Jason Heyward to start the season in Atlanta

Bobby Cox and the Atlanta Braves today made it official that Jason Heyward would be the opening day right fielder for the Braves. Many had assumed this would be the case since spring training started and Heyward has done nothing to make anyone think differently. His exploits in batting practice, patience at the plate in games and overall maturity have been well documented This blog even made the case for him to hit second in the Braves' lineup. Some however wondered if Heyward's Major League debut would be delayed so that the team could gain extra time before Heyward would be eligible for arbitration. Major League Baseball is certainly as much of as a business as it is a game in this day and age and teams often have to make decisions based on their financial ramifications rather than what may be best for the competitiveness of the team.

Today it was refreshing to see the Braves make a decision based on an individual's performance and potential rather than the financial impact to the team. Atlanta officials believe that the Braves have a chance to compete for the National League East title this year and with that in mind they want to have the twenty-five best players available with them when the season gets underway. Heyward has arrived at the Major League level because the competitiveness of the team meant more to the Braves than the cost of being competitive.

A New Look To The Site

With opening day just around the corner, it seemed like an opportune time to change the look and layout of this space just a bit. It certainly did not hurt that more options were suddenly available from from the host. I invite you to take a look around and see what you think of the change.

I also want to comment about the last entry on this site. While it certainly strayed in nature from the rest of the content published here previously, it seemed appropriate and needed given the fact that many were calling the passing of the health care reforms such an historic occasion. The content here will generally be more sports related but from time to time there will be entries based on the view from the political sidelines as well. For those of you that do read what is published here, I thank you for your time and hope that I can continue to offer content that you find worthwhile.

Health Care Reform

Yesterday is being hailed as an historic day in our country as the House of Representatives passed reform measures for the health care industry. Many on both sides of the issue are claiming that they know how these measures will work and what effects they will have on our country but can anyone at this point in time really know what will come of this legislation? Who was there when Social Security was first passed to foresee how that plan would work? Many at that time envisioned Social Security as being a savings account of sorts that individuals would make deposits into and then be able to draw on those savings during retirement. That program has had to be rescued from certain insolvency already and today's deposits into the system are simply in turn paid out to the beneficiaries who are receiving payments. While Social Security certainly has its proponents it has not functioned over the last eighty or so years as many had intended and hoped that it would at the time it was passed into law. One wonders how these health care reforms will be amended and adjusted over time and if any will actually operate as intended by their authors and proponents. Only history will be able to tell us that.

Kentucky proves to be too much for ETSU in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

The ETSU Men’s Basketball season came to an end last night in New Orleans as the Wildcats of Kentucky proved to be more than the Bucs could handle. UK’s Eric Bledsoe helped to lead the dismantling of the Bucs by scoring 29 points in the win and setting a new school NCAA Tournament record with his eight made three pointers. Bledsoe started the game eight for eight from three point range before missing his final three point attempt of the night. Bledsoe finished the game nine of eleven from the field as a whole. Patrick Patterson added twenty-two points and freshman sensation John Wall contributed seventeen points and eleven assists in the 100-71 victory.

The Bucs however were not without bright spots. Micah Williams lead the way for ETSU contributing nineteen points on seven of twelve shooting from the field and showing a range of ways to score. Justin Tubbs was able to add fifteen points for ETSU while only managing to shoot four of fourteen from the field and two of eight from three point range. Adam Sollazzo and Isiah Brown added fourteen and eleven points respectively in the losing effort. All of Sollazzo’s points came in the second half. The Bucs as a team were however only able to manage a field goal percentage of 35.9% for the game while also shooting a paltry 56.8% from the free throw line during the game including going two of eleven from the line in the first half.

Kentucky’s unexpected proficiency from three point range was the biggest surprise for ETSU. Coming into the game the Bucs had hoped the Wildcat guards would continue their less than spectacular long range shooting while they focused their attention on the likes of Patrick Patterson and Demarcus Cousins inside. ETSU to their credit was able to limit Cousins to only five points on the night but Patterson was able to connect on nine of ten shooting from the field including a number of dunks on the way to his twenty-two points. Kentucky’s ability to make the three point shot was certainly a factor in the game but the largest difference in the game was the disparity in size and athleticism between the two teams. ETSU was just simply outmanned by the larger, stronger and more athletic Wildcat team.

