BRAVES NEWS
R.A. Dickey struggles as Braves fall 9-3
The Braves offense was relatively quiet on Monday aside from RBI singles from Brandon Phillips and Jace Peterson. Unfortunately the Atlanta pitching staff was not any better as R.A. Dickey struggled once again, allowing 6 runs (4 earned) in 5.2 innings of work. Eric Cole summed up Dickey’s body of work to this point in the spring training slate:
While all stat lines from spring training should be taken with several grains of salt (in particular for Dickey who is with a new team), it certainly would have been more ideal if he hadn’t posted a 7.20 ERA thus far this spring.
Braves release pitcher John Danks
Danks was a long shot to make the club when he was invited to spring training, and the odds only grew longer as he struggled mightily throughout the spring. He was granted his release and is now a free agent at 31 years old.
Braves option Luke Jackson, bullpen competition down to Roe, Boyer, O’Flaherty
When the Braves acquired Luke Jackson this offseason, it was reported that his biggest hurdle had been commanding his fastball, which could reach triple digits. Those issues were apparent this spring, as Jackson gave up four runs in five innings while walking four. His option leaves the Braves with a competition in the bullpen featuring three veterans in Chaz Roe, Blaine Boyer, and Eric O’Flaherty.
Ender Inciarte, Adonis Garcia to return to Spring Training lineup on Tuesday
The boys are back in town. Well one boy is, the other one was already here. Ender Inciarte will reportedly rejoin the club today as he returns from the World Baseball Classic, where he represented Venezuela. Adonis Garcia, who has been nursing a hamstring issue, will also reportedly make the trip West Palm.
Atlanta Braves to unveil Hank Aaron statue at SunTrust Park on March 29
The Braves announced on Monday that they would be unveiling a statue in honor of the franchise’s greatest player, Hank Aaron. The celebration will take place on March 29 at 7 p.m. with a limited number of tickets being made available to the public.
“We are eager to unveil Hank Aaron’s new statue, not only because it celebrates such a historic moment in baseball, but also because it honors one of the most significant men in the history of sports,” said Terry McGuirk, Braves chairman and CEO. “The statue is a vital piece of SunTrust Park, and we are delighted that the public can share in this moment while benefitting a wonderful cause.”
MLB NEWS
Unbeaten PR walks off vs. Netherlands to final
With an infield full of young stars and a dugout full of frosted tips, the team from Puerto Rico advanced to the WBC final on Monday night, beating the Netherlands 4-3 in walk-off fashion. This team will pose quite a challenge to whichever team advances from the other semi-final game between the U.S. and Japan.