Eaton’s Rehab

by Geoff Young on Aug 23, 2002

I’ve been studying Charlie Christian of late. He’s the guy who pulled the guitar out of the rhythm section back in the late ’30s playing for Benny Goodman. If you’ve ever been to a concert where a guitarist takes a solo, it’s no exaggeration to say that he owes it to Christian. Every Western electric guitar player has been profoundly influenced by the man, whether or not they know it.

The challenge now, for me, is to try to emulate his melodies and phrasing, understand the concepts behind them, and then apply those concepts to the style of music I play. You’d think incorporating swing licks from the ’30s into something like "Smokin’ in the Boys Room" would be difficult, and you’d be right. But it sure does open up a lot of different and exciting possibilities.

Enough of that. You came here for baseball.

Adam Eaton continues his climb back toward the big leagues. He worked 7 1/3 innings last night against Salt Lake City, allowing two earned runs on four hits. Struck out four, didn’t walk anyone. Figure one more rehab start for him, then a September callup assuming MLB is still playing games.

Several Padres are mentioned by Baseball America among top second base prospects. Jake Gautreau came in at #2, Josh Barfield at #6, and Bernie Castro at #12. Oakland’s Freddie Bynum, whom I saw play last weekend, checked in at #9. He didn’t show much at the plate, but in the field he reminded me a little of Damian Jackson. Great range.

Speaking of guys named Bynum, how about Mike? First big-league win. And, hey, the Pads took the series from the Braves.

And while we’re talking about the Braves, there’s one other thing I forgot to mention about their batting practice. When Greg Maddux was out in the outfield shagging baseballs, he would pick up a ball, grip it carefully, and then throw to a spot on the field. He did this several times. If you wonder why he’s so good, I’m sure the fact that he’s constantly working on his game doesn’t hurt.

Some riveting stuff on pitchers over at Baseball Primer:

I’m still digesting these myself, and while I may never fully grasp the theory, the results are intriguing.

We’re in the recording studio this weekend, so I’ll catch you all early next week. Have fun…

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