Atlanta Braves’ Tommy Hanson makes Spring Training debut in rain-interrupted game - MLB Update
Handicapped by the jinx of defeats, Atlanta Braves were looking forward to their starting pitcher, Tommy Hanson to give side a much needed boost. However this was not to be as rain came in and not only affected the game, but also hampered Hanson’s quest
to find his best on the mound.
Mild car accident had inhibited him earlier for playing initial Spring Training games. The game he played against Toronto Blue Jays was far from his best as he gave up three runs.
As he believes, wet weather caused him not to grip the ball properly and that was something he said resulted into wayward pitches and two hits and one walk he eventually ended up giving.
"The baseballs were soaking wet,” Hanson said. “I just started laughing about it. I was just out there."
Boasting an impressive career record of 431 strike-outs, 3.28 earned run average and 32-22 win-loss standing, Hanson is a top prospect for Braves and in light of the fact club hardly has many quality starters, his importance to the side multiplies.
He is the only player who got 14 strike-outs against Houston Astros, most by any player at Minute Maid Park along with Bud Norris who also drew 14 strike-outs on the same park.
Watching Hanson experimenting with his pitches and unconcerned about outcomes gives one an impression that he is taking Spring Training as an opportunity to streamline his varieties. As he later admitted that he was attempting to get the ball reach plate
a bit quicker, only time will tell how successful he is with his new pitches.
“My command is fine and I feel pretty good,” Hanson said. “I would have liked to have thrown more, but I still felt good for my first time out.”
Braves’ manager Fredi Gonzalez was least worried about Hanson going for plenty in his first game as he knew it was more the conditions that let him down than anything wrong with his preparations.
“It was just a tough day to pitch,” Gonzalez said. “We got him some work and, after a day like this, I am not looking at the box scores.”
After plummeting on Grapefruit League table, Braves are in search of a consolation victory and the fact Hanson has rightly come back, it will be no surprise that Braves soon start putting up an improved performance.
Tags: