Atlanta Braves Clippings Monday, August 31, 2015 Braves.com
Braves unable to contain Yankees in finale
By Jon Cooper and Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | August 30th, 2015
ATLANTA -- Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer, Chase Headley and Stephen Drew each added a two-run shot and the Yankees rolled to a 20-6 rout of the Braves on Sunday at Turner Field, completing a series sweep.
Drew stroked four hits and Headley had three, each driving in four runs for the Yankees, who put an eight-run pounding on Atlanta starter Julio Teheran. New York remained 1 1/2 games behind the Blue Jays in the American League East chase.
"Every game that we're playing now is important," Headley said. "You win the first two, you give yourself a chance. We were able to come out and win today, which was big. You focus on winning every series. That's the goal. But when you sweep, that's the best-case scenario."
Nathan Eovaldi worked five-plus innings and was charged with five runs, but the Yanks' bats boosted him to a team-leading 14th victory, pulling away with nine runs in the seventh inning off relievers Ross Detwiler, Peter Moylan and Jake Brigham. The Braves have lost 12 of their last 13 contests.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED No Solo Mio: Teheran had done a good job in limiting damage on home runs, having allowed only five homers in his last eight starts, only two of those with men on base. But on Sunday he allowed three round-trippers, all with men on, accounting for seven of the season-high-tying eight runs he allowed. Even more vexing for Teheran, all three homers came with two outs and followed walks.
Not great Nate: Eovaldi lacked his good splitter on Sunday, but fortunately for him, run support has not been an issue. The right-hander surrendered three straight hits to open the sixth, including Andrelton Simmons' two-run single, prompting the Yanks to ask Adam Warren and Chasen Shreve to bail him out. Eovaldi's career-best winning streak improved to nine games since June 20, a span of 13 starts -- the longest in the Majors this year.
"Any time you get a lead, you want to try to go after the hitters as much as possible," Eovaldi said. "You try to pitch like it's a 0-0 ballgame all the time. It's a good feeling, getting a lot of run support."
A-Rod delivers: Alex Rodriguez has been relegated to pinch-hitting duty during this Interleague series, but he provided a hit off the bench to spark the big seventh, lining a two-run single off Moylan. Rodriguez is expected to return to his usual designated hitter role when the Yanks return to American League play, though it is also possible that A-Rod could see time at first base this week.
"It was nice. It was great to see guys one through nine, one through 12, swing the bats extremely well," Rodriguez said. "It's been a while since we've swung the bats like this, so hopefully it sets the tone for September."
Hot-donis: Braves rookie third baseman Adonis Garcia continued to wield a hot bat. He put up his second three-hit game in the last four, going 3- for-5 with a pair of singles and a homer. He's batting .500 (9-for-18) over those four games, with two homers.
QUOTABLE "You never, as a baseball player, as a competitor, want to be a part of a game like this, unless you're on the other side. It's just something that you never want to happen again. So you go out there and play, and hopefully you can contribute as much as you can so this doesn't happen again. Today's over with. Hopefully tomorrow we can play a better game." -- Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman
SAVE THAT BALL! Pinder connected for his first Major League hit on Sunday, lining a run-scoring double to left field off Brigham in the eighth inning. Pinder said that it was his first plate appearance since he was a catcher at Santa Ana (Calif.) College.
"That's the first hit our pitchers have had this year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We had a couple of guys hit the ball hard the past couple of days. It's fun, it's his first hit, it's exciting. Pretty hard to top it if you get up again." MOMENT OF SILENCE Before the game, the Braves recognized 60-year-old Greg Murrey, who passed away after falling from the upper level of Turner Field on Saturday.
"It's just sad," said Braves president John Schuerholz. "We're sort of all just dealing with the sadness and the tragedy of it for the gentleman's family and anybody who happened to witness it."
WHAT'S NEXT Yankees: Right-hander Ivan Nova (5-6, 4.50 ERA) will make his 12th start of the season as the Yankees open a three-game series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Monday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Nova has lost his last two starts, coming off a seven-run pounding at the hands of the Astros last time out. Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 4.39) will start for Boston.
Braves: Atlanta continues its nine-game homestand, opening a three-game set with the Marlins on Monday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Hard-throwing right- hander Mike Foltynewicz(4-6, 5.71 ERA) will get the ball, making his 16th start of the year and 19th appearance. Foltynewicz is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA (2 ER in 5 2/3 innings) against the Marlins this year. Miami will counter with lefty Chris Narveson (1-1, 7.04).
Adonis caps successful set vs. former team
Initially signed out of Cuba and released by Yanks, 3B bats .462 including homer this weekend
By Jon Cooper / Special to MLB.com | August 30th, 2015
There was a time when Adonis Garcia was considered a hot prospect by the New York Yankees.
That was back in 2012, when, at 27, he was signed out of Cuba. He rose through the system up to Triple-A in one year.
But the bloom began to come off the rose at the end of 2014, when he did not get a callup in September, despite hitting .319 with nine homers and 45 RBIs at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was released at the end of Spring Training 2015, a victim of a numbers game both at third and in the outfield.
Garcia was signed by the Braves on April 7, and he got a measure of revenge against his former team this past weekend, batting a solid .462 (6-for- 13) with a double, a homer, an RBI and two runs scored in the recently completed three-game series against the Yankees. He saved the best for last, putting up three hits, including a homer, in Sunday's 20-6 loss.
The outburst gave him his first back-to-back multi-hit games, his third in four games.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has been pleased with the way Garcia has been swinging, and he enjoyed being on the positive side of former players burning their old teams.
"It's about time we get the reverse," said Gonzalez. "Usually the [Brian] McCanns and the [Dan] Ugglas of the world have good outings against us. Garcia came from the Yankees, and I'm glad that he had a good series against them."
For his part, Garcia had no part in relishing his success against the Yanks.
"Regardless of who it is, I'm just happy to be putting good swings on the ball, swinging at good pitches and having success," he said, through a translator, assistant coach Horacio Ramirez. "It could have been any other team. It just happens to be the Yankees."
Garcia had two singles, then homered off reliever Branden Pinder, taking a 2-1 pitch out to left field. The blast, his seventh of the season, made him only the fourth Braves player to hit at least seven home runs within his first 34 games, joining Jeff Francoeur (10 after 34 games) and Jason Heyward and Evan Gattis, each of whom had eight.
Garcia, who has reached via hit in seven of the last eight games, batting .353 (12-for-34) over those eight, would have had his first four-hit game and probably another RBI, but his scorched liner up the middle with two out in the third was right at second baseman Stephen Drew, who was shifted and playing over second base.
Garcia's hot hitting has gotten his teammates' attention.
"He's been playing real well, especially this whole series. It seemed like he barreled up every single ball," said first baseman Freddie Freeman. "When you get to play every day, you get comfortable and you're going to get into a groove, and he's starting to do that."
"There's not really a scouting report on him. That being said, he's sticking to his strengths," said outfielder Jonny Gomes. "He's driving the ball to all fields, he's a tough out. He is a threat at the plate. He's been consistent day in and day out.
"Right now, it's day to day and game to game. One thing he's done is he's gotten beat on some pitches, and then the following series he's able to erase that scouting report. He's hit the heater, he's hit the offspeed. He's got everything covered. Now you just have to bottle it up and keep driving forward." There could be a road-block ahead, however, as highly touted countryman Hector Olivera, also a 30-year-old third baseman, could be called up from Triple-A Gwinnett as soon as Tuesday, when the rosters expand.
It'll set up a nice competition and create the kind of decisions every manager loves to have. Gonzalez is no exception, although he preferred to table the discussion.
"Let's talk about that next week," he said with a smile.
Braves set to host Marlins for three-game set
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com | @JoeFrisaro | August 30th, 2015
Down the stretch, more than pride is on the line for the Braves and Marlins when they open a three-game series on Monday at Turner Field. The inside track to third place in the National League East also is at stake.
At this point, each club will take any consolation it can.
The Braves have the edge to finish ahead of the Marlins, largely because of their head-to-head meetings. Atlanta has won 10 of 13, and will look to use home-field advantage to widen its gap in the standings.
Mike Foltynewicz (4-6, 5.71 ERA) gets the starting nod for Atlanta in the opener, with Miami countering with lefty Chris Narveson (1-1, 7.04 ERA).
Three things to know about this game
• Foltynewicz, 23, hasn't gone more than five innings in his last three starts, and the right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.47 ERA in his last seven appearances (six starts).
• Narveson, Miami's 13th different starter this year, was tagged for seven runs in 3 2/3 innings in his last outing, which was his first big league start since 2012.
• Braves outfielder Cameron Maybin, who played for the Marlins from 2008-10, is hitting .316 (12-for-38) with a home run, three doubles, six RBIs and seven runs scored against Miami this season.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Braves quotes after Sunday’s 20-6 loss to the Yankees
By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Braves quotes from Fredi Gonzalez, Julio Teheran and Freddie Freeman after Sunday’s 20-6 loss to the Yankees.
**FREDDIE FREEMAN
On the 20-6 loss and series sweep by Yankees
“They just kicked our butts. The whole series, they came out swinging the bats well and pitched well. Pretty evident what that lineup is capable of doing, and they showed it today.”
There’s struggling and there’s going through game like this. How do you bounce back?
“That’s the beauty of baseball, we get to come back tomorrow and play. One-zero, 20-6, it’s still a loss in my book, so you’ve got to try and put it behind you as much as you can. But this is a loss that kind of hurts a little bit more. You don’t want to go out there and get beat like we did today. But we’ve got to come back tomorrow and hopefully play better tomorrow.”
Not used to seeing that from Teheran at home?
“He just made a couple of mistakes. I think that’s what’s been going on pretty much all season for all of us, we haven’t been able to click on all cylinders. He was out there battling, got us to the fifth inning. But hopefully he can go out and have a better game next time.”
What’s toughest part about a game like this? “It’s hard to put a finger on it. As a baseball player, as a competitor, you never want to be part of a game like this — unless you’re on the other side. But it’s something that, you never want this to happen again, so you’ve got to go out there and play, and hopefully contribute as much as you possibly can for it not to happen again. Today’s over with, hopefully we can come back tomorrow and play a better game.”
**FREDI GONZALEZ
Was this one of the toughest games or experiences you’ve endured?
“I think the whole series was tough. These guys swing the bats really well, and other than yesterday — Wisler pitched really good – today we didn’t pitch at all, and we gave up some serious, big numbers. But it’s over with. You can’t do anything about it anymore. Get ready for the Marlins, hopefully finish strong on this homestand. But it was a tough series.”
