Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Braves Loaded With Talent; Young Prospects May Fill In To Help
The Atlanta Braves believed they had a championship team in 2023. Their thoughts were sound. The eventual outcome was not.
Atlanta won 104 games in the regular season and a National League East title, then were unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs by the division rival Philadelphia Phillies. It was back to the drawing board – or more accurately, the trading route.
The Braves added veteran pitchers Chris Sale, Marco Gonzalez and Reynaldo Lopez, outfielder Jarred Kelenic and infielder Luis Guillorme to the power-laden team.
LOS ANGELES: Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves hits a grand slam on August 31, 2023 at Dodger … [+]
It hardly seems likes there would be any room for a kid prospect to make the team in 2024. Pitchers Hursten Waldrep, Darius Vines, Dylan Dodd and Spencer Schwellenbach along with infielders David McCabe and Keshawn Ogans may have different opinions.
The Braves’ farm system hasn’t exactly been growing weeds while sluggers Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Sean Murphy, Ozzie Albies, Marcell Ozuna and Orlando Arcia thrill crowds in Atlanta. There’s more talent on the way.
Waldrep has pitched 29 1/3 innings in the minors with some command issues. His stuff is so over-powering, however, that the 22-year-old could be ready for prime time after the all-star break. A 99-mph fastball and split-changeup are tough to hit, especially when mixed with a hard upper 80s slider.
ATLANTA, GA: Darius Vines went 1-0 with a 3.98 ERA over 20 1/3 innings and five games in a … [+]
Vines, 23, is just the opposite type pitcher. He shows decent command of several more ordinary pitches. His mix-and-match approach could play at the back end of the rotation or in middle relief at some point this year.
Dodd, 25, is a lefty version of Vines. His fastball is a bit better and he misses bats with a sweeping slider that could play even better out of the bullpen.
Schwellenbach, 23, has just 65 pro innings under his belt after one season as a reliever at Nebraska where he was a two-way player. He has an upper-90s fastball, good slider and change from an effortless delivery. He just needs experience and may zoom past the others to contribute later this year.
McCabe, 23, has power potential while Ogans, 22, appears to possess the perfect skills of a utility infielder. Both showed skills in the 2023 Arizona Fall League that could earn them some playing time in Atlanta this season should injuries crop up.
GOODYEAR, AZ: David McCabe bats from the left side in the 2023 Arizona Fall League. The … [+]
McCabe crashed 17 homers across two levels of Class A ball in 2023 and there is more potential from his 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame. The switch-hitter has been more adept thus far from the left side at bat, but the Braves believe his strong right arm plays better at third base than first, where he has the most experience.
Ogans plays short, second and third, makes contact at the plate and does the little things it takes to contribute. He has a nice .354 on-base percentage in two years in the minors and had nine homers and 67 RBI with 10 steals at High-A Rome (Ga.) a year ago. He’s not going to make anybody forget Albies, Riley or Arcia – but could give any of those regulars a bit of rest here and there.
Every Part Is Important
The Houston Astros have dominated the AL West in recent years with “spare parts” from the farm system playing key roles. They helped the team win, then grew into winners themselves.
PHILADELPHIA: Cristian Javier faces the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Four of the 2022 World Series … [+]
Future pitching stars Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier were worked into the mix year-by-year. Young infielders Tyler White, Tony Kemp, Aledmys Diaz, Myles Straw and Abraham Toro filled in for the big stars. It worked well enough for the Astros to keep soaring.
The Big Red Machine
When Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine” was rolling over opponents in the 1970s, 19-year-old Don Gullett came up to go 5-2 as a reliever and help the Reds win the NL pennant. He was then moved into the starting rotation as the machine went into high gear and won two World Series.
BOSTON: Ken Griffey Sr. bunts against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park to help the Cincinnati Reds … [+]
Starters Ross Grimsley and Pat Darcy and relievers Rawly Eastwick and Will McEnaney turned bit appearances into starring roles. Young Doug Flynn, Dan Driessen, Ken Griffey and Ray Knight gave veteran sluggers Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and George Foster an occasional rest and developed into valuable regulars. The machine kept rolling.
Charlie Finley’s Fighting A’s
At the same time, the Oakland A’s were churning out Gene Tenace, George Hendrick, Claudell Washington, Phil Garner, Mike Norris and Glenn Abbott in support roles.
OAKLAND: Gene Tenace had five regular-season homers as a part-time catcher in 1972. He hit four in … [+]
They joined scrapping stars Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, Joe Rudi and Sal Bando who often were at odds in the clubhouse but a fine-tuned juggernaut on the field. The kids eventually claimed starting spots for the American League’s most dominant team. The scrappers kept scrapping.
The Perfect Mix
The Braves continue to rely on a strong farm system to develop players while shrewdly buying free agents. It’s the best of old-world development like Branch Rickey’s 1930s St. Louis Cardinals and George Steinbrenner’s spend-to-win New York Yankees of the late 1990s.
The San Diego Padres tried it Steinbrenner’s way the past couple of years and failed. The Los Angeles Dodgers soared into a new stratosphere of spending this winter. Time will tell how that works out.
The Braves have spent money and grown players for 2024. It should be fun watching.
Omari James. Photos provided by Atlanta police
ATLANTA – Atlanta police are asking for the public’s help locating 11-year-old Omari James, who has been classified as critically missing.
What we know:
Investigators said Omari ran away from his home around 9:30 p.m. Thursday after getting into an argument with his parents over his cell phone.
Police said Omari was last seen wearing a black shirt, red, white and blue shorts, black Nike slides and a Nike ski hat.
What you can do:
Anyone who has seen Omari or knows where he may be is asked to call 911 or contact the Atlanta Police Department’s Special Victims Unit. The investigation remains ongoing.
Atlanta, GA
Georgia Secretary of State opens investigation into voter registration mailers sent to deceased residents
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Thursday that his office has opened an investigation into Ready to Register and other third-party organizations after reports that voter registration mailers were sent to deceased Georgians and other ineligible recipients.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, election officials have received numerous complaints about voter registration solicitations being mailed to people who have died. In one unusual case cited by the office, a deceased family dog reportedly received one of the mailers.
State officials said they are reviewing whether the mailings violate Georgia law or otherwise undermine confidence in the state’s election system.
The Secretary of State’s Office said third-party voter registration groups frequently conduct mass mail campaigns ahead of major elections but often rely on commercial databases that can contain outdated or inaccurate information, unlike Georgia’s official voter registration system.
“Groups like this highlight the unreliability of commercial data,” Raffensperger said in a statement. “Georgia maintains one of the cleanest voter rolls in the nation through continuous list maintenance and citizenship verification. These outside organizations don’t use those standards. Instead, they flood mailboxes with inaccurate solicitations that confuse voters and waste election officials’ time.”
Raffensperger also thanked voters who alerted his office to the mailings.
“I want to thank the voters who have flagged the inaccurate mailings and sent them to our office,” he said. “Whether checking their ballots for accuracy or keeping their own registration information up to date, voters are a crucial line of defense in election security.”
Georgia officials said the issue mirrors problems recently identified in North Carolina, where election officials warned residents about similar mailings from Ready to Register. According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, North Carolina officials said the organization mailed registration forms to deceased individuals, used outdated forms, listed incorrect election office addresses and included QR codes that raised privacy concerns.
Raffensperger criticized the mass mailing campaigns, saying they create confusion while increasing the workload for local election offices.
“Whether intentional or simply reckless, these mail campaigns operate like a grift — raising money and generating activity while shifting the costs onto taxpayers, election officials, and voters,” Raffensperger said. “Georgia taxpayers should not have to clean up the mess created by organizations that prioritize volume over accuracy.”
The Secretary of State’s Office is encouraging Georgians to verify their voter registration through the state’s My Voter Page and says voters who are already registered at their current address should disregard unsolicited voter registration mailers.
Project aims to curb dengue by releasing millions of mosquitoes
Google-backed researchers are taking an unusual approach to fighting mosquito-borne diseases: releasing more mosquitoes. The effort, known as Debug, is designed to reduce populations of mosquitoes that spread illnesses such as dengue fever by using specially bred male mosquitoes that cannot produce viable offspring.
Fox – 35 Orlando
Mosquitoes in the Grant Park neighborhood of Atlanta have tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to Fulton County health officials.
Fulton County Board of Health Environmental Health mosquito control staff say the mosquitoes were tested following trapping in Fulton County.
“Mosquitoes can be dangerous if infected and may pose a serious health risk to people in our area,” Environmental Health Director at the Fulton County Board of Health, Brandon Leftwich, said in a statement from the agency. “We want to make sure communities are aware and take necessary precautions to protect themselves.”
Grant Park is in southeast Atlanta, south of Old Fourth Ward and west of East Atlanta.
Here’s what to know.
What is West Nile Virus?
West Nile Virus is the illness caused by infections from a pathogen in the Flaviviridae family. Mosquitoes are hosts for the pathogen, meaning they can spread it to people and other animals without dying.
It is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the contiguous United States, infecting more than 2,000 people each year. About 1,300 people develop a severe illness, and more than 130 people die annually in the U.S. from the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It spreads during mosquito season, or the period between June and October each year. Infections typically peak in late August and early September.
Many people infected may never show symptoms, and others will only experience mild, flu-like symptoms. It can take between 2 and 6 days after a mosquito bite to feel poorly, and then people may experience headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash. Those with mild illness can recover completely, but some fatigue and weakness can last much longer, even weeks or months.
In cases of severe illness, West Nile Virus attacks their central nervous system and can result in hospitalization or death. Patients may experience a very high fever, headaches, neck pain, stupor, disorientation, muscle weakness and other serious symptoms. Recovery can take weeks or months, and some effects could become permanent.
How is West Nile Virus treated?
There is no medicine that can treat West Nile Virus, so those with mild symptoms can take over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen to manage pain, fever or headaches. Those with West Nile Virus should not take ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the CDC. Patients should stay hydrated and take lots of rest to let your body fight the virus and recover.
Those with severe illness may need intravenous fluids, pain medication and nursing care at the hospital level, though there is still no medication that can be taken to cure the infection.
It is believed that those who have been infected by West Nile Virus develop a lifelong immunity or protection, meaning they can’t get the virus again, according to the CDC.
How to prevent mosquito bites
Fulton County health officials recommend following the “5Ds of mosquito bite prevention” to keep yourself safe from mosquito-borne illnesses.
- Dusk/Dawn: Avoid being outside during periods when mosquitoes are most active, including in the early morning and as the sun is setting.
- Dress: Loose-fitting clothes and items with long sleeves or pants will reduce the amount of exposed skin for a mosquito bite and make it difficult for a mosquito to bite through clothes.
- DEET: Insect repellant should contain DEET. It is the most effective ingredient in mosquito repellant.
- Drain: Standing water is a great place for mosquitoes to breed, so make sure to dump out water from buckets, barrels, flowerpots and tarps outside that could harbor mosquito larvae. You should also cut overgrown grass or weeds.
- Doors: While it might be nice for a breeze to pass through your house in the evenings, make sure doors and windows are closed and sealed to keep mosquitoes out of the house.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
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