February 8
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves are interested in moving their Class-A team from Lynchburg, Va., to Wilmington, N.C., and Wilmington officials are going to see if they can make it happen. Wilmington's City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to begin negotiations with the Braves and Mandalay Baseball Properties, and to explore the level of public support, potential cost and funding for a ballpark necessary to bring the team to the coastal city. Braves general manager Frank Wren and former manager Bobby Cox attended Tuesday's meeting in Wilmington. The Wilmington Star-News reported there was a packed house in the council chambers, including many fans in Braves attire."
February 6
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves will unveil a new crème-colored home uniform on Monday that will probably seem familiar to fans of a certain age. The design closely resembles the home uniform worn by the Hank Aaron-led Braves during their first two seasons in Atlanta in 1966-1967, right down to the player number instead of a tomahawk beneath the "Braves" script on front of the jersey. The new attire will serve as an alternate uniform for home games and won't replace any of the other four uniforms currently worn by the Braves. The initial plan is to wear it for Saturday and Sunday home games."
February 3
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist David O'Brien
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When a reporter mentioned this week that Jason Heyward had dropped about 20 pounds during the offseason and asked Chipper Jones if he'd noticed a difference in Heyward's physique and how it affected his swing, Jones smiled and pretty much scoffed. For the record, the nearly 6-foot-5 right fielder has gone from an imposing, chiseled 256 pounds to a chiseled, imposing 235. In terms to which some of our readers may better relate, Heyward's gone from D-1 defensive end to D-1 tight end."
February 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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He'll turn 40 in April, had surgery on each knee in the past two years, and has tired of speculation about when he'll retire. But Chipper Jones is not tired of playing baseball. Atlanta's iconic third baseman is preparing for his 19th season with the Braves, and Tuesday he made it clear the 2012 season might not be his last. "As long as I stay healthy and I'm having fun, I'm going to keep going," he said before an informal hitting session at Turner Field. "I sit here with three weeks to go before spring training and I'm not ready to say this is it.""
January 31
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The last time Braves pitchers were at Turner Field, they left with heads down, as did the rest of the team. That was after a 13-inning season-finale loss to Philadelphia on Sept. 28, which ended their 10-20 collapse and kept the Braves out of the playoffs. When pitching coach Roger McDowell welcomed back some of his charges Monday for the first day of the Braves' early pitching camp at Turner Field, questions about The Collapse and lessons learned from it elicited similar responses. Not terse, but succinct. "The calendar turned over to 2012, and so it is a new year," McDowell said. "Like any other experience you go through, good, bad or indifferent, you learn from it and move on.""
January 28
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves have built so much minor league depth at shortstop that by last summer they were making decisions on how to better utilize that stable of players, opting to move a couple of prospects to new positions. Edward Salcedo, 20, a prized international free-agent signee two years ago, was moved from shortstop to third base at Class-A Rome, and 2010 first-round draft pick Matt Lipka switched from shortstop to center field last fall at the instructional league in Florida. Lipka will play center field this year, likely at high-A Lynchburg. The Braves were pleased with how well he took to center field in the fall and believe his speed and athleticism are well suited for the position. He"
January 26
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves have set a player payroll budget of $94 million for this year, leaving them with several million dollars still to spend, the team's chairman and CEO said. Terry McGuirk, in a wide-ranging interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in his Turner Field office, also said team owner Liberty Media has expressed no intention of selling the club in the near future."
January 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves will offer season-ticket holders a 33-percent discount on food and beverages (excluding alcohol) beginning with the 2012 season, team announced Monday. In a press release that referred to the discount as both "unparalleled" and "unprecedented," the Braves said anyone with a season-ticket plan of 20 games or more can get the discount on food and beverages — non-booze category — at all fixed concession stands or through the in-seat food service (in those primo seats behind home plate)."
