When asked how his team has encountered so many pitching injuries and still produced a National League-best 3.69 ERA, Braves manager Bobby Cox without hesitation has responded with, "Roger has done an excellent job."
With Leo Mazzone and TBS's affiliation with the Braves now a thing of the past, Cox can't refer to his current pitching simply as "Roger" and assume a wide-ranging audience would certainly know who he was referencing.
But those who have worked with Roger McDowell during his three years as the Braves' pitching coach know he's not just another "Roger" and that he's proven not to be just another pitching coach, either.
Circumstances might not be strong enough to describe what the Braves have dealt with on the pitching front this season. McDowell was supposed to have a rotation that included four former 20-game winners.
But with John Smoltz's season complete and the futures of both Tom Glavine and Mike Hampton in doubt, McDowell currently finds himself with a rotation that includes Hudson plus four other guys who had combined for 18 starts entering 2008.
Unfortunately for McDowell, the injury-related concerns have extended into his bullpen. Projected closer Rafael Soriano has been healthy long enough to make nine appearances and collect four save opportunities. Soriano's projected top setup man, Peter Moylan, made seven appearances and then underwent season-ending surgery on his right elbow.
Regardless, McDowell has found a way to stay positive and follow the direction he gained during his formative Major League playing years, when Mel Stottlemyre served as his pitching coach. "I just look at it like we have a schedule to play and they're not going to change it for us," McDowell said. "We all still have jobs to do, and that's what drives us to come to the park every day."
When the Braves began their search for Mazzone's successor after the 2005 season, they didn't know a lot about McDowell, who had spent the previous couple of seasons in Las Vegas as the Dodgers' Triple-A manager. But it didn't take long for Cox to immediately take a liking to the former hurler, who was the winning pitcher for the Mets in Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.
McDowell takes full advantage of the technological benefits that allow him to study the best way to pitch specific batters. But it's his ability to adjust and relate to all of the different personalities and approaches on his pitching staff that might be his greatest asset.
Obviously McDowell approaches Jair Jurrjens, Charlie Morton and Jo-Jo Reyes -- the rotation's three youngest members -- differently than Tim Hudson or Jorge Campillo, who has emerged as the season's biggest surprise. But at the same time, McDowell has shown each of them a level of respect that hasn't been ignored.
Maintaining his humble approach, McDowell doesn't want to even hear about how he deserves the credit for the surprising success his injury-riddled pitching staff has enjoyed this season.
"It's not me," McDowell said. "It's the 12 or 13 pitchers that go out there and make the pitches. I just hand them the ball."
Clint Bowyer feels he should have had a better ending to last spring's race at Texas Motor Speedway. “Well, we should have finished in the top 10 last spring but we got some help off of turn two on the last lap and I spun out. So that 19th-place finish doesn’t really reflect how we ran. The fall race was really good for us. I think we can go back there and have a top-five car and possibly race for a win. If I had to call a race for us to win, I think it’s going to be on a mile-and-a-half -- I really do.
In the season’s first six races, Bowyer has earned three top-10 finishes and has only finished outside the top 20 once. He currently enjoys a solid 14.5 starting average and a 14.2 finishing average. The 27-year-old driver has completed 2,020 of the 2,048 total laps run this season (98.63 percent) and is seventh in the championship point standings. Over those same six races last season, Bowyer’s average start was 29th coupled with an 18.8 finishing average. He was 16th in points at this time last year.
“Except for a couple of occasions, things have gone really well," Bowyer said. "Obviously, Las Vegas is a sore spot. I had a really good car and should have finished in the top five. Instead, we wound up wrecked and finished in the back. It’s been a good season so far and for the most part, things are going our way. Hopefully, we can keep Lady Luck on our side and try and control our own destiny.”
Live coverage of the Samsung 500 from Texas Motor Speedway will take the green flag Sunday, April 15 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The race will be televised live on FOX and broadcast worldwide on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the seventh of 36 points-paying races on the 2007 NEXTEL Cup schedule will be televised live on SPEED Friday, April 13 at 5 p.m. EDT.
Las Vegas catapulted Mike Wallace into the Top 10 in points, landing him in the 9th position after he turned in a 13th place finish in the NASCAR Busch Series’ Sam’s Town 300. Apparently, Wallace is comfortable there because he and the Phoenix Racing team refuse to leave.
Wallace’s veteran experience would help him maneuver Atlanta Motor Speedway and methodically move forward from his 40th starting position. A combination of patience on the race track by Wallace and speed by the Phoenix Racing team during pit stops would help move the #7 GEICO Chevrolet to the front of the field. Wallace would run as high as 3rd, while also leading a lap for the 4th time in 5 races, resulting in 20 bonus points this season. When the checkered flag waved at the 1.54-mile quad-oval, Wallace would finish on the Lead Lap in the 17th position, a substantial improvement over his 40th place starting spot. In 2007, Wallace has been nothing less than consistent, as his finish in Atlanta would move him up to 8th position in driver points. He sits just 35 points removed from the Top 5, after being 54 points removed just a week ago.
“I thought we had a good weekend considering we got off to a tough start in practice and qualifying,” Wallace said. “We worked really hard today to make sure we ran well and finished the race and we were able to pick up 23 spots and finish 17th. I appreciate all the hard work this Phoenix Racing team has put into this car, but we need to get better and we will. We have a great team and we never quit as you saw today, so we will continue to get better and run up front.” He continued, “I’m really happy for our sponsors GEICO, Sport Clips and Smith Transport because it’s been a fun year so far and we’ve been able to lead some laps and get great media exposure for these guys.”
This week, Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team head to the World’s Fastest Half-Mile in Bristol, TN, for the Sharpie MINI 300 on Saturday, March 24th. The 0.533-mile concrete oval is always tough to tame, but Wallace has traditionally experienced great success there and looks forward to returning.