On Teheran at home being one thing you could pretty much count on, but not today
“He’s rattled off some pretty good games, and today just … I think it was a residue of the first couple games of the series, where they come in here not swinging the bats real well, then they score a lot of runs the first night and it gave them some confidence that I think carried over to the whole series.”
On your guys fighting back to get within three, then giving up nine-run inning
“It’s hard. It really is hard. We get back within three runs and think we’ve got a chance, then they put up a big number. It’s hard. It’s deflating, demoralizing, but you know what? These guys have done it for 100 and something games, and they’ll finish the same way as we started — keep grinding, keep fighting, and somehow we’ll figure out how that bullpen shakes out.”
Can you recall a team scoring as many runs as the Yankees did with two outs in the series?
“No, I don’t. I don’t remember any of … we haven’t had one of these series in a long time. It’s just tough. But we’ve got to shake it off and be ready to play tomorrow.”
Did you know with Brigham you were going to have to leave him out there, let him get through whatever came?
“Yeah, absolutely. And he battled. He gave us everything he had. But yeah, you get to a certain point – you don’t want to throw another position player out there (to pitch). We didn’t really even want to throw Jackson out there (in the ninth), but you get in a situation where, does Jackson throw two days in a row or do you run Brigham out there for a third inning where he has a possibility of getting hurt, even though he’s a starter (in the minors).”
**JULIO TEHERAN
On giving up three multi-run homers with two outs
“I think those were the only mistakes that I made. Other than that…we were facing a really good team and they have really good hitters.”
On Yankees taking walks, making him pay for those walks
“Yeah, that’s the kind of team they are, they make you pitch and they work counts. I mean, I was trying to throw my game, but whenever you face a team like that it’s, like, kind of a different game.”
Hard to leave the game in the fifth inning, particularly given the state of the bullpen?
“Yeah, it is hard. As a starter you want to pitch as long as you can, especially knowing the bullpen has been throwing a lot. I wanted to stay longer in the game. That’s why I battled, even though I gave up seven runs, to give the bullpen a chance to rest.”
On the Yankees scoring most of their runs with two outs, including three two-out homers off Teheran
“Yeah, it’s strange, whenever we got two outs that’s when they scored runs. Just trying to forget that and come back tomorrow and see what we can do to win some more games.”
Braves blown out 20-6 as Yankees complete sweep
By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If there was one aspect of Braves pitching that the team had been able to count on this season — well, other than not scoring runs for Shelby Miller — it was that Julio Teheran would pitch well at home.
Teheran did not pitch well at home Sunday and the bullpen got absolutely pummeled after his fifth-inning exit. The New York Yankees scored seven runs in the second and third innings for a 7-0 lead and after the Braves got within three, the Yankees exploited their faltering relievers with a nine-run seventh inning for a 20-6 rout that completed a three-game sweep and continued the Evil Empire’s success in Atlanta.
“They just kicked our butts,” Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “The whole series, they came out swinging the bats well and pitched well. Pretty evident what that lineup is capable of doing and they showed it today.
“As a baseball player, as a competitor, you never want to be part of a game like this — unless you’re on the other side.”
The Braves allowed 20 runs for the first time since a 20-1 loss at Miami on July 1, 2003 — 1,060 games ago — and the 38 runs were the most by an opponent in a three-game series since the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, topping the previous high of 35 runs allowed twice, against the Rockies in a June 1996 series and against the Reds in an April 1977 series.
The Braves have allowed 20 runs eight times in the team’s Atlanta era.
“The whole series was tough,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves have lost 12 of 13. “These guys swing the bats really well, and other than yesterday — (Matt) Wisler pitched really good — today we didn’t pitch at all and we gave up some serious, big numbers. … We haven’t had one of these series in a long time. It’s just tough.”
This is a very bad time for the Braves to face a good team. Any good team.
The Yankees are 17-2 all-time in Atlanta, including 5-0 in two World Series. The Braves have dropped all five regular-season interleague home series against the Yankees and lost eight consecutive games against them at Turner Field.
“We were facing a really good team and they have really good hitters,” Teheran said.
However, the Yankees had scored only 18 runs in their last seven games before coming to Atlanta, including five losses.
All 20 runs allowed by the Braves on Sunday were earned, raising the their bloated ERA to 7.61 during a 1-12 stretch. They have a 12-34 record since their 42-42 start and were completely overmatched in this series.
In just his second loss in 14 home starts, Teheran (9-7) was charged with nine hits, eight runs (tied for his season high) and three walks with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Each batter he walked ended up scoring on a two-out homer – a three-run shot by Jacoby Ellsbury in the second and two-run homers by Chris Headley and Stephen Drew in the third.
The Braves scored two runs in the third inning and three in the sixth to pull within 8-5, but Alex Rodriguez’s bases-loaded pinch-hit single in the seventh widened the lead and started an avalanche.
“We get back within three runs and think we’ve got a chance, then they put up a big number,” Gonzalez said. “It’s hard. It’s deflating, demoralizing, but you know what? These guys have done it for 100 and something games and they’ll finish the same way as we started — keep grinding, keep fighting and somehow we’ll figure out how that bullpen shakes out.”
Rodriguez singled on the first pitch thrown by sidearmer Peter Moylan, after the Yankees loaded the bases against left-hander Ross Detwiler, who retired one of the four batters faced.
Moylan was replaced after one pitch and the Yankees pounded reliever Jake Brigham for six hits and a walk in the inning.
With two out in the seventh, the Yankees got five straight hits off Brigham, including a two-run single by former Braves star Brian McCann and a two-run double by Headley (3-for-3, four RBIs). That was followed by a walk and another run-scoring hit off Brigham, who was left in for 1 2/3 innings and was charged with nine hits, eight runs and four walks.
The Yankees outscored the Braves 38-11 in the series, and 28 New York runs came with two outs, including all nine runs scored in the first two innings of Friday’s 15-4 rout and all seven runs scored during the second and third innings Sunday.
“You never want this to happen again,” Freeman said, “so you’ve got to go out there and play, and hopefully contribute as much as you possibly can for it not to happen again.”
Teheran threw 103 pitches (63 strikes) and recorded 13 outs, after rookie starter Williams Perez threw 55 pitches in 1 2/3 innings of a 15-4 loss in Friday’s series opener. Braves starters lasted five innings or fewer in six of the past 10 games.
Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi (14-2) improved to 9-0 in his past 13 starts, giving up 10 hits and five runs in five innings and getting robust run support. Eovaldi entered with the second-best run support in the majors at 7.06 per nine innings pitched, a figure that climbed higher with Sunday’s rout.
Eovaldi is 14-2 with a 4.17 ERA, while Braves starter Miller is 5-11 with both a 2.62 ERA and 2.62 run support – the lowest run support per nine innings for any major league starter. Teheran was 7-1 with a 2.55 ERA in 13 home starts before Sunday, and had allowed more than three earned runs just once this season at Turner Field. The eight earned runs were double his previous season-high at home.
He’s allowed five homers in 11 2/3 innings over his past two home starts, after allowing three homers in 77 1/3 innings in his first 12 home starts. Teheran has allowed 24 homers, and only six National League pitchers had allowed more than 24 entering Sunday’s games.
Yankees 20, Braves 6
By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How the game was won: The Yankees scored seven runs in the first three innings against Julio Teheran, then blew open an 8-5 lead with nine runs in the seventh inning of a 20-6 blowout that gave them a series sweep at Turner Field. Teheran lasted just 4 1/3 innings and allowed nine hits (three homers) and eight runs, twice as many runs as he allowed in any previous home start this season. He’s allowed five homers in 11 2/3 innings during his past two home starts, after giving up three homers in 77 1/3 innings in his first 12 home starts.
Number: 2-17. Braves’ record against the Yankees in games played in Atlanta, including 0-5 in two World Series.
What’s next: The third-place Braves face the fourth-place Marlins in a three-game home series beginning at 7:10 p.m. Monday. Braves rookie Mike Foltynewicz (4-6, 5.71 ERA) faces left-hander Chris Narveson (1-1, 7.04) in the opener.
Braves on Bethancourt: Still young, we’ve got to be patient
By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Braves rookie catcher Christian Bethancourt has been talked about as a top prospect for so long, it’s easy to forget he’s still quite young.
So while he’s not lived up to expectations that everyone had for him, the Braves aren’t giving up on Bethancourt, who’ll turn 24 Wednesday and will get a majority of the starts at catcher during September.
Veteran catcher A.J. Pierzysnki, arguably the team MVP, will see his playing time reduced in the final month as the Braves try to get a better idea of where Bethancourt is. They need to know if they can count on him to be their primary catcher next season.
Demoted to Triple-A in mid-June, Bethancourt was recalled last week and went 3-for-15 with two RBIs, one walk and six strikeouts in his first five games since returning, including four starts.
Despite the initial results since he was recalled — he was 1-for-13 before getting a pair of singles in his last at-bats in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Yankees – manager Fredi Gonzalez said he’s seen some signs of progress from Bethancourt.
“I’ve seen the swing shorten up a little,” Gonzalez said. “I know the numbers don’t show it, but I’ve seen the swing shorten up in batting practice. And I’ve seen him be more consistent behind the plate. And that’s what Snit (Triple-A Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker) said. “But he’s only caught four games (since returning).”
“He seems more focused. He’s been doing his job a lot better.”
Part of that is working with pitchers on strategy against opposing hitters, before and during games.
“He did that before, but it never translated to the field,” Gonzalez said. “Sometimes you’d see the (bad) body language. It’s only been four games, but Snit was really complimentary of him about doing all those things that we asked him to do” after being sent down.
Braves bullpen coach and former Braves catcher Eddie Perez never had Bethancourt’s physical skills. But Perez maximized the talent he had and was a heady catcher who developed a rapport with pitchers. Which is perhaps why Perez has been frustrated at times by Bethancourt’s development and occasional lapses in concentration and effort.
“A little, yeah,” Perez said. “But he’s still young. It’s like everybody on this team, you have to have patience. You look at (pitcher Mike) Foltynewicz and those guys – patience. And that’s what I have with Bethancourt. I think he’s going to be great. He’s still young, he’s still learning. And the best part is, he’s still got the talent, the arm.”
When asked what he’s seen from Bethancourt since he returned last week, Perez initially seemed something less than blown-away impressed, saying “He’s the same.”
