Mad Dog searches for a bone

Maddux is attempting to reclaim his trademark precision

Throughout spring training, SI.com will feature regular dispatches from Sports Illustrated staffers assigned to scout camps in the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues.

By Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated

Team: Atlanta Braves

Site: Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Weather: Mid-70s, overcast with the occasional sprinkle, although every day in Disney's Wide World of Sports is officially sunny.

Player I Saw Whom I Really Liked: Greg Maddux. The noise in Braves camp is about all the new faces, but a most familiar one could hold the key to a 12th straight National League East title. Maddux had the second-best ERA in the NL last season but barely averaged six innings per start and recorded no complete games for the first time in his career. He did not pitch with his normal precision last year, which is what made his first spring outing Saturday against the New York Mets so impressive. Of the 10 batters he faced, seven saw either one or two pitches. Only two balls were hit in the air, a foul to medium right and a single to center that fell in front of a loping Andruw Jones. The only hard-hit ball was a first-inning-ending force out by Ty Wigginton. Maddux allowed two runners to reach in each inning (three singles and a walk) but threw only 11 pitches in each frame.

Around the Horn: Manager Bobby Cox has thrown down the gauntlet to Jason Marquis, the presumptive fifth starter. Cox said Marquis, a career 14-15 pitcher who has occasionally been troubled by shoulder soreness, is going to have to win the job and rattled off a string of competitors, including Horacio Ramirez, Jung Bong, Trey Hodges and 31-year-old Joe Dawley, who had Tommy John surgery in 2000. ... Newly acquired Robert Fick was ordered to stay away from camp Sunday. He has been working overtime to learn his new position, first base, and is recovering from offseason surgery on his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum. ... Mark DeRosa is battling to win the third base job from the disappointing Vinny Castilla. DeRosa, a one-time Penn quarterback, has gone from middling prospect to solid major leaguer because he is a good hitter and versatile enough to play anywhere in the infield. Cox said, "He's made himself a player, improved his hitting. He was methodical when he played short, making plays close at first base, but he's learned to speed everything up." ... The left thumb Chipper Jones sprained making a diving catch in left field on Friday should not keep him out of the lineup for long. ... C. Jones on the new Braves: "Most guys who've come in here were not on their own programs. They were willing to follow the lead of pitchers like Maddux, [the departed Tom] Glavine and [John] Smoltz. The everyday guys were ready to follow me, Andruw and Javy [Lopez.] The new guys have not been selfish. The Braves are good at remaining chemistry-conscious."

Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber will check in periodically with reports from his tour of spring camps.

 

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