Pawtucket RI---Twenty games into the very first season ever of Gwinnett Braves baseball, I have finally found out the real core of life in the International League.

The travel.

And oh my, it can be a challenge.

Our bus left the hotel in Norfolk, Virginia this morning at 5:00 a.m.  We arrived at the airport, stood in line to check in, got on a 7:00 a.m. flight to Charlotte, North Carolina.  Arrived at 8:00 a.m. and waited around that airport to catch a 9:55 a.m. flight to Providence, Rhode Island.  Once in Providence, it's on to the hotel and then an hour later the first bus leaves for the ballpark in Pawtucket.  First pitch at 6:15 p.m. tonight

For me, it's been extra tough because I had to get sportscasts recorded and sent to both WSB and WDUN for this morning's news blocks.  So I did not go to bed. 

But I will recover quickly.  Heck, the only thing I do is talk.  What I wonder about is how the players will respond to the first game tonight against the Red Sox.  We arrived back at the hotel last night after the game in Norfolk at 11:00 p.m.  So they are working on not much sleep at all.  Tommy Hanson will be pitching tonight and he must be dead tired.

Dave Brundage tells me they will be fine.  That top athletes adapt and play the game. 

I hope so.

Friday March 27, 2009:  Viera, FL---Any time you tell someone that you are going to Viera, Florida, they always respond:  "Where in the world is that?"

I know the answer.

Nowhere.

But on this hazy, breezy Friday afternoon our Gwinnett Braves were there at the Washington National minor league camp facing the Syracuse Chiefs. 

For the record, Viera is a planned community off I-95 in Brevard County.  It is near Cape Canaveral and Cocoa and looks more like a community that should be situated in the suburbs of Phoenix than in South Central Florida.  It is the Spring Training home to the Nationals.  The spring major league games are played at Space Coast Stadium.  And as wrestler Baron Von Raschke one said:  "That is all the people need to know!"

Now back to the game.  Not a good one.  The G-Braves lose 10-6.  Jo Jo Reyes in his first start since being sent to minor league camp worked six innings...two runs...two hits...six walks and two strikeouts.  He did not pitch all that badly, just not one of his better days.  He did have trouble with the baseball slipping out of his fingers at times.  The G-Braves runs highlighted by homeruns from Reid Gorecki and Benji Johnson.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Braves will host Toledo at the minor league complex at Disney while the major league team will host the New York Yankees.

One thing before I go.  I am amazed these players can focus on getting their job done under these conditions.  And what I mean is that there are very few people at minor league games.  It is like a poorly attended high school event.  The atmosphere is very relaxed and nothing like the intensity they will face once the season gets started.  If it were me, my mind would wander.  Just like it is doing now....so I better go.

Until tomorrow, then.

Thursday March 26, 2009:  Lake Buena Vista, FL---The Atlanta Braves made another round of cuts today here in Florida, and with it, Gwinnett Braves fans should be pretty thrilled.

Tommy Hanson was sent to minor league camp along with catcher Alvin Colina, outfielder Jason Heyward and infielders Freddie Freeman and Brandon Hicks.

Also pitcher Jo Jo Reyes, catcher Clint Sammons and infielder Diory Hernandez were optioned to Gwinnett.

This means Hanson, the top pitching prospect in the organization will anchor the G-Braves staff.  Jo Jo Reyes, as fans who followed the Braves Triple A club the past two years can attest to, has had plenty of success in the International League and the duo will give the G-Braves loads of talent in the starting rotation.  Reyes did all he could do for the big league club this Spring, ending with an ERA of 2.08.

Thirty six active players remain in major league camp, which means 12 still will be playing somewhere else when the major league season begins April 5^th. 

The biggest question in major league camp remains centerfield.  Josh Anderson, Jordan Schafer and Gregor Blanco are still fighting it out, and all three are playing well.  My first thought was Anderson had the inside track, but Blanco has been superb.  Schafer is the future of this team, so they may delay his major league career until after a year in Gwinnett.

The Gwinnett Braves spring squad played Toledo (Detroit's Triple A team) today and lost 6-0.  Tomorrow they will be in Viera against Syracuse (Washington).  I'll be there and will keep you informed.

Lake Buena Vista, FL---I saw Tommy Hanson pitch an inter-squad scrimmage today (March 24) at Braves Minor League Camp. 

I have only one thing to say.

Holy *#*@%

The big right hander literally mowed them down.  His line:  five innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, eight strikeouts.  And it wasn't that close.

