Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop, Sarasota County, MLB HOF Inductees
Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop, Sarasota County, MLB HOF Inductees

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:10 p.m. ET

My Palm Beach Post

Braves supporters cry foul, claim PBC tomahawk-chopped local project

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: The Atlanta Braves plan to open up a 70-acre complex in the town of North Port, Florida and the rumor is for the year of 2019.  After 34 years at the now defunct West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium, the Braves left when the Wide World of Sports Complex opened in 1997 in Orlando.  Though the deal is in “exclusive negotiations”, it’s not final yet, but the pressure is on the Braves as the plan is to move on from the Wide World of Sports after the 2018 season.  I’m guessing the Braves and Sarasota County will agree to a deal very shortly.

They had been hoping to celebrate the way all Atlanta Braves fans do, with a victorious tomahawk chop.

Instead, supporters of a plan to bring the Braves back to Palm Beach County are pointing fingers after the popular Major League Baseball team decided earlier this week to focus on Sarasota County as its next spring training home.

“Dismayed to hear that Palm Beach lost the Atlanta Braves to Sarasota,’’ former Palm Beach County Commissioner Shelley Vana wrote Tuesday on Facebook. “The word is that the Palm Beach Post article quoting commissioners was the last straw.”

Outside Pitch MLB

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Atlanta Braves to convert outfield prospect Alex Jackson back to catcher

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: The Atlanta Braves acquired Alex Jackson this offseason from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for pitchers Rob Whalen and Max Povse.  Even though the Braves have many pitching prospects, the loss of Povse still stings a little.  Hopefully Jackson will work out, but it will be interesting to see how the 2017 season starts for Jackson…not just statistically, but what position he will play.  If he’s willing to transition back to the catcher position, I think everyone will be extremely excited about this.  Catcher is a position the Braves are very slim about in their minors.  We’ve got Lucas Herbert and Brett Cumberland growing in our minor leagues, but neither are guarantees.  Though the 21-year-old is still plenty of years away if he makes it, we’ll still be keeping our eyes on him.

In a recent interview with David Laurila, Braves GM John Coppolella mentioned that the organization sat down with Jackson (and his agent Scott Boras) to discuss the move. All sides agreed it an idea worth pursuing.

Speculation about Jackson converting back to catcher has run rampant ever since the trade was first announced. However, this interview is the first time (that I’ve seen) where someone from the organization firmly announced that the switch was happening.

Prior to being taken sixth overall in the 2014 draft, Jackson was in the conversation for the top pick. He was regarded as the consensus top prep bat and, according to Coppolella, Atlanta (who held the number 32 pick) did not even discuss him because it was inconceivable that he would drop down to them.

LA TIMES

Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez are elected to the Hall of Fame

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Well…at least the Atlanta Braves organization will have one inductee this season, but only one.  John Schuerholz will join former MLB commissioner Bud Selig, Tim Raines, Ivan Rodriguez and Jeff Bagwell.  To be inducted into the MLB HOF, you must receive 75% of the vote and Fred McGriff only received 21.7%.  The 19-year veteran had a career slash line of .284/.377/.509 over his 2,460 games.  Many believe he’s not a hall of famer because of the amount of home runs he hit (or I guess I should say how many he came short of).  McGriff hit 493 home runs in the regular season…seven shy of the 500 mark which surely would have put him into the hall.  BUT he did hit 10 homers in the post-season so that should count, right???  I don’t understand why it doesn’t….if you know, please tell me.

Raines —  in his 10th and final year on the ballot — joined Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell and Ivan Rodriguez in being elected to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Rodriguez, a 14-time All-Star best known as a star for the Texas Rangers, joined Johnny Bench as the only catchers elected on the first ballot.

The Baseball Writers Assn. of America did not elect anyone in 2013, but the writers have elected 12 players in the four years since then, the most in any four-year period since the 13 players selected in the first four years of balloting, from 1936-39.

Bagwell got 86.2% of the vote, Raines 86.0% and Rodriguez 76%, with 75% required for election. San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman got 74% — five votes shy of election — and Angels and Expos outfielder Vladimir Guerrero got 72%.

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