But when he elaborated, Perez allowed that he’s seen improvement, some encouraging signs. “I think maybe has a different attitude now with this being probably his second or third chance,” Perez said. “I hope he understands that. I told him, I said, ‘Look, you’re starting over again. It’s like the first day.’ He’s different now. It’s not like at the beginning of the year, when he knew he was going to be here the whole year. Now he’s trying to do good so he can stay.”
The Braves weren’t surprised when Bethancourt feasted upon Triple-A pitching after being demoted, batting .327 with 23 extra-base hits (four homers), 31 RBIs and an .880 OPS in 52 games. More than the statistics, what they were pleased about was how he responded to being sent down.
“Since the first day I got sent down,” Bethancourt said. “I went to Snit’s offense the first day and said, hey, I’m ready to play. He said, ‘That’s what I wanted to herar, that you’re ready to play. I didn’t want to see you with your head down because you got sent down. I just want you to play and do the best you can so you can get out of here.’”
Now that he’s back in the majors, Bethancourt wants to do what it takes to stay.
“I just stay positive,” he said. “You’re always going to get your chance, your opportunity. That was a setback that I had, but that doesn’t mean my career is over. It’s just, you’re going to take a step back to take two forward. That’s the way I took it. Just staying positive, and I think I was pretty good down there in Triple-A.”
The Braves have become the worst team in baseball
By Mark Bradley
We wondered how bad it would get, and now we know. After winning in Milwaukee on July 7, the Atlanta Braves were 42-42, four games behind Washington and 1 1/2 games back of the Mets in the National League East. At that moment, only 15 among the 30 MLB teams had better records than the Braves. Those were the days, my friends.
Since July 7, the Braves have been the worst team in baseball, and it’s not really close. The Braves are 12-34; the Reds, who are second-worst, are 15-32, which is 2 1/2 games better. The Marlins, who open an avert-your-eyes series at Turner Field tonight, are 17-30.
The Reds and Marlins likewise gave up on their seasons, trading (respectively) Johnny Cueto and Mat Latos. The Phillies, who never had a season in the first place, gave up by shedding Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon. But the Phillies have actually gone 23-22 since July 7, which is — pause for sobering effect — 11 1/2 games better than the Braves.
The Braves have won one of their past 13 games. They were 0-7 on their last road swing. They’re 1-5 on this homestand. They scored 11 runs over the weekend against the Yankees, which marked their biggest output in any three-game series since they mustered 13 against San Francisco on Aug. 2-4. That relative surge enabled the Braves to be outscored 38-11 by the Bronx Bombers.
Since the All-Star break, the Braves have scored a major-league-low 128 runs. The Angels rank 29th in post-break scoring — with 147 runs. Since the break, the Braves have an ERA of 5.28. Only the Rockies, who play at altitude, have been worse (at 5.76). Can’t hit and can’t pitch. It’s not a beautiful thing.
We shouldn’t be surprised, given that the Braves as an organization entered the season only half-trying and gave up altogether by trading Kelly Johnson, Juan Uribe, Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Jose Peraza in July. That was, and presumably remains, the team’s charted course: Worry not about today, setting the corporate gaze on tomorrow.
The Braves are on pace to finish 67-95, which would be their worst finish since the 65-97 of 1990. A year later, everything changed. The 1991 team went worst-to-first, and it didn’t stop there. The Braves would finish first over every completed season for 15 years. Maybe this crash is the precursor to something similarly glorious. (Maybe, I said.)
About all that’s left to say about the 2015 Braves is that Hector Olivera cannot get here soon enough. And he’d better be good. Because almost nobody else is.
Behind the photo: Milo Hamilton
By I.J. Rosenberg - For the AJC
When Henry Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run to surpass Babe Ruth in 1974, there were three different television and radio calls of the moment.
Curt Dowdy called it for the NBC network, Vin Scully for the Dodgers radio network and Milo Hamilton for the Braves radio network.
Hamilton is shown in this photo getting ready for a 1972 Braves game with radio partner Ernie Johnson, who passed away in 2011. The two called the memorable game but Hamilton was on the mike for the homer. Hamilton, 87, lives in Houston, having retired after the 2012 season following 28 years with the Astros. He was the Braves first play-by-play announcer when the team came to town in 1966 and stayed until 1975 before working a season in Pittsburgh. He called Cubs games for five years before finally joining the Astros booth in 1985.
He is in the Baseball Hall of Famer and wrote a somewhat controversial book entitled, “Making Airwaves: 60 Years at Milo’s Microphone.’’ But Hamilton always says his finest moment in baseball was the call of Aaron’s monumental home run, saying, “There was never anything that was going to top that. Never.’’
Dowdy, Scully and Hamilton all treated the moment differently.
Dowdy called it pretty straight to a national audience while Scully called the homer and then paused for more than 15 minutes, letting the crowd noise take over. He is remembered for saying: “What a marvelous moment for baseball. What a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for the county and the world. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. It is a great moment for all of us and particularly Henry Aaron.’’
While Hamilton was considered egocentric by many in his field, his handling of Aaron’s homer was praised by most.
Calling it for WSB-AM, he said: “Here’s the pitch by Downing. Swinging. There’s a drive into left-center field. That ball is going to be … out of here! It’s gone! It’s 715! There’s a new home run champion of all-time! And it’s Henry Aaron!’’
Interestingly, Johnson called Aaron’s 500th, 600th and 700th homer. After that he insisted that he call every at-bat by Aaron.
Braves’ upcoming opponent: About the Marlins
By Carroll Rogers Walton - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Braves’ opponent: Miami Marlins
Keep an eye on: The Marlins of late. The Braves have lost five in a row but can take solace in facing the NL East’s last-place team which has lost eight of its past 11 games while dropping three consecutive series. The Marlins’ 110 runs scored this month was ranked 19th in the majors. Of course the Braves’ 92 runs was ranked 29th.
Who’s hot: Former Brave Martin Prado is hitting .357 (10-for-28) with a double, two homers and four RBIs in his past seven games.
Who’s not: J.T. Realmuto is 2-for-his-last-17 (118) over his past six games.
Braves connection: Prado is hitting .263 (25-for-95) in 25 career games against his former team, with two doubles, four RBIs and five runs scored. He has three multi-hit games in the 13 games he’s played against them this season.
In the news: Christian Yelich (bruised knee) has been out of the Marlins’ lineup for the past four games but pinch hit in the ninth against the Nationals on Sunday. Jose Fernandez hasn’t pitched since facing the Braves on Aug. 7, throwing 76 pitches in five innings of a 6-3 loss to Julio Teheran. He was placed on the disabled list with a biceps strain shortly thereafter. Fernandez was 4-0 with a 2.30 ERA in seven starts since making his return from Tommy John surgery. The Marlins are hopeful he can return in mid-September, which means the Braves have a chance of facing him again in a three-game series in Miami Sept. 25-27. Giancarlo Stanton is still on the DL with a wrist injury and not expected to return this series.
Series preview: vs. Marlins
By Carroll Rogers Walton - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
MONDAY
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: SPSO
Probable starting pitchers: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (4-6, 5.71 ERA) vs. LH Chris Narveson (1-1, 7.04)
Comment: A shell-shocked Braves’ pitching staff will be happy to see anybody besides the New York Yankees for a few days, after giving up 38 runs in three games over the weekend. Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to 11 games on Sunday with a single in the fifth and has hit safely in 32 of his past 37 games. The Braves face three straight Miami left-handed starters in this series which will mean plenty of action for Jonny Gomes, who is hitting .247 with five of his seven home runs coming against left-handers this season. Foltynewicz was victimized by three Adonis Garcia errors in his last start and was ultimately charged with four unearned runs in a 5-1 loss to the Rockies. He gave up five hits in five innings, walked one and struck out three, which took a step in the right direction after his recent seven-run outing at Wrigley Field. Narveson makes his second start of the season, after giving up seven runs in 3 2/3 innings in his first start against the Pirates on Wednesday. Narveson, the former Brewer, returned to the majors this month for the first time in two years, after spending 2014 pitching in Japan.
TUESDAY
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: SPSO
Probable starting pitchers: Braves RH Shelby Miller (5-11, 2.62) vs. LH Justin Nicolino (2-2, 3.65)
Comment: Miller would love nothing more than to end his winless streak. He is seeking his first win since taking a no-hitter through 26 outs in a 6-0 win against the Marlins on May 17. He is 0-10 despite a 3.24 ERA in 18 starts since then, the longest single-season winless streak in Atlanta franchise history. He’ll face rookie Nicolino, who got called up after ace Jose Fernandez went on the disabled list with a biceps strain Aug. 11. Nicolino has made three straight quality starts since allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Red Sox Aug. 11.
WEDNESDAY
Time: 12:10 p.m.
TV: SPSO
Probable starting pitchers: TBA vs. LH Adam Conley (2-1, 4.96 ERA)
Comment: After Williams Perez went 0-5 with a 9.87 ERA in six starts since coming off the disabled list — including eight runs in 1 2/3 innings on Friday night against the Yankees — the Braves optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. They have not announced who will start in his place. Possibilities include Manny Banuelos, who is in Gwinnett rehabbing from a bout with bones spurs in his elbow. Perez could be back with the Braves by then too, since rosters expand on Tuesday. The Braves faced the rookie Conley in relief on August 6, scoring three runs in three innings against him in a 9-8 win.
-Carroll Rogers Walton
UPCOMING
Thursday: at Nationals, 7:05 p.m.
Friday: at Nationals, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday: at Nationals, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: at Nationals, 1:35 p.m.
Monday: at Phillies, 7:05
Monday’s game: Braves vs. Marlins
By Carroll Rogers Walton - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Where: Turner Field
When: 7:10 p.m.
TV/Radio: SPSO/680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (4-6, 5.71 ERA) vs. LH Chris Narveson (1-1, 7.04)
What’s new: A shell-shocked Braves’ pitching staff will be happy to see anybody besides the New York Yankees for a few days, after giving up 38 runs in three games over the weekend. Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to 11 games on Sunday with a single in the fifth and has hit safely in 32 of his past 37 games. Markakis has hit .375 (18-for-48) with four doubles and six RBIs over the streak. Nick Swisher batted second for the Braves on Sunday for the second time this season after going 2-for-4 on Saturday. The Braves face three straight left-handed starters in this series which will mean plenty of action for Jonny Gomes, who is hitting .247 with five of his seven home runs against left-handers this season. The Augusta Chronicle
Braves contact approach at plate is working
By David Lee
Much has been made of the Atlanta Braves’ transition from a power-hitting, high-strikeout offense to a lineup that avoids the punchout, but the blueprint created this season that means more to their future is found in batted-ball rates.
