Sports Page Atlanta

The Atlanta Braves got attacked by the injury bug once again last night. 

Chipper Jones reaggravated his right quad running the bases in the 4th inning.  By the 7th inning, he had to leave the game.  He should miss about 2 games.

Yunel Escobar got hurt as well.  The shortstop hurt his right hip flexor when he slid at home in the 8th inning.  He is day-to-day.

Looking over the past few years, the Braves have made some wise decisions and some let’s say not-so-wise decisions about who they should keep and who they should let go via trade and not go after in free agency…

Two of the more recent ones look pretty good for the Braves. Here are some stat comparisons of two positions they have upgraded big time…

• CF - Mark Kotsay: .307 avg, 3 hr, 15 rbi and struck out just 12 times

- Andruw Jones with Dodgers: .170 avg, 1 hr, 4 rbi and struck out 36 times

• SS - Yunel Escobar: .333 avg, 3 hr, 14 rbi, 24 runs and 17 walks to 18 strikeouts

- Edgar Renteria with Tigers: .280 avg, 3 hr, 18 rbi, 17 runs and 6 walks to 19 strikeouts

(also when the Braves traded Renteria they picked up Jair Jurrjens… not bad)

photo credit: gaytlsports

Yunel Escobar went 2-for-4 with a home run yesterday as the Atlanta Braves lost to the Florida Marlins 6-5.

I know it is very early, but I want you to see what Escobar is doing compared to some of the other elite shortstops in the National League. Yunel looks like to be holding his own…

                      avg hr rbi runs

Escobar (atl) .345 3 11 12

Ramirez (fla) .382 3 11 11

Rollins (phi) .316 2 6 8

Reyes (nym) .292 1 7 7

Tulowitzki (col) .154 0 2 5

Tejada (hou) .296 2 10 9

Furcal (lad) .407 2 7 15

Atlanta Braves hitting coach, Terry Pendleton had powerful things to say about Yunel Escobar.

“He’s strong as an ox,” hitting coach Terry Pendleton said while watching Escobar drive ball after ball over the fences during pregame batting practice.

Escobar, has been working hard the spring to make Braves fans forget about Edgar Renteria. He’s been doing a fine job of it too. In 36 at-bats, Escobar is hitting .472 with three doubles, 2 home runs, 12 RBI and .722 slugging percentage. He’s leading the team this spring in hits (17), total bases (26), runs scored (10) and home runs and RBI.