The cool thing about this story, at least from my point of view, is that I got to talk with him after the performance and he is as good as guy as he is a pitcher.  Or, in his case, a flame-thrower. 

Regardless of what you have heard from the Atlanta media, Hanson will probably start the year at Gwinnett.  The Atlanta starting rotation of Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens, Kenshin Kawakami, and Tom Glavine is pretty set.  An injury could change things between now and then, but even then, Jo Jo Reyes or Jorge Campillo would probably get the call. 

Meanwhile, a staff here in Gwinnett that includes Hanson, Reyes, Kris Medlin, James Parr and Francisley Bueno is pretty darn good.  Then there's the question of what to do with Campillo.  The veteran righty from Mexico was remarkable at times last season in Atlanta, finishing with an ERA of 3.91.  Could he be long relief, spot starter in Atlanta or be a part of the G-Braves rotation? 

These are dilemmas any franchise would like to have.  Very simply, it looks as if the Braves have too much good starting pitching.  It is a problem that will benefit both the major and the Triple-A teams (and help out the Double-A Mississippi Braves as well). 

The G-Braves pitching staff will also benefit from having a pitching coach like Derek Botelho.  The former Major Leaguer has been in Mississippi the past two seasons where he has helped the development of Hanson and Medlin. 

Now back to Hanson, a sizzling fastball, sharp slider and a curve ball...well...as I heard one Braves' players call it...it's the HAMMER.  The arsenal makes him a can't miss prospect. 

So pitching is okay for the first season of Gwinnett Braves baseball.  As matter of fact, we also have the first sure-fire nickname for one of our pitchers:  Tommy "The Hammer" Hanson. 

You heard it here first.

More to come from Spring Training 2009

The Buffalo Bisons are the Triple A affiliate of the New York Mets, and are one of four teams who play in the International League North along with Syracuse, Rochester, Pawtucket, Scranton-Wilkes Barre and Lehigh Valley.

Roots in the Major Leagues

The first Buffalo Bisons team was a member of the National League from 1879 through 1885.  The Bisons moved to the minors in 1886 and were members of the original International League.  They have been members of the Eastern League, and the American Association.  After the 1997 season, the American Association folded Buffalo, Louisville and Indianapolis moved to the International League.. 

Hey, wasn't their ballpark once in a movie?

Well, yes and no.  The old ballpark in Buffalo, know as War Memorial Stadium was in a movie.  It was the home field for the New York Knights in the movie "The Natural."  The old worn down structure was also the home of the Buffalo Bills until 1973 when they moved to the suburb of Orchard Park.  The new ballpark, Coca-Cola Field is a spectacular downtown stadium that holds over 19 thousand fans.  First used in 1988, Coca-Cola Field was built to house a major league team.  Plans are to expand seating to 40,000 should the city acquire a major league franchise.

Affiliations and Stars

2009 will be the first year for the Mets in Buffalo.  They will be managed by former major league player Ken Oberkfell.  The Bisons have a new logo for 2009 which uses the Mets colors of Orange and Blue.  This will be the first year of a two year player development contract.  In prior years, the Buffalo has been the Triple-A home of the White Sox, Pirates and Indians.  Some major league stars who have played in Buffalo are C.C. Sabathia, Bartolo Colon, Brian Giles, Tim Wakefield, Cliff Lee, Moises Alou, Milton Bradley, Coco Crisp and Manny Ramirez. 

Buffalo Bisons

Affiliation:                 New York Mets

Stadium:                    Coca-Cola Field

Capacity:                   19,500

Team Address:         275 Washington St.
Buffalo, NY  14203

2009 Games VS Gwinnett:

Tue. May 12  @ Buffalo

Wed. May 13 @ Buffalo

Thur. May 14 @ Buffalo

Fri. May 15    @ Buffalo

Tue. Jun 23   @ Gwinnett

Wed. Jun 24 @ Gwinnett

Thur. Jun 25 @ Gwinnett

Fri. Jun 26     @ Gwinnett

I am Glad You Asked

A "Mud Hen" is another name for an American Coot, a bird that inhabits the marshlands.  In the 1800's the first pro baseball team in Toledo played at Bay View Park, which was next to the marshlands and next to---you guessed it--the Mud Hens.

Pop Culture

Aside from having a great team name, the Toledo Mud Hens were the favorite team of Max Klinger in the long running TV series M*A*S*H.  Corporal Klinger seemingly always wore a Mud Hens hat and was played by Toledo native Jamie Farr.  The appearance of Mud Hens merchandise on M*A*S*H help boost sales for the team.  Farr still regularly attends games at Fifth Third Field.