The Braves made it known through their off-season moves that they were going to a more contact-oriented approach by following in the footsteps of successful playoff teams like the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants, two teams that sported high-contact lineups with the ability to grind out at-bats and get timely hits.
Additions like Nick Markakis, Jace Peterson and Alberto Callaspo showed their willingness to experiment with a high-contact lineup to determine how productive it could be, despite not having a big-name slugger in the middle to back Freddie Freeman.
The results have been mixed, but the lack of production and turnover cause the overall numbers to be a bit misleading.
The Braves have been one of the least productive teams in baseball this season, currently ranking last in runs scored and sitting near the bottom in advanced stats like Weighted Runs Created and Weighted On-Base Average.
Their on-base percentage is in the middle of the pack, and their walk rate is top 15. The problem is a .365 slugging percentage and .112 Isolated Power that both rank last. The Braves have shown the ability to get on base all season despite their constant lineup shuffling, but the lack of power the past couple months has dragged production to a halt.
The weakness is easy to spot and should be Atlanta’s priority as it works toward fielding a competitive team for 2017. But the main blueprint for its future lineups is already in place.
The Braves rank fifth in Major League Baseball in contact percentage within the strike zone at 88 percent, and their overall contact percentage is also fifth. They ranked 29th in zone contact percentage last season at 84 percent. The last time the Braves were at 88 percent in the zone was 2010, but it ranked them 17th that year instead of top five.
Recent pitching dominance has driven contact rates downward as strikeouts become more prevalent. The Braves are bucking that trend by adding more contact to combat the falling batted-ball rates.
They’re avoiding strikeouts, but more importantly, they’re grinding out at-bats and making more contact while other teams are making less. That will likely be their formula for the future.
There are different ways to succeed as an offense. This year is the perfect example as the Royals lead MLB in zone contact percentage and are eighth in runs scored, while the Houston Astros are last in contact and 12th in runs scored. Both teams lead their divisions.
The Braves are choosing the Royals route by centering their future offense around contact and speed with production in the middle. The next step is to find that middle production.
ROSTERS EXPAND: The Braves are expected to call up third baseman Hector Olivera when rosters expand Tuesday. Olivera, acquired in the Alex Wood trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, remains at Triple-A Gwinnett, where he has seven hits in eight games as he works back from a hamstring injury. Manager Fredi Gonzalez recently indicated Atlanta’s development department pushed to keep Olivera in the minor leagues for more time.
The Sports Xchange
New York pounds Atlanta 20-6 for series sweep
It marked the 12th time this season the Yankees have scored double-digit runs, and the second time this series.
By Stan Awtrey
ATLANTA — Nathan Eovaldi, supported by three early home runs, extended his league-leading winning streak to nine games in the New York Yankees’ 20-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Turner Field.
Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, third baseman Chase Headley and second baseman Stephen Drew each went deep over a two-inning span to help the Yankees sweep the three-game series and send Atlanta to its 12th loss in 13 games.
With the win, the Yankees remain 1 1/2 games behind Toronto in the American League East. It marked the 12th time this season the Yankees have scored double-digit runs, and the second time this series. The 38 runs are the most scored by New York in a three-game series this year. The 20 runs Sunday were not a single-game mark; the Yankees scored 21 against Texas on July 28.
Eovaldi (14-2) allowed five runs, the most he’s allowed during his winning streak. He pitched five innings and gave up eight hits and two walks, with seven strikeouts.
Atlanta starter Julio Teheran (9-7) was roughed up for eight runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings and left with the bases loaded. He walked three and struck out four and suffered his first loss in August. The eight runs matched a season high he allowed against the Dodgers on April 26.
Teheran, making his first career start against the Yankees, entered the game with a 7-1 record at home. He is now 0-3 against American League teams this season.
Ellsbury hit a 3-2 pitch from Teheran into the seats in right field for a three-run homer in the second inning. It was his seventh homer and sixth over his last 41 games.
The Yankees hit a pair of homers in the third inning. Headley hit a two-run shot to center field, his 10th, and Drew hit a towering two-run homer, his 16th, that just stayed inside the foul pole in right field.
Headley was 3-for-3 with a double, a homer, four RBIs and three runs scored. Drew was 4-for-4 — pushing his batting average to .201 — with a homer, two walks, four RBIs and four runs scored.
Atlanta scored twice in the third inning with a two-out rally. First baseman Freddie Freeman drove in a run with an opposite-field single, and catcher A.J. Pierzynski also went the other way with an RBI single.
The Braves chased Eovaldi in the sixth inning when they batted around and scored three times. Eovoldi allowed the first three runners to reach, the last a two-run single by shortstop Andrelton Simmons.
Pinch hitter Jonny Gomes looped an opposite-field single against reliever Adam Warren to drive in a run and cut the lead to 8-5. Atlanta loaded the bases, but lefty Chasen Shreve retired Pierzynski on an easy grounder to first base.
That’s when the bottom dropped out for Atlanta. The Yankees sent 14 men to the plate in the seventh inning and scored nine runs. Catcher Brian McCann, Headley and pinch hitter Alex Rodriguez each drove in two runs during the inning.
The Yankees batted around again in the eighth and scored three more times. One of the RBIs came from relief pitcher Branden Pinder, who doubled for his first career hit.
Notes: New York 1B Mark Teixeira missed his third straight start because of bone bruise in his lower right leg. … The Braves have not yet announced their starting pitcher for Wednesday’s game in Miami. It is the spot normally taken by RHP Williams Perez, but he was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday. … Atlanta starts a three-game series against the Marlins today, while New York opens a three-game series in Boston. Atlanta will send rookie RHP Mike Foltynewicz (4-6, 5.71 ERA) vs. Miami LHP Chris Narveson (1-1, 7.04 ERA). New York RHP Ivan Nova (5-6, 4.50 ERA) will be opposed by Boston LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 4.39 ERA) in the first game.
Associated Press
Yankees ride trio of 2-out HRs to 20-6 runaway over Braves
By CHARLES ODUM (AP Sports Writer)
ATLANTA (AP) -- New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi says baseball ''has a way of evening out.''
Following a sluggish end to a homestand that cost the Yankees the AL East lead, things evened out for their bats in a big way against the Braves.
Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer, Chase Headley and Stephen Drew each added a two-run shot and New York routed the Atlanta Braves 20-6 on Sunday to finish a three-game sweep.
The Yankees almost matched their season high for runs set in a 21-5 win at Texas on July 28. They totaled 38 in the series after scoring a combined seven while losing three of the last four games of a 5-5 homestand.
''When you struggle offensively, you're due to get some guys hot and that was kind of what happened here,'' Girardi said.
All three homers, which helped build an 8-2 lead, came with two outs. Headley and Drew, who had four hits, both drove in four runs.
''Guys in here understand there are going to be swings,'' Headley said. ''This is a confident group.''
The U.S. flag at Turner Field flew at half-staff and a moment of silence was observed before the game in memory of Gregory K. Murrey. Murrey, a Braves season-ticket holder, died after falling from the upper deck to the lower-level seats on Saturday night. He was 60.
The Braves displayed a photo of Murrey on the video board during the moment of silence.
After the Braves cut the lead to 8-5, pinch-hitter Alex Rodriguez drove in two with a bases-loaded single in the Yankees' nine-run seventh inning.
''It's been a while since we swung the bats like this, so hopefully we can set the tone for September,'' Rodriguez said.
Despite the sweep, the Yankees gained no ground on AL East-leading Toronto, which beat Detroit 9-2. The Blue Jays still lead New York by 1 1/2 games.
The Braves have lost five straight and 12 of 13. They've dropped nine consecutive interleague games since a win over Boston on June 17.
''They just kicked our butts,'' said first basemanFreddie Freeman, who had two hits and drove in a run. ''The whole series. ... That's what that lineup is capable of doing.''
Nathan Eovaldi (14-2) allowed five runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. He left the game after giving up three straight hits in the Braves' three- run sixth.
Atlanta rookie Adonis Garcia led off the seventh with a homer against Branden Pinder.
Ellsbury hit his seventh homer with two outs in the second. Headley's homer came after Julio Teheran (9-7) walked Greg Bird in the third inning. Teheran then walked Didi Gregorius before Drew's homer to right.
Andrelton Simmons' two-run single in the sixth - the third straight hit in the inning - knocked Eovaldi out of the game.
Pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes' bloop single to right field off Adam Warren drove in Simmons, cutting New York's lead to 8-5.
Brian McCann had a two-run single and Headley a two-run double in the big eighth inning.
DIGGING THE NL
Pinder, New York's fourth pitcher, hit a run-scoring double off Jake Brigham in the eighth for his first career hit. It was the first hit by a Yankees pitcher this season.
HOME LETDOWN
Teheran gave up nine hits and eight runs in 4 1-3 innings. He had been 7-1 with a 2.55 ERA in 13 home starts but was hurt by three walks and the two-out homers.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: Girardi said after the game 1B Mark Teixeira (bruised right shin) is feeling ''a little better'' but won't play Monday night at Boston.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Ivan Nova (5-6) faces the Red Sox. Nova is 3-4 with a 5.05 ERA in 10 career games, including nine starts, against Boston.
Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz will start the opening game of a home series against the Marlins. Foltynewicz beat Miami on Aug. 8, when he allowed two runs in 5 2-3 innings of Atlanta's 7-2 win.
Marlins-Braves Preview
By KEVIN CHROUST (STATS Writer)
The Atlanta Braves have been swept in three of their last four series, but the latest took the embarrassment to a whole new level.
They'll try to clean things up against an opponent more to their liking beginning Monday night against the visiting Miami Marlins, who have only been slightly better over the closing days of August.
Atlanta (54-76) has followed a 0-7 road trip by losing five of six on a nine-game homestand, most recently being swept in three games by the New York Yankeesconcluding with Sunday's 20-6 loss. "You never, as a baseball player, as a competitor, want to be a part of a game like this, unless you're on the other side," first baseman Freddie Freeman told MLB's official website. "It's just something that you never want to happen again. So you go out there and play, and hopefully you can contribute as much as you can so this doesn't happen again.
"Today's over with. Hopefully tomorrow we can play a better game."
In their 1-12 span, the Braves have a 7.61 ERA after giving up 38 runs to the Yankees. They're in position to lose six straight at home for the first time since their final six of 2009, and they could also drop 20 games in a month for the first time since going 9-20 in August 2008.
Adonis Garcia is at least providing some offensive optimism with three homers in his last six games while going 9 for 18 in his last four, and Nick Markakis is hitting .375 during an 11-game hitting streak.
The Braves can fall back on some season success against the Marlins with 10 wins in 13 games. The only other NL team they have a winning record against is Milwaukee (5-2).
The Marlins (52-79) have lost eight of 10, mostly because of a struggling offense. They've scored 2.2 runs per game in that span, though they showed some promise in Sunday's 7-4 loss in Washington.
Adeiny Hechavarria had three hits and Justin Bour and Derek Dietrich homered. Hechavarria had hit .143 in his previous nine games, and Bour has gone deep in two straight contests.
Mike Foltynewicz (4-6, 5.71 ERA) will be charged with turning things around for the Atlanta staff.
The right-hander gave up four unearned runs and five hits in five innings of Tuesday's 5-1 loss to Colorado. He's lost three straight starts with an 8.16 ERA.
"We made some mistakes behind (Foltynewicz) that lengthened the innings and caused him to throw more pitches," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "If we go out there and have a clean game defensively behind him, he might be out there pitching in the seventh. I thought his stuff was good. His secondary pitches were good. He's not experienced enough to cover those (errors) up."
The rookie preceded the losing streak by giving up two runs and five hits with four walks in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-2 win over Miami on Aug. 8, his first victory since May 24.
He's up against Chris Narveson, who's no rookie but felt the pressure in his first big league start since April 2012 on Wednesday. Narveson (1-1, 7.04) surrendered seven runs in 3 2-3 innings of a 7-2 home loss to Pittsburgh.
"I was just missing up a little bit," the left-hander said. "I think I was a little amped up and trying to do a little too much. Obviously I left some balls up and they did what they were supposed to."
Atlanta's Michael Bourn is 5 for 10 in their matchups, but he's batted .093 in his last 17 games.
______Braves.com
Braves trying to move forward after tragedy
Team thinking of families, witnesses day after fan falls to death at Turner Field
By Jon Cooper / Special to MLB.com | August 30th, 2015
ATLANTA -- Flags flew at half-staff at Turner Field, and while the players, coaches and management did their best to go about their usual pregame routine, Sunday morning simply was unusual.
Everyone was still trying to make sense of the tragic death of 60-year-old Greg Murrey, the fan who fell to his death from the upper deck during the seventh inning of Saturday night's game between the Braves and the New York Yankees. It cast a pall on the Braves drawing a season-high crowd of 49,243.
"It's just sad," said Braves president John Schuerholz. "We're sort of all just dealing with the sadness and the tragedy of it for the gentleman's family and anybody who happened to witness it. It's difficult, and that's what our focus is right now. There are people trying to find out all of the circumstances and all the exact details of what happened, how it happened, but our focus is on trying to do everything we can to help the families deal with this as best as possible. Not only the family of the gentleman but others who witnessed or experienced it."
The Braves issued the following statement Sunday morning:
"The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the loss of Greg Murrey at last night's game. Greg was a valued and longtime season ticket holder and an incredibly passionate Braves fan. This tragic loss is felt throughout Braves Country, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organization continue to go out to his family and friends."
They also recognized Murrey with a pregame moment of silence.
"Everybody's family that was here definitely experienced some part of it," said second baseman Jace Peterson, whose girlfriend was within 10 feet of the impact. "It's not good for anyone to see something like that. Continue to keep everyone's family that was in the vicinity in your thoughts and prayers is all you can do. At the end of the day it's a tragic thing. No kid or no woman, no one deserves to see something like that. It's just unfortunate."
Veteran Jonny Gomes was uncharacteristically, but understandably, speechless Sunday morning.
"There's nothing I can say that is going to make anything any better," he said.
"To be honest, I'm surprised we finished the game," said Peterson. "I thought we would at least pause it for a little bit. I wasn't sure what had happened. We came in after the game and got the news. It's an unfortunate situation, unfortunate for the family, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family."
Schuerholz said that grief counselors were made available to the players, their friends and family.
"We have them, and players know that [grief counseling] is available if needed for their families or their friends that were here at the ballpark," he said. "I've talked to some players specifically about it who communicated with me. They're not troubled. They're not bothered, but they had friends here, they had people in the stands. I made a point to seek them out last night and talk to them. So it's paramount with us that we deal with this tragedy in the appropriate manner first."
The accident was the third death from a fall in the last eight years at Turner Field. Schuerholz said the tragedies are "not at all related, as disparate as they could be." One of the prior deaths was ruled a suicide, while the other was attributed to excessive alcohol. Fan safety, he said, is always the team's top priority.
"Obviously that's not something we're thinking about now, it's something we always think about," he said. "Something every Major League team thinks about at all times."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Braves fan’s fatal fall the third at Turner Field since 2008
By Alexis Stevens - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A longtime Atlanta Braves season ticket-holder was seen passionately rooting against a Yankees slugger when he toppled over the upper-level railing at Turner Field on Saturday night, falling to his death on the concrete at least 40 feet below.
While investigators said Sunday they haven’t determined what caused Gregory Kent Murrey to fall, witnesses and the Braves organization alike expressed sadness and shock over the Alpharetta man’s death.
“We’re all dealing with the sadness and the tragedy of it, for the gentleman’s family and anybody who happened to witness it,” Braves President John Schuerholz said Sunday. “It’s difficult, and that’s what our focus is right now…trying to do everything we can to help the families deal with this as best as possible. Not only the family of the gentleman, but others who witnessed it, experienced it.”
Murrey’s death marked the third fatal fall at Turner Field since 2008, though a 2013 incident was ruled a suicide and the circumstances of each incident have differed.
Murrey’s death was also the 24th fatal fall at a baseball park since 1969, according to Robert Gorman, co-author of a book titled “Death at the Ballpark.” Atlanta has had the most.
And while alcohol often contributes to falls at baseball parks, and suicides account for some, there’s one main reason Gorman cited for why people fall watching America’s pastime: the size of the stadiums.
“It’s because the stadiums are so big, you have a longer way to fall,” Gorman said.
More than 49,000 people were at the Braves’ Saturday night game, but many were unaware of the commotion that happened behind home plate. Others saw an image they can’t forget: the 60-year-old Murrey falling head first, somehow avoiding landing on anyone else as he hit the concrete below.
“It was surreal,” said Donnie Marley of Fayetteville, N.C. “It was like, ‘Did I just see that happen?’”
It was the top of the seventh inning, and Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez had been announced as the next batter. Rodriguez, 40, returned to baseball this year after a 2014 suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, and Braves fans weren’t very welcoming.
Murrey was among those booing, and he had stood up from his second-row seat in the 400 level when he lost his balance, witnesses said. He passed through those in the front row as he toppled over the railing, landing in section 202.
Some fans immediately left the area and others were in tears. Many weren’t sure what had happened, but suspected it wasn’t good. Braves radio broadcaster Jim Powell called it his worst moment in 20 years of broadcasting major league games and said he didn’t want to continue, but the game didn’t stop.
Paramedics began life-saving measures on Murrey that lasted for several minutes, but he was dead upon arrival at Grady Memorial Hospital. Atlanta police believe the fall was accidental and do not suspect foul play. An autopsy will be conducted to determine whether alcohol was a factor.
Investigators also asked for help from witnesses who saw Murrey fall, Sgt. Greg Lyon said Sunday.
Murrey was a married father and grandfather who owned an insurance business in Roswell. Sunday afternoon at Turner Field, the American flag was at half-staff and a moment of silence was held in Murrey’s honor.
Murrey’s death was the second in two years at Turner Field, and a third man died in 2008. Each tragedy has raised questions about can be done to prevent future falls, but it’s not an easy solution.
“The problem is sight line,” Gorman said. “If you make the railings too high, the people in the front row won’t be able to see.”
Schuerholz said Sunday that safety is a top concern for every major league team, including the Braves — who are awaiting the completion of a new Cobb County stadium for their move in 2017.
“We made our plans (for the new ballpark) long before this event occurred,” Schuerholz said. “Every facility that’s getting built, there’s a great deal of communication with architects, with engineers, and with the league, abiding by league standards for the industry. So we certainly will do that.”
Braves players, Schuerholz react to fatal Turner Field fall
By David O’Brien
During the seventh inning of Saturday’s game at Turner Field, 60-year-old Braves fan Gregory Murrey fell from the upper deck. He was later pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital.
On Sunday, Braves players, broadcasters and executives — many of whose family and friends were seated in close proximity to the incident — offered their reactions.
Braves radio broadcaster Jim Powell: “It was the worst moment in my 20 years of broadcasting major league games. I had no interest in continuing.”
Braves second baseman Jace Peterson, whose girlfriend was seated near where Murrey fell:
“It was within 10 feet of her. Everybody’s family who was here definitely experienced some part of it. It’s not good for anyone to see something like that. It’s a tragic thing. No kid or no woman, no one deserves to see something like that. It’s just unfortunate.”
So she saw it?
“Yeah, she saw it. Right when it happened, people were saying that someone had a gun, so she went down in the family room. But she was right there. She saw it. I know there were quite a few players in here whose families were right there within a few feet away. I heard some pretty graphic stuff. I mean, it’s not something that I really want to get into. It’s just unfortunate.”
On what he saw from his position in the field:
“When A-Rod (Yankees pinch-hitter Alex Rodriguez) got announced, I happened to look at A-Rod, and then I looked back up (toward home plate) and I saw the whole cable shaking. I wasn’t sure what happened. My prayers and thoughts go out to the family. When something like that happens, it’s definitely a tragic thing. To be honest with you I was surprised we finished the game. I thought we’d at least pause it for a little bit.
“But I wasn’t sure what had happened. I had to put two and two together, and then guys started talking and saying what happened, and we came in after the game and got the news.
“We found out right when we came in here (to the clubhouse after the game). We heard that he was in critical condition and been rushed to the hospital, and then I listened to the news on the way home, and that’s when I heard that he had actually passed away. Once again, words can’t really describe it. It’s a terrible thing. You just have to keep the family in your thoughts.”
Braves pitcher Matt Marksberry, who was on the mound at the time of incident:
“I thought it was from the foul ball that (Yankee Jacoby Ellsbury) bunted off me. I thought that’s what it was, that somebody got hit in the head. I was pitching and A-Rod came up and I just saw the stretchers out there and all the medical crews, but I didn’t know what happened until I came in (to the dugout after the inning) and one of the Fox Sports guys said, ‘Yeah, some guy fell off the balcony when you were pitching.’ I was like, ‘What?’ It was unreal.”
