I am going to update this live tonight seeing as I am off today and have nothing to do but entertain you guys. Also Jason Heyward had a good game and I wanted a place to talk about it since the big club doesn't start till late.
Indianapolis 1, Gwinnett 2 - Final in 10 Innings
So this Hanson kid is pretty good or so the Germans would have us believe. But no really his two worst starts of the year were still quality starts. I just don't think he has anything else left to prove in the minors and if Medlen doesn't do well in his next two starts I feel we are gonna see Hanson. Especially now that he can't become a Super 2.
Mississippi 0, Birmingham 6 - 3rd Inning
About the only bright spot in this one was Gorkys. That is if you consider 2 singles bright. Then there wasn't really anything worth watching here. Scott Diamond gave up 7 runs in 6 and only struck out one batter. We shall see if he can rebound as the season wears on.
Winston-Salem 5, Myrtle Beach 6
Heyward is up to .295 on the season with a .935 OPS. NICE. He has has a pretty great month of May and I get the feeling he is really starting to heat up here at the end of the month. If he does this for another month or so he will be in Mississippi. Cory Gearrin has been flat out unhittable for most of the year with 1 run allowed in 14 innings with 16K versus only 1 BB. Is a 16:1 K:BB good? I forget. Like I said a few posts back. The Braves have a ton of relief prospects kicking around in the minors. I don't really know what that means, but hey I'll take it.
Greenville @ Rome - Postponed
Lots of rain going around lately means lots of games getting the postponed treament.
Also because this is relevant to our interests:
Portland 3, New Hampshire 0 - 3rd Inning
John Smoltz in his second rehab start of the season. Right now:
Final Line: 3.1IP 3H 1R 0BB 2K
Not a surprise that they got some hits off him because Smoltz has always survived on finesse and has never been able to to blow it by guys with awesome stuff.....
0 recs | 60 comments
You were off today, I did nothing today, and there was no news whatsoever to post…fantastic use of authoring abilities.
bigjoe - May 26, 2009
LOL Hey I got that trade post up.
yondaime4 - May 26, 2009
I also spent part of the day trolling one of my own posts. so that was useful
yondaime4 - May 26, 2009
Josh Caray
I hate to do this but he is brutal. I have a sick feeling in my stomach that I am going to have to listen to this guy do Braves games for the next 20 years. Man, he is so goofy and unnatural…no flow at all.
themurph - May 26, 2009
Glad to see Gearrin is back.
cbwilk - May 26, 2009
AND DOMINATING
yondaime4 - May 26, 2009
He’s had problems with walks in the past, but now he’s not walking anyone while still striking out over 10 per 9. Any idea where this new found command came from?
VictorW - May 26, 2009
no sir
yondaime4 - May 26, 2009
He’s been known to quote Kurt Vonnegut, so I’m gonna say that helped.
cbwilk - May 26, 2009
You know what would be awesome?
If he quoted Vonnegut quietly on the pitching mound while staring intently at his batter, like Mark Fidrych.
royhobbs - May 27, 2009
Love this guy.
Having him and Pruneda in the same pen is nasty. Now if they can get Kimbrel back on the right track and with that bunch that will have to be the nastiest trio in the league.
timmy3 - May 27, 2009
problem is organizational relievers never really work out great, a lot of major league relievers are former starters.
yondaime4 - May 27, 2009
Agreed.
Still a fun bunch to watch for though. And I think Kimbrel can be a real stud for us.
timmy3 - May 27, 2009
Matt Wieters has been called up
Not relevant but still…
esadb - May 26, 2009
I will adjust my fantasy teams accordingly.
I thought they were waiting until the 1st. Guess not
bigjoe - May 26, 2009
I only have him on one team.
Im afraid of rookies.
esadb - May 26, 2009
Relevant to me, I live in Norfolk. Well, it was fun getting to watch him over the course of a few months, and this isn’t really surprising. Hell, Norfolk’s manager pretty much told me the other day it was about to happen. The kid is really impressive and very huge. He grew up a Braves fan, so maybe one day we can lure him to Atlanta.
cbwilk - May 26, 2009
It’s pretty relevant for those waiting on THK.
It means the Super Two thing is no longer a problem, and it’s time to give him the call.
timmy3 - May 27, 2009
Flowers
One of the reasons his power numbers are down is that he plays his home games at Region’s Park, formerly the Hoover Met. It’s 340’ in the corners, 385’ in the alleys, and 405’ in center.
CountryBoy - May 26, 2009
daaaaaaammmmnnnn
yondaime4 - May 26, 2009
Tommy Gives up a run
HHHWWWWHAAAAAAT
esadb - May 26, 2009
I don’t think this warrants a fanshot, so I’ll throw it here, from KLaw’s mock draft…
bigjoe - May 26, 2009
I'd rather have
One of the lefties Matzek or Purke. I have seen Wheeler pitch and I wasn’t really impressed, he has a tremendous FB but his off-speed stuff is garbage granted he’s a high school guy but his command if his pitches wasn’t good at all. Good thing he was facing HS hitter because he would’ve walked the yard.
