Braves News World

The Braves have promoted former shortstop Jeff Blauser from roving minor league instructor to manager of the Double-A Mississippi Braves next season. Blauser played for Atlanta from 1987 to 1997. Brian Snitker, who managed Mississippi last year, will take over as manager for the Braves’ Triple-A Richmond affiliate (Pat Kelly, who managed Richmond last year, will now serve the organization in a scouting capacity). Additionally, managers Rocket Wheeler (who managed Class A Rome last season) and Randy Ingle (who skippered the Class A Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 2005) will switch roles.

Ralph Garr played for the Atlanta Braves from 1968 to 1975 and has served the organization as a coach and scout since 1985. Garr was honored for the latter stint when he recently received the Buck O’Neill Professional Scouts and Coaches Association Man of the Year Award at the 755 Club at Turner Field. He currently scouts talent in the Houston area for the franchise while also traveling to evaluate the Braves’ professional opponents and potential player acquisitions.

After a season during which he juggled 18 rookies in his lineup at one point or another, yet still managed to make the playoffs, Bobby Cox won the 2006 National League Manager of the Year award in a landslide. This is the 2nd year in a row Cox has taken home the award, making him the first manager to accomplish the feat. He received 28 of the 32 first-place votes cast. The Braves skipper has now been selected as Manager of the Year by the BBWAA 5 times, 3 times in the National League (tied for most in that league along with Dusty Baker). Cox currently ranks 7th on the all-time list with 2,092 career wins as a manager.

The Braves have announced their 2006 schedule. The Braves’ season opener will take place April 3 in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. Their home opener will take place April 10 against the Phillies. 24 of the team’s first 35 games will be on the road. The Red Sox and Yankees are among the American League teams on the Braves’ interleague itinerary next season.

Andruw Jones has now taken home 8 straight Rawlings Gold Glove awards, one every year since 1998 when he became the Braves’ everyday center fielder. He committed just 2 errors in 378 total chances in 2005. He also added 11 assists which ranked 2nd among all center fielders in the majors. His .995 fielding percentage tied for the best mark in the National League (with Brady Clark of the Brewers). Of all major league center fielders, only Toronto’s Vernon Wells had a better fielding percentage (he was perfect in 363 chances). Jones, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr. are the only players to hit 50 home runs in the same season that they won a Gold Glove award.

Barring a trade, John Thomson will again be the 3rd veteran starter in the Braves’ rotation come next season. That’s because the team picked up his 2006 option for $4.75 million on Tuesday. There was some uncertainty as to whether the Braves would exercise the option due to his subpar performance after returning from an injury to his right middle finger in May. But the Braves concluded the price was a bargain considering his excellent work during the 2nd half of 2004 and the first 2 months of last season. With the team budget contracting and arbitration raises for fellow starters Jorge Sosa and Horacio Ramirez on the way, there’s little doubt at least 1 of the 3 pitchers will be traded. The Braves have weaknesses in the bullpen, in the outfield, and at shortstop (if Rafael Furcal exits via free agency) to address.

Halloween was especially frightful for the Braves this year as shortstop Rafael Furcal and closer Kyle Farnsworth filed for free agency Monday. The Braves have the exclusive right to discuss financial specifics of potential contracts with their pending free agents until November 11th. After that, it’s a free-for-all. With the exceptional 2nd half Furcal put together he is likely to draw lots of interest on the open market and, though they have been discussing a contract with him since mid-September, the Braves will likely have a new shortstop come 2006. Julio Franco, Todd Hollandsworth, and Eddie Perez are the other Braves players who have filed to become free agents.

The Braves didn’t waste any time naming a replacement for the recently departed Leo Mazzone. Last Saturday they announced Roger McDowell as the club’s new pitching coach. McDowell was a relief pitcher from 1985 to 1996 for the Mets, Phillies, Dodgers, Rangers and Orioles. He served as the pitching coach for the Las Vegas 51’s, the Triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers, the past 2 seasons. Though many experts thought McDowell was not a likely candidate for the Braves’ coaching vacancy his hiring does make sense. He had a reputation during his playing days for being a clubhouse clown (and is infamous for being the “Second spitter” in the Seinfeld episode “The Boyfriend"). Despite his unparalleled track record, a number of Braves pitchers in recent seasons were rumored to have qualms about Mazzone’s coaching style and rigid pitching philosophy in recent years. McDowell’s different approach combined with the fact that he is only 44 years old could enable him to communicate better with the inexperienced youngsters that comprise the bulk of the Braves’ bullpen currently.

Andruw Jones has been named the National League recipient of the 2005 Hank Aaron award. The award honors the best overall hitter in each league as determined by fan balloting. Jones led the majors with 51 home runs and led the National League with 128 RBI. He received 30% of the National League vote for the award. The Braves center fielder was also selected as 2005 Major League Baseball Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Jones received the most votes from the 498 MLB players who voted for the annual award.

Addendum: The beat goes on with the following honors being bestowed upon Jones in recent weeks: 2005 NL Silver Slugger award, 2005 Players Choice MLB Player of the Year, and 2005 Players Choice National League’s Outstanding Player.

John Smoltz was named the 2005 recipient of the Roberto Clemente award before Game 3 of the World Series, beating out 29 other nominees (1 from each team). The award is presented annually to the player who best combines outstanding play on the field and dedicated service in their community. Smoltz called the award the “greatest honor of [his] career". Among Smoltz’s charitable efforts are the “John and Dyan Smoltz Foundation", which was established in 1997, and his “Strike Out Hunger” campaign which has raised more than $300,000 for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Smoltz also participates as an instructor in the annual John Smoltz Baseball Camp.