Catcher’s Blog

First, I’d like to mention (and congratulate) our 3-time All Star catcher on his winning the Silver Slugger Award for the second time in his young career. There was a conference call with the man himself, which you can listen to here, in which a few people ask McCann a few questions. DOB from the AJC posted a few quotes from this conference call in this article yesterday. Here are a few quotes from that article:

“You don’t play the game for awards,” McCann said, “but it still makes it nice to know you ended the season on a positive note and everybody noticed the numbers that you put up.

…

“If you had told me that [three years ago], I wouldn’t have believed you,” he said. “I put a lot of hard work into getting my swing where I wanted it. Now I’m working on my defense, trying to make myself a better all-around baseball player.”

Don’t you just want to hug him?

To view the rest of the Silver Slugger Award winners, go view the official press release. It’s very surprising that Chipper didn’t snag one, after winning the Batting Title, but David Wright did have a solid year at 3B.

Secondly, there are a lot of rumors starting to surface involving the Braves, which is a good thing. Lately, all we’ve heard about is this blasted Jake Peavy mess that just won’t end was all but put to rest today by Frank Wren. It’s about time we start hearing other rumors about other possibilities to try to offset the frustration most Braves fans now have toward the Padres, which hopefully will subdue now that we’re clearly moving on. I’m not going to post all of the rumors on here, but I do try to keep up with them all, mostly on MLB Trade Rumors and the MLB Hot Stove Blog. Those are two good sources for rumors and such things to keep you busy during this long off season.

Also, the top prospect that we’re absolutely not trading for any reason, Tommy Hanson, has been lighting up the AFL or should I say mowing down? Either way, he’s doing extremely well, as is his teammate Tyler Flowers. Normally, I don’t mention a lot about minor leaguers on here, but I’ll make an exception this time. To check out Tommy Hanson’s stats and possible prediction of his Major League debut, please head on over to CrookedPitch.com. This is a very good read on a future projected pitching star.

Finally, I mentioned before that I had something in the works and that I wasn’t going to talk about it. But, since it’s going slowly right now, so I figured I might as well at least mention it. What I’m currently working on is a new home for Catcher’s Blog, only the name is different. I won’t reveal too much yet, but when I get the layout ready, I’ll put a preview up. The reason for this transistion to a new domain is that I’m 21 now and I’m wanting to bring a more personal side and be more “girly” to the blogosphere, if you will. Please take the word girly really lightly, because I really am not a girly girl by any means. I like being a girl and being somewhat feminine, but being “high fashion” and what not just isn’t me. Plus, I’d like to establish a name for myself as a Braves blogger, well more so than I already have anyway. So keep looking out for new updates on the new domain. I hope to have it up and running by December or around there, but I’m not sure when I’ll actually launch it. I’ll have to think about it some more and then there’s finishing up college as well.

I was able to get some Rookie Hazing pictures while at the ballpark on Sunday for the last home game. To view them, please go over to Braves Love, who featured them in one big post. My comments are in that post as well. The rest of my pictures will be up later in my review post whenever I sit down and write it, lol. I’m hoping to do so before school starts Tuesday, so that will be out of the way, but I haven’t done so yet.

I’m sorry for the lack of updates lately, I just haven’t really been motivated to post anything. Maybe I’ll do better with the supposedly-busy, upcoming off season. Let’s hope so. When the Braves release info about FanFest, which will hopefully be released soon, I’ll be sure to post it. Hope everyone has a good weekened!

Tonight we start a six game homestand against the Seattle Mariners, who seemingly have it worse than we do right now, as they are 8.5 games back in the AL West. They just recently took the Mets lead and fired their manager, John McLaren, this week. Erik Bedard, who was supposedly the trade of the off season, behind the Johan Santana deal, hasn’t quite panned out to be the ace that the Mariners thought he might be for their club with a 4.15 ERA and 4-4 record. But while they’re in the midst of their own troubles, we have our own to worry about…still.

Erik Bedard will be facing off against the still surprisingly good Jorge Campillo. In fact, Campillo will be facing his former team tonight. Campillo has surprised everyone with how well he has pitched thus far; he sports a 2.17 ERA with a 2-1 record. Let’s hope he can keep up the good work. The game will be on Peachtree TV yet again, with coverage starting at 7:30 pm.

I have been lacking in posting this week, but it’s been due to my sinuses and my Internet wanting to be a pain in the butt. I just haven’t been up to making a post, but here it is. I hope this will change.