Sunday, March 28 1999

Good morning and welcome to Day 9 of the 6th Annual Spring Training Trek 1999!

And now it's time to say good bye, to all our company. M - I - C (See you real soon!), K-E-Y (Why? Because we like you!) M-O-U-S-E. That's right, it's the 9th day of my 1999 Spring Training Trek, the last day, and we are checking out of the Port Orleans Resort and Walt Disney World. I am one breakfast and one road trip, the second and last road trip, away from the last game. The Braves will face the Los Angles Dodgers in Dodgertown, located in Vero Beach on the East coast of Florida. The Dodgers have been coming to Vero Beach for Spring Training for 50 years, so it makes perfect sense that new owner Rupert Murdoch wants to move the team to Phoenix. Dodgertown is one of the nicest, homiest spring training facilities in all of Florida, in a different class from Disney. It would be a shame for the Dodgers to go.

Otis Nixon leads off the top of the 1st with a base hit into center.

Nixon moves to 2nd on a ground out by Keith Lockhart. Chipper Jones sends a long fly ball over the center field fence for a 2 run home run.

Ryan Klesko strikes out followed by a Javier Lopez fly out to end the top half of the inning. John Smoltz starts the bottom of the inning giving up a single to right to Eric Young. A fly to right becomes the first out, but after Young steals 2nd, Smoltz gives up a walk to Gary Sheffield. Smoltz picks off Young at 2nd and gets a strikeout to end the inning.

Gerald Williams flies out to right to start the 2nd inning, followed by strikeouts from Danny Bautista and Tony Graffanino. The Dodgers lead off the bottom of the inning with a hit to center. Raul Mondesi then steals 2nd, then Eric Karros grounds to 2nd for a put-out at 1st moving the Mondesi to 3rd. A pop-up on the infield becomes the 2nd out. A hit to center scores Mondesi and the Dodgers are on the bard. Smoltz gets his second strikeout to end the inning.

Holman Stadium at Dodgertown does not have all the bells and whistles that Disney gave their Wide World of Sports complex, but it does have something that Disney can only hope will develop over time, and that is character. From the grass seats stretching from left field all the way to right (lawn chairs are welcome), to the public address system with a sense of humor, to the general intimate nature of the ballpark, Dodgertown is a perfect example of what Spring Training is supposed to be.

Top of the 3rd, Smoltz grounds to short, followed by a ground out to 1st by Nixon. Keith Lockhart singles to center for a hit with 2 outs, but Chipper Jones strikes out to end the inning. In the bottom half, Eric Young beats out a ground to short, followed by a Todd Hundley single that puts runners on the corners. A double play scores a run but leaves the Dodgers with 2 outs and no base runners. A ground out to 3rd ends the inning, but the Dodgers have tied the game.

Klesko singles to lead off the 4th, but Lopez hits into a double play and Williams almost beats a bunt throw to 1st. For some reason in the bottom of the 4th, Bobby Cox left the game. Mondesi strikes out to start the inning, followed by a ground to short, a single to center by Gridzielanek who is then caught stealing 2nd to end the inning.

In the 5th, Danny Bautista doubles and moves to 3rd on a wild pitch. Graffanino grounds out and Bautista has to hold. Smoltz bunts down the 1st base line, but Bautista is caught in a run-down while Smoltz reaches 2nd base. But Nixon strikes out to end the inning. In the bottom, Smoltz gives up a double, then the Dodgers bunt to move the runner to 3rd. A run scores on a wild pitch, and the Dodgers take a 3-2 lead. A pop-up to Klesko is out #2, followed by a single to right to Hundley, and a Sheffield fly out to center to end the inning.

Lockhart led off the top of the 6th with a pop-up to right. Chipper and Klesko both strike out for a quick half inning. Chipper receives jeers and cheers as we walks down the right field line for his post game warm down. Gene Schall takes over at 1st and Marty Malloy at 3rd. Smoltz gets two strikeouts and a ground out to close out the inning, then takes off for his warm down, along with trainer Dave Pursley.

In the 7th, Lopez grounds to 3rd, Williams pops up to short, and Bautista pops up 2nd to end the inning. Just to show it truly is a small world after all, Disney has built an ocean front resort at Vero Beach and naturally is a sponsor of Dodgers ball games, complete with Disney music and contests. In the bottom of the 7th, Rudy Seanez comes in to pitch and Gridzielanik flies out to right for the first out.

Malloy can't hold onto a grounder hit down the 3rd base line, and the Dodgers get a runner on. A single to right by Todd Hollandsworth puts runners on 1st and 2nd. Eric Young flies out to center and the runners hold. Seanez gives up a walk on a 3-2 count to load the bases.

Trinidad Hubbard flies out to right to end the inning, and Seanez gets out of trouble. Former Brave Pedro Bourbon takes over for the Dodgers in the 8th. Graffanino grounds out to 3rd for the first out. Brian Hunter pinches for Seanez, and is called safe on a bad through to 1st. Hunter steals 2nd as Nixon strikes out and Lockhart strikes out to end the inning.

Joe Winkelsas comes in to pitch the bottom of the 8th, giving up a hit to left and a walk before getting a strikeout and can only get the lead runner on a double play grounder. With runners on the corners and 2 outs, a ground to 2nd ends the inning.

In the top of the 9th inning, the Braves are down by one. Marty Malloy leads off with a ground out. Gene Schall strikes out, and Javier Lopez is the last chance for the Braves. After sending his bat into the Dodgers dugout, Lopez grounds to 2nd to end the inning, the game, and my

9 day, 8 game 1999 Spring Training Trek. A drive back to Orlando, a flight back to Atlanta, and here I am in the comfort of my own home with a pile of dirty laundry on one side and a pile of souvenirs on the other.

It is hard to sum up the team after just one week of observation, but I will give a few closing thoughts before taking a few days to recuperate. First, throw all the talk about the bullpen out the door:

Wohlers is strong, Cather will make it back, and while Ligtenberg will be missed, the Braves may have one of the strongest relief collectives yet. Second, the offense is strong even without the Big Cat: the team scored a lot of runs with only a few homers, and batting averages are strong going into the regular season.

Starting pitching is often taken for granted with this team, and Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz continue to prove it true. Bruce Chen is still a little rough around the edges, and Kevin Millwood never got a Spring Training start. If I had to point the finger at something, though, it would be the defense. Despite 3 gold gloves in the field, and 2 sure gloves behind the plate, the Braves seemed a little rusty but I am sure the team will work out the kinks.

I have enjoyed writing these daily diaries for ChopChat until 2 am each morning, and thank those of you have have sent me your private and public comments. I hope you will all continue to be involved with the Braves on-line throughout the season. Hakuna Matata, everyone!

Fuskie