Despite their showing in Thursday night’s game, ETSU fans have good reason to begin looking forward to next season as the Bucs will be returning all but starting point guard Jocolby Davis and hope to again have the services of Mike Smith a thousand point scorer, who missed the majority of this season with an injury. The Bucs figure to yet again be in the hunt for another Atlantic Sun Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2010-2011 season.

The case for Jason Heyward hitting second in the Braves lineup

Unless the Atlanta Braves choose to delay Jason Heyward's Major League debut until June in order to delay his eligibility for arbitration, one has to believe barring injury or some other unforeseen event that he will break Spring training camp on the opening day roster for the Atlanta Braves. That leaves the Braves with the question of how to best utilize and develop Heyward in their lineup. This Spring, Bobby Cox has moved him around in the batting order in an effort to see where he feels Heyward will be best suited while also trying to get him plenty of plate appearances against Major League quality pitching. Heyward for his part has made the most of those plate appearances in the ten games he has played this Spring by hitting .455 with ten hits in twenty-two official at-bats. He has also posted a .625 on-base percentage by showing his patience at the plate and taking a team leading nine walks. Heyward's discipline is also evidenced by his having recorded only three strikeouts.
These stats coupled with his ability to hit line drives leads one to believe that Heyward would be best utilized as well as protected in the second spot in the batting order. Some may argue that the second spot in the lineup would create a great deal of pressure on Heyward to produce immediately but he has shown that he is capable of handling pressure and attention during his time in Braves' camp over the last few weeks. By hitting in the second spot Heyward would be protected in the lineup likely by Chipper Jones in the third hole and Troy Glaus in the cleanup position. Assuming both of those threats enter the season healthy, teams would be less likely to try and pitch around Heyward. His on base percentage, patience at the plate and ability to drive the ball seem to be a perfect fit for the second spot in the Braves' lineup and a great place for him to start his Major League career. If the Braves start Heyward lower in the lineup as Cox has done some to this point, they run the risk of having opposing teams pitch around him in order to face less threatening hitters. Heyward's patience at the plate could be tested in this scenario and he might begin to try and force things to happen by swinging at bad pitches which could lead to bad habits at the plate. For the reasons discussed here it only makes sense for Jason Heyward to start the season in Atlanta hitting in the second position in the batting order. Of course Bobby Cox and others may see it differently but Jason Heyward brings a bunch of potential with him and if he comes anywhere close to reaching that potential, he can only be good for the Braves this year and the years to come.

Hard not to think of wrestling when you hear Tony Schiavone

Today's radio broadcast of the Atlanta Braves spring training game against the Florida Marlins featured Tony Schiavone doing the play by play. Schiavone of course is synonymous with professional wrestling during the eighties and nineties but has since moved on to currently hold a number of jobs in sports radio including that of the play by play announcer for the Gwinnett Braves. It was interesting to hear Schiavone's voice calling something besides professional wrestling but his play by play talent was readily apparent during the broadcast. His rapport with Leo Mazzone, former Atlanta Braves pitching coach and color commentator for today's game, was entertaining and their familiarity with the Atlanta team and the game as a whole made the broadcast informative as well. Schiavone, according to other reports, has a passion for the game and that passion combined with his talent is what makes Schiavone an excellent announcer that could easily find himself calling games at the Major League level in the future.

ETSU Men's Basketball team to face Kentucky in first round of NCAA Tournament

The ETSU men's basketball team is set to face the University of Kentucky Wildcats in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Thursday night at 7:15 PM in New Orleans. On the surface the Bucs look to be out manned going into this game versus the very talented and deep Wildcat team. Kentucky's height advantage alone will present significant match up problems for the Bucs. If the height advantage alone is not enough, the size of Kentucky's big men presents yet another problem as Isiah Brown will be giving up 60 pounds to Demarcus Cousins or 25 pounds to Patrick Patterson depending on which one of the two Brown is battling. Kentucky's relative inexperience on this stage may be one of the few advantages that ETSU takes into this game having played Pittsburgh close for most of the contest in last year's opening round NCAA tournament game. While ETSU's chances of victory appear to be slim, there is a reason of course why they play the games and anything could happen in New Orleans on Thursday night when the Bucs and Wildcats take the floor.

