Lehigh Valley 5, Gwinnett 7
I would like to write more here but there just wasn't a whole lot ot get excited about despite the 7 runs. Francisley Bueno started the game but only pitched one inning before being pulled (I think this was rehab for him) for John Halama who pitched a solid 5 innings. Brian Barton's 3-run shot was the difference maker in this game.
Mississippi 10, Tennessee 0
I really don't want to talk about Jason Heyward in every recap, but he just doesn't give me much choice. He is now batting .417 as of the end of this game and has 9 XBH in his last 10 games along with 7 walks. I am completely in love with this guy, but I must temper this. He needs to get at least 100 ABs in Mississippi before going anywhere else, and probably closer to 150 (I don't think he can get up to 200 there this season). If he is still hitting over .350 come the end of August he might force the Braves hand on a September call up. Not to be overlooked, Scott Diamond pitched an excellent game (along with the bullpen).
Cody Johnson did not want to be completely bested by Jason Heyward tonight. His contact rate is still way down this month with his batting average sitting at a cool .206 for July. Gerry Rodriguez is still hitting the ball well in the Carolina league and has posted an OPS that is equal to the one he had in Rome (.776).
Rome 4, Hickory 2
Zeke Spruill is starting to get a second wind (not that he has ever been especially bad this season) and has 28 Ks in his last 24IP with only 14 hits allowed. He has been just as impressive over the long haul as well not allowing any more than 3 ER in any of his last 10 starts and only allowing more than 2 walks in one of those. He still maintains a 4:1 K:BB rate for the season, which is spectacular.
Danville 6, Bluefield 9
Danville blew our chance at the organizational sweep, but we still get the full season sweep (currently dependent on the team in Atlanta winning) I don't know where Julio Teheran has been, but he came back a little bit rusty. Really the killer was a 3-run homer that he gave up, his other components were fairly solid as you can see.
GCL Braves 2, GCL Phillies 3 - 7 Innings
Hey look, complex ball!
GCL Braves 2, GCL Phillies 4
More complex ball!
0 recs | 55 comments
I didn’t think the MB was capable of scoring 10 runs without Freddie and Jason.
Is Zeke Spruill now the organization’s best pitching prospect?
Bronn - July 24, 2009
It is between him and Teheran for me. but right now I give zeke the edge.
yondaime4 - July 24, 2009
How old is Zeke?
Scott Coleman - July 24, 2009 via mobile
19
esadb - July 24, 2009
So what are the odds he’s a part of the 2011 rotation?
2011:
JJ
Hanson
Lowe
Medlen/Minor/Lyman/Cordier/Osuna/Spruill?
Anyone else in that picture?
Bronn - July 24, 2009
I doubt Spruill will be here by then
Rohrbough, Delgado(s), maybe Diamond are all possibilities.
esadb - July 24, 2009
Gotta figure a big name FA pitcher since we’ll have a lot of money after Javy, KK and Huddy contracts are done.
Scott Coleman - July 24, 2009 via mobile
money=offense at that time..IMHO
Swo12bv - July 25, 2009
That depends
largely on Schafer and Heyward next year. If Heyward looks like a legitimate big league hitter when he gets his chance (and it’s inevitable that it will be next year at the latest) and Schafer produces on the level most of us believe he can, our outfield will be set with those two and McLouth.
We’ll also still have our current starting IF at that point (I think-not completely sure about Kotchman) and Freeman could be ready for 2011 as well.
Braves will definitely be players in Free Agency prior to 2011, but we can’t be completely sure what they’ll be shopping for. Likely at least one bullpen arm, probably a LOOGY as well, and maybe an extra corner infielder as a Chipper insurance policy.
Bronn - July 25, 2009
I bet either Zeke or Minor will have that spot.
yondaime4 - July 24, 2009
Zeke in 2011?
I thought he was supposed to need a lot of time in the minors
esadb - July 24, 2009
He is a college pitcher and will most likely start his pro career at a higher level, and go through the ranks faster if he is good.
That a boy - July 24, 2009
...
I was talking about Zeke, not Minor.
esadb - July 24, 2009
......
I was responding to you.
That a boy - July 25, 2009
Wasnt*
That a boy - July 25, 2009
Then why did you click "reply" on my post
esadb - July 25, 2009 via mobile
It was in response to Yondaime4 but it came below yours.
That a boy - July 25, 2009
Ummm..........I believe 2011 is the final year of Kawakami's contract.
KC Ryan - July 24, 2009
Thought we signed him for 2 years…am I wrong?
Bronn - July 24, 2009
The contract is something like 3 years for $22 million.
KC Ryan - July 25, 2009
Thanks for clearing that up
So we might be stuck with him in 2011. I’ll assume his contract is progressive (or backloaded, however you want to look at it), so he might be an albatross for us as a 36 year old.
And that leaves Medlen, Minor, Lyman, Diamond, Osuna, and possible Rohrbough (if he can recover) battling for that 5th rotation spot. So maybe we’ll take our time with Minor a bit more.
Bronn - July 25, 2009
I’m pretty sure it’s not backloaded at all. I think it’s one of those nearly equal for each year deals.
KC Ryan - July 25, 2009
And I wouldn’t consider us stuck with him. I’m sure there are probably lots of other teams who would love to have a reliable back of the rotation starter who can put up numbers like KK. He is fairly expensive but certainly not unreasonable. We paid a premium to enter the Japanese market.
KC Ryan - July 25, 2009
Not trying to say he isn’t valuable, but whether he’ll still be pitching like this in 2 years is debatable. There’s a long history of Japanese pitchers having success in their first year or two in the MLB, followed by an immediate dropoff as the novelty wears off and the league adjusts. Not to mention that KK is a nit older than most Japanese pitchers who’ve made the immigration, and probably won’t be as valuable at 36 as he is at 34.
Take a look at Dice-K, Nomo, Ohka, Ishii….there’s plenty of Japanese pitchers who fall off in their third year.
Bronn - July 25, 2009
He actually makes 1M less next year.
VivaLosBravos - July 25, 2009
Wait, isn't KK signed to a 3 year deal?
nick9314 - July 25, 2009
Spruill
I would expect by 2012. But I think Hoover, Thompson, and Ortegano (unless he projects as a reliever) could be competitive for a rotation spot by that time.
VivaLosBravos - July 25, 2009
All hail lord Heyward!
Scott Coleman - July 24, 2009 via mobile
Cody can steal bases?
esadb - July 24, 2009
sometimes.
yondaime4 - July 24, 2009
sometimes…shit he has 10 i thought he wasnt very athletic… i mena his percentage is bad 10 for 16….but the fact that he’s gone 16 times says something
Swo12bv - July 25, 2009
Small samples are small samples; whether they’re 50, 100, or 150 PAs, they don’t hold much predictive value. I don’t put much stock in the fear of “rushing” prospects. Guys like Heyward who are disciplined hitters can be “rushed” more than guys who aren’t as disciplined. This is a guy who posted 16% K rates at Low A and High A to go along with 10% walk rates at both levels. He’s hit for average, not just gotten lucky, at every level. He’s pretty skilled defensively, etc. There’s not much reason not to let him play at Triple A for the rest of the season and give him a chance in the majors after that.
17843 - July 24, 2009
Good call
It’s not like there’s any specific improvement he has to make. His game is very solid and polished.
VivaLosBravos - July 25, 2009
How many years is JJ under Braves control?
KC Ryan - July 25, 2009
Through 2013 i think
esadb - July 25, 2009
I think so too. I’m pretty sure he’s a super 2 as well
Scott Coleman - July 25, 2009
Cots has him down for 1 year, 47 days coming into this year. There’s no way he’s a super-two.
17843 - July 25, 2009
Wow! How sweet is it that we will have two really young, super-talented, and proven young arms like JJ and Hanson under team control for such a long period of time. The Braves must be the envy of about 25 other teams right now. I bet the Tigers are really kicking themselves for that Renteria trade. This sort of situation is how lower to mid-level market teams win championships…….and we can actually afford to keep them through their entire arbitration years.
KC Ryan - July 25, 2009
Its strange.
Everyone thinks JJ will be a very good starter, including most of the Braves. But Bobby Cox says he can only see him ending up a #4 starter… No one else with the Braves can figure out why he thinks that, neither can I. I mean, maybe #3 at worst, but idk about 4.
esadb - July 25, 2009
well if our #4 starter has an ERA below 3, i’d gladly take it.
Scott Coleman - July 25, 2009
are you sure
he wasnt saying in reference to the starters we already have?
Also could be because his sometimes lack of high K’s but ppl facing him have said the thing that makes him hard is that he hardly throws anything down the middle of the plate. all he throws is pitches on the corner and its all of them.
Also what has helped him is the development of his Slider/Slurve being able to throw it more consistently for a strike.
The guy is basically a young Maddux.
drumzalicious - July 25, 2009
No, he really thinks Jair can only be a number 4 starter. In any rotation.
And a young Greg Maddux? Really?
esadb - July 25, 2009
That’s a pitching style comparison. Not a value comparison.
VivaLosBravos - July 25, 2009
obviously.
why would i compare JJ to one of the greatest pitchers of all time?
That whole imaginary conversation between Huddy and Cole was made up. And just for fun too.
Laugh. Its good for you every once in a while my man.
Scott Coleman - July 25, 2009
“That whole imaginary conversation between Huddy and Cole was made up. And just for fun too.”
I dont know if that was directed at me but i have no idea what youre talking about.
esadb - July 25, 2009
Where did you make said comparison?
acie4mvp - July 25, 2009
People say crazy, unbelievably stupid things on here.
Someone would say that he is the next Maddux and be completely serious.
esadb - July 25, 2009
JJ is a poor mans Greg Maddux, and Hanson is the rich Mans Smoltz. Its Unbelievable that you can’t see that. Look at how dominant JJ has been through 1 in a half years in the majors. He paints the corners just like Maddux. But I dont think anybody was saying he is as good as Maddux just that he pitches just like him.
That a boy - July 25, 2009
Ugh that's not what I said.
esadb - July 25, 2009 via mobile
Please find a Link where Bobby said JJ will only be a #4 starter. JJ’s #’s right now make him an ace.
That a boy - July 25, 2009
Yes, people like you say crazy, unbelievably stupid things on here
I call BS on Bobby only thinking Jair can be a #4. Bobby has never had a young player that he didn’t talk up like they were th next coming of [insert HOFer here]. Remember how much he loved Chuck James? Do you have a link to someone saying Bobby thinks this? Jair has already shown that he is no worse than the #2 pitcher on the best staff in the NL, and nobody would be quicker to point that out than #6.
J-Turn14 - July 25, 2009
No link.
It could be in the newest edition of choptalk, but probably not. It was Eddie Perez who was talking about it.
esadb - July 25, 2009
Going to see the Pelicans play in winston-salem tonight, should be fun. i had been hoping Heyward and Freeman would still be here, but oh well!
10-4 - July 25, 2009
I hope
Heyward and Freeman haven’t been promoted by the time Mississippi makes it into Chattanooga next month. Can’t wait to go see them.
BigG1392 - July 25, 2009
I was at the Danville game. I think there was a bit of a flu going around a few of the guys and that’s why Teheran hadn’t pitched in a little bit. Brett Olberholtzer told me he had been pushed back a few days because of it.
Teheran was really impressive. He served up a homer on an absolute meatball, but otherwise he