Shiell, a 29-year-old righthander, is expected to start the Wednesday game against the Cardinals. Shiell was a Braves minor leaguer way back when, picked in the 48th round of the 1995 draft out of a Georgia high school. He’s had injury problems for much of his career. He missed most of the 1998 season (I don’t know why, I assume an injury) but rose to Myrtle Beach in 1999. He pitched well there, but nothing remarkable. After the season, he was the throw-in in the dreadful Klesko/Boone/Veras/Sanders trade, a deal in which they got exactly one good half season from Veras in exchange for about 300 future home runs.
Shiell rose through the system without pitching particularly well until he had some good work in AAA Portland in 2002. He pitched briefly with the major league team — three short relief outings in which he allowed four runs — and was lost to the Red Sox on waivers after the season. He had a few decent outings as a reliever with the Red Sox, pitched well in Pawtucket, and then blew out his arm right before the 2004 season. He missed two entire seasons with Tommy John surgery and was signed by the Braves as a minor league free agent. He’s had a 2.14 ERA for the R-Braves, but it’s in only three starts. 21 innings, 15 K, 3 BB, 0 HR. It’s impossible to say if he’ll be any good, but the other option is Cormier and we know what we’re talking about there.
He’s a Braves starter not named Smoltz, so it’s actually very easy to say whether he’ll be any good: no. Hopefully Wednesday is not the day the Braves’ hot offense returns to normalcy.
I thought I heard somewhere he was going tonight instead of Hudson. Was that bogus?
Hudson on 3 days rest vs this Cardinal line-up scares me in ways that you can’t imagine.
Whenever I think of Veras, I think of one hilarious play he didn’t make. The opposing team had a runner on first and the guy up to bat was bunting so the first baseman had to run up to cover the bunt. The Braves put on a pick-off play so Veras runs behind the runner to cover first. The catcher (I guess that would have been Javy) throws down to first and they had the guy picked off by a ton. Veras squats down to catch the ball then turns to tag the runner. Only problem was when he turned the runner was no longer there. He looks all around trying to figure out what happened, while everyone on the field is cracking up. It took him a second to realize the runner had jumped over him and was standing on first. I will never forget the look of utter shock on his face.
Here’s my thinking on tonight’s game:
1) We get to face Marquis, who we have always owned. I expect that to continue with the way we’re hitting.
2) I think the last time Huddy went on short rest was last year’s division series (also after a previously miserable start), when he pitched masterfully before handing it over to the bed-crapping Kyle Farnsworth.
Though our recent good run has to end sometime, I do like our chances tonight.
By the way, how do you pronounce “Shiell”? Shyle? Sheel? She-yell? Shy-ell? I’m assuming it’s “Sheel,” but I have no idea.
Why am I in all italics? I posted no tags…
Must be that Rissa didn’t close his.
This outta do it.
I think ‘Rissa didn’t close her tag.
She accidently put a second <i> tag instead of a closing </i>
Ha. Beat me to it
.You can have fun with this
Akward…
now everything has a strike through it..
Yeah, I was just messing around.
hmmmmm….Ack! It won’t close! Sorry!
Ugh.
Hudson pitched ony three innings the other night, he has had a ton of rest.
Okay. Good now. Don’t know why it didn’t work the first time.
This might need to be fixed in software, Mac. Trolls will use it.
I am announcing the little league all star games here in Chattanooga and between innings I am asking Trivia questions. Some are easy and some are kind of harder.
You guys want to take a shot at some? Don’t cheat.
• Who is the only pitcher to throw back-to-back no hitters?
• On April 2, 1931, A 17 year old girl named Jackie Mitchell playing for the Chattanooga Lookouts, struck-out what two baseball greats?
• What baseball Hall of Fame inductee was drafted by the MLB, NFL, NBA, and the ABA?
• Name the former New York Giant that hit the game winning home run in the 1951 playoff game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
• Waiting to hit behind Thomson, in that 1951 game, was a rookie outfielder. Can you name him?
Andruw doesn’t have a baseball-reference.com sponsor.
Johnny Vander Meer
Dunno
Dave Winfield
Bobby T. (You answer this one in the next question)
Willie Mays
1. Johnny Vander Meer
2. Dunno, but I’ll guess Ruth & Foxx.
3. Dave DeBusshere
4. Bobby Thomson
5. Willie Mays
Well, what two baseball greats were on the same team in ’31?
My guess is Ruth and Gehrig. Could be Foxx and that other hall of famer on the A’s, though.
