Braves Notebook: Neagle's next start most likely to be during postseason

Web posted September 22, 1997

By Bill Zack
Morris News Service

ATLANTA -- Denny Neagle's next start probably will come in the postseason.

The left-hander, a 7-1 loser to the Expos on Sunday, said his right shoulder was bothering him so much he probably would skip his last regular-season start.

``A lot of that is going to depend on how it responds over the next couple of days,'' Neagle said. ``If we clinch in the next couple of days I might go to Leo (Mazzone) and Bobby (Cox) and say, hey, let's take some time off. We'll all have to get together and make a group decision.''

Neagle, who took his fourth loss to the Expos, quickly became tired Sunday and he blamed his fatigue on his shoulder. Even after resting it for a week, he indicated he pitched at far less than 100 percent.

``I've got seven days to play with,'' Neagle said. ``I didn't tweak anything today. But I don't want to go out and feel 60-70 percent. I'm going to hurt my team and myself.''

Neagle felt he had blown his chance at winning a Cy Young, but Mazzone disagreed. The pitching coach said he still considered the left-hander the frontrunner for the award.

``Twenty wins in 33 starts speaks for itself,'' Mazzone said. ``That's a phenomenal number. He's got more wins than anyone else in the National League. That's a frontrunner for me.''

MADDUX GETS FINAL START: Greg Maddux starts tonight in the final home game of the regular season at Turner Field hoping to join Neagle as a 20-game winner.

If he does, the Braves would have a pair of 20-game winners for the first time since 1993, when Maddux (20-10) and Tom Glavine (22-6) did it. That also is the last time a National League staff had two 20-game winners. In the American League the Oakland A's last had a pair of 20 games winners in 1990 (Bob Welch and Dave Stewart).

``I try to stay away from the numbers and concentrate on the pitches, changing speeds and setting up hitters,'' Maddux said. ``To win 20 games is a reflection of that to a certain degree.''

Winning 20 is a significant achievement for any pitcher, so having a pair of 20-game winners on the same staff is extraordinary. Since 1950, only 13 National League staffs have produced two 20-game winners, while 22 American League staffs have done so.

In the N.L., the Braves have done it four times, with Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain in 1950, with Spahn and Lew Burdette in 1958-59, then again in 1993.

``Winning 20 is really cool,'' Maddux said. ``It's a good feeling.''

MCGRIFF HEALED: Fred McGriff set up the Braves' final run in Saturday night's 3-1 victory over the Expos by stealing second base in the sixth inning and scoring on Ryan Klesko's two-out single. It was McGriff's fifth stolen base without being caught this season, but more importantly, it demonstrated that he has recovered from a sore right hamstring that has nagged him since the All-Star break.

``It was a test to see how it feels so Bobby (Cox) won't have to pinch-run for me,'' McGriff said. ``It feels the best it has since before the break.''

McGriff initially strained his hamstring while running between first and second after doubling in Montreal just before the break. It has bothered him since then, although when Cox rested him Sunday it marked only the fourth time he has not started in the second half.

``When you play every day you can't let it heal,'' McGriff said.

BALLS GETTING SCARCE: The lack of foul ground at Turner Field is costing the Braves a ton of money. The shortened distance between the stands and the field has forced the club to use more baseballs during batting practice and games, while limiting the number of used balls they ship to their minor league teams.

Equipment manager Bill Acree figures the club has used 20 percent more balls at Turner than at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium last year, which translates to about 400 dozen balls at a cost of $22,000.

Baseballs are disappearing at an astounding rate. During batting practice Sunday, coach Ned Yost started with six dozen balls and by the time hitting was concluded, he was down to about 50. It's not all the hitters' fault. Players throw a lot of balls into the stands to fans during batting practice and batboys give away balls during games.

The result is, less balls for the minor leaguers.

``It's the trickle-down effect,'' Acree said. ``The older balls used to be shipped to the minor leagues and that hurts us too. Now we have to buy more balls to replace the other ones.''

LOFTON SLUMPING: Kenny Lofton is mired in his first prolonged slump, hitting .143 during the homestand and .179 in his last 11 games. The leadoff man has only four hits in his last 34 at-bats and his average has tumbled from .350 on Sept. 1 to .331.