2011 "Love Notes": Infielders

At the end of 2008, I wrote an end of the year wrap-up on each player in the organization. 2009 was skipped, and last year I decided to write “love notes” instead of a semi-objective wrap up for each player. A few people have wondered if I’m doing the same this year – why not? So here are short little notes to the boys, from one of their biggest fans. Ya know. :)

Names taken from baseball-reference.com, hope I didn’t miss anyone...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

#5
Dear Fweddie,

If I could give you one hug for every hug you gave another Brave this year, I would. The hugs made this year so, so special. :D

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------

#26
Dear Huggla,

I never gave up on you in the first 3 months of the season, never wore your shirsey ironically, and defended your defense to every “fan” who was being grumpy. I’m looking forward to the next four years.

Love,
Lauren

PS – The giant tobacco ball looks like poo when you play with it with your mouth opening. Please stop that.
PPS – I would love to see you arm wrestle someone next year. Maybe work it into a handshake? :)

-------------------------------------------------

#2
Dear Alex,

Your cleats are the best on the team, your defense was totally amazing, and I love your gameface. Hope you’re back next year.

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------


#10
Dear Chipper,

You seemed to be having more fun than usual this year. Keep it up.

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------


#7
Dear Brooksy,

Thanks for posing for pics in BP like all my pitchers do. That was fun.

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------


#28
Dear Julio,

Was it the locker?

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------


#1
Dear Jack,

It was fun to watch you play defense at the end of the year. Loved the Socks Up!

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------


#24
Dear Diory,

I like your face. Also: BALK OFF! Awesome.

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------


#30
Dear Wilkin,

You had a really fab jumbotron picture.

Love,
Lauren

-------------------------------------------------


#23
Dear BrandonHicks,

I’ve got nothin’.

Love,
Lauren

Game Day Pictures: Gwinnett Braves vs Norfolk Tides 8-28-11

Shoot us with the t-shirt gun, Chopper!

The Atlanta Braves don't play until Tuesday because of Hurricane Irene? Can I deal with a three-day break in baseball? ...Apparently not, because my cousin and I planned to go to the Rome Braves with a friend of hers. Well, a lot of plans changed, my cousin got sick (sad), and somehow Jenna and I ended up at the Gwinnett Braves. Look at those fantastic seats for just $7.50 each! Right above the Braves' dugout! Amazing.

I took pictures, of course. Here we go!

lineups!

Jenna: It took you about three seconds to start looking at the bullpen.
Lauren: [only half-defensive] I was laughing at all the girls!
(I wish I'd gotten a pic of all the skirts lined up on the fence, hee hee.)

Starter Julio Teheran

Wes Helms is back!

JC Boscan looking into the dugout for signs

sunny

Ruben Gotay is back too!

Remember that time he winked at Our Katy Temple after their interview? I loved that a little. Always wondered if he was an unintentional winker (like I can be) or if it was completely on purpose. OKT was so cute - it might have been intentional!

Another remember when... Mauro Gomez hit a walk-off homer in his first at-bat at Turner Field. Granted, it was in one of the pre-season games this spring, but still! He did not like that I was taking pictures. Hon, calm down. I'm taking them of everyone.

Teheran pitched a really great game - picked up his 15th win of the season!

Tried to get a lot of JC pics for Alison -- she hearts him a little. Not a single one came out as beautifully as her pics always do. Sad.

Oh, someone must be warming up in the bullpen. :)

Ruben's just gonna wait here for his stuff. Running bases is hard.

Ruben: Traeme mi guante, si?
Mauro: Ocupado. Enojado. La Rizada Chica es la toma de fotos. OTRA VEZ.

Heyyyy Alison.

Oh look, Moylo's here? That's totally him! Yay, maybe he'll pitch!

But first, Diory has to try to be awesome. He singled but was called out at second trying to stretch it into a double.

Top of the 7th! Moylo time!
...Wait, what is that in the background.
Oh, of course we need video of this.

Minor-league games are fun, but boy that's distracting. :)

Jenna: Is he wearing glasses again?

He was. You can't see them in these pics. Odd shadows.

Yep, I cheered. :) Wish this was in focus!

He may have allowed a few baserunners...

And wasn't happy about it...

But he got a little PFP in!

And in the end, everything was fine.

He allowed zero runs.

Bases full of GBraves!

oh my

Of course, they had to run that thing while a reliever I like was warming up. Jaye was so smiley in our bullpen during the Spring Training game at the Ted -- we called him Socks Up Kid until we learned his name. It was freezing and he was still Socks Up! That's awesome. Anyway. Jenna laughed at me for remembering him and being excited about him coming into the game, then later while reading the GBraves Gameday program was impressed with the little blurb on him. "We could have used him!" Well, yeah. I think we got you a new fan, Jaye. :)

Jaye Chapman warming up

very high leg kick

Totally waited for these guys to do something - they didn't.

Ascencio (aka Valdez) in for the save. 

HUGS

good game, good game

4-2 GBraves!

Hey, Cory Gearrin!! I was so busy taking good game pics and looking at the final scoreboard that I forgot to look at the bullpen walking in to see if I knew any of the other boys -- and I won't lie, I forgot Cory Gearrin was out there. I'm a horrible fan. (I still heart you, Cory!)

Full album here, gameday recap here! Minor league games are so fun, even if you don't know the names. :) Go to one soon! Support our guys trying to make it to the show!

ETA: Last time I went to the GBraves, Jonny was the day's starter -- yes, he was socks up! -- and we went specifically because my friend B wanted to see JHey. That gameday post is here, if you're interested.

Balk off!

US Presswire via FoxSportsSouth

Getty Images

Meds & Huddy!
Getty Images

Getty Images

And lest we forget, the reason we even got to this point in the game... the hero of Braves late innings, the guy who saved our Jonny from a loss...

Getty Images

Stay awesome, Brooks Conrad. We love ya!

Mets weekend update

Citi Field, Friday night
Getty Images

So much to look at from the weekend series with the Mets... today's the first day I'm feeling close to 100% again (seriously, who gets bronchitis at the end of May, carrying into June??), so I'm sorry I didn't get these things up earlier. They're worth checking out! Let's look!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

SNY interviewed Jonny for their pre-game...

Video Link

1. This is an awesome interview - great reporter.
2. Why does JV look so much more comfortable here than he does with our media?
3. Is that Phil Falco on his shirt? That's hilarious. :D

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Fox Sports South interviewed Ske after Friday's game -- I love it when they put their pre- and post-game interviews online so everyone outside the South can see them.

Video Link

He's got a fantastic smile. :)

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chipper's look of disbelief was classic. I genuinely loved it.
AP photo

The grin!!
Getty Images

Mac! haha
Getty Images

SOCKS UP!! Love it, Chuggla!
Alison and I have been calling running Huggla "Chuggla". Good nickname, yes?
AP Photo

I do hope he keeps this style... it's a good look.
Getty Images

His 3-run homer Sunday was a tad too late, but I adore Diory's effort!
Getty Images

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

ESPN - Jonny Venters' Incredible Season

ESPN New York - NL Rookie of the Year Watch (Kimbrel)

MLB - Schafer feeling fortunate day after injury scare

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Finally, BMac has passed Buster in the All-Star voting for starting catcher, but voting hasn't closed yet and none of our other boys are even CLOSE. Let's make sure Mac stays on top and we get more Braves to Arizona!

VOTE BRAVES NOW!

Mac says thanks! ;)
Getty Images