Right Off Russell

We were fortunate enough to do a Q/A with Braves’ blogger Gondee from the site Talking Chop. Gondee gives us some good perspective on whats going on in Atlanta as they prepare to head up to Camden Yards for the weekend series.
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Currently, the Braves are hovering above .500. Are you happy at the progress made from last year?
I think we’re about 80 percent of the way there. We’ve got our pitching straightened out, and that is no longer a problem, but our hitting is still amateurish after the top-4 guys. We have offensive black holes in left and right field, where most team have their power, so that is really hurting this club.

The O’s will be facing Hanson on Friday. Throwing his first effort aside, is this kid going to be good?
His first effort was fantastic for the first 10 batters, whom he retired in order, including striking out the side in the 2nd inning. Then he fell victim to some rookie mistakes and the hot weather in Atlanta that turned Turner Field into a launching pad.

Every time Hanson takes the mound he brings with him a ton of talent and potential, and like every other rookie breaking into the big leagues, we’re going to have to see how he harnesses that potential. I think his raw stuff is too good to fail, and he’s a smart enough pitcher that he can adjust and knows how to apply the advice he gets.

Chipper has found a way to re-establish himself over the past few years. What has been the key to his success?
I don’t think he ever really fell off. Sure, he’s been injured a lot, but he’s always been a top middle of the order hitter. He may have moved from more of a home run hitter to more of an average hitter, but his swing is still the same as it has always been.

Chipper’s success is a rare thing in baseball, and worthy of the Hall of Fame. He combines his raw talent with an amazingly keen baseball intellect that he’s developed over the years. I believe that he could be a good major league manager one day.

How did the team/fans react to Tom Glavine being released?
The casual fans were pissed, because they don’t know that this is not the Tom Glavine who was here in the 90’s. The professional fans were applauding the move, and asking why we even signed him in the first place.

Who is the Braves hottest hitter coming into this series?
Brian McCann is hitting .360-something since he got his vision fixed. Yunel Escobar has been great with runners on base. But Chipper Jones is as on-fire as a player can get. He’s hitting everything from both sides of the plate, and hitting for power.

How long does Bobby Cox stay with this team?
Ten more years… why not. Everyone keeps saying he’s done after a year or two, but they don’t know how much Bobby loves this game.