January 20
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
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On Aug. 24, 2011, the Atlanta Braves awoke having won 78 games. Only one major-league team (Philadelphia) had won more. They led the wild-card race by 9 1/2 games with 32 remaining, and the in-house question wasn't, "Are we going to blow this?" Instead, it was, "Can we win it all?" Thirty-five days later, the Braves lost Game No. 162 in 13 innings and failed to qualify for the playoffs. They finished with 89 victories, having dropped 21 of those final 32. The collapse was so comprehensive that it took Frank Wren, the general manager, a few weeks just to be able to view baseball again, and his wasn't a solitary response. Speaking with fellow Braves employees, uniformed staffers among them,"
January 18
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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After signing reliever Eric O'Flaherty late Monday, then center fielder Michael Bourn and pitcher Jair Jurrjens on Tuesday, the Braves successfully avoided any arbitration hearings and tidied up the roster and payroll a month before spring training. The Braves also agreed to terms later Tuesday with popular veteran reliever Peter Moylan, who's coming off shoulder surgery and hopes to be ready by the early season. He got a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training and $1 million on a prorated basis for time in the majors, plus incentives."
January 17
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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He led major league relievers with an 0.98 ERA, yet drew only the third-most notoriety in a Braves bullpen that was represented by Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters on the National League All-Star team. Eric O'Flaherty wasn't an All-Star, but the veteran lefty was arguably the team's most consistent reliever from start to finish, and Monday the O in "O'Ventbrel" got paid. O'Flaherty and the Braves agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.49 million contract, a 178-percent raise for the Washington state native who was eligible for arbitration for the second time."
January 14
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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With the Braves prepared to turn over the shortstop position to a rookie with no major league experience in Tyler Pastornicky, they wanted a veteran to back him up. They filled that need Friday when they signed Jack Wilson to a one-year $1 million deal, with an additional $500,000 in incentives. Wilson, 34, returns to the Braves after coming to them in a trade from Seattle last August 31. He said he's glad to have a chance to make a few amends, both team-wise and personally after hitting .220 (9-for-41) with one double and one RBI in 17 games in September. "It's always nice, especially when a team trades for you, and they call back," Wilson said Friday. "I really didn't perform like I"
January 14
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Martin Prado on Friday, avoiding arbitration. The deal, which will pay Prado between $4.5 and $5 million, has no real bearing on the whether the Braves end up trading him because any conversations have come with the understanding that Prado would draw this kind of salary for 2012. But the closer the Braves get to spring training, the more apparent it seems neither he or Jair Jurrjens is going anywhere, despite their mention in multiple trade scenarios. "We had a number of discussions today and will continue to explore other opportunities," Braves general manager Frank Wren said Friday, speaking in general terms after signing shortstop"
January 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Martin Prado on Friday, avoiding arbitration. The deal, which will pay Prado between $4.5 and $5 million, has no real bearing on the whether the Braves end up trading him because any conversations have come with the understanding that Prado would draw this kind of salary for 2012. But the closer the Braves get to spring training, the more apparent it seems neither he or Jair Jurrjens is going anywhere, despite their mention in multiple trade scenarios."
January 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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With the Braves prepared to turn over the shortstop position to a rookie with no major league experience in Tyler Pastornicky, they wanted a veteran to back him up. They filled that need Friday when they signed Jack Wilson to a one-year $1 million deal, with an additional $500,000 in incentives. Wilson, 34, returns to the Braves after coming to them in a trade from Seattle last August 31. He said he's glad to have a chance to make a few amends, both team-wise and personally after hitting .220 (9-for-41) with one double and one RBI in 17 games in September."
January 11
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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It's a little less than six weeks from when Braves pitchers and catchers report for spring training on Feb. 19, and I haven't bugged Chipper Jones all offseason. What's up with that? Well let's say that's remedied here in a wide-ranging conversation with the veteran third baseman, who just got back from a hunting trip to New Mexico and plans to start into his usual routine of hitting at Turner Field next week. Candid as ever, Jones shared his thoughts on everything from when he might make a decision on retirement and how the game is more difficult for him now, to the state of the team, how he'll feel if the Braves go into spring training with this roster largely as is and his impressions"
January 8
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Braves icon Dale Murphy knows that time has nearly run out on him to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by writers. After this election there will be one more year on the ballot for "Murph," who admits being surprised by the low percentage of votes he's received in the past 13 years. With the 2012 Hall of Fame class to be announced Monday by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Murphy still thinks he belongs in Cooperstown and remains hopeful of enshrinement. Fifteen years is the maximum on the BBWAA ballot, but there's always the Veterans Committee if he's not voted in by writers. Reasons cited by writers for leaving out Murphy were his .265 career batting average"
January 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The wife of Braves trainer Jeff Porter died Saturday afternoon when the sport utility vehicle she was riding in was struck by a Georgia State Patrol cruiser in downtown Atlanta. Porter, his wife, Kathy, and 19-year-old son David were on their way to the Chick-fil-A Bowl when their Ford Expedition was hit by the GSP vehicle at Capitol Avenue and Memorial Drive around 4:40 p.m. The Fulton County Medical Examiner's office confirmed to the AJC that Kathy Porter, 54, of Loganville died in the crash. Her husband and son were injured. A fourth passenger in the vehicle, Courtney Ann Williams, 18, of Grayson, was also injured.Their conditions were not immediately available."
