« February 2005 | Main | April 2005 »
March 31, 2005
Rome/Myrtle Beach Rosters Set
 |
Outfielder Steve Doetsch returns to Rome in 2005 after leading the team in RBI in 2004. His strikeout totals are holding him back though - 152 whiffs in 128 games to lead all Braves minor leaguers. If Doetsch shows some improvement in that area he could finish the season in Myrtle Beach. Another outfielder, Johan Silva, will skip over Danville after hitting .273/.362/.424 for the GCL Braves last season. He did squeeze in a few game for Rome near the end of last season.
Cole Armstrong is no longer listed as a catcher, but is grouped in with the infielders. He has an intriguing bat, but with Clint Sammons set to start behind the dish, a position switch may be in order. First base maybe? Van Pope will start at third base, meaning Eric Campbell is likely headed to Danville. Matt Young will also be making his organizational debut for Rome.
The starting rotation will be the strength of this ballclub, led by Luis Atilano, Chris Vines, and a returning Charlie Morton. James Parr, Jonathan Venters, and Johnnie Wiggins all make the jump from the GCL. Dan Smith was fantastic in relief for Danville last year and could move quickly. Look for some form of piggybacking in the starting rotation similar to last year.
David Dawson does a fantastic job of covering the Rome Braves for the Rome News-Tribune, and has several articles on the upcoming season:
2005 Rome Braves Roster
Familiar faces, new names on roster
Doetsch on even keel
Over in Myrtle Beach, the Pelicans roster is also set. The team is a bit thin on offense, but should be led by Jake Stevens, Chuck James, and Jose Ascanio on the mound. Jarrod Saltalamacchia got a deserving promotion to Myrtle Beach, and hopefully will not have to split as much time with Miguel Bernard as he did last season. 2B Martin Prado should anchor the infield, and OF Matt Esquivel will provide some pop in the outfield. Carlos Duran is hoping the third time is a charm patrolling the Coastal Federal outfield. Anyone have information on Jamie Trejo?
Melinda Waldrop reviews the roster for the Myrtle Beach Sun News
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 09:52 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
March 30, 2005
NL East Preview
I recently wrapped up a discussion on the NL East with Richard Lederer and Bryan Smith, otherwise known as The Baseball Analysts, as well as Jason Mastaitis from the Mets blog Alwayas Amazin'. You can see the results right here: Two on Two: NL East Preview.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:04 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
March 29, 2005
Free Buddy Hernandez!
 |
Small in stature, but big on talent, Buddy Hernandez is having a great spring out of the bullpen for the Braves. Listed at 5'9", 170 in the media guide, Buddy has always been overlooked because of his size, but his numbers tell the real story. He has never started a game in the minors, but in 287 relief innings over the past five years, Hernandez is 17-7 with a 2.16 ERA. He allowed just 204 hits during that span, striking out 364 and walking just 106. The good work out of the pen has continued this spring:
2005 Bullpen Competition
Roman Colon -- 9 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 SO, 1.00 ERA
Buddy Hernandez -- 8.2 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 SO, 1.04 ERA
Kevin Barry -- 6.1 IP, 7 H, 5 BB, 12 SO, 2.84 ERA
Chris Reitsma -- 6 IP, 7 H, 0 BB, 6 SO, 3.00 ERA
Gabe White -- 8.1 IP, 9 H, 4 BB, 3 SO, 4.32 ERA
Adam Bernero -- 10 IP, 13 H, 4 BB, 13 SO, 7.20 ERA
Kevin Gryboski -- 4 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 1 SO, 9.00 ERA
Tom Martin -- 7.2 IP, 17 H, BB, 2 SO, 11.74 ERA
What else does he need to do to earn a spot on this team? If he were three inches taller, he would be the second coming. Is that the only thing holding him back? Based on performance alone, he should be a lock, but all of this Adam Bernero talk has me wondering if Hernandez is heading back to Richmond to start the season. That would be a mistake in my opinion - give him a chance to earn his keep. Free Buddy Hernandez!
Living Vicariously
Tyler from Athletics Nation had the opportunity of a lifetime this spring, and has made the most of it. Given media credentials to the A's spring training site in Phoenix, Blez has taken on all comers, and is working on compiling the mother of all spring training reports. Part 1 and Part 2 are up, with the best yet to come - including interviews with Eric Chavez, Barry Zito, Bobby Crosby, Huston Street, and more. Keep your eyes peeled.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 10:18 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
March 26, 2005
More Minor Moves
Braves acquire P Seth Greisinger from Nationals
Greisinger should start the season with Triple-A Richmond. Nothing else to see here, move along.
I'll be scarce for most of what we have left of the weekend, and possibly both Monday and Tuesday, but my wife does have a question for you. As we drove through Atlanta today and passed Turner Field, I was explaining to her about the new video display the team installed in center field to the tune of $10 million dollars. She would like to know why the organization chose to spend that kind of money on a TV when we don't have anybody who can play the outfield besides Andruw. Any takers?
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:14 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
March 24, 2005
Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie
 |
Braves claim Jason Bourgeois off waivers
Bourgeois is a former 2nd round pick (56th overall) of the Texas Rangers in 2000, and was removed from the 40-man roster this spring. In looking at his numbers, he seems to be a decent enough player, but has never been able to live up to the hype of his mid six-figures signing bonus. In 2004, he repeated Double-A Frisco in the Texas League at age 22, hitting .256/.315/.330, with 19 doubles, seven triples, and two homers. He was also successful in 30 of 40 stolen base attempts.
Right now, he fits the organizational player mold, and will slot in at Double-A Mississippi or Triple-A Richmond, depending on whether or not Pete Orr makes the big club (looking less likely every day). Baseball America listed him as the 23rd overall prospect in the Rangers organization heading into the 2005 season, citing his "plus speed, savvy base running, and ability to slash line drives from gap to gap" as his main attributes. All in all, not a bad pickup to fill a need down on the farm.
P.S. - You really should listen to Belle and Sebastian if you don't already.
P.S.S. - Hat tip to Michael McHenry for the claim info this morning.
Update: Mac posted the Richmond Press Release in the comments section. It still makes the most sense that Bourgeois will start off the season in Double-A Mississippi, so this is likely just procedural.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 05:38 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Double Dare
I've taken The Challenge before, but Aaron Gleeman has thrown down the gauntlet once again. This time, shuffle up 40 songs in your mp3 player of choice, and then post them. I reset my party shuffle mode in iTunes, and grabbed the first 40 songs that popped up. To say my list and Aaron's are different would be the understatement of the year:
 40 songs at random |
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 11:47 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
March 23, 2005
Braves 6, Mets 7, 10 Inn.
Thanks to ESPN, I was able to catch the majority of this game on TV yesterday, and it was a fun one to watch despite the outcome. The wind was blowing briskly out to left, helping a few of the six combined homers in the game climb over the fence. Wilson Betemit put a strangle hold on the utility infielder job, hitting two solo homers off of Tom Glavine on a 3-for-5, two RBI afternoon. His main competition, Pete Orr, was 0-for-5 and fanned three times in the leadoff spot. Betemit did make an ugly error between jacks, but was adequate in the field otherwise.
Tim Hudson looked sharp in his four shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out one. Tom Martin, on the other hand, looked terrible, giving up three singles and a three-run homer to Victor Diaz in the fifth. I swear every pitch was 78 mph and right down the middle. For the spring, Martin has a 10.80 ERA in 6 2/3 innings pitched, allowing an unreal 14 hits, with just two strikeouts and one walk. Those are not numbers of a major league caliber pitcher. Gabe White wasn't exactly an ace behind him, but he was much better in comparison.
Ryan Langerhans also went deep off of Glavine, taking him to the opposite field and driving in James Jurries, who had singled through the right side one batter before. Jurries also made a nice diving stop at first later in the game, and looked pretty good overall.
Chris Mears came on in the tenth inning and gave up a walk-off homer to Ramon "I'll take Therapists for $200 please Alex" Castro to take the loss.
Brandon Jones love
Baseball America takes a look at Brandon Jones in their latest N.L. East notebook, and really likes what they see. Signed as a draft and follow prior to the 2004 draft, Jones hit .297/.366/.416 in 209 at-bats for short season Danville last year, and has impressed farm director Dayton Moore:
Jones has attracted comparisons to Angels outfielder Garret Anderson with his solid tools, including a combination of speed and budding power. He had 14 extra-base hits last year at Danville, and his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame should allow him to go deep more often as his body matures.Baseball America also listed Jones as the #22 overall prospect in the organization in the 2005 Prospect Handbook. 50PoundHead keeps telling me I need to pay more attention to him - I think it is about time I started listening.“Everything you look for in an athletic outfielder is there with Brandon,” farm director Dayton Moore said. “I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he started to move fast through the organization once everything starts coming together.”
Prospect Rankings
Aaron Gleeman has kicked off his annual Top 50 prospects list at The Hardball Times. Three Braves have made the list so far - Jeff Francoeur at #27,Kyle Davies at #37, and Brian McCann at #41:
27) Jeff Francoeur --A select number of great players in baseball history have gotten by with walking 30 times a year, but Francoeur doesn't have the elite power or huge batting averages to be one of them. The irony is that if he wants to become a truly special player, Francoeur, who has such great athleticism and such an abundance of tools, will have to learn how to take more pitches.While Aaron's lists covers only the top 50, Scott Rex from On Deck Baseball Prospects adds a zero when dishing out his Future 500. The Braves contingent: 13. Andy Marte 19. Jeff Francoeur 71. Kyle Davies 104. Jake Stevens 105. Anthony Lerew 123. Brian McCann 201. Jarrod Saltalamacchia 313. Macay McBride 315. Chuck James 317. Gonzalo Lopez 357. Luis Atilano 360. Ryan Langerhans 361. Wilson Betemit 366. Kelly Johnson 377. Eric Campbell 381. Zach Miner 413. Matt Wright 460. Jo Jo Reyes.37) Kyle Davies --The Braves have certainly seen their fair share of pitchers blossom after leaving Atlanta, but it is at least interesting to note that Davies is the guy John Schuerholz, Leo Mazzone and company chose to hold on to while trading away fellow top pitching prospects Dan Meyer and Jose Capellan this offseason. There was an opening for Davies in Atlanta's rotation for a brief moment this offseason with Russ Ortiz, Jaret Wright, and Paul Byrd all leaving for free agency, but Horacio Ramirez's health, John Smoltz's return from the bullpen, and the Tim Hudson trade put an end to that. Instead, Davies will likely head back to the minors and wait his turn.
41)Brian McCann --Remember what I said earlier about not getting overly worked up over young catchers who hit in the low minors? Well, believe it or not ranking Brian McCann 41st is my attempt at following that advice. With the large caveat that he was 20 years old and in Single-A last season, McCann's power potential looks incredible. He smacked 50 extra-base hits in just 382 at-bats at Single-A Myrtle Beach, a very tough park for hitting in the pitcher-friendly Carolina League. In fact, just two of McCann's 15 home runs came at home and he slugged .546 with 32 extra-base hits in 218 road at-bats.
Spring Training trip report
Bryan Smith from The Baseball Analysts recaps a week-long venture around the Cactus League, reviewing both the stadiums he visited and, most importantly, the players on the field. Be sure to check out both Part 1 and Part 2.
Opportunity Knocks
My latest article at Rotojunkie is up, where I take a look at the Chicago Cubs outfield situation, and what help may be on the way in the minors. The Cubs are very similar to the Braves in that they have a solid center fielder, but the two corners are surrounded with question marks. They do have some help on the way in the form of Jason Dubois, Felix Pie, and Ryan Harvey, but how soon will they arrive, and how will they perform when they get there?
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:43 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
March 21, 2005
2005 Positional Preview: Outfield
Two of the three Opening Day outfielders for Atlanta are on one-year contracts, so there should be opportunities for some of the following players to make the 2006 roster. I wouldn't call it an extremely rich class right now, but it's only a couple of breakout seasons away from being one.
Billy McCarthy, 25
The oldest of all the OF prospects, McCarthy is a pure hitter with little speed and only an average amount of power. After losing most of 2003 to injuries, McCarthy had a great season in Greenville and Richmond, combining to hit .324/.388/.509. He could probably start for several teams already. And if the Brian Jordan experiment fails, then he'll likely be on the first flight to Atlanta.
Kelly Johnson, 23
Johnson was pegged as the next Chipper after his 2001 season, but a couple of not-so-spectacular seasons at Myrtle Beach and Greenville shut that hype up pretty quickly. He had a really nice 2004 as 40% of his hits went for extra bases, including a whopping 35 doubles. If his defense at SS had been better, he would've been an excellent replacement for Furcal in 2006. As it stands now, he has better players both in front of and behind him.
Onil Joseph, 23
Onil and I go way back. Back to when he was named Miguel Mota. Gosh, he's changed a lot since then. As a 20-year-old in the GCL, Miguel showed a bit of power but had an awful BB/AB ratio. Now this new Onil kid knows what a walk but is strictly a singles hitter. I have the solution to make him a very good overall player. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Miguel Joseph. Or maybe Onil Mota.
Ardley Jansen, 22
A fellow countryman of Andruw Jones, Jansen has some of the same defensive skills. But you definitely wouldn't mistake them for each other at the plate. His walk rate improved greatly last year, but his power is fairly unimpressive. He had a very nice showing at Greenville at the tail end of the year, and he'll likely head there this season.
Jeff Francoeur, 21
I think Baseball America putting Francoeur as the Braves #1 prospect ahead of Andy Marte says a lot more about the magazine than it does about either player. Francoeur has all the tools and the makeup that scouts and front office folks love. And he's also got a huge amount of power for his age. But he has to work on the plate discipline. In his 2 seasons above rookie ball, he has walked just 52 times in 931 ABs. The good thing is that he knows this is the one weak link in his game, and in multiple interviews he has said this will be his focus in 2005. If it all comes together for him in the next few months, then he'll be the opening day RF in 2006.
Gregor Blanco, 21
Blanco has gone from a player with a huge amount of walks, great speed and very little power to one with an average amount of walks, great speed and very little power. You can live with the old version in CF because of the immense value as a leadoff man. But the latter version isn't nearly as useful. His walk rate declined again and took his OBP with it. The strikeouts are, of course, still way too high. He's young, which is a plus, but facing Double-A pitchers every day might age him quickly.
Carlos Duran, 22
Packing list for trip to the majors
Tools: Check.
Athletic ability: Check.
Toothbrush: Check
Performance that shows either of the first two: Ah, there's always something left behind...
Duran does show flashes every once in a while, but a lack of consistency and last year's injuries aren't helping.
Josh Burrus, 21
Did this former 1st-rounder have a breakthrough year? If your glass is always half-full, then you'd say, "Yes! 30 doubles! 11 HRs! And a 'high for him' .272 average!" If you're of the half-empty persuasion, you'd point out that, yes, his average improved a bit, and he hit a lot more HRs. But his doubles rate was about the same. As were his rates of walks and strikeouts. To me, 2004 looks a lot like 2003 - just with more ABs. Not that I would could consider myself a glass-half-empty kinda guy...
Matt Esquivel, 22
Here's another guy who looks like he had a big jump but actually just got a lot more playing time. Esquivel's got a big stick (50 extra-base hits), but it's not big enough to keep him from missing so many pitches (140 Ks in 411 ABs). Myrtle Beach might cut back on the HR totals, but because of his age and his success so far, I bet he puts up decent numbers in that park.
Steven Doetsch, 21
Doetsch was one my favorite players in his first season. Not only did he have a bunch of power, but he put together multiple double-digit hitting streaks - one of them going 24 games. He continued that prodigious output in a full season at Rome. Unfortunately, he also whiffed more than anyone in the system. You'll see his name really high on the 2006 prospect lists if he can cut down on those a bit.
Mark Jurich, 24
Rarely is a player able to produce the same numbers in the minors that he did in college, but Jurich was very close last year. He had fewer hits than when he was using a metal bat, but the ones he had for Danville were more potent. Nearly half of his hits went for extra bases, including 16 HRs - 10 more than any other teammate. He's in the middle of a position switch to 1B, but if his spring training injury was anywhere close to the way Brad described it, he might not start the season for 2-3 months.
Carl Loadenthal, 23
Loadenthal had an excellent follow-up to his excellent debut season. He maintained his .300 average and quality on-base skills while also developing more power. All while not increasing his miniscule strikeout totals. There's that issue of playing against kids 3-4 years younger than him though...
First-year players to watch:
Brandon Jones, 21
A community college draft-and-follow, Jones put up solid numbers across the board at Danville. He'll most likely start at Rome.
Johan Silva, 20
Silva had more HRs than doubles which is always fun to see, but his strikeouts are a bit high already.
Jon Mark Owings, 20
Most teams were scared off by Owings' commitment to Clemson, but the Braves drafted him in the 17th round and persuaded him to sign. He's a top talent but ruptured his spleen at the end of the year. He's supposedly healthy now and probably headed to Danville.
Posted by Michael McHenry at 07:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 19, 2005
Double your displeasure
Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3
Atlanta 7, Detroit 10
The Braves couldn't get anything done in the first eight innings against Phillies pitching, but an Ardley Jansen three run blast in the bottom of the ninth at least made the 4-3 final score more respectable. John Thomson gave up one run and fanned four in four innings in the start, but the bullpen combo of Tom Martin and Dan Kolb were less than impressive. Maybe Martin will follow the lead of Roberto Alomar and Danny Bautista and retire. Ryan Langerhans was 0-for-4, and both James Jurries and Brian McCann were 0-for-1.
Andruw Jones was 2-for-2 with two homers in the Braves away game at Detroit, but the pitching was exceptionally poor en route to a 10-7 loss. Sam McConnell allowed two runs in three innings in the start, which was followed by three runs in two innings by Andy Van Hekken, and five runs in 1 2/3 by Hector Almonte. Only Chris Mears left unscathed, giving up two hits and striking out two in 1 1/3 innings. Jeff Francoeur and Carlos Duran each went 0-for-1 in mop-up duty.
Transactions
While I was away, the following players were cut and re-assigned to minor league camp: Blaine Boyer, Kyle Davies, Luis Hernandez, Kelly Johnson, Anthony Lerew, Andy Marte, Macay McBride, Billy McCarthy, Tony Pena Jr., Scott Thorman, and Jorge Vazquez. John Foster was re-signed by the organization, and should help fill out the staff in Triple-A Richmond.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:02 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
March 18, 2005
Spring Training Trip Report
Since this was my first visit to the Braves spring training complex in Orlando, I thought I would highlight a bit of what I heard and saw for those of you who have never had the opportunity to make the trip. I didn't really have enough time to do everything I wanted to, but just spending one morning around the camp was fantastic, and has me ready to go back as soon as possible.
When I first arrived at the Wide World of Sports complex on Tuesday morning, I made my way around to the back fields around 10:15 just as the Braves were breaking up from a morning meeting. All of the players in camp were seated around the infield as one of the coaches was going over some of the drills they would be working on that day. They broke shortly after I arrived, heading to three separate fields based on experience level - the rookie level guys practiced together, the A ball guys practiced together, and the AA and AAA guys practiced together. Once they reached their fields - position players in blue tops, pitchers in red - they went through a series of warm-up, running, and stretching drills before pairing up to get their arms loose. All of that took about 45 minutes or so, and only after that did they get started on their practice drills.
 Getting Loose |
The pitchers worked on their pickoff moves to first and second, while the fielders rotated between running and covering the bags. After that, the same groups worked on rundowns between first and second and second and third. While this was going on, the catchers hung around the backstop and shot the bull with some of the coaches. At the same time out on the back fields, the major league pitchers were working on covering first on grounders to the right side. Even the big boys need to work on the fundamentals.
 Tim Hudson |
Once the drills wrapped up, it was time for a little BP. The regular pitchers took turns on the hill (no coaches on the mound), and the catchers got in some work behind the dish. During BP, Mark Jurich was involved in a very scary moment in the field. He was taking grounders at first base with the Double-A group when he was hit just above the left eye with a ball. I was standing right at the fence when it happened, but had turned away for a split second to watch the adjacent field. All I heard was the sound of the ball hitting him and the calls of helps from the players and coaches before I turned back around. It had to be a batted ball that caught him. The infielders were only fielding grounders from the coaches and not throwing to the bases, so the ball that hit Jurich had to come off of a bat. The protective nets were up and in place, but he must have been just out from behind it. He hit the deck, writhing in pain, as the players and coaches surrounded him. I don't believe he lost consciousness (if he did, it was only momentarily), but he never rolled off of his chest or side for the entire 20 minutes or so until the ambulance arrived. It was a very scary sight, and still makes me uneasy just thinking about it. I haven't heard any updates on his condition since then, but I pray that he comes out of this ok.
On a lighter note, it is funny how you make certain assumptions about the players or camp, only to be pleasantly surprised at some of the goings on. One of the assumptions that I made was that most of the players at least knew who each other were. Obviously, it would be impossible to know and remember everyone's name - especially for guys playing several levels apart - but I had never thought about the fact that some of the players don't know each other at all. Case and point on the A ball field: Xan Barksdale had just finished catching Brady Endl in batting practice. As they walked over to grab some water, they introduced themselves I guess for the first time, exchanging names, where they went to school, how they came to be with the Braves organization, etc. It was a nice little sidebar to see how the players interact with each other.
A few other notes:
The practice fields are all close to one another, but anytime a player switched fields, he always ran from one to the other. Chris Vines was moved from the A ball field to throw BP to the AA/AAA group. He hit the gate running from one field and didn't stop until he reached the gate of the other. Nothing like the click-clack of spikes heading down the sidewalk.
Some of the pitchers who weren't throwing BP were hitting in the batting cages with coach Danny Tartabull. Jeff Blauser was also helping out on the fields.
Since I hadn't seen many of these players in person, or it had been a couple of seasons since I had last seen them, I was wondering if anyone's appearance would shock me. Surprisingly enough, not really. The only one that really stood out was Gonzalo Lopez. He was much wider in person than I thought he would be. Most everyone else looked great. Jarrod Saltalamacchia looked huge - his thighs were massive! Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann looked to be in great shape, same with Martin Prado - very athletic looking. Luis Atilano looks like he added the slightest bit of muscle since he was first drafted, and it suits him. The majority of the pitchers were impressively tall and lanky, especially Charlie Morton.
 Saltalamacchia, Pope, and Holt |
 Luis Atilano (tan glove) |
Around 12:30 or so, my wife and I walked back over to the stadium to take in the Dodgers/Braves tilt, where they played to a 3-3 tie in ten innings. Horacio Ramirez looked pretty sharp, working between 87-91 on the gun and pitching to contact. Julio Franco and Kelly Johnson both took Dodgers starter Scott Erickson deep - Julio with a two-run opposite field shot that just cleared the 330 sign, and Kelly with a laser just left of 385. That one got out in a hurry. Other than that, it was a pretty non-eventful game.
We did catch the Saturday afternoon game on the day of our arrival against the Tigers, finally making it to our seats for the top of the second inning. My wife and I sat with Jason Collette from RotoJunkie and his wife, and around the fifth inning, Michael McHenry stopped by and joined us for the duration. I was enjoying the company too much to take any notes on the game, but it was funny seeing Mike Hessman in his Tigers uniform. It was even funnier to see him get called out on batters interference. To wrap up the trip, we had tickets to the 7:05 Wednesday night game against the Nationals, but never made it. There was a ton of rain and even a tornado warning for the area until 8 PM. We assumed that the game would be cancelled and made other plans for the evening. We assumed incorrectly.
So, it was a great trip overall. Disney was fun when we weren't watching the Braves play, and we ate at some excellent restaurants. On my next trip, I would like to spend more time at the Braves complex now that I know how things work down there. I'm not really thrilled with my pictures (I need a zoom lens), but I'm not a professional photographer either - I'll leave that to Tom Priddy. I'll be adding a few pictures to this post as soon as I get them edited and uploaded, so be sure to check back over the weekend.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 04:40 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
So, what did I miss?
I'm back from by trip to Orlando, which turned out to be a blast. I'll be trying to catch up on things around the house for most of the day, but I hope to try to squeeze in a proper trip report this afternoon. In the meantime, here is a quick picture to tide you over:
 The King and his court |
P.S. - I was witness to a grusome Mark Jurich injury on Tuesday, but I am having trouble finding any additional information about it. He was hit near the left eye by a ball while manning first base during batting practice. He eventually had to be removed from the field via ambulance. Has anyone seen any additional news on this? I am having trouble finding any updates.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:42 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 11, 2005
Orlando, here I come
The time has finally arrived for me to pack my bags and make the trek down to the sunny state of Florida. At the moment, it appears that we will have good weather for most of the week, so hitting all three scheduled games and spending some time at the Braves complex should be no problem. For the record, I will be at the following Braves home games:
Saturday, March 12th, 1:05 - Tigers vs. Braves (SS)
Tuesday, March 15th, 1:05 - Dodgers vs. Braves
Wednesday, March 16th, 7:05 - Nationals vs. Braves
In between games, my wife and I will be tackling the money pit that is Walt Disney World, so wish my wallet luck!
Michael McHenry is in Orlando as we speak, so things will be quiet around here until I return on the 19th. Hopefully I will have some great stories and pictures to share. So have a good week, enjoy some of the links on the sidebar, and I'll talk to you again as soon as I return.
Spring Training or Bust!!!
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:52 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Atlanta 7, Houston 8
John Smoltz pitched three perfect innings in the start, striking out two, but Dan Kolb and Macay McBride combined to give up all eight Astros runs - seven earned - in just two innings, as the Braves fall to the Astros 8-7.
The Braves offense did knock out 12 hits in the loss - one each from 12 different players. Wilson Betemit led the team with two RBI on a 1-for-3 afternoon with a double.
My friend, colleague, and Astros fan Jason Collette from RotoJunkie.com was at the game, and turned in this scouting report in The Bull Pen:
Braves/Astros scouting report 3/11/05Thanks again for the report Jason! If you are interested, he has plenty of Astros notes included in the full report, so click on The Bull Pen link to read the rest.
Very windy day in Kissimmee blowing straight out to center fieldSmoltz - looked terrific. Only one hard hit ball off him in 3 hitless innings
Esix Snead - Brave, and of course former UCF Knight....ranks right up there with Gathright as far as speed from home to first. He easily beat out and ball he beat into the ground in front of home plate. His next at bat he was swinging like a guy who has power - which he has none of.
Ryan Langerhans - great looking stroke and was putting on a show in BP. Oswalt ate him up at the plate though 2x
Andy Marte had one at bat and popped up to shallow left. His swing reminds me of Piazza as he leaves both hands on the bat all the way through his swing.
Julio Franco had a base hit in front of his great grandchildren
Danny Kolb was not sharp - gave up the legitimate bomb to Lane
Wilson Betemit sighting today - missed a grand slam foul by a matter of inches and then swung at ball 4 that was way low and away
Update: Jason now has the photos posted online. Enjoy!
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 05:37 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
March 10, 2005
Pittsburgh 1, Atlanta 0
Solid pitching, not much offense was the story of the day, as the Pirates plate the lone run of the game in the top of the 9th to hand the Braves their first loss of the spring 1-0. John Thomson went three innings in the start, allowing just one hit, a walk, and struck out four. That looks like midseason form to me. Buddy Hernandez took the loss, giving up the game winning RBI double.
Atlanta tallied just four hits in the game, one each from the usual suspects of Furcal, Giles, LaRoche, and Chipper. A little 'around the horn' action, if you will. The only other interesting tidbit was that Kelly Johnson saw some time at 3B. That, and Tony Pena Jr. was 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
Prior to the game, Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann were sent to minor league camp, which was expected at some point and time. The article suggests that Jeff will start the season at either Double-A Mississippi or Triple-A Richmond, but my money is squarely on the former. It also states that Ryan Langerhans is all but penned in as the fourth outfielder, but I've said all along that he will get more at-bats than Brian Jordan in 2005, and I'm sticking to it.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 05:09 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 09, 2005
2005 Positional Preview: Third Base
Andy Marte, 21
The great thing about following the minors so closely is finding a great unknown prospect and then sharing that info with fellow fans. Today, I want to introduce someone you've never heard of but should be following. His name: Andy Marte. What?!? You already know everything there is to know about him!?! Dangit, I knew I should've posted this last week... Alright, so you know he's young, he hits for a good deal of power, and he plays a mean 3B. And that he's been named the #1 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball Prospectus and the #1 hitter by John Sickels. And that the organization feels that he needs to at least start the year in AAA. And that he's going to stick at 3B until someone or something changes their collective mind. Bunch of know-it-alls...
But in my undying bid to give you all something to talk about at cocktail parties, I've got this for you: Marte has a better rate of doubles (2B/AB), home runs (HR/AB) and walks (BB/AB) than Chipper did in his minor-league career.
Wes Timmons, 25
Of the 161 regulars in the majors last year, only 5 of them had an OBP greater than their SLG. And all but one of those, Ryan Freel of the Cincinnati Reds, manned a position on the far right side of the defensive spectrum. Timmons accomplished the greater-OBP feat, and, like Freel, he would probably be best served as a utility player. His proclivity at getting on base and his versatility on defense should make him an ideal candidate for Atlanta's bench in the very near future.
Van Pope, 21
Pope is getting his share of recognition this year, amped up by the possibility of him skipping Rome and starting the season at Myrtle Beach. There's no doubt that he's an excellent hitter with plus power, and he's a decent-enough fielder with a cannon for an arm. The only early concern is regarding his plate discipline. His .333 OBP at Danville is propped up by the inordinate amount of times he was hit by a pitch. His walk-rate was a Tony-Pena-ish .05.
Scott Schade, 23
It was a mixed year for Schade. He had the 3rd-highest extra-base-hit percentage in the system last year, but his overall numbers suffered due to his low average and really low OBP. But at least he won the Battle of the Schades. Scott's older brother, Ryan, was also in the Sally League last year as a utility player in the Marlins organization. But the elder Schade slugged only .266 last year to Scott's .440.
Ben Thomas, 23
Thomas was an atypical slugger at Midland College (TX). He led his team in triples and steals, was second in HRs, and had 59 walks in just 188 ABs. Things haven't gone quite as well since being drafted in 2003. The walks are still coming, but he's slugging under .300. He had a brief (and ugly) stint at Myrtle Beach last season, and that looks to be where he will start this year.
Maximiliano Ramirez, 20
Ramirez certainly has some power. He easily led the GCL in doubles (16) and tied for the lead in HRs with 8.
Dean White, 22
There's nothing good I can say about White's stats. Seriously, nothing.
Posted by Michael McHenry at 10:51 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 08, 2005
New York Yankees 2, Atlanta Braves 8
Chipper Jones took Randy Johnson deep for a two-run blast in the bottom of the first inning, and the Braves were able to cruise from there, topping the Yankees by a final score of 8-2. Sure, Johnson was only touching 92 on the gun this early in the spring, but it is always fun to knock him around a bit.
Brian Jordan is having an unbelievable spring so far, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored today, and hitting a smooth .700 (7-for-10) for the campaign. I bet Terence Moore can't stand up from his desk for a good 15 minutes every time he sees one of these box scores. I still look for Ryan Langerhans to have more at-bats for the Braves in 2005 than Jordan, but I also liked Andy Pratt to make the big club last year, so take that for what it is worth.
Wilson Betemit is trying to hang on to that last utility spot, and helped his chances a bit with a solo homer and a walk today, one day after his primary competition - Pete Orr - also homered. Andy Marte added yet another hit, going 1-for-2 in the win, with Orr and Esix Snead adding a hit apiece as well.
Adam Bernero tossed two perfect innings, striking out one, and pretty much has the number two spot (behind Kyle Davies) in Richmond sewn up. He could prove useful in a pinch for Atlanta before the season is out, like the first time Gryboski gets hurt. Blaine Boyer got a little wild in his two innings, giving up one run on a hit and three walks, but did strike out two.
Only three more days until I head down to spring training, and a new game has been added to my schedule. I will be at the Tigers/Braves (SS) tilt on Saturday the 12th at 1:05. Michael McHenry from this site and other points unknown and Jason Collette from RotoJunkie will also be in attendance. Hilarity should ensue.
 |
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Atlanta Braves 5, New York Mets 0
Tim Hudson finally made his Braves debut, allowing two hits in two scoreless innings, and 2B Pete Orr did the bulk of the damage at the plate with a homer and four RBI, as the Braves blank the Mets 5-0.
3B Andy Marte ran his spring training hitting streak to five (including the Tech game), going 1-for-4 in the victory. LF Billy McCarthy was 1-for-2 with a run scored, and Ryan Langerhans went 0-for-2 while getting in some time in center. Anthony Lerew and Buddy Hernandez continue to throw well, combining for five scoreless innings with three hits and three strikeouts.
Stats thru the first four official games:
Andy Marte -- 5-for-13, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R
Kelly Johnson -- 2-for-9, 2B, 2 R
Billy McCarthy -- 2-for-8, 2 RBI, R
Jeff Francoeur -- 2-for-6, 2 R
Ryan Langerhans -- 2-for-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Scott Thorman -- 2-for-6, 2B, 3B, R
Tony Pena -- 1-for-4
Luis Hernandez -- 1-for-3, RBI
Brian McCann -- 2-for-2, 2B, R
Buddy Hernandez -- 4 IP, 2 H, 3 SO
Anthony Lerew -- 3 IP, 2 H, SO
Zach Miner -- 3 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 2 SO
Kyle Davies -- 2 IP, 3 H, ER
Macay McBride -- 2 IP, H, ER, 4 BB, SO
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 07, 2005
Michael Bourn and my Mug Shot
My latest article for RotoJunkie - Bourn to run - has been posted, and covers one of my favorite sleepers in the minor leagues, Phillies outfield prospect Michael Bourn. For someone with such little professional experience, Bourn displays an advanced skill at the plate and on the basepaths. He is drawing similarities to Kenny Lofton already, and is definitely one to watch.
Also, my mug shot and staff bio are up on the newly revamped content section of RotoJunkie. Thankfully for everyone, the picture is kind of small, so stop by if you ever wondered what the bloke who writes this site looks like.
While you are there, check out the excellent article by my Farm Futures partner Jason Collette on Felix Hernandez titled How Long Will King Felix Reign? I always look to the Reds as the organization with the most young pitching injuries, but Seattle may take the cake.
(P.S. - For those newsreader/RSS feed fans, Farm Futures now has an RSS feed for your reading pleasure.)
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 03:23 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
March 06, 2005
New York Mets 7, Atlanta Braves 8
Brian Jordan continues to swing a hot bat this spring, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored, as the Braves beat the Mets 8-7 for their fourth consecutive one-run victory. The homer was his second of the spring.
Chipper Jones and Kelly Johnson each had two hits and drove in a run, and Andy Marte went 1-for-2 with a run scored. Marte is hitting a smooth .455 (5-for-11) in the first four games of the spring. Also, don't sleep on Kelly Johnson this year. He has pretty much no shot of breaking camp with the big club, but a solid season in Richmond could position him well for 2006.
John Smoltz made an excellent return to his starting role, allowing two hits and striking out one in two innings of work. Zach Miner gave up one run in his three inning stint, But Dan Curtis was rocked for six earned on six hits and two walks in two innings. Rough start after an excellent winter campaign. Roman Colon closed it out with two perfect innings to pick up the win, and looks to wrap up one of the open bullpen spots in the coming weeks.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 06:46 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 05, 2005
Braves 4, Astros 3, 10 Inn.
Billy McCarthy knocked a two-out RBI single in the top of the tenth inning to give the Braves a 4-3 lead, and Andy Van Hekken made it hold up in the bottom of the frame, as the Braves squeak out a one run win for the third day in a row.
Ryan Langerhans was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI, and SS Luis Hernandez was 1-for-2 and drove in one. Brian McCann also doubled and scored a run on a 2-for-2 day, but his pal Jeff Francoeur was 0-for-2 and was caught stealing. Andy Marte was 1-for-3 and scored a run, and continues to see all of his playing time at third base.
Horacio Ramirez worked a perfect first before giving way to Kyle Davies, who allowed one run on three hits in two innings. I caught part of Davies performance on the radio on the way in to work, and it sounded like he pitched fairly well despite the three hits, none of which seemed to be hit solidly. Kevin Barry gave up a run on two hits in his lone inning, but Macay McBride had an even rougher time of it. He walked four and uncorked a wild pitch in two innings, but only allowed one run on one hit and struck out one.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Weekend Reading
There has been some good stuff floating around this week in cyberspace - time to catch up on what you missed.
Tony Pena Jr.: A chip off the old block
"I have my dad's problem," Pena said with a smile. "I swing at a lot of bad pitches. I'm trying not to swing too hard, stay within myself."Pena had a hideous walks-to-strikeout ratio at Greenville. He fanned 108 times but managed only 16 walks.
"I remember when I was growing up, I used to tell my dad to take some pitches, not swing at so many bad pitches," Pena said. "Now, he's telling me the same thing."
Francoeur hopes to fulfill promise
Francoeur was invited to the major league camp for the second year in a row, his place in the hierarchy of up-and-coming players apparent on the back of his jersey -- No. 7.That number was worn last season by starting right-fielder J.D. Drew. Most of the other youngsters in camp get numbers more suited to a football field, such as 66 or 74.
Esix Snead: Speed to burn, but can he hit?
"He's an interesting guy," manager Bobby Cox said. "He's a very good outfielder. He can run like crazy. Maybe Terry (Pendleton, the Braves' hitting coach) can help him with his hitting."
Langerhans priming for breakthrough
But when the Braves needed a spare outfielder in June, they called up hot-hitting Richmond teammate Charles Thomas, who'd been in Class-A ball a year earlier."When we brought Charles Thomas to the major leagues last year, it stung him," Schuerholz said of Langerhans, long a strong defensive player with modest offensive statistics.
Thomas went on to have a breakthrough season with Atlanta, making a big splash right away with a .400 average and 10 extra-base hits in his first 55 at-bats in the majors.
Langerhans began to play like never before at Richmond.
Baseball America: All-Time Top 100 Prospects, 1990-2005
Here is the list of the Braves prospects who landed in the Top 10 during that time (overall rank in parentheses):
1990: Steve Avery (1)
1991: Ryan Klesko (3)
1992: Chipper Jones (4), Ryan Klesko (8)
1993: Chipper Jones (1)
1994: Chipper Jones (2)
1995: Chipper Jones (3)
1996: Andruw Jones (1)
1997: Andruw Jones (1)
1998: None
1999: Bruce Chen (4)
2000: Rafael Furcal (8)
2001: None
2002: Wilson Betemit (8)
2003-2004: None
2005: Andy Marte (9)
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:50 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
March 04, 2005
Answers, Answers
From today's Top 100 Prospects chat at Baseball America:
Peter from San Diego, CA asks: Any thought to revising team lists to fit with the "team's" (The BA team) collective opinion (i.e. Francoeur as the Braves' #1 but at #14 behind #9 - and #2 to the Braves, Marte)?Also of note: Josh Burrus has tools, Luis Hernandez was a consideration for the Top 100, Delmon Young only slightly better than Jeff Francoeur, and most importantly, the Braves will be ranked in the top five of all minor league organizations. We'll have to wait until the book comes out to see the final ranking.John Manuel: One of the great things about our rankings is, there's not one monolithic view here. Bill Ballew believes in Francoeur and thinks he's the next Dale Murphy, and he really might be. Marte is also very good; there's not a ton of difference between the two for me. I personally think Marte is the better prospect, but not by much. Francoeur's intangibles are pretty compelling, if you talk to anyone who's gotten to know him; he's a future team captain, union rep, that kind of thing--he's just a natural leader, and I think that was a big factor in Bill's ranking. If we have a disagreement over who's better long-term, it's a pretty small one.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 10:00 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 03, 2005
Back in action
Scott Rex has flipped the light switch back to the on position over at On Deck Baseball Prospects, just in time for the start of spring training. Welcome back Scott!
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Braves 9, Dodgers 8
The Braves torched LA starter Jeff Weaver for six runs in the first 2 1/3 innings, but barely escaped Vero Beach with a rain shortened 9-8 victory in eight innings. Blaine Boyer gave up five of the Dodgers runs in his 1 1/3 innings of work, and Tom Martin coughed up two more right behind him in only 2/3 of an inning. Buddy Hernandez righted the ship with two scoreless, giving up one hit and striking out one. FREE BUDDY HERNANDEZ!
Andy Marte was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored, and on the major league side of the ledger, both Andruw Jones and Brian Jordan homered. Wilson Betemit and Adam LaRoche each went 2-for-3 and knocked in a run, and Ryan Langerhans was 1-for-1 in pinch hit duty.
The Dodgers head over to Crackerjack Stadium for the rematch tomorrow at 1:05.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:54 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Marte #9, Francoeur #14
The Top 25 has been revealed on the Baseball America Top 100 list, with Andy Marte and Jeff Francoeur both making a good showing. That makes for a total of six Braves prospects on the list, one behind the Dodgers, and tied with Anaheim. One thing that is a little bit strange is how Marte is ranked ahead of Francoeur on the Top 100, but the order is reversed in the organizational Top 10. Regardless, it's another strong showing by the Braves.
More on Kyle Davies
I forgot to include this tidbit in yesterday's post. It was written by Dayn Perry a week ago as part of his Top 100 prospects countdown for FOXSports.com:
62. Kyle Davies, RHP, Braves, Age: 21Color me confused.
The Braves love to draft suburban-Atlanta prep talents, and, as oddly circumscribed as such an approach might sound, it works for them. Davies, fourth-round choice in 2001, is another example of the organization's success in that regard. Davies makes hay with a low-90s fastball with good life, overhand curve and tremendous changeup. That his change is already so advanced bodes well for his future. With the departure of Dan Meyer in the Tim Hudson trade, Davies is now the best pitcher in a system that knows a thing or two about cultivating arms.
Perry has made it up to #11-20 on the list, where Jeff Francoeur checks in at #18:
18. Jeff Francoeur, OF, Braves, Age: 21
A tremendous natural athlete whose skills leave scouts apoplectic with joy, Francoeur turned heads last season by slugging .506 at Myrtle Beach, which is probably the toughest park for hitters in pro baseball. He has excellent swing mechanics, great bat speed and advanced pitch-recognition skills. Additionally, he boasts one of the best throwing arms in the minors and adapted exceptionally well to center field last season. His main problem, however, is his glaring lack of patience at the plate; in 1,174 career plate appearances, he's drawn only 67 walks. If that improves, look out.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:47 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 02, 2005
How 'bout those minor leaguers
Five Braves minor league pitchers - Zach Miner, Daniel Curtis, Macay McBride, Anthony Lerew, and Kevin Barry - combined to no-hit Georgia Tech on Thursday afternoon, cruising to a 12-0 victory. Sure, it was just Tech, but it is still nice to see. Lerew was the best of the bunch, fanning three and walking none in his two innings of work.
On the offensive side of the ledger, Ryan Langerhans was 1-for-2 with a double, RBI, and run scored, and Billy McCarthy was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Tony Pena Jr. and Pete Orr each had two hits, while Andy Marte and Scott Thorman each added one. Jeff Francoeur was 0-for-3 with an RBI.
Ahhhh, it's good to see box scores again!
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 06:11 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
BP 2005: Kyle Davies
Just like Kyle Minogue, I can't get Kyle Davies entry in the latest Baseball Prospectus out of my head. Written by Dayn Perry, I wonder if this is actually Kyle Davies he is talking about, or did he get his entry mixed up with someone else? Judge for yourself:
Kyle Davies -- Live arm, good K rates, not much else. His stuff is more marginal than you'd think considering his strikeout numbers. His mechanics have been overhauled several times, and he has trouble repeating his delivery. Davies probably has major surgery somewhere in his tea leaves.Now, contrast that with his entry in the 2004 Baseball Prospectus (author unknown):
Kyle Davies -- The small towns of America's Southeast were as teeming with Braves pitching prospects as they were with kudzu. Davies was one of the more verdant strains, leveraging a refined delivery into considerably improved velocity and a higher strikeout rate. That PECOTA looks a bit unrealistic, but 19 year-olds who strike out more than a batter per inning are impressive, and Davies should move through the system fast.2003 Stats: 146 IP, 128 H, 53 BB, 148 SO, 2.89 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
2004 Stats: 142.1 IP, 100 H, 57 BB, 173 SO, 2.72 ERA, 1.10 WHIP
Davies numbers improved across the board in 2004 from 2003 while pitching at much higher levels of competition, but Davies now has marginal stuff, poor mechanics, and is an injury risk? That just doesn't make any sense. Davies did adjust his delivery for the 2003 season, and amazingly enough, it seemed to work. He doesn't possess off the charts stuff, but all reports indicate he is above average in that area, with a fastball in the low-to-mid 90's and a changeup that is a real difference maker. Injuries are always a question mark with young pitchers, but Davies has been as healthy as they come. In his four seasons with the organization, he has missed little to no time due to injury.
I have questions about several of the Braves entries in the book, but the Kyle Davies one has left me dumbfounded.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 08:58 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
More BA Top 100
The Baseball America Top 100 keeps trucking along, with #51-75 released yesterday, and #26-50 out today. Brian McCann checks in at #44, while Kyle Davies is at #53, leaving Jeff Francoeur and Andy Marte for the top 25. And, if you know where to look, you can see how the rest of the list shakes out.
Posted by Brad Dowdy at 07:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack