BRAVES NEWS
Wrigley Wind Whirls In Atlanta's Favor, Braves Win 11-6
The wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field yesterday, which meant that Wrigley magically became a hitter's park: A world of whimsy and adventure where Chris Johnson can hit 2 HRs. Seriously, he actually hit 2 HRs. His duo of 2-run dingers helped contribute to a big day at the plate for the Braves, as they teed off on Edwin Jackson and the rest of the Cubs' staff for 11 runs, giving them an 11-6 victory. I mean, even Mike Minor hit a homer. That's how good of a day it was for Atlanta's offense.
To quote a legendary Oklahoman with an affinity for wrasslin', "Business has just picked up." Utilityman Phil Gosselin has been called up to the Major League roster and will be joining the Braves for today's game against the Cubs. The only question now (as of the time I'm writing this) is who is the corresponding move? This might be it, folks. This might really be curtains for Dan Uggla as an Atlanta Brave.
El Oso Blanco Getting To Meat Of Rehab Work
Although it's unlikely that Evan Gattis will be able to make it back on the 1st day that he's eligible to come off of the DL (July 18th), that doesn't mean that he won't be trying his hardest to return as quickly as possible, and the rehabilitation process has kicked into gear for Gattis. This could result in a rehab assignment on Tuesday, which would be a lot better than trying to get a workout in less-than-ideal conditions at Rome.
Schafer Brings Value As Base-Stealer
Jordan Schafer is not a popular dude in this outpost of the internet. With that being said, the book on Schafer is not one that is just full of hazy sadness. Instead, there is one tool of Schafer's that is as sharp and shiny as if he just bought it, and that's his speed. Schafer currently has 14 stolen bases under his belt, which is actually pretty good considering he hasn't had too many plate/pinch run appearances. When he manages to somehow make his way onto a base, Schafer's speed makes him a valuable asset and is probably the only thing that is keeping him above a negative fWAR number (and he's hanging on precariously with a fWAR of 0.0!).
Chipper Gives Price A Wink And A Nod To Come To Atlanta
David Price probably won't be playing for the Atlanta Braves any time soon. The Rays haven't shown much interest in trading him, and even if they did, the price might be too rich for Frank Wren's blood. With that being said, it's fun to dream. One guy who's been doing some dreaming is Braves legend and hitting savant Chipper Jones, who literally winked at Price on Twitter. If only that was all it took to bring him here...
In completely unrelated news, here's an apology for a missed day of Braves news and links this past week: Video of the greatest brawl in Braves history!
LEAGUE WIDE NEWS
Segura Goes On Bereavement After Son Passes Away
In extremely sad news, Jean Segura left the Brewers and went on the Bereavement List after he received the news that his 9-month son passed away. Again, that is incredibly sad. It always hurts to lose a loved one, especially if it's a son/daughter, and even more so one who just entered this world. I'd encourage everyone reading this to keep Segura and his family in his thoughts, as baseball clearly takes a backseat for Segura during his time of grief.
McCutchen Shows Why He Has A MVP Trophy At Home
Andrew McCutchen is the reigning Most Valuable Player in the National League, and he was extremely valuable to the Pirates last night as he put on a late show of power that lifted the Pirates off of the mat and then eventually gave them a win. In the 9th with the Pirates down 1, Cutch homered off of Johnathan Broxton to tie the game. Then in the 11th, Cutch smacked one into the seats to give the Pirates the lead. McCutchen's WPA on the night was .842, which is a statistical way of explaining what you saw: Cutch basically won the game for the Pirates by himself yesterday.