Atlanta Sports Fan Blog

Chipper Jones’ return to the Braves’ lineup may have been further delayed on Wednesday night, when he aggravated his strained left groin muscle during an eighth-inning pinch-hit appearance.


After the Braves claimed their 6-5 walk-off win over the Mets, Jones revealed that he’d felt further discomfort while swinging and missing a pitch during his eighth-inning strikeout. The 37-year-old third baseman declared himself available to pinch-hit after taking numerous swings in the indoor batting cage.

“I’ll just take it day-by-day,” Jones said. “I took 100 swings [in the cage] and I didn’t feel it one time. That’s why I didn’t even think about it. But I guess there’s no simulating game-intensity swings. I’ll have to see how it feels tomorrow and see if I can play.”


Click here to read the full article – By Mark Bowman of MLB.com

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When the Braves were mulling the possibility of including Yunel Escobar in a trade package for Jake Peavy this past offseason, Chipper Jones said that Escobar had the tools to be considered the National League’s top shortstop.

As he nears the completion of his third Major League season, Escobar has displayed improved offensive skills that have provided more credence to Jones’ claim and also put him in position to be one of the nominees for this year’s Hank Aaron Award.

Jones, Escobar and Brian McCann have been selected as the Braves nominees for this year’s Hank Aaron Award, which is named after the legendary outfielder who established himself as one of the game’s greatest legends while spending the first 21 years of his 23-year playing career with the Braves.

Click here to read the full article – By Mark Bowman of MLB.com

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Below are links to memorabilia available for Yunel Escobar.

When Brian McCann drilled his two-run homer off Cole Hamels on Saturday afternoon, there was some reason for the Braves All-Star catcher to feel relieved. It had been more than two months since he previously homered off a left-handed pitcher, and over the past few weeks, McCann was being burdened by regular frustration.


When the Braves play a makeup game against the D-backs at Turner Field on Monday afternoon, they may choose to give McCann a rest. With divisional matchups set over the course of the following six days against the Mets and Marlins, the 25-year-old catcher certainly wouldn’t object to the opportunity to regain some energy.

But at the same time, McCann will have every reason to want to return to action as soon as possible.

Entering Sunday night’s game against the Phillies, McCann had endured a 13-game stretch during which he had hit .156 (7-for-45) with three extra-base hits (one homer and two doubles). Over the course of his previous 50 games, he had hit .245 with a .300 on-base percentage and a .457 slugging percentage.


Click here to read the full article – By Mark Bowman of MLB.com

When Yunel Escobar ended his media silence last week, he said that he was embarrassed by the fact that some of his friends and family members in South Florida had read multiple reports that indicated he had a bad attitude.

While there have certainly been times when Escobar’s character has been questioned, the same can’t be said for his talents, which have always shined bright when he’s provided the opportunity to play in front of many of his fellow Cubans in the Miami area. Escobar defected from Cuba in 2004 and was selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. Since arriving in the United States, he has been reunited with his father and mother.

Click here to read the full article – By Mark Bowman of MLB.com

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Below are links to memorabilia available for Yunel Escobar.

Hurler could be back with Braves for season’s last six weeks.

When Tim Hudson began his Minor League rehab assignment, he wondered whether he would be deemed ready to return to the Atlanta rotation before September arrived. But as the Braves continue to legitimize themselves as postseason contenders, they are at least allowing themselves to remain open about the possibility that Hudson could be part of their starting rotation for the regular season’s final six weeks.

Click here to read the full article – By Mark Bowman of MLB.com

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Rehabbing Atlanta Braves starter Tim Hudson threw 41 pitches over four shutout innings in his first Triple-A rehab start as Gwinnett beat Lehigh Valley, 7-2, on Monday.

Hudson, recovering from elbow ligament replacement surgery, allowed a hit in each of his four frames while striking out four. The right-hander made two starts for Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach, where he allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings.

Click here to read the full article – By Danny Wild of MLB.com

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Braves third baseman Chipper Jones has faced over 1,000 pitchers in his Major League career, but he has never seen anything quite like Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum. Lincecum is known as “The Freak” for good reason, because there really aren’t too many current or past pitchers he compares to.

The Braves will do their best to solve Lincecum on Wednesday, when they send their own young gun, Jair Jurrjens, to the mound to oppose him. Lincecum tossed eight shutout innings against the Braves in San Francisco in May and has baffled big league hitters all season long.

Click here to read the full article – By Adam Rosenberg of MLB.com

Atlanta Braves Sports Memorabilia
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Yunel Escobar can’t seem to get himself out of the spotlight these days, but on Sunday evening, it was for all the right reasons.

Escobar went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and four RBIs to lead the Braves past the Mets 7-1. One day after a mistake on a hit-and-run play hurt the Braves in a loss, he made that a footnote in a series win for the Braves. By taking three out of four from the Mets, the Braves stayed within 6 1/2 games of the red-hot Phillies and moved one-half game ahead of the Marlins into second place in the division. The Phillies have won six in a row and 12 of their last 13 since getting swept by the Braves. All was not quite forgotten for Escobar, though, who declined a postgame interview.

Click here to read the full article – By CARROLL ROGERS of Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Right-hander to have his number retired by team Friday

Don Sutton and Bobby Cox were among those who stirred Greg Maddux’s emotions with addresses they provided while welcoming him as the newest member of the Braves Hall of Fame on Friday afternoon. With a career that included 355 wins, four consecutive Cy Young Awards and 18 Gold Glove Awards, Maddux seems destined to be featured in another future Hall of Fame ceremony in Cooperstown.

Click here to read the full article – By Mark Bowman of MLB.com

Atlanta Braves Sports Memorabilia
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Less than four complete seasons into his Major League career, Brian McCann has already gained four consecutive All-Star selections and the opportunity to serve as Team USA’s catcher during this year’s World Baseball Classic.

Still, as McCann gathered with the other National League All-Stars for a news conference in St. Louis on Monday morning, he was still that wide-eyed, humble youngster who seemingly hasn’t grasped the reality that he truly has established himself as one of the game’s top catchers.

Click here to read the full article – By Mark Bowman of MLB.com

Atlanta Braves Sports Memorabilia
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Below are links to memorabilia available for Brian McCann.