Friday, June 17, 2005
Andruw providing some power
ARLINGTON -- Andruw Jones has found his home run swing.
With the Braves a season-high 4 1/2 games out of first place entering Tuesday's game with the Rangers, Jones is doing his best to bring the Majors' worst offense to life, and he's doing it with the long ball.
"Earlier in the season, I was getting pitches to hit and fouling them straight back or popping them up," Jones said. "Right now, I'm just making good contact and they're going out of the park."
Jones sits in a tie for second in the National League with 16 home runs, one behind Derrek Lee's 17. He has 39 RBIs and is hitting .253, just over the Braves' .245 team average.
"Andruw's always been sort of hot and cold," manager Bobby Cox said. "We're trying to get him more hot than cold these days."
Atlanta's center fielder is riding a four-game hitting streak heading into Tuesday, going 6-for-15 in that stretch. Each of his last four hits has been a home run, including his second multi-homer game of the season Saturday against Oakland.
During that game, Jones surpassed the 800-RBIs mark for his career, and is five runs shy of reaching the 800 plateau in that category.
"Right now, I'm not swinging the bat great. I'm getting home runs but I'm not swinging the bat the way I want," Jones said. "I want to be more consistent. Maybe I'll be 1-out of-4 and I'll get a home run, but I want to be 2-out of- 4 with two good hits."
Jones hit .239 during the first month of the season, including his career-worst hitless streak at 0-for-28, but rebounded in May to hit .283. During his season-high eight-game hit streak in early May, Jones hit .438, going 14-for-32.
Jones is hitting .214 in June, but could be on rise again.
"It's Andruw Jones. He's going to have these times where he can carry an offense," outfielder Kelly Johnson said. "Now if we can just get the rest of the lineup to get on base and do all the little things, manufacture some runs and add the way he's swinging it, we'll be good. He's been awesome these last few days, but he's been doing it for seven or eight years, so it's really nothing new."
Quotable: "He had a hard night. It was a hard night for a catcher." -- Cox, on Johnny Estrada's first game back from injury
Back in Texas: With Atlanta's three-game set against the Rangers, Ryan Langerhans and Johnson returned to the state they call home in the offseason.
"This is the first time since I've been in high school that I've played in Texas," Johnson said. "I've been waiting for this for a while."
Langerhans and Johnson reside in Austin, Texas, in the winter. The players work out together and often take batting practice on the University of Texas' Disch-Falk Field. Both players are also avid Texas Longhorns fans and watch the football games with family when they are home.
Johnson enjoyed his opening at-bat at Ameriquest Field in Arlington on Monday. With about 50 family members and friends looking on, he ripped a single into left field, one of only two hits against Rangers starter Chris Young.
He struck again Tuesday. Johnson laced a 1-2 pitch into the right field corner for a double to lead off the game, and then came around to score the Braves' first run.
Four innings later, Johnson hit his first career home run over the right-center field wall.
"Everybody that the Braves draft comes from Georgia, so all of my friends are always near home," Johnson said. "They always have friends and family come in. I'm lucky to have any family come in. I don't know if I've had too many friends see me play until last night."
Johnson received his second consecutive start in Tuesday's game and occupied the leadoff position. Langerhans played across the outfield from Johnson in right field and hit in the eighth hole.
Heading into Tuesday, Langerhans is hitting .248 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 46 games, while Johnson is hitting .059 in his first 12 games with one RBI.
Coming up: Kyle Davies (2-1, 1.86 ERA) will look to rebound after the worst start of his young career. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings against Oakland on Friday after giving up two earned runs in the previous four starts he had made to begin his big-league career.
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
With the Braves a season-high 4 1/2 games out of first place entering Tuesday's game with the Rangers, Jones is doing his best to bring the Majors' worst offense to life, and he's doing it with the long ball.
"Earlier in the season, I was getting pitches to hit and fouling them straight back or popping them up," Jones said. "Right now, I'm just making good contact and they're going out of the park."
Jones sits in a tie for second in the National League with 16 home runs, one behind Derrek Lee's 17. He has 39 RBIs and is hitting .253, just over the Braves' .245 team average.
"Andruw's always been sort of hot and cold," manager Bobby Cox said. "We're trying to get him more hot than cold these days."
Atlanta's center fielder is riding a four-game hitting streak heading into Tuesday, going 6-for-15 in that stretch. Each of his last four hits has been a home run, including his second multi-homer game of the season Saturday against Oakland.
During that game, Jones surpassed the 800-RBIs mark for his career, and is five runs shy of reaching the 800 plateau in that category.
"Right now, I'm not swinging the bat great. I'm getting home runs but I'm not swinging the bat the way I want," Jones said. "I want to be more consistent. Maybe I'll be 1-out of-4 and I'll get a home run, but I want to be 2-out of- 4 with two good hits."
Jones hit .239 during the first month of the season, including his career-worst hitless streak at 0-for-28, but rebounded in May to hit .283. During his season-high eight-game hit streak in early May, Jones hit .438, going 14-for-32.
Jones is hitting .214 in June, but could be on rise again.
"It's Andruw Jones. He's going to have these times where he can carry an offense," outfielder Kelly Johnson said. "Now if we can just get the rest of the lineup to get on base and do all the little things, manufacture some runs and add the way he's swinging it, we'll be good. He's been awesome these last few days, but he's been doing it for seven or eight years, so it's really nothing new."
Quotable: "He had a hard night. It was a hard night for a catcher." -- Cox, on Johnny Estrada's first game back from injury
Back in Texas: With Atlanta's three-game set against the Rangers, Ryan Langerhans and Johnson returned to the state they call home in the offseason.
"This is the first time since I've been in high school that I've played in Texas," Johnson said. "I've been waiting for this for a while."
Langerhans and Johnson reside in Austin, Texas, in the winter. The players work out together and often take batting practice on the University of Texas' Disch-Falk Field. Both players are also avid Texas Longhorns fans and watch the football games with family when they are home.
Johnson enjoyed his opening at-bat at Ameriquest Field in Arlington on Monday. With about 50 family members and friends looking on, he ripped a single into left field, one of only two hits against Rangers starter Chris Young.
He struck again Tuesday. Johnson laced a 1-2 pitch into the right field corner for a double to lead off the game, and then came around to score the Braves' first run.
Four innings later, Johnson hit his first career home run over the right-center field wall.
"Everybody that the Braves draft comes from Georgia, so all of my friends are always near home," Johnson said. "They always have friends and family come in. I'm lucky to have any family come in. I don't know if I've had too many friends see me play until last night."
Johnson received his second consecutive start in Tuesday's game and occupied the leadoff position. Langerhans played across the outfield from Johnson in right field and hit in the eighth hole.
Heading into Tuesday, Langerhans is hitting .248 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 46 games, while Johnson is hitting .059 in his first 12 games with one RBI.
Coming up: Kyle Davies (2-1, 1.86 ERA) will look to rebound after the worst start of his young career. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings against Oakland on Friday after giving up two earned runs in the previous four starts he had made to begin his big-league career.
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