The top 14 finishers in the Busch Race on Saturday in Atlanta were Nextel Cup regulars or Buschwackers. I'm throwing them out. Who won the BUSCH race? Sam Hornish Jr.,.
Wait. He is an Indy Racing League (IRL) regular. Does that make him a Buschwacker?
Let's see, who's blog is this? Mine damn it! I am making the rules here.
HORNISH WINS!
"HAMPTON, Ga. (March 17, 2007) – Sam Hornish Jr. came from one lap down in his Penske Truck Rental Dodge Charger to post his first-ever top-15 finish in the Busch Series in Saturday's Nicorette 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hornish, who ran in the top 15 for most of the 195-lap event, lost a lap on lap 128 when he received a pass-through penalty for speeding into his pit during a green-flag stop. That dropped him outside the top 20, but he remained in the top 25.
"That’s really my first green-flag pit stop in these cars and it takes some getting used to," said Hornish, who qualified fifth for his fifth Busch Series race. "It’s more difficult than what we have with Indy Cars. Of course, we drive Indy Cars in there a lot harder and they slow down quicker, but you have the pit speed limiter. It was real close, but I knew there might be an opportunity to get black-flagged there.""
Wallace’s veteran experience helped him "methodically move forward from his 40th starting position. A combination of patience on the race track by Wallace and speed by the Phoenix Racing team during pit stops would help move the #7 GEICO Chevrolet to the front of the field. Wallace would run as high as 3rd, while also leading a lap for the 4th time in 5 races, resulting in 20 bonus points this season. When the checkered flag waved at the 1.54-mile quad-oval, Wallace would finish on the Lead Lap in the 17th position, a substantial improvement over his 40th place starting spot. In 2007, Wallace has been nothing less than consistent, as his finish in Atlanta moved him up to 8th position in driver points. He sits just 35 points removed from the Top 5, after being 54 points removed just a week ago.
Fresh off of a top-10 finish at Las Vegas, Shane Huffman finished 19th "at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the No. 88 Navy Accelerate Your Life Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS in the NASCAR Busch Series Nicorette 300."
The following is inspired by 8929fan and that JayJayDean guy. My take is a little different. Jay Jay did a good job of discussing some people on the bubble and their situations. My aim is to determine who is really stuck down in the hole right now. JayJay, I didn't notice you had so many comments at the end of your post when I started this so forgive me if it is sort of a duplicate post.
The last time I did this it was Michael Waltrip who was in the deepest do do and today that is still the case. But everybody knew that last time and knows it this time too so there is not much interesting in that. Wipe your face off Michael, I can't see you.
Sorry NASCARQUEEN, your life must suck almost as bad as does the one of this Sterling Marlin fan. Don't get me wrong, Mikey is not one of my top five favorites, but you gotta love anyone that ran at the old Nashville Speedway and hails from Owensboro Kentucky. Plus, I really do like his style and think he is good for the sport. But he is obviously in very deep Shinola.
My last run through of this before Las Vegas pointed out that Paul Menard was in a deep spot. Let's see, how is he doing today? Thank you JayJay for making this easy for me.
Well friends Menard has found his way out of the scheishole and is in 37th place in owner points. He has climbed plumb up the hole, back into the outhouse. Congratulations to Paul on this feet of strength and endurance. Someone get a hose for this man would you? Give him a Dirty Jobs award when your done with the hose.
8929 fan is worried about her favorite Kasey Kahne who idolizes her. If Kasey will stop thinking about her when he is driving maybe he will stop wreckin'. 8, leave the boy alone, your messin with the boys mind.
Kasey is 36th in owner points and rain is in the forecast for Atlanta on Friday. So 8 asked, what affect will this have on Kasey. Well Jay has answered her, but let me reassure you honey. (Don't hit me hubby!) [That's one of those southern "honeys' anyway.] If it rains, Kasey is in because he was in the top 35 in owner points last year, which might help him, so you may want to start a raindance.
Rain could be good news for some other struggling teams. Rain would put Dave Blaney, Scott Riggs and Ken Schrader in the show based on last year's owner standings. These teams have been struggling. So they may want to join Ray Evernham over near his trailer for the rain dance. Kenny, take 'em some Little Debbie cakes.
Rain would hurt John Andretti in the Front Row Motorsports No. 37 Huddle House Dodge Charger. John failed to qualify on speed at Las Vegas and if it rains at Atlanta he would have no chance to get in the race based on speed. While this underfunded team may be a surprise, there is no doubt John Andretti can drive well enough to run in Nextel Cup races. Andretti finished 34th in the No. 37 Camping World Dodge Charger at California.
Bill Elliott failed to qualify the No.37 Huddle House Dodge at Daytona. The bad break for the team at Daytona was that they were knocked out when Dale Jarrett took the past champion's provisional or Elliot would have been in and John would not be facing the do do. (WOW, that took a little real research.)
But I am going to forecast Blue Skys in the deep south for today and keep it on the sunny side. I am going to base my forecast on NASCAR getting qualifying in somehow even in a window between rain if they have too and base my prediction on that.
O.K. so if it doesn't rain who is hurting the most and really in the bat guano? Well, it still comes back to Front Row Motorsports. But this time it is Kevin LePage in the 34. Kevin is barely ahead of Morgan Shephard, who I have previously posted, should be Busch racing anyway. Even Morgan is ahead of Mikey. So sad.
Kevin hasn't run as good as Andretti. He is way out of the money in all categories and really needs to qualify well today if he has any real hopes of running anything near a full Nextel Cup Season. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you this weeks I'm standing in stinking fertilizer winner, Kevin LePage.
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