Gwinnett 5, Scranton WB 6
Jonny Venters wasn't bad in this game, but he has been pretty bad on the whole since being promoted to AAA. Kelly Johnson hasn't looked very good in AAA either. He has flashed a little pop with 4 XBH in 25 AB, but he is still getting on base at a .290 clip. Thats just not cutting it. I know he has been hit unlucky in the majors, but the thing about luck is it is supposed to even out at some point. Just sayin'.
This game obviously isn't over yet (rain delay got it started pretty late) but I just wanted to get Jason Heyward's line up there if I wasn't awake when the game ended. He will get at least one more AB in the game, but right now he is batting .424 for Mississippi and after this game his OPS is gonna be up over 1.100 I am guessing. He is going to push the Braves for real. UPDATE: Heyward just hit a homer, his first in AA. DUDE IS SICK.
Myrtle Beach 1, Wilmington 2
Richard Sullivan must throw a pretty heavy fastball because he gets a good many ground outs. He is right there in the same category as Teheran and Diamond as far as guys with good sinking fastballs in the system. I think I am starting to like the guy a lot, even if I can't nail down anything else he does incredibly well besides generate grounders. He does appear to be a workhorse having already pitched 112 innings this season at three different levels.
Greensboro 5, Rome 2
Matt Kennelly is hitting .321 since he was demoted to Rome and while he isn't showing much power yet, he is only 20 and I don't generally expect 20 year old Australian catchers to flash a ton of power at this age. He is still one of my favorite prospects (I seem to have a lot of favorites) and I can't wait to see how he develops.
Elizabethton 3, Danville 4 - 13 Innings
The Danville bullpen pitched 8 innings of 2 hit ball to help the club win with a walk off single by John Whitmer in the 13th. Cory Rasmus threw 5 innigns of 1 hit ball and struck out 2. This guy has long had the best arm in the system, but he just hasn't been able to stay healthy. I don't know what his future is at this point, but it is nice to have an arm like his around.
GCL Tigers 12, GCL Braves 10
What a weird game. The Braves were getting shut out going into the 9th inning and scored 10 runs! Kramer hit both of his homers in the inning with the second being a grand slam. The craziest part is that 8 of the runs were scored with 2 outs. That had to be ridiculous to sit through.
0 recs | 78 comments
Lets just call Heyward up to AAA
He’s gonna make half the pitchers in AA ball consider a different career path at the rate he’s going.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
Heyward has a .441/.500/.794 line in his first ten games at AA.
Surreal stuff.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
I think sickels was saying the other day the difference between Heyward and mike stanton as prospects is that he doesn’t see how Heyward won’t be a superstar.
yondaime4 - July 17, 2009
wait, he doesnt see HEYWARD as the superstar? that man is crazy. Heyward has the plate discipline of a leadoff hitter, the speed of a #2 hitter, and the pop of a 4th hitter and the defense of a gold glover.
Whats not to like?
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
U read that wrong
That a boy - July 17, 2009
you’re reading that wrong
He is saying there is very little chance that Heyward doesn’t end up being a superstar
yondaime4 - July 17, 2009
ohh ok i gotcha. thanks. i got it mixed up in between the doesn’t and won’t in there. whooops
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
I don't think saying a prospect isn't a sure thing makes him crazy either.
esadb - July 17, 2009 via mobile
Sickels uses double negatives?
bwellnjonesco - July 17, 2009
I’ve been listening to this game all night. And damn am I glad I did.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
I saw Tyler Flowers’ AAA debut tonight in Norfolk. He hit an opposite field homer against the wind in his final at bat. No easy feat in that ballpark. He wasn’t very happy with the ump though.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
He had great power, but we just didn’t have anywhere for him to go.
yondaime4 - July 17, 2009
I agree completely, it was great to move him when we did. I just thought folks might be interested.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
if Flowers turns out to be a good C/DH, that deal for Javy will work out nicely for both teams.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
yeah , i have a natural affinity for any and all catching prospects and Flowers, while not being the best catcher in the world has one of the better bats around. Think about the catchers the Braves have put out recently: McCann, Salty, Max Ramirez, Flowers, and Pena, and we have a few good ones in the minors currently
yondaime4 - July 17, 2009
It’s gonna be sad when our TC Top Prospect list gets compiled and Christian Bethancourt isn’t on there because people don’t know who he is.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
yeah especially when he was #30 on BAs list last year and has done nothing to diminish his stock. Same thing with Kennelly.
yondaime4 - July 17, 2009
I’m sure I’m overestimating him (I think I had him 8 or 9 on my list), but after seeing him in person, and realizing that he this big hulk of a kid, and then seeing great production in a league with a lot of guys a year or two or three older than him, I’m very sold.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
By the end of the year...
People will know who he is.
Little Lady - July 17, 2009
I strongly considered him, but I have a hard time listing kids below A-ball, unless they’re especially deserving. He might rank in there at the end of the season, but not yet IMO.
gondeee - July 17, 2009
I always think our top international signings deserve some credit. It’s the same thing as having Minor up there cause he was a 1st round pick. The tip top international signings are like 1st or 2nd round picks. It wouldn’t have been wrong to have Teheran high on the list as a 16 or 17 year old, because of the potential. I agree you have to take the young kids with a grain of salt, but there has to be a place for Bethancourt and Carlos Perez, especially when 10-25 is such a crapshoot.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
They’re like early-round picks, but they’re early-round picks who are still in their teens. Teheran was a special case because of all the praise the scouts lauded upon him, but Betancourt doesn’t get that much praise. He’s also got to be behind guys like Kennelly (also an international youngster) and maybe even Schlehuber, and I don’t think they’re top-25 worthy yet, though they are all close.
Like I said, I think they’ll be on there at the end of the season (Betancourt and Kennelly), but I need to see a full season or a full R-ball season first. That being said, I get where you’re coming from — they are chock full of potential, but then isn’t just about everyone at that level.
gondeee - July 17, 2009
We don’t have a place for a right handed hitter with great power? Isn’t that the main thing we’ve been looking for for years now?
Lennox - July 17, 2009
We don’t have a DH though, and his defense will never play everyday.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
A team that’s basically in desperate need of RH power (or any sort of power, really), can find a place for a bat, lead glove or not.
I mean, we won a WS with Ryan Klesko in LF. Sometimes you take bad D to get the bat you need in the lineup.
I’m not saying that the trade itself was bad in a player for player sense, but I don’t buy that we couldn’t have found a spot for Flowers in LF or at 1B while also serving as the emergency Catcher.
Hopefully nothing happens to Mac, but as long as you’ve got the “collision at the plate” play around, catchers are always going to be at an increase risk of needing time on the DL, it’d be very nice to have a Tyler Flowers type of player around just in case.
Lennox - July 17, 2009
Klesko was far more athletic than Flowers. He could never play LF. Obviously he’d be nice to have around, but I’ll take Javy Vazquez heading up our rotation. And as far as the one collision away thing, David Ross isn’t too bad.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
Not to say I disagree with the Vazquez trade, and I certainly think that Flowers future is to be the ChiSox next DH…
But you certainly have to note that pitcher’s have had a lot of success throwing to the guy.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
In what way do guys have success throwing to him? I know guys like throwing to him cause he’s a big target, but I’m not sure there’s any quantifiable evidence that he’s having a positive effect on their development. I’d think that having a lack of mobility behind the plate and a weak transfer that leads to runners stealing would make me a little leery about having a guy behind the dish.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
The Pelicans led the Carolina League in team ERA by a pretty significant margin last year, as a whole our pitchers in the AFL were awesome and were pitching strictly to him, and Birmingham has had just a bit of success this year. It’s likely circumstantial, but everywhere he’s been the last couple seasons, there’s been winning and good pitching.
Like I said though, he’s destined to get the majority of his AB as a DH, and I’m not arguing with that.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
I got to see him about 5-6 times this year in Birmingham, he’s been even more impressive over the last month or so. I saw him hit a HR over the the batters eye into the forest behind the ballpark, his power is just sick.
penno - July 17, 2009
Flowers is my guy.
Honestly, I hope he seamlessly replaces Thome as DH for them and just terrorizes the AL for years.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
i just wish we had a spot for him.
drumzalicious - July 17, 2009
“He is going to push the Braves for real. UPDATE: Heyward just hit a homer, his first in AA. DUDE IS SICK.”
You bet!!! He is going to force the Braves to put him in the outfield next year. There aren’t any free agents that the Braves should sign, and I am tired of stop gaps( Anderson, Kotsay)
Save the money and let the Kid Play. Next Year that is.
That a boy - July 17, 2009
How many OF do we have that could actually out-produce Heyward right now?
I think he’d out hit anyone not named McLouth. By the way the Mississippi game is now tied on a C. Rodriguez error, cost them 3 runs. They’re headed to the bottom of the 9th with 7-9 due up.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
Damn it.
Only good news is The Jay Hey Kid might as well go for the cycle now.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
Apparently the wind is pretty crazy and that’s why the fly ball got booted.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
Bottom of the 9th
Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 outs.
Heyward is on deck.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
Kirkland grounded out. Heyward is up 1st in the 10th, followed by FF.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
How sweet would a 10th inning walkoff be?
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
i’d like a triple, thus a cycle, and then a 2 run, GW HR from Freddy.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
Opening day 2010
Mclouth – Schafer – Heyward
ATLandUNC - July 17, 2009
we’ll see about Schafer. he’s probably done for the year with his wrist injury.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
That wrist just needs time. He’ll be back next spring. I’ll bet on Schafer. He’s going to be working harder than ever to prove these idiots that have wrote him off wrong. Jordan could have been a bitch and whined about the injury and made excuses because of it, but he toughed it out and played until the team found a better option.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
good point.
im just not so sure we should have Jay Hey skip AAA ball tho. Maybe we should do something similar to what we did with Hanson. I wouldn’t mind half a year of Diaz/Church in RF to delay Jason’s arb. clock and to get him a few more swings before he comes to the bigs.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
He’s going to get held back because of Super Two. Unless we give him 10 years/$50 MM and tell him to go win us a title.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
10 years of 5 Mil a year? I’d take it
ATLandUNC - July 17, 2009
I’m just throwing numbers around… I’d be psyched as hell if they give him a longterm deal ala Longoria.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
He wouldnt
drumzalicious - July 17, 2009
If they stuck a nice chunk of that money up front it might be a wise financial decision for him.
That’s guaranteed money, and there’s plenty to be said for that. Getting $50 MM guarantees you never have to worry about money again if you have a clue.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
why wouldnt he take it
Ryan Braun took an 8 year 45M deal to stay in MLW
whereas…
Longoria took a 6 year 17.5 M contract with 3 club options which would extend the deal to 9 years 47.5M
so to say that Heyward wouldnt take a 10 y 50M deal is retarded…because considering the circumstances (ala the economy)…most players would love that contract… you’re gauranteed 50M and dont have to worry about not making any money if he has an injury or somethign happens
Swo12bv - July 17, 2009
MAAANN lol
At this rate Heyward will be in AAA next week. Him and Freeman are terrorizing everywhere they go.
Being honest, i dont think Heyward comes into the bigs next year. Especially right out of the gate.
I have a feeling we will see an OF of McLouth, Schafer, Church/Diaz to start.
After that if Heyward continues his dominance we could see him by the ASB next year.
The only downside however is that Diaz will be the odd man out. I really would love that guy to play every day . . . i say we trade McLouth lol. Joking of course
drumzalicious - July 17, 2009
Barring major injury. Heyward will be a Atlanta Brave before the ASB in 2010. I highly doubt he breaks camp with the team, but I won’t bet against him. A June callup makes all the sense in the world.
He’ll go to the AFL once he’s done for the year at AA, and probably hang crazy numbers up there, because that’s what guys that can hit do there.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
He better go to the AFL
I already got to see 2 of Hanson’s starts last year. I’d LOVE it if he came out here.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
I can almost guarantee Heyward and Freeman will be there. I’d guess Osuna will be there out of the pen as well. I don’t know who they might send as their below AA guy.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
CJ maybe?
yondaime4 - July 17, 2009
If I had to bet, it would be him. But it’s going to come down to whether they’re ready to have him facing near MLB-ready pitching.
Kimbrel would make a lot of sense if he has a strong finish.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
Man, I know the AFL is rife with prospect, but a team with Heyward, Freeman, and Johnson in that Arizona air would be ridiculous.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
The ball soars. It really does. They put a safety fence up a year or two ago to make sure a ball didnt go onto the highway.
I only saw 3 games last year, and 2 were Hanson’s starts. In the game Tommy didn’t pitch, i think there were 3, maybe 4 HR’s by the time i left in the 7th.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
u left in the 7th!!!!!
why?
Swo12bv - July 17, 2009
I do. I think that he’ll follow the same path as Hanson…start the year in AAA and make his way up around June.
Little Lady - July 17, 2009
+1
this is looking more likely with every game that goes by in AA
yondaime4 - July 17, 2009
I don’t think it matters much what the Braves plans are. He is (and is going to) force their hand. Our outfield next year and for the future will be McLouth in left, Schafer in center, and Heyward in right
eaheckman10 - July 17, 2009
possible but the only sure one would be nate
Heyward is the next crime dog - July 17, 2009
Almost forgot…
The other significant thing about that HR by Heyward is that it was the first HR by a M-Brave since June 29.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
really?
thats impressive.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
Impressive for Heyward, pathetic for Mississippi.
cbwilk - July 17, 2009
yeah, thats what i meant. Mississippi really should start wining more with Heyward and FF there.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
NOOOO
Jason grounded out. Now its up to Freddy before i catch some ZZZs
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
Freddy Walked
C. Rodriguez up
drumzalicious - July 17, 2009
Damn
that game in Mississippi is still going on. Isnt it 12:30 there?
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
I think tonight may be the night everyone is starting to realize this guy really is going to be a superstar.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
seriously
i was kinda bummed after i lost the bet on him striking out before hitting a HR, but then i checked on him tonight and saw 3-3. as soon as i clicked on the play by play, he had hit a bomb to RF.
HES UP WITH 2 OUTS, Runners on 1st and 2nd.
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
WALKOFF!
It was a pop-up on the infield, but hey we won!
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
Damn
I was hoping for a triple, but i’ll take a game winning pop up that the 3rd baseman dropped?
Scott Coleman - July 17, 2009
Dude did the Luis Castillo. That was a weird ass ballgame.
timmy3 - July 17, 2009
Lost in all this
Is the fact that Freddie Freeman is already the second best hitter we have at Mississippi. Behind Heyward.
Bronn - July 17, 2009
yeah we are all so excited about heyward (which we should be) that we kinda forget about freddy and that he could be a great player for us too
Heyward is the next crime dog - July 17, 2009
BTW Masters in Danville is at 32 K’S and 1 BB
graf - July 17, 2009
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