 In the fall of 2007, when Alex Rodriguez opted out of his 252 million dollar contract with the Yankees, owner Hank Steinbrenner said:  "Does he want to go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee, or a Toledo Mud Hen?"  The Mud Hens came to the rescue and offered A-Rod a deal to play third base.  The deal included a bonus for hitting 75 home runs next year and leading the Mud Hens to 10 straight Governor's Cups.

The Dean of All Broadcasters

Jim Weber is the play by play voice of the Mud Hens, and just to give you an idea of how long he has been with Toledo, he started when I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.  Jim, who I got to meet for the first time his past August, will celebrate his 35^th year with the Mud Hens this season.  One of the true great broadcasters in all of the minor leagues.

Affiliations and Stars

The Tigers' Triple A team has been in Toledo since 1987, but before that Cleveland, Philadelphia, the Yankees, the Milwaukee Braves and Minnesota have had working agreements with the Mud Hens.  Some of the more famous Mud Hens include Steve Avery, Omar Infante, Kirby Puckett, Lance Parrish, Jim Thorpe (yes, that one) and Casey Stengel. 

Toledo Mud Hens

Affiliation:                 Detroit Tigers

Stadium:                    Fifth Third Field

Capacity:                   10, 300

Team Address:         406 Washington St.
Toledo, OH 43604

2009 Games VS Gwinnett:

Thur. May 21 @ Gwinnett

Fri. May 22    @ Gwinnett

Sat. May 23   @ Gwinnett

Sun. May 24 @ Gwinnett

Thur. Aug. 6  @ Toledo

Fri. Aug 7       @ Toledo

Sat. Aug. 8    @ Toledo

Sun. Aug. 9   @ Toledo

My entire existence, it seems, has centered on baseball.  Never was it more evident than in 1981. 

My passion for baseball began in the fourth grade.  I fell in love with the game, for reasons I cannot begin to explain, and I knew, at a mere nine years of age, that I wanted to be a radio baseball play-by-play guy.

I spent many grueling years playing the game as I grew.  The first couple of years spent coming through the vaulted Craigsville, Virginia Base Ruth Baseball program.  That's the same program that produced...absolutely no one.

I then played three years of high school baseball at Buffalo Gap High School. 

Flash forward to 1981.  As the new play-by-play broadcaster for the Greensboro team of the South Atlantic League, and because I was a lousy player, but a darn good scorekeeper and great first base coach, I was the only member of the Buffalo Gap High School baseball team to make it to professional baseball. 

That first year of pro ball, to this day, is still the single greatest year of my life.  I was on my way, beginning the dream.  It was also the year I met and later married Lois.

Ours was a whirlwind romance.  We got married two months after the start of the '81 baseball season.  No, we did not have a wedding on the field, it was in a church, but the entire baseball team came out on that Saturday afternoon.  That night, we had a game at Greensboro's War Memorial Stadium.  Lois threw out the first pitch (and zipped a fastball) right down the middle of the plate to catcher Frank Kneuer.  ("Hey, that gal you married really has an arm on her," Kneuer later told me.  "Yeah, you should see her wield a rolling pin," was my response.)

The next day, after the Sunday afternoon finale of the homestand, Lois and I got in the car and followed the team bus from Greensboro to Charleston, SC.  Yes, we honeymooned with the team.  Three games in Charleston followed by three games in Florence, SC.  On the first night of the road trip/honeymoon we caught a break.  The game was rained out, so we were able to enjoy a night...ahem...without baseball.

In the minors, a rain out on day one means a doubleheader on day two.  So on Tuesday, in game one against the Charleston Royals, pitcher Kelly Scott is pitching a great game.  I mean a GREAT game.  My wife, tired and hung over, is asleep on the floor of the broadcast booth.  Scott went on to pitch a no hitter.  Lois slept the entire game. 

The entire season was a dream.  Greensboro went on to a 98 and 43 mark in 1981, winning the division by 24 and a half games.  The Hornets won the South Atlantic League Championship by sweeping the Greenwood (SC) Pirates in 3 games.  I got a beautiful championship ring complete with a Yankees logo on the blue stone.  Lois came to many road games that year.  She also came to most of the home games and would sit in front of the press box, radio in hand,  listening to every word I said on the air. 

Now, 28 years later, Lois is still with me.  When I found out I had gotten the Gwinnett Braves job, I proudly made the announcement to her in our kitchen.

"Oh, that's nice...hey I need you to go to the store and get milk," was her response with a blank stare.

Well, she still will always be my baseball bride.