“I was focused on doing my job. Then I saw that. It’s sad and heartbreaking that that happened. It’s crazy.”
“I remember hearing the crowd go ‘Whoa,’ but I honestly thought that was because A-Rod was coming up. I didn’t know. I didn’t see it because I was focused (on pitching).”
Braves outfielder Jonny Gomes:
“I’ve played this game a long time, seen a couple of scenarios similar, but … you’re talking about real-life death. The game didn’t even stop.”
“People were not watching the game when this occurred. Foul balls could have started plunking people. They have signs all game long about, stay alert, watch the ball. And then you’ve got 500 people looking the other direction wondering what’s going on.”
Braves president John Scheurholz:
On the differing situations of three deaths by fall at Turner Field in recent years:
“They’re as disparate as they can be. I don’t have any final details or new details on this most recent tragedy. It’s just sad. We’re all dealing with the sadness and the tragedy of it, for the gentleman’s family and anybody who happened to witness it. It’s difficult, and that’s what our focus is right now. I mean, there are people trying to find out the circumstances and all the exact details, how it happened. But our focus is on trying to do everything we can to help the families deal with this as best as possible. Not only the family of the gentleman, but others who witnessed it, experienced it.”
On stadium safety, structural changes or plans for new park: “That’s not something we’re thinking about now, but something we always think about. It’s something that every major league team thinks about, at all times.”
“We made our plans (for the new ballpark) long before this event occurred. Every facility that’s getting built, there’s a great deal of communication with architects, with engineers, and with the league, abiding by league standards for the industry. So we certainly will do that.”
“We’re making sure that we deal with this tragedy in the appropriate manner first. Not to dismiss the importance of all those (future structural) issues, but there will be another time and another moment to focus on those.”
Are grief counselors being made available for (any players or their families) who witnessed it?
“We have that. And players know that it’s available if needed. Or their families or their friends who were here at the ballpark. I’ve talked to some players specifically about it, who communicated with me. They’re not troubled, but they had friends here, or they had people in the stands, and I made a point to seek them out last night to talk to them.”
NJ.com
Death of fan who fell at Yankees-Atlanta Braves game an accident, official says
By Brendan Kuty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The death of the 60-year-old Braves fan who fell from the Turner Field's upper deck in Atlanta Saturday night was an accident, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office said in a press release Monday.
Gregory Murrey, who fell from section 401 while booing Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, died from blunt force injuries to the head and torso, according to an autopsy performed by associate medical examiner Dr. Karen Sullivan, the office said.
Toxicology results won't be available for weeks, the office said.
Murrey had been a Braves season-ticket holder for decades.
Murrey fell in the seventh inning of the game. A fan seated near Murrey at the timetold NJ Advance Media's Ryan Hatch that Murrey has been drinking alcohol and appeared intoxicated.
New York Times
Braves Honor Fan Who Died in Fall
By BILLY WITZ
ATLANTA — Gregory K. Murrey was a small-business owner, father and grandfather who enjoyed seeing a local blues band and the Atlanta Braves, for whom he had been a season-ticket holder for 23 years. His passion for his hometown baseball team was evident Saturday night as Murrey, 60, wearing a Braves cap, sat with two companions in the second row of the upper deck at Turner Field.
The area around them was heavily populated by Yankees fans, whose cheering did not seem to sit well with Murrey, according to two of the fans seated around him.
Then, in the seventh inning, the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez came to the plate as a pinch-hitter. As Rodriguez was announced, many fans in the stadium — Braves and Yankees fans alike — rose to their feet.
So did Murrey.
“He was irritated,” said Ron Marley, who attended the game with his brother and nephew, sitting across the aisle from Murrey. “So when A-Rod came up, I looked over to see his reaction.”
What Marley and others saw horrified them. One moment Murrey was cupping his hands around his mouth to boo Rodriguez. The next, he was toppling over the upper-deck railing, falling more than 40 feet to his death.
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“It was horrible,” said Kathy Trice, who sat nearby. “I just saw him go over.” Murrey’s death was the third fatality from a fall at Turner Field since 2008, but the others occurred on walkways on the backside of the stadium. One was ruled a suicide; the other was a result of intoxication.
The police are continuing to investigate Murrey’s death. “There does not appear to be foul play involved,” said Lt. Charles Hampton Jr. of the Atlanta Police Department’s homicide division.
Mark Guilbeau, a senior investigator for the Fulton County medical examiner’s office, said toxicology and other tests were pending.
“Sometimes accidents are just accidents,” said Beth Marshall, the Braves senior director for public relations. “Until we get the findings from the A.P.D. and the medical examiner, we don’t know.”
When the teams concluded their series Sunday, the flag atop the center field scoreboard at Turner Field was lowered halfway and a moment of silence was observed. The Braves also acknowledged Murrey’s death in a news release, which included a photo of him. A team official said Murrey, of Alpharetta, Ga., was married with a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.
According to witnesses, Murrey fell from the second row, toppling over girls seated in front of him. The railing that lines the front row of the upper deck is about two feet high. Ushers were instructed to keep the news media away from the section behind home plate where Murrey fell, according to one usher. But in other areas of the upper deck, there are signs reading, “Caution: Do not sit on, lean over, or place objects on railing or ledge.”
Blake Cummings, of Roanoke, Ala., who was sitting in the second row of the upper deck with his wife and year-old son, said he was not worried about safety “except kind of with him,” nodding to his son. He said he would not sit in the front row.
While Major League Baseball has been discussing adding netting behind the dugouts to protect fans from foul balls because of several injuries this season, there have been no talks on measures that might prevent falls like Murrey’s.
Such falls have happened before, however. Shannon Stone of Brownwood, Tex., died in 2011 at a Texas Rangers home game when he fell over a railing trying to catch a ball that Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was tossing to him.
“Each city, county and state has its own ordinances and building requirements,” said a baseball official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to address the matter. “What’s in place in Atlanta is different than Texas and different from New York.”
Murrey landed on a concrete walkway on the lower level, not far from where players’ family members were. Sherry McCann, the mother of Yankees catcher Brian McCann and a registered nurse, was among the first to rush to Murrey’s aid.
Some players, including the Yankees’ Didi Gregorius who was on second base, saw Murrey’s fall and were shaken by it. Others soon learned of it.
The game, though, continued.
According to the baseball official, there is a procedure for an emergency or a police matter at a game. If the police need to clear an area or the entire stadium, they notify the stadium operator, who would contact the umpiring crew, who would then reach out to Major League Baseball to see if the game should continue. The baseball official said in this case M.L.B. was not notified.
As for whether it was appropriate to continue playing, Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said: “I don’t think any of us really knew the condition he was in. Sometimes you have to think about that, obviously. I know some of our guys said it was hard to concentrate, and that’s what you worry about, too.”
New York Post
Fan who fell to death at Yankees game died booing A-Rod
By George A. King III and Sophia Rosenbaum
The 60-year-old man who fell to his death from the upper deck at Turner Field in Atlanta on Saturday night was a “passionate Braves fan” who spent his final moments booing Alex Rodriguez, according to witnesses and a statement from the team.
The tragic season-ticket holder, Gregory Murrey, sat in the same seats for 23 years, his family said of the insurance provider from Alpharetta, Ga.
“Gregory ‘Ace’ Murrey was a husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend to many. He dearly loved his family, Atlanta and the Atlanta Braves,” his family said in a statement Sunday. “The night Greg passed away, he was doing one of his favorite things – watching the Braves.”
Before Sunday afternoon’s game, the Braves held a moment of silence for Murrey, with flags at the field flying at half-staff. “The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the loss of Greg Murrey at last night’s game,” The Atlanta Braves wrote in a statement Sunday. “Greg was a valued and longtime season ticket holder and an incredibly passionate Braves fan.
“This tragic loss is felt throughout Braves Country, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organization continue to go out to his family and friends.”
Murrey fell during the top of the 7th inning when A-Rod came up to the plate for the Yankees.
“He hit the stairs between two sections,’’ said a fan sitting 20 feet away. “I looked to my right and saw some figure falling down, and the guide wire started shaking.”
“At first, I couldn’t tell what was falling. I assumed since Alex Rodriguez was coming to the plate, somebody threw something from above, but it landed with a loud thud,” said the person, who asked not to be identified.
Murrey was transported to Grady Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Murrey founded N-Surance company in 1985. His son, Jason, joined the company in 2002.
Associated Press
Fan's Death at Braves Game Raises Stadium Safety Questions
ATLANTA — The death of a longtime Braves season-ticket holder raises questions about the planned height of guard rails at their new stadium scheduled to open in 2017.
The Braves say they had safety in mind when making plans for SunTrust Park even before Gregory K. Murrey's death on Saturday night, though team officials on Monday would not release plans for the heights of the railings at the new stadium.
The stadium rails at Turner Field meet industry standard height requirements, but the team could exceed those heights at their new facility.
The International Building Code, the accepted industry standard, has a minimum height requirement of 42 inches for guard rails that act as protective barriers in open-sided areas such as walkways or smoking platforms. Railings in front of seated areas must be 26 inches.
Braves president John Schuerholz didn't address specifics on Sunday about guard rails at the new stadium, though he did say that while Murrey's death was tragic it wouldn't influence construction plans.
"We're not going to tie that into how you design a facility," Schuerholz said. "It was a sad, tragic event. We obviously abide by industry regulations and we'll continue to do that. That's what we'll do.
"We made our plans long before this event occurred. Every facility that's getting built, there's a great deal of communication with architects and engineers and the league in terms of abiding by league standards for the industry. We certainly will do that."
There is a precedent for a team raising the height of its stadium rails following a fan death.
At the Texas Rangers' facility in Arlington, Texas, higher railings were installed in 2012, one year after Shannon Stone, a firefighter attending a game with his 6-year-old son, fell about 20 feet after reaching out for a foul ball tossed into the stands. The Rangers raised those railings from 33 inches to 42 inches, at a cost of $1.1 million.
Murrey's death was the third in eight years at Turner Field. In 2013, a fan's death was ruled a suicide. In 2008, police cited alcohol as a factor after a man died.
Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital following his fall in the seventh inning of the Braves-Yankees game.
The Fulton County medical examiner on Monday ruled the death was an accident caused by blunt force injuries to his head and torso. The medical examiner said toxicology results will not be available for several weeks.
Murrey's family on Monday asked for privacy as it grieves.
"He dearly loved his family, Atlanta, and the Atlanta Braves," the family said in a statement. Murrey held season tickets for 23 years. "The night Greg passed away, he was doing one of his favorite things — watching the Braves."
The minimum height standards for guard rails have raised questions on whether they are sufficient, especially for taller fans. A 26-inch rail at the bottom of a section of upper-level seats would not reach the waistline of a fan over 6 feet tall. It seems highly unlikely similar changes would be considered for Turner Field, which has only one more year as the home of the Braves. But there would be ample time to adjust plans, if necessary, for the new park.
Beth Marshall, Braves senior director of public relations, said Monday team officials would have no further comment "in light of the active investigation" into Murrey's death.
Schuerholz said Sunday his focus was on Murrey's family and players' families and friends who were seated in the lower-level seats where he fell to his death. Schuerholz said the safety of fans is always a priority.
"Obviously that's not something we're thinking about now but it's something we're always thinking about," he said. "It's something every major league team thinks about at all times. ... Not to dismiss the importance of all those (stadium) issues, but there will be another time and another moment to focus on this."
Braves honor Greg Murrey
ATLANTA -- The American flag flew at half-staff at Turner Field on Sunday, one day after a fan died following his fall from the upper deck into the lower-level stands during a game between the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees.
Mary Beth Hauptle, an investigator with the Fulton County Medical Examiner, identified the victim as Gregory K. Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta, Georgia. Murrey was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital.
The Braves said Sunday they are "deeply saddened" by Murrey's death.
"Greg was a valued and longtime season-ticket holder and an incredibly passionate Braves fan," the team said in a statement. "This tragic loss is felt throughout Braves Country, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organization continue to go out to his family and friends."
The Braves displayed a photo of Murrey on the videoboard and observed a moment of silence before Sunday's game.
The fall in the seventh inning immediately followed the introduction of Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez as a pinch hitter.
Following Sunday's 20-6 win over the Braves in which he had a pinch-hit, two-run single, Rodriguez expressed his sympathy for Murrey's family. He was issued an intentional walk in Saturday night's game as EMT workers rushed to Murrey.
"Sad, upsetting for sure," Rodriguez said. "My prayers go out to his family."
Lt. Charles Hampton of the Atlanta Police Department homicide unit said foul play is not suspected. He said no fans were hurt in the 200-level seats after the man fell from Section 401, landing close to an area where players' wives and families sit.
Braves president John Schuerholz said grief counselors have been made available to players' friends and family members who witnessed the fall.
"It's just sad, and we're all dealing with the sadness and the tragedy of it for the gentleman's family and anybody who happened to witness it," Schuerholz said. "It's difficult, and that's what our focus is now."
A Braves security officer blocked an Associated Press reporter from entering Section 401 on Sunday without a ticket.
Braves second baseman Jace Peterson said his girlfriend was close to the spot where Murrey fell.
"It was within 10 feet from her," Peterson said. "So everybody whose families were here definitely experienced some part of it. It's not good for anyone to see something like that.
"A lot of player families were right there. I heard some pretty graphic stuff. It's not something I really want to get into. It's just unfortunate."
Yankees catcher Brian McCann's mother, who is a nurse, was one of the first to assist Murrey following his fall.
"She ran to him," said McCann, who began his career with the Braves. "She was in the mix trying to do everything she could."
This was the third fan death from a fall at Turner Field in eight seasons. In 2013, a fan's death was ruled a suicide; in 2008, police cited alcohol as a factor after a man died.
Major League Baseball said it had been in contact with the Braves and was monitoring the situation.
A sellout crowd of 49,243 was the largest of the season at Turner Field. The Braves are set to move into a new suburban stadium in 2017.
Schuerholz said now is not the time to say whether the latest death at Turner Field would affect plans for the new stadium, including the height of the rails that line the bottom of each section of seats. "We made our plans long before this event occurred," Schuerholz said. "Every facility that's getting built, there's a great deal of communication with architects and engineers and the league in terms of abiding by league standards for the industry. We certainly will do that."
Adam Staudacher and his girlfriend were returning to their seats near where Murrey fell.
Staudacher, 33, from Atlanta, said it appeared Murrey landed headfirst on a 3-foot-wide walkway between sections. Staudacher estimated that 20 EMTs immediately surrounded the fan and began doing CPR, adding that they treated him for five to seven minutes before taking him away.
Staudacher said he saw no movement from the fan.
"There were a ton of kids right there," he said. "It was a disturbing scene. Disturbing doesn't really go far enough."
MLB has said it is studying the issue of fan safety in the wake of several people being hurt by foul balls and flying bats this season. Some players have called for more protective netting around the field.
A fan died at Turner Field on Aug. 12, 2013, after falling 85 feet from a walkway on the fourth level of the stadium. Investigators from the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office later ruled that the death of Ronald Lee Homer Jr., 30, was a suicide.
In 2008, Justin Hayes, 25, died after falling down a stairwell in Atlanta during a game against the Mets. Police said alcohol contributed to his fall that caused head injuries.
Two fans died at major league games in 2011.
In Texas, a man fell about 20 feet to the ground beyond the outfield fence trying to catch a baseball tossed his way by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Shannon Stone, 39, a firefighter in Brownwood, Texas, was attending the game with his young son.
Earlier that year, a 27-year-old man died after falling about 20 feet and striking his head on concrete during a Colorado Rockies home game. Witnesses told police the man was trying to slide down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his balance.
Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona said fan safety is always a concern.
"I think the powers that be are constantly trying, one, give the fans the experience they want while also making it as safe as possible," Francona said. "People smarter than me spend a lot of time trying to make it the best it can be."
Reuters
Investigators probe baseball fan's death from fall at Atlanta game
By David Beasley
ATLANTA (Reuters) - A 60-year-old man who plummeted to his death from the upper deck of the Atlanta Braves' baseball stadium on Saturday died of blunt force trauma, a medical investigator said Monday, but the cause of his fall has not been determined.
Gregory Murrey fell headfirst about 40 feet (12 meters) during a sell-out game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees.
The Georgia man's death remains under investigation, and it could take six to eight weeks for a toxicology report to be completed, said Mark Ruffin, an investigator with the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office.
Murrey was the third fan to fall to his death at the Braves stadium, Turner Field, since 2008, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. One of those deaths was later ruled a suicide, the newspaper said.
Murrey seemed to lose his balance as the crowd jumped up to boo Yankees' slugger Alex Rodriguez, who was walking up to bat, a witness told the Journal-Constitution. Rodriguez has been controversial since his suspension for the 2014 season as part of baseball's doping scandal.
No foul play is suspected, but the cause of Murrey's fall had not been determined, Atlanta police spokesman Greg Lyon said.
Murrey was a Braves season ticket holder for 23 years, his family said in a statement to the media on Sunday. "The night Greg passed away, he was doing one of his favorite things – watching the Braves," it said.
The Braves observed a moment of silence for Murrey before Sunday afternoon's game.
Stadium safety has become an issue for Major League Baseball, which is reviewing design concepts after several people have been hurt by foul balls and flying bats. The league is considering adding more protective netting to its ball parks next season, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said last week. However, he did not speak directly about fans falling from the seating areas.
Turner Field is due to be demolished after the team leaves in 2016 for a new venue.
CBS 46 Atlanta
Cause of death released for fan who fell at Braves game
By La-Keya Stinchcomb, Digital Producer
By Dante Renzulli
ATLANTA (CBS46) - A fan who fell from the upper deck during the seventh inning of a Braves vs.Yankees game at Turner Field Saturday night died of blunt force trauma from the fall, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner.
The victim, Greg Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta was a season ticket ticket holder.
A spokesperson with the Atlanta Braves issued the following statement:
"The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the loss of Greg Murrey at last night's game. Greg was a valued and longtime season ticket holder and an incredibly passionate Braves fan. This tragic loss is felt throughout Braves Country, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organization continue to go out to his family and friends."
Murrey was alive when he left the stadium in an ambulance, but he later died at the hospital.
Fans said the game continued as the seating section where Murrey landed was evacuated. One fan at the game, Stewart Carlan, said he has seen this happen before.
"I've seen it at other stadiums and they probably just need to raise the railing so it doesn't happen again," said Carlan.
Police could not provide an estimate of how many feet Murrey fell, but it was not a short distance.
This is the third time a fan has fallen to their death at Turner Field in 8 seasons. In 2013, a Conyers man's death was ruled a suicide when he climbed over a railing and jumped into the player's parking lot and died. In 2008, a Cumming man fell four levels inside the stadium and died from his injuries.
Toxicology test will not be ready for another six to eight weeks.
USA Today
In wake of latest tragedy, no reason for MLB to delay safety measures
Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports
We've seen enough.
We've heard enough.
Oh, and how we've mourned enough.
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfredmay hear resistance from team owners, and objections from valued season ticket-holders, but he no longer has a choice.
It's time for a drastic change to ballpark safety.
Before another fan dies, or is hospitalized with head injuries, or even bruised.
It's time to make it mandatory in all ballparks that safety netting is expanded at least to the dugouts, if not beyond, as Kansas City Royals player representative Jeremy Guthrie has been lobbying, and while we're at it, let's take a close examination of the heights of every upper-deck railing. "It really scares me when I'll turn around,'' St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Mathenytold USA TODAY Sports, "and I'll see in these really close seats people that I know can't defend themselves -whether it be young kids or elderly people or people just not paying attention. …
"I know I don't want my family getting anywhere close to those close seats without some sort of netting in front of them.''
Gregory Murrey of Alpharetta, Ga., 60, became the latest statistic when he fell about 40 feet from the upper deck in the seventh inning Saturday night at Turner Field. The 23-year season ticket holder was pronounced dead a few hours later. Autopsy reports have yet to be revealed, but no foul play is suspected.
Maybe we'll never know exactly what happened, or whether Murrey actually rushed to the railing to boo New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez as he walked to the plate, as some fans suggested, but we do know it's the second death since 2013 at Turner Field - the first was ruled a suicide - and the third in seven years.
"Everybody's family who was here definitely experienced some part of it,'' Braves second baseman Jace Peterson, whose girlfriend was seated within 10 feet where Murrey's body landed, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "No kid or no woman, no one deserves to see something like that. I know there were quite a few players in here whose families were right there within a few feet away. I heard some pretty graphic stuff.
"To be honest with you, I was surprised we finished the game. I thought we'd at least pause it for a little bit.''
It resurrects those haunting memories of four years ago when Texas Rangers outfielderJosh Hamilton innocently flipped a baseball to a fan in the left field stands. Only the fan, firefighter Shannon Stone, elated to retrieve the ball for his 6-year-old son, came rushing toward the railing in Texas, flipped over and fell 20 feet onto the concrete below.
