch/passed ball scored a run last night. I’ve seen more of those this year than ever before.

Finished the Mantle book. Learned a lot that I didn’t know. A sad story, actually.

My son’s old home-school high school baseball team has a new assistant coach: Mark Wohlers.

Tracked down the house Smoltz is trying to sell in Milton. Basically across the street from the Hargreaves’ house. The Google satellite view makes it look like you could hike through the woods from the Hurt’s house to Smoltz’s property without crossing a road. Might be a fence or a creek, though. Might have to try it some time.

Thursday night Ceil went to the Hargreaves for a send-off tea for Hannah, who will be spending the school year overseas. Anna hung out with Caroline at Starbucks, their second coffee date of the week. Matthew and I went to Walgreens and the elementary school field. M threw his new Frisbee, and I tried to kick. Leg still hurts, so I quickly shut it down. Came back, popped corn, and watched the game. Went to bed after the Braves were retired in the eighth.

My nephew Gibson is a senior lineman for a local home-school high school football team. Next month they’re playing the East Cobb team, who have two players we know: Anna’s friend Jack and Mary-Clayton’s younger brother Thomas. Gibson has one of those huge Justin Tuck style facemasks. I told him that when I played my face mask was just a single bar. Didn’t tell him the single bar just for practice.