Camp Leo begins Wednesday
“Camp Leo", the Braves’ annual pre-spring training pitching minicamp started by Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone in 1991, gets underway on Wednesday, February 2nd. The 10-day gathering of Braves pitchers leads up to the voluntary reporting date for pitchers and catchers on Thursday, February 17th.
The camp will allow Mazzone his first chance to impart his pitching philosophy to new acquisitions like Tim Hudson. Relievers Dan Kolb, Gabe White, Kevin Gryboski, Chris Reitsma, and Tom Martin will not be in camp this week. Ditto for John Smoltz who is in Michigan honoring an old coach of his.
Mazzone asks his starters to throw from a mound twice between starts rather than the one time most pitching coaches espouse. Each pitcher will throw off a mound five times during the minicamp, presumably giving Braves pitchers an advantage in terms of endurance throughout spring training and the regular season. Last season Braves pitchers used the disabled list only four times, lending yet further credence to Mazzone’s teachings.
