Location: Atlanta, Ga. | Ballpark: Turner Field (50,096) | Spring Training: Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Owner: Liberty Media | GM: Frank Wren | Manager: Bobby Cox | World Championships: 3
No story about right-hander John Smoltz is ever final. A reporter chooses to emphasize a point he believes -- erroneously -- represents a change in Smoltz's condition. Sports networks and radio talk shows pounce on the subsequent written report as though it were breaking news. It isn't.
Smoltz, annoyed by the misinterpretation of what he so earnestly tries to convey, says he is swearing off daily reports about the health of his shoulder, biceps, rotator cuff and trapezius muscle.
"I'm not going to set a timetable," he said after an indoor session before Tuesday's doubleheader with the Mets. "You can report I'm doing everything possible to get out there as soon as I can. I threw off the mound. I threw everything I needed to throw.
"There's not going to be any more updates. I will report to you when I'm ready. Because I'm not going to be subject to being put on the death-cart or any reading between the lines. So today ends the reports on my shoulder, and when I get back in the game is the next time we talk about it.
"As soon as I get in the rehab game, you'll be able to track it. The timetables are getting me in trouble. I'm just not going to set them. I'm not going to do daily reports anymore.
"I'm explaining it as much as I possibly can to the degree that I can. I can't tell you anything till after I throw.
"I don't need to get any more confused. I don't need to see my name under 'SportsCenter.' I don't need to do any of that, so I'm not going to report every day. I threw today. We're just going to go until I get in a rehab game."
BRAVES 6, METS 1 (Game 1): Tom Glavine gave up a solo home run in the first inning, then immediately loaded the bases, but he retired Moises Alou and Carlos Delgado to end the Mets' threat. Catcher Brian McCann's two-run home run in the eighth gave the Braves more of a cushion than they needed.
BRAVES 6, METS 2 (Game 2): After a 99-minute rain delay, right-hander Jorge Campillo made his first major league start since Aug. 2, 2005, and pitched brilliantly for six innings. Kelly Johnson tripled home two runs in the third inning, and center fielder Mark Kotsay added a two-run home run in the eighth.
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Well here we are. Mike Hampton takes the mound for the Braves. Here's hoping he can give the Braves 4-5 and maybe even 6 quality innings. I wouldn't be surprised to see someone like Buddy Carlyl
Have the Atlanta Braves won any games this season wearing those black road uniforms? I can't remember any. What are they trying to look like anyway -- the 1991 Falcons? Those things have got to go.
Wonder how many catchers, other than Brian McCann now, have a stolen base and home run in the same game? I would say very rare but could be wrong. Come on stat men/women, tell me.
