Yunel, Keep It Up Baby

What about this talk on the Atlanta Braves shortstop, Yunel Escobar?

If you don't care to keep up with the Braves, I suggest you tune in just to watch Escobar. He is entertainment by himself.

I'm on the church softball team. I might have already mentioned that. We have a really good team this year... I mean really good. Because the umpire called the game after 3 innings last night because of the 15 run rule, I was able to catch the last 2 innings of the Braves game on the radio as I was driving home.

Just as I tuned in, I heard Skip Carey say in his nasal-hermet-the-frog voice, "The Braves have been trying to tone Escobar's style of play down a bit."

Carey is referring to Yunel's enthusiastic and almost in-your-face style of play. Thus far this season, he has had 3 pitches thrown at his head and has been warned by opposing teams to quit his show-boating.

"I'm not so sure it's intentional," said Carey.

"It's probably the way he's played since he was 7 years old. It's a thin line; you don't want folks to come him down because it might affect his aggressive nature, which I think in a lot of ways, allows him to be so good," said Carey.

Yunel Escobar reminds me a lot of Deion Sanders. You know, he (Escobar) is flashy, emotional, quick, and very stylistic. And like Deion, Escobar backs it up with pure excellence on the field.

Personally, I think Yunel's style of play is just what this team needs. Now, I know Cox is all about the professional "button-up business" style of play. He's been like that for years and has successfully racked up 14 straight division titles managing in this way. No argument there. Well, actually, allow me to make an argument....

Let's think for a minute here. I think we can all agree that the Braves have been in a losing funk for 2 years plus. Things have been dull with no excitement in the clubhouse-- just a bunch of old veterans reminiscing about the days where a division title was just a John Smoltz fastball away.

So why not allow this young, energetic Cuban middle infielder come in and shake things up a bit. Obviously he is getting the opposing team's attention. He is flashy, but he still manages to rack up 2 to 3 hits a game with ease. The dude can rake.

I like the guy. I think he gives Braves fans something to talk about. And he's not annoying about it either. Honestly, I look forward to flipping the game on tonight just to see what he'll do next.

"He's an all-star shortstop. He'll have a few batting titles and MVP's under his belt before it's all over with. He was made to play the game of baseball, and especially shortstop. He's a natural," said a smiling Cox after Monday night's win over the Washington Nationals.
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Tonight:

Watch Smoltz and the Atlanta Braves face John Lannan and the Washington Nationals at Turner Field on Sports South at 7pm.

More:

Smoltz is going for his 3,000 strike out tonight. He only needs 4 strikeouts. Tune in and watch the crowd go nuts when he rings up 6-8 people tonight.