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New Braves |
I got this in my e-mail, but I'm not sure where it's from!
JUPITER, Fla. -- Javy Lopez knocked on the front door, and when Eneyda
Galarraga let him in, the Braves catcher found Andres Galarraga hanging
up the telephone. Peering out the door, Galarraga saw a pair of buses
filled with teammates Monday morning, all there to make a surprise
housecall on the Big Cat.
It might have been a cue to cry.
``No, I'm a tough guy,'' Lopez said. ``But if I
could cry, I would have.''
In their first face-to-face contact with Galarraga
since he was diagnosed with lymphoma on Feb. 18, the Braves detoured
from their route to Roger Dean Stadium to drop by his West Palm Beach
home. The idea was a conspiracy between Eneyda, manager Bobby Cox and
traveling secretary Bill Acree, and the event appeared to be mutually
beneficial.
``I think he was just happy to see everybody,'' Cox
said. ``It's pretty tough. But he looked very good.''
``Looked good, man,'' shortstop Walt Weiss said. ``I'd
rather stayed there than come here (to Jupiter).''
``He looked like he could hit a couple home runs
today,'' pitching coach Leo Mazzone said. ``You'd just have to expect
that what he's going through would take something out of him. But he
looks strong as a bear.''
Depressed and despondent by the original diagnosis,
Galarraga appeared buoyant and happy during the team's five-minute
visit. After a month's seclusion with his family while he started
chemotherapy, the first baseman will make his first public appearance
Wednesday morning with a news conference at the Braves' Walt Disney
World complex.
``To me, he looks like he is right mentally, now,'' Lopez
said. ``He looked relaxed, not depressed anymore. It's just knowing he
has the disease, but he's really calm knowing he's going to get
better.''
``(The visit) helped him a lot,'' Eneyda said. ``He was
excited everybody came to see him. It was good for the team. He's an
inspiration to everybody.''
Before leaving, Ryan Klesko approached the man he has
replaced in the field.
``He gave me a big hug,'' said Klesko, ``and he told me to go
hard.''
Sort of what the Braves were trying to say to him.
Email: javydaman@juno.com
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