It's hardly the ideal situation to have the day's starting pitcher have to catch a 6:00 a.m. flight to get to the ball park, but that's what Chuck James had to do April 18 to make his emergency start in place of Tom Glavine. And that was for a 3:55 p.m. game.
James landed after 8 a.m. in Atlanta from Richmond, where he had been re-assigned to the Braves' Class AAA team. Needless to say, he was happy to have had to make that early flight, but things don't always work out that way. That -- and getting a spanking new ballpark, which Richmond does not provide -- is the main reason why the R-Braves will be relocating to the Atlanta suburbs of northeastern Gwinnett County next year.
At least Atlanta is a hub for airlines, so there are a fair number of flights there daily from Richmond. But had the Braves not found out in time from team physicians that Glavine's strained right hamstring was bleeding out and should not be subjected to his scheduled start, James may not have had his opportunity. General manager Frank Wren may have been forced to turn to a pitcher from the Class AA team in Mississippi. Or worse, a Class A prospect at Rome, Georgia, who could have driven to the ballpark in two hours. (Or possibly less, if the driver is manager Bobby Cox, whose farm is located near there.)
With the success of Jair Jurrjens, James is likely to find himself back at Richmond when Glavine comes off the 15-day DL -- unless he takes the place of one of the long relievers, Buddy Carlyle or Jeff Bennett. Getting there, though, is never an emergency situation for those going down.
MARLINS 7, BRAVES 2: The Braves slipped below .500 again after producing only two runs on 11 hits. They left 13 runners on base, including five by Mark Teixiera.