1. Johnny Vander Meer
2. Ruth and Gehrig
3. Dave DeBusshere
4. Bobby Thomson (sorry I gave it away)
5. Willie Mays
oops, 3. is Dave Winfield not Dave DeBusshere
For those of you jonesing for a completely irrelevent factoid, Schiell’s brother is the organist at my Dad’s church here in Atlanta. Amazing how many local kids we have on this team and in our system. Wonder if it’s a record.
wow… this is.. wow
what the hell is going on with the posts? They’re greyed out and in tiny writing.
We are in font hell.
Here are some more trivia questions:
1) What was Brooklyn Dodger right fielder Carl Furillo’s nickname?
2) Who was Ryne Sandberg named after?
3) What batter has the lowest strikeout to at-bats ratio ever?
4) What pitcher with the same last name invented the eephus pitch?
5) For bonus points, according to that pitcher, what does eephus mean?
6) Who has a funnier name, Eddie Stanky or Dick Groat?
There. Now behave.
1. Skoonj (Italian for snail)
2. no idea
3. Joe Dimaggio
4. Rip Sewell
5. no idea
6. Dick Shiner (former Falcons QB)
Here is some grist for the trivia mill:
1914 Update:
NY Giants 46-32 (–)
Chicago Cubs 45-37 (3)
St. Louis Cardinals 44-40 (5)
Cincinnati Reds 39-42 (8.5)
Philadelphia Phillies 37-40 (8.5)
Brooklyn Robins 35-40 (9.5)
Pittsburgh Pirates 35-42 (10.5)
Boston Braves 35-43 (11)
What was the score of today’s Braves game? Boston 6, Cincy 3.
What park hosted the game? Redland Field, later renamed Crosley Field after owner Powell Crosley.
What was the Reds’ home attendance in 1914? 100,791, or 1309 fans per game, last in the NL. (And the park was only in its third season.)
What was the last day the Braves spent in sole possession of last place? Today.
#3 is Joe Sewell, not Joe DiMaggio.
6. Definitely Tennessee’s #3 QB last year, Jim Bob Cooter.
Cooter was #4 behind Hartagree
I am glad we found a way to win with the closer situation, score 15 runs!
#3, yes…Joe Sewell…University of Alabama
The stadium at UA, commonly referred to as “The Joe,” is named Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
6. Former White Sox and Tigers outfielder Rusty Kuntz
Fantasy Advice:
I need outfield help and another SP. I have Ichiro on the block for Miguel Cabrera and Brian Giles or Jacque JOnes and Roy Halladay. Who would you trade Ichiro for?
If you really need pitching and an outfileder go with Jones and Holliday. Cabera is a beast but Giles is having a down year. H
I would go for Halladay also, but he hasn’t started 30+ games since 2003 due to injury, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep it going through the second half of the season. When healthy he is easily top 3 Starter in baseball.
My SP’s are
Glavine
Smoltz
Harang
Josh Johnson
Jered Weaver
but Hallady would be a great improvement…
Oh yeah! I’d drop Weaver yesterday
he’s 6-0 w/ a 1.12 ERA, I cant drop him
I have a feeling Smitty is getting Jeff confused with Jered.
He is injured and he won’t make his next start.
Is anyone planning on getting NCAA 07.
I just picked it up.
I’m getting it for the 360. Early thoughts?
I just finished putting in all the Alabama player names.
I am excited about it…probally won’t be on the Journal till later tonight, but I am still going to watch the Braves game. I am going to see how EA made my Hokies look this year.
Mac, I do that same thing it usually takes me a couple of days to do every team but I feel that is worth, I don’t like seeing just numbers and positions.
What do you use to get your roster names?
I tend to only input the names of the guys who are or will be rated highly enough to be uploaded into the Madden drafts. And, of course, all Vanderbilt players.
BTW the Braves are getting some love from ESPN. Skip Bayless is on the bandwagon saying all of the teams that are ahead of us are starting to look in their rear view mirrors and not liking what they see. Also J.A. Adande from Around The Horn just mentioned them, and he said they are alive and when asked about the postseason, he said simply they are the Braves.
Woody Paige bashed us not on our pitching but our hitting of all thhings….
I’ve been wanting to punch Woody Paige in the nose for quite some time now…
I used to like him and I thought he was funny but not anymore.
Mac, what do you use to get your rosters?
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jones/060718
Good stuff once again by Bomani Jones. I really enjoy reading his articles..
Actually, Jason Shiell is my husband. I think, of course, he’s doing awesome. I mean, he started for Atlanta after having surgery for 2 years and then only playing for an independent team only since May and then only 3 starts with Richmond. They must think he’s doing something right.
Good points, Morgan. You really his wife? I’ve never seen this kind of parody post.