He was pronounced dead an hour later.
The International Building Code mandates that venues like Turner Field and the Rangers' ballpark have rail heights of 33 inches, increasing to 42 inches at the base of aisles. These standards are both reasonable and pragmatic, yet has not prevented fan-falling incidents at those parks as well as the Georgia Dome and St. Louis' Busch Stadium in recent years.
And they are merely minimums; clubs and venues can always opt for a safer setting. In the wake of Stone's death in Arlington, the Rangers raised the height of all railings in their ballpark from 33 inches to 42 inches before the start of the next season, at a cost of $1.1 million. And MLB implemented a rule prohibiting players from tossing baseballs that deep into the stands.
There have been other changes.
Baseball swiftly reacted in 2007 after the death of Mike Coolbaugh, the Tulsa Drillersfirst base coach, who was killed by a line drive during a minor league game. Major League Baseball required all base coaches to wear helmets.
The coaches initially protested, saying it was extreme, but you don't hear any complaints these days.
Why do we always have to wait for tragedy to change our safety standards?
Now is the time for baseball to react again, before we have another death, or person hospitalized, rushed away by ambulance.
"We are in the midst of a comprehensive study related to fan safety and are evaluating a number of issues,'' said Pat Courtney, chief communications officer for Major League Baseball. "If MLB and its clubs determine change are necessary, then it is anticipated that a complete proposal would be made this off-season, ahead of the 2016 season.''
Major League Baseball wisely implemented metal detectors this season, trying to ensure no handguns or weapons make it to the seats, so there's absolutely no reason not to take fan safety to another level.
Sure, those fans shelling out $300 a ticket in the box seats may initially balk looking through a netting, but if they don't like it, they can reserve the right to stop coming to games, too.
It's no different than the airlines. You may hate taking off your shoes, your belt and putting your laptop in a bin, but if you don't like it, stop flying.
You can get used to inconvenience.
You never become immune to tragedy.
"I know it may restrict the viewing a little bit,'' San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy said, "but these new parks are so close to the field, there are times when I can't seem to get out of the way here, and this is what I do for a living. We should try to do something to cut back on these injuries to the fans.''
Gail Payne, an Oakland Athletics season-ticket holder, certainly has seen enough. She filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court last month requiring MLB to extend the netting from foul pole to foul pole, instead of just a few sections behind home plate. "She fears for her and her husband's safety, and particular for her daughter,'' the lawsuit said. "She is constantly ducking and weaving to avoid getting hit by foul balls or shattered bats.''
There are 53,000 foul balls that enter the seats every year, according to Edwin Comber, creator of foulballz.com. And 1,750 spectators are injured every season by batted balls at major league games, according to an analysis by the Bloomberg News.
Tonya Carpenter, sitting in the second row at Fenway Park with her young son in June, was hit in the face by a broken maple bat swung by Oakland A's third baseman Brett Lawrie. She was put on a gurney, rushed off the field and taken by ambulance with life threatening injuries. She spent a week in the hospital, was transferred to a rehabilitation facility, and has survived. Just a month later, also at Fenway, Stephanie Wapenski, 36, was struck in the head by a foul ball, and received more than 30 stitches.
And a year earlier at Fenway Park, Stephanie Taubin of Brookline, Mass., was struck by a ball while sitting high above home plate. She was sitting in an area normally protected by glass, but the glass had been removed for renovations. Taubin said that she suffered facial fractures and neurological damage, and last week filed a lawsuit against Red Sox owner John Henry.
Enough is enough.
Remember Brittanie Cecil? She was the 13-year-old girl who went to a hockey game in 2002 in Columbus, Ohio. A puck flew up and hit her in the head. She suffered a fractured skull. And died two days later.
The NHL immediately ordered all of its teams to install netting above the glass.
Do we need that kind of senseless tragedy for baseball to come to its senses?
Those ballpark signs of "Please Stay Alert to Bats and Balls Leaving the Field,'' simply don't suffice.
"You'll see some folks who are sitting there, they've got their glove on and they're focused,'' Matheny said, "and I'm going to tell you, they're still going to have trouble defending themselves. We have trouble doing it right here and we have some of the greatest athletes on the planet. The balls come in sometimes, and we expect it to happen, and we still barely get out of the way. …
"There's always that thrill of catching a foul ball, but if you get hit one time, that thrill goes away real fast.''
The subject of fan safety was privately addressed two weeks ago by Manfred at the quarterly owners meetings in Chicago. He's concerned, and well-aware of the incidents, but couldn't publicly go into specifics, citing legal matters and ongoing lawsuits.
We don't need to know the details of those talks. We don't need to know the players union has been lobbying for measures, and even addressed the subject before their last collective bargaining agreement.
What we do need to know is when MLB will do something, and it better be before 2016 opening day, providing ample time for every ballpark to make their improvements.
The Braves, who are moving to a new suburban ballpark in 2017, say that safety issues already have been paramount in their planning, but it won't stop those haunting memories of Saturday night, watching Murrey's body plunge onto the concrete walkway between sections, appearing to land headfirst.
"There were a ton of kids right there,'' Adam Staudacher, who with his girlfriend were returning to his seats in Section 201, told the Associated Press. "It was a disturbing scene.
"Disturbing doesn't really go far enough.''
It has got to stop.
CNN
Atlanta Braves fan dies after falling from upper deck at Turner Field
By Steve Almasy and Holly Yan, CNN
Atlanta (CNN) A man who fell from the upper deck of Atlanta's Turner Field during a Braves-Yankees game has died, the Atlanta Braves said.
Gregory Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta, Georgia, tumbled out of the stands during the seventh inning of the game Saturday night as the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez was walking to home plate. "Gregory 'Ace' Murrey was a husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend to many," his family said in a statement to CNN. "He dearly loved his family, Atlanta, and the Atlanta Braves. Greg was a season ticket holder with the same seats for 23 years. The night Greg passed away, he was doing one of his favorite things -- watching the Braves.
"At this time, the family wishes for you to respect their privacy as they mourn the less of such an extraordinarily wonderful man."
"The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the loss of Greg Murrey at last night's game," the team said in a statement. "Greg was a valued and longtime season ticket holder and an incredibly passionate Braves fan. This tragic loss is felt throughout Braves Country, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organization continue to go out to his family and friends."
Atlanta police are still trying to determine why Murrey fell, but said they do not suspect foul play.
Murrey tumbled head over feet before hitting the concrete walkway in front of a row of fans. He hit some of the lines attached to the backstop as he fell.
Paramedics worked on him for several minutes before taking him off on an orange backboard, said CNN's Southeast Bureau chief Marylynn Ryan, who was sitting a few sections from where Murrey landed.
The game continued while fans were escorted from the section where Murrey lay as a medic performed CPR.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office said an autopsy will be done later Sunday to determine a cause of death.
Over the past few years, several people have died from falls at sporting arenas nationwide.
In 2013, a man committed suicide during a Braves-Phillies game when he jumped about 85 feet from an upper level at Turner Field.
In 2011, a 39-year-old man fell to his death while trying to catch a ball at a Texas Rangers game. He stuck out his glove and reached for the ball, but lost his balance and flipped over the railing of the outfield seats, crashing headfirst into a scoreboard.
That same year, a man trying to slide down a railing at Coors Field at a Colorado Rockies game fell and died. An autopsy later found marijuana in his system, as well as a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit for driving.
ABC News
Doctor Attending Atlanta Braves Game Tried to Help Fan After Fall
By EMILY SHAPIRO
A doctor was with his two sons at Turner Field Saturday, watching the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees game, when out of the corner of his eye he saw something fall and heard an impact.
Braves fan Gregory Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta, Georgia, had fallen from the upper deck into the lower-level stands.
Dr. Joseph Ricotta, who was sitting one section away, said he saw a man unresponsive on the concrete steps of stadium.
"I think that like everybody else you're in a state of shock and disbelief," Ricotta, a vascular surgeon, told ABC News.
Ricotta said the adrenaline and his instincts kicked in and he rushed in the direction of the accident, where he tried to treat the man until paramedics arrived.
Medical personnel treated him for about 10 minutes and applied CPR as the game continued.
Police said Murrey was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital. Police don't suspect foul play.
"It's one of those things that you hope you never see or experience," Ricotta said. "And I certainly hope I never see or experience it again."
Ricotta also commended the paramedics' actions and said his thoughts are with the man's family.
"The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the loss of Greg Murrey at last night's game," the Braves said in a statement. "Greg was a valued and longtime season ticket holder and an incredibly passionate Braves fan. This tragic loss is felt throughout Braves Country, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organization continue to go out to his family and friends."
This was the third death from a fall at Turner Field in eight seasons.
NBC News
Atlanta Braves Fan Who Fell 'Was Doing One of His Favorite Things': Family
BY ELISHA FIELDSTADT
Family of Braves Fan that Fell: 'He Was Doing One of his Favorite Things' 0:41
The Atlanta Braves fan who died after falling from the upper deck at Turner Field during a game was doing what he loved when his life ended abruptly, his family said Sunday.
Gregory Murrey, 60, landed in an area of the stands behind home plate in the seventh inning of the Braves' game against the New York Yankees Saturday night.
"The night Greg passed away, he was doing one of his favorite things — watching the Braves," according to a family statement read by his son Jason to NBC affiliate WXIA.
Jason said that his father "dearly loved his family, the city of Atlanta and the Atlanta Braves."
They family said Murrey had been a season ticket holder with the same seats for 23 years. Although Turner Field has only been open since 1997, it's possible he had similar seats in its predecessor, Atlanta Stadium.
"The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the loss of Greg Murrey at last night's game," the team said in a statement. "This tragic loss is felt throughout Brave Country, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Braves organization continue to go out to his family and friends."
The team held a moment of silence for Murrey at Turner Field before their game against the Yankees on Sunday afternoon. Fans and players from both teams removed their caps from their heads and held them to their hearts during the brief memorial.
Fans and players reported commotion after the fall, which happened when Alex Rodriguez came onto the field to pinch hit.
"I thought it was a fight at first but it wasn't a fight," said Ron Johnson, who was at the game. "EMS was doing chest compressions for about 20 minutes," he said.
Murrey's death is the third from a fall at the stadium since 2008, according to The Associated Press. A fan's death in 2013 was ruled a suicide, while an accidental fatal plunge in 2008 was blamed on alcohol.
Police are investigating what caused Murrey to fall but said they don't suspect foul play.