Jay212033 - May 27, 2009
I’ve heard got things about the slider.
And with the projectibility he has, plus that awesome 2SFB, he’s a perfect high-upside project to add to the system. Even if he is Spruill clone.
timmy3 - May 27, 2009
he already throws harder than spruill
yondaime4 - May 27, 2009
Re
Wheeler topped out at 95 this spring and Spruill topped out at 95 as well when he was in HS. The only difference between the two is Wheeler’s FB has considerably more movement than Spruill’s FB. Spruill has far better control and secondary pitches though.
Jay212033 - May 27, 2009
don’t you dare contradict me
yondaime4 - May 27, 2009
Yes Sir Massa!
LOL!
Jay212033 - May 27, 2009
Purke’s bonus demands are absurd
bigjoe - May 27, 2009
I’d rather have Matzek as well
drumzalicious - May 27, 2009
Unfortunately, Matzek was gone before our pick in the mock, so theres no choice involved in the matter
bigjoe - May 27, 2009
I think it is a done deal if Wheeler is available. I might rather have someone else, but the only other two people I know are better (Ackley/Green) won’t be there
yondaime4 - May 27, 2009
RE
I definitely with you if Green is there when we pick and most mocks have him there when we are picking I’d take him no ifs, ands or buts about it!
Jay212033 - May 27, 2009
I wish we could get Ackley, but I think he’s as much a lock for the M’s as Strasburg is with the Nats. The first two picks of this draft aren’t even in question.
timmy3 - May 27, 2009
Why the hell can't we ever take college players in the first round?
esadb - May 26, 2009
I think with pitchers i read some where that they like to develop them from that raw stage under a more watchful eye than college
drumzalicious - May 26, 2009
Joey Devine.
bigjoe - May 26, 2009
I meant why do they like it so much? what are the advantages
esadb - May 26, 2009
more polished and more likely to be at or reach their ‘ceiling’ as a prospect. Historically most of the best overall talent are guys who are taken in the first round out of high school so HS guys are perceived to have higher ceilings but more of a boom or bust type pick. College guys may not end up being as good, but are a better bet to reach the majors. Thats it in short.
yondaime4 - May 26, 2009
And...
college guys tend to be ready to reach the majors quicker.
MichaelProcton - May 27, 2009
Also, I know the Braves like taking high school players because they can develop them “their way”, instead of having them be “messed up” by a college coach
eaheckman10 - May 26, 2009
Nice to see Hanson get that line drive earlier.
drumzalicious - May 26, 2009
From MLBTR.
Good to get that out of the way.
esadb - May 26, 2009
So if Glavine can’t start, and Medlen isn’t all that great, are we calling up Hanson?
eaheckman10 - May 26, 2009
After reading that, it comes across as a question, and I’m looking for your guys opinions
eaheckman10 - May 26, 2009
Well Bobby said if it was a permanent postition
then Hanson automatically gets it.
esadb - May 26, 2009
If Glavine shits the bed and Hanson can continue to strike out over 10 guys per 9 and throw up a 1.50 ERA…yeah, I think he’ll be up
bigjoe - May 26, 2009
Fernando Martinez was called up today
yondaime4 - May 26, 2009
I immediately picked him up in 2 leagues.
bigjoe - May 26, 2009
Mother f… couldn’t have waited a few weeks until Buffalo comes to Norfolk? That dude signs anything you hand him.
cbwilk - May 26, 2009
If K:BB ratio is so important, why dont they put it on the scoreboard?
Zeus12888 - May 26, 2009
Update on Hanspn
IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
7.0 5 1 1 2 9 0 1.48
esadb - May 26, 2009
Soultaker.
bigjoe - May 26, 2009
Heck to the yeah
ATLforlife - May 26, 2009
And now he's out.
Pitches-strikes: 105-72
Groundouts-flyouts: 3-8
Batters faced: 27
esadb - May 26, 2009
105-72. Flat nasty.
Zeus12888 - May 26, 2009
I should have been at this game. Ugh… for weather.
timmy3 - May 27, 2009
Hanson
What else can you say about the kid?!?! I still have that game against the Mets from this spring TIVO’d and I watched it again today that curve he threw to Tatis that completely buckled his knees was one of the nastiest pitches I have ever seen!
Jay212033 - May 27, 2009
Oh by the way, for those of you that complain about minor league teams doing poorly…
BOTTOM 7 MINOR LEAGUE TEAMS
1 Harrisburg 11 30 .268 Eastern AA Nationals L3 5-5
THE WORST TEAM IN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYS IN MY HOMETOWN. For the love of christ. Detweiler is gone, so theres literally no one…I’m gonna hit up some Akron games eventually
bigjoe - May 27, 2009
Meanwhile, Norfolk, my home team, was 4th on the top 7 teams. Of course, we’ve already lost Nolan Reimold, Lou Montanez, Brad Bergesen, and now they’ve taken Matt Wieters and Jason Berken, so I’m guessing we’re gonna get a little worse.
cbwilk - May 27, 2009
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Talking Chop to post a comment.