By Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published October 1, 2003
ATLANTA - Getting down to earth helped Mike Hampton get back to being a top pitcher.
The Crystal River High graduate starts Game 2 of the NL Division Series for the Braves tonight having gone 14-8 with a 3.84 ERA in his first season in Atlanta, a huge improvement from his wretched 21-28, 5.75 two-season performance in Colorado.
"I never lost confidence in myself, and I know I have the ability that I can still play this game and do a pretty good job at it," Hampton said. "The change of atmosphere, getting into this organization and getting back with a chance to win, there are a lot of pluses. ... It was just me getting back to being myself, and I think I've done that in the second half."
Manager Bobby Cox said the Braves expected Hampton to pitch better once he got out of Colorado, just as Darryl Kile did when he went to St. Louis.
BLEACHER BUMS: The Braves finally found a way to fill Turner Field for a playoff game: play the Cubs. Atlanta fans seem to have grown bored with the Braves' repeated success; none of their postseason games the past two years sold out. But with the Cubs as the opponent, Chicago fans turned out in large numbers and the first two games are sellouts.
That was good news for the Braves. The bad news was there were lots of people cheering loudly for the Cubs.
ADD IT UP: Cubs Game 2 starter Carlos Zambrano has a simple approach to the game, and the series. "In a game you have to make 27 outs to get the victory and then you can say, "We won,"' he said. "You have to make 27 plus 27 plus 27 to win three games. I don't know what that is; my math is bad."
WHAT A WASTE: For seven innings in his playoff debut, Josh Beckett shrugged off his nervousness and pitched exceptionally. Just not as well as Jason Schmidt.
The Marlins right-hander, 23, allowed two hits while striking out nine in the Giants' 2-0 win. Though he put the Giants powerful lineup on its heels, he wasn't consoled.
"I'll remember it as a loss," he said. "I'm 0-1 in my playoff career."
The effort still should provide a huge confidence boost to Beckett, who admitted to a huge case of nerves. But once he took the mound, his worries evaporated.
"To be honest, I thought I had more energy in the (final regular-season start against) Philadelphia," he said. "It wasn't the way I expected it to be. It wasn't that difficult to stay focused."
MISCELLANY: The Cubs won their first playoff game since 1989. ... Braves second baseman Marcus Giles left with soreness and bruises after tripping at first base. ... The Cubs left Tony Womack and Shawn Estes off their playoff roster, going with Doug Glanville and Juan Cruz. ... The Braves kept Johnny Estrada as their backup catcher over Henry Blanco. ... The Giants are carrying 12 pitchers and 13 position players in the first round, assuring themselves a deep bullpen. Schmidt has battled elbow soreness and left-hander Kirk Rueter spent time on the disabled list with a strained throwing shoulder. ... St. Petersburg's Jim McKean is in Atlanta as the umpiring supervisor. ... Cubs GM Jim Hendry's mom, Mildred, who still lives in Dunedin, turned 82 Tuesday.
