November 7
Washington Post
columnist Tracee Hamilton
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Getting hammered in his second Arizona Fall League start may have been the best thing that ever happened to Stephen Strasburg. The No. 1 pick of the 2009 draft and the linchpin of the Plan got beat like a drum on Oct. 22, giving up eight runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. His ERA before the game: 0.00. His ERA after the game: 23.62. "He took it personal," said Paul Menhart, the pitching coach at Class A Potomac and the Nationals' representative on the Phoenix Desert Dogs. "I don't think he liked that very much. You hate to ever see anybody give up that many runs, but I believe it got his focus where he needed it to be. He's had an unbelievable bulldog attitude ever since." Indeed, ..."
October 14
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves are losing scouting director Roy Clark, who accepted a job with the Washington Nationals after 20 years in the Braves organization. After interviewing Monday in Washington, Clark told the Braves Tuesday that he had accepted a post as Nationals assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel. Clark, 51, will have wide-ranging duties including oversight of player development and all scouting -- amateur, professional, and international. The Braves have three different directors in charge of player development, international scouting and amateur scouting, and two other team officials run professional scouting. "It's one of those situations that come along in your ..."
October 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Longtime Braves scouting director Roy Clark might leave the organization for a higher-ranking job with the Washington Nationals. Clark interviewed Monday in Washington for a position as assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel, with sweeping responsibilities that would include overseeing player development and scouting, including international scouting. "I'm going through a very tough time," Clark, 51, said before sitting down with his family Monday night to discuss the decision. "It's very difficult to let go of 20 years, but they're putting together a pretty good package up there. It's very exciting." A scouting director for the past 11 years, Clark was first ..."
October 3
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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It has been a season of some hard knocks for Derek Lowe, and that didn't stop in his finale Friday night. The Washington Nationals put the finishing touches on Lowe's season by racking up eight hits and six runs on Lowe in a 6-3 loss. "This pretty much sums it up right here," Lowe said. "This is how it's been for three months. I really don't know where I went wrong. I got into so many bad habits mechanically. I put a lot of time and effort to try to correct it. It just seemed like it was never there." Lowe wraps up the season at 15-10 but with a 4.67 ERA. His ERA is almost two runs higher than Javier Vazquez (2.87), who has 15 wins as well, and Jair Jurrjens (2.61), who has a shot at 15 ..."
September 28
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Braves' improbable, invigorating, intoxicating run back into postseason contention reached a new crescendo Sunday, when they manufactured the winning run in the 10th inning without hitting a ball past the pitcher's mound. Brian McCann's bases-loaded dribbler drove in the go-ahead run in a 6-3 win against Washington, completing a perfect six-game road trip, stretching the Braves' tear to 14 wins in 16 games and keeping the pressure on wild-card leader Colorado. "I was telling the guys, when you've been around 15 years, you learn where the soft spots in the defense are," joked Chipper Jones, whose slow-rolling infield single loaded the bases for McCann, after Nate McLouth drew a leadoff ..."
September 27
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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No one is sure whether the resurgent Braves have enough time to complete an improbable dash for a postseason berth, but there's no question that Tommy Hanson has been a big contributor to their stirring run. "He's one of the biggest reasons," catcher Brian McCann said after Hanson pitched seven strong innings in an 11-5 Braves win against Washington on a soggy Saturday at Nationals Park. "What he brings to the team is a guy who's got No. 1 stuff and gives you a chance to win every time out." McCann homered in a five-run ninth that erased any remaining doubt about the outcome of the Braves' 13th win in 15 games. They are just 2-1/2 games behind National League wild-card leader Colorado ..."