Nov 25 2008
Winter’s quiet reigns supreme as Braves Nation waits for news
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
ATLANTA — A two-day absence from daily blogs in my rear-view mirror, I’m back and ready to write about all the Atlanta Braves are doing to bolster their chances in the NL East in 2009.
(Cue the crickets here.)
Yep, it’s pretty quiet on the Braves’ acquisition front these days; expect it to continue through the Thanksgiving weekend. With three of the next five days off from my day job, and with very little news to report on the ballclub, we’ll probably jump back into our review of position players from 2008 and assess their future with Atlanta in 2009. I may even take another day or two off from blogging duties.
I spent last weekend diving head-first into Atlanta sports: Georgia Tech football Thursday, Hawks basketball Friday, Thrashers hockey Saturday. On each journey into the capital city, I jumped off the interstate at Turner Field, and the ballpark looked sad and lonely as thousands zoomed by on the Downtown Connector, on their way to other ports of call.
Something about a baseball field being empty, the cold winds blowing, that makes me long for spring training. And we’re not too far away, good people. Three months from now, the players will be at Lake Buena Vista, preparing for the start of the Grapefruit League season.
Carrying out a few spring training assignments on location in the Sunshine State remains one of the highlights of my newspaper career. I’ve covered plenty of regular season action and even a World Series, but spring training is so much more relaxed. It’s so enjoyable to be in Florida (or, I imagine, Arizona) in February and March. The weather is warm, the sun is out, and the boys of summer are breaking out of their winter hibernation.
Alas, it’ll be here soon enough. For now, we’re waiting on the Braves to do something. I’m sure there are some talks going on, perhaps even for Jake Peavy (I still won’t be surprised if Big Jake – see, got a nickname already for the right-hander – toes the slab for the Braves in the season opener at Philly).
But I don’t expect much to happen in the short term. For now, let’s hold tight. I know Braves Nation is anxious, and I am too. But enjoy the holiday week, and it’s good to be back.
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