ETSU Men's Basketball team returning to NCAA tournament

The ETSU Men's Basketball team is returning for their second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament after winning the Atlantic Sun tournament last weekend. This will mark ETSU's ninth trip overall to the NCAA tournament and its eighth trip in the last twenty-one years as well as its fourth tournament appearance in the last eight years. This year's tournament appearance is however the most unlikely of any in recent memory. Trouble for the Bucs started long before the season when rising sophomore Seth Coy was tragically killed in an automobile accident in Kentucky while on his way home to Indiana in July. Coy was expected to see additional playing time this season in the post with the departure of Greg Hamlin to graduation and the need for his height and physical presence inside. ETSU would likely have benefited from his contributions on the court this year but his presence was missed most off the floor and in the locker room where his positive attitude and outlook on life kept his teammates loose and laughing. He seems to have been a friend to all and was there for his teammates anytime they had a need. That sort of presence is hard to replace and ETSU missed Seth Coy the person as much or more than they missed Seth Coy the basketball player.

With Seth never far from their thoughts, ETSU began their season only to have returning starter and team leader, Mike Smith, go down with a leg injury which would eventually result in him being sidelined for the remainder of the season. Without Smith or Coy the Bucs pressed on through their season with moderate success. There were moments during the season when the team seemed to put it together and play well while at other times they seemed lost and with little hope of repeating their NCAA tournament appearance. Tommy Hubbard was one of the few bright spots for the Bucs throughout the season as he elevated his offensive game and became one of the few consistent scorers that the team could look to while continuing his fine defensive play and work on the boards earning him second team all conference honors. Others like Justin Tubbs and Micah Williams showed signs of their potential offensively at times during the season but never became consistent threats for the Bucs. ETSU finished their regular season with a record of 17-14 and posted a conference record of 13-7, good enough to be one game back of a four way tie for the conference championship.

That left the Bucs seeded fifth in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament playing a Campbell University team in the first round that had beaten them by twenty-two points less than two weeks before. The Bucs did however enter the tournament having won three straight and knowing that they were only three more victories away from another trip to the NCAA tournament. The experience of those who played on the previous year's championship team proved valuable as the Bucs marched through the tournament. Micah Williams started the tournament with a career game scoring thirty-two points and Hubbard added eighteen of his own in an eight point victory over Campbell. In the semifinals ETSU faced Kennesaw State, who had pulled off an upset of their own by beating number one seeded Lipscomb. Micah Williams poured in another twenty points and Hubbard again added eighteen as the Bucs escaped with a five point victory over the Owls. J. C. Ward's play down the stretch in that game was also big as he hit a critical shot in the last minute of the game that helped to secure the win. That win in the semifinals set the stage for a match up with Mercer on their home floor for the tournament championship. The Bucs had lost to Mercer twice during the regular season including a game in Macon in which they trailed by as many as twenty before cutting the final deficit to five. In the final ETSU had five players score in double figures including another thirteen points from Williams and were led by Justin Tubbs with eighteen as the Bucs were able to defeat Mercer by six winning their second consecutive tournament championship. For his efforts Micah Williams was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament while Hubbard and Tubbs joined him on the All-Tournament team.

The post game ceremonies were emotional for many as Seth Coy was honored by the team as they cut down the nets. Coy's roommate and friend, Adam Sollazo, who changed his number to Coy's 43 this season, discussed how he talks to Seth before every game and how he felt his presence with him during the tournament final assisting him with free throws. Despite all that this team has suffered through during the last year, ETSU now has the opportunity to once again make their presence felt in the NCAA tournament. Seth Coy's presence will be right there with them every step of the way.

A short message to the UVa Basketball team

I want to take this opportunity to say that I believe in this team. Your performances this season have shown that you are capable of playing with anyone in the ACC or the country for that matter. There is still a great deal of basketball left to be played this season and there is no reason why this group of young men cannot put together a run of victories and capture the ACC championship next week. I want to let the team know that many fans are still behind you and wish you nothing but the best during the remainder of this season and those to come. Keep your heads up and keep working hard. Go Hoos!