December 23
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The perception of many frustrated Braves fans is this: Their team went down in flames in September and hasn't made any roster additions so far this winter, while the rest of the NL East has improved. The first part is correct – the September collapse was epic, a 10-20 meltdown by the Braves that allowed St. Louis to erase a 10-1/2-game deficit and overtake Atlanta on the last day and win the wild card. And they've made no additions of note since. But how many NL East teams have actually gotten better? Let's examine."
December 22
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Jeff Schultz
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The Braves have made it clear — by their lack of denial, as well as logic and circumstances — that they are open to trading pitcher Jair Jurrjens and outfielder-infielder Martin Prado. But are/were they really willing to trade both . . . for one player? According to the Baltimore Sun, the Braves offered Jurrjens, Prado and a prospect to the Orioles for center fielder Adam Jones, but Baltimore declined the proposal."
December 14
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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It was Tyler Pastornicky's 22nd birthday Tuesday, the day the Braves announced that Brooks Conrad had been non-tendered along with Peter Moylan, making the two of them free agents. The Braves want a shortstop better than Conrad to back up the rookie Pastornicky if he's to be the starter. Few were surprised — or at least few should've been — that Moylan was non-tendered, because we've mentioned it could be coming since shortly after it was announced in September that he needed shoulder surgery. And since last week, it had been abundantly clear. But Conrad? Most of us figured that after he survived his nightmarish three-error debacle of a division-series game in 2010, then remained on the"
December 9
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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When the Winter Meetings ended Thursday, it was uncertain who was more likely to be part of the 2012 Braves pitching staff — trade candidate Jair Jurrjens or Robert Fish? The Braves picked Fish, a hard-throwing left-hander, from the Angels' Triple-A roster during Thursday's Rule 5 draft. He's 23 and had a 2.97 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 18 walks in 33-1/3 minor league innings in 2011, 30-1/3 innings in Double A. As a Rule 5 pick, Fish must be kept on the Braves' 25-man roster all season in 2012 or be offered back to the Angels at half the $50,000 claiming price the Braves paid."
December 9
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Before leaving baseball's winter meetings at the Hilton Anatole Hotel on Thursday afternoon, Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said he expected to sign a shortstop soon. He wasn't kidding. Melvin barely had gotten to the airport when news leaked that he had reached agreement with veteran free-agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez on a one-year deal with a vesting option for 2013. Gonzalez will be 35 in February. Because Gonzalez must pass a physical exam to make the deal official, the Brewers did not confirm it. He is traveling from Venezuela for the physical, so it probably won't be announced before Monday. "We're not there yet, but it's a good possibility," Melvin said."
December 8
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports is reporting that the Brewers have reached agreement with free-agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez on a one-year deal with a vesting option. Brewers GM Doug Melvin said today at the winter meetings that he expected to have a shortstop soon and he apparently wasn't kidding. With Jimmy Rollins headed back to Philadelphia, the three remaining shortstops on the market were Gonzalez, Rafael Furcal and Yuniesky Betancourt, who started for the Brewers last season. Gonzalez, who will be 35 in February, played in 149 games for Atlanta last year and batted .241 with 15 homers and 56 RBI. He walked only 22 times, struck out 126 times and had a .270 OBP."
December 8
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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After an epic September collapse kept the Braves from the postseason, manager Fredi Gonzalez said he rarely left his suburban Atlanta home for a month because he felt as if he had let everyone down. Two months after the slide, which included 20 losses in 30 games, Gonzalez was back in his characteristically upbeat demeanor Wednesday for a question-and-answer session with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at baseball's winter meetings. Gonzalez addressed a variety of topics ranging from trade rumors, the health of the starting rotation, and Jason Heyward's twice-weekly workout schedule starting next week with the team's new hitting coach."
December 8
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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With the Marlins making headline trades and other NL East foes doing deals, Braves general manager Frank Wren was asked if he missed being in the buzzy center of activity at the Winter Meetings. A few years ago, he was a high roller at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, courting big-ticket free agent pitchers such as A.J. Burnett before signing Derek Lowe. Which was more fun, that situation or this year's? "We prefer to have the players we have," Wren said. "We have a good club. I keep going back to this, and I'll stand by this: On Aug. 26 we had the fourth-best record in all of baseball. So our team didn't get bad in 30 days. "Our team went through a bad streak for 30 days, but we have a"
December 7
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist David O'Brien
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Amid reports Tuesday that Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez might ask to be traded rather than move to third base to accommodate newly signed Jose Reyes, Braves general manager Frank Wren was asked if maybe, possibly … The answer was no. No, the Ramirez situation would not have any effect on the Braves' shortstop situation, Wren said. That confirmed what most assumed — the Braves would not pursue the enigmatic shortstop whom then-Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez famously benched in 2010 for not hustling after a ball that rolled into the outfield."
December 6
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist David O'Brien
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This morning's announcement here at the Winter Meetings that Ron Santo was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee got me thinking what an epic Braves-centric event the 2014 HOF induction ceremony could be. Not only will Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine surely be first-ballot inductees that July day at Cooperstown, but going in alongside the pair of 300-game winners could be their former Braves manager Bobby Cox. And here's one that a lot of folks might not have thought about: longtime Braves GM John Schuerholz could also be enshrined that year, which would be quite an aligning of stars for the Braves and their fans, who's certainly flock to Cooperstown in droves for that"
December 6
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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With memories of the Braves' September collapse still lingering, and the Marlins scooping up expensive free agents, and other NL East teams making moves as well, Frank Wren knows some Atlanta fans want to see him wheeling and dealing. But the Braves general manager leaned back in a chair in his suite at the Hilton Anatole on Monday, the first day of baseball's annual Winter Meetings, and said he would only make a deal if and when the Braves think it's to their benefit. "You can get caught in that trap and get intoxicated by the deal," he said. "There's an adrenaline rush to making a deal, but the bottom line is, does it make us better? We're not going to make a deal just to make a splash"
December 3
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Some general managers predict an eventful four days of wheeling and dealing at the Winter Meetings starting Monday in Dallas, and the Braves will be involved in plenty of rumors — whether they like it or not, and whether or not the reports have validity. They are still looking for a shortstop and a power-hitting outfielder, and it's no secret they are more inclined to trade for players than sign expensive free agents. While Braves general manager Frank Wren rarely discusses with reporters any specific players he's pursuing, officials with many teams aren't nearly so tight-lipped. As a result, trade talk is leaked by some teams, fueling even more speculation. Rumoring tends to become"
November 30
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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While most Braves fans are wondering who'll be their Opening Day shortstop and whether Jair Jurrjens and/or the popular Martin Prado will be traded by the end of next week's Winter Meetings, a potentially bigger issue looms in the not-too-distant future. Brian McCann. Specifically, will the Braves make the six-time All-Star catcher a franchise player along the lines of Chipper Jones by signing McCann to a long-term extension in the next year or so? McCann will make $11.5 million in the final season of his contract in 2012 (the base salary of $8.5 million was increased the maximum $3 million by escalators tied to All-Star appearances and Silver Slugger awards)."
November 29
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Braves pitcher Tim Hudson had back surgery for a herniated disc on Monday, and doctors said the 36-year-old right-hander should be fully recovered for spring training. His back bothered him to varying degrees for the past two seasons, but surgery was necessitated only after the pain increased during Hudson's recent offseason workouts. He could be cleared to resume throwing in about six weeks. Hudson was 16-10 with a 3.22 ERA in 33 starts in 2011, leading the Braves in wins, ERA and innings (215) and ranking second in strikeouts (158). He missed a start in late May with back stiffness. "We've known for a couple of years, but it just kind of escalated to the point where he needed to do"
November 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Eight months after Sean Gilmartin pitched his first game of 2011 for Florida State, the Braves' first-round draft pick was still pitching, for the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League. It was late October and there were maybe 150 people in the stands at Surprise Stadium, including 27 major league scouts. A reporter from Atlanta approached a radar-gun-wielding scout for an American League team and asked what he thought of Gilmartin, after the 21-year-old left-hander completed five innings of five-hit ball against the Phoenix Desert Dogs (four or five innings is as many as you'll see pitchers typically work in the AFL)."