Baseball Prospectus | Articles | Under The Knife: The Right to Remain Silent
As the Braves get healthier, teams in the NL East just have to be shaking their heads and wondering how this team not only survived a rash of key injuries, but actually got stronger in the process. While there’s been rumblings of some trades that could improve outfield depth or solidify the bullpen, the Braves just motor along, filling gaps with uberprospects like Jeff Francoeur and Andy Marte as well as found parts like Pete Orr and Chris Reitsma. When Chipper Jones comes back Monday–a couple days later than he could have–the team will essentially be intact, just like Jones’ foot. He had no trouble except when running.
Of course, there’s no running in left field… Carroll, of course, hasn’t been one of the Chipper-to-left people. But apparently nobody there reads his columns.
So when Carroll says he HAD no problems except for running, I assume the past tense is correct?
Apparently, nobody edits them either. I presume he was talking either about the rehab assignment or his workout with the team Saturday, but the reference was cut for space.
I love the Rufino Linares moniker. One of my favorite Rufino quotes:
Q: Rufino, you made a great catch out there. Tell me about it.
A: I dive for the ball. I look in front of me, no ball. I look behind me, no ball. I look in my glove and see the ball. I say to myself, Rufino, you one lucky guy!
Thanks TD, I wish I knew a little more about him. I was pretty young when he patrolled LF, and only sort of recall how excited I was back in 1982. Back then I was much more a Durham Bulls fan, I grew up 15 minutes from DAP and so I became a Braves fan by default, but I didn’t follow the big club nearly as closely…
Thanks too Mac, you are always on top of this stuff- I wish I knew how you did it…
So, Rufino, other than being dead, how are things going for you these days?
http://thedeadballera.com/Obits/Linares.Rufino.Obit.html
I think a book could be written about Linares. One time the camera found him giving the batboy a hot foot. Another time a live bat fell on the field. Rufino picked it up with a towel and offered it to some fans.
He had one pretty decent year, but he broke his leg and was never the same after that. Of course his plate discipline made Rafael Furcal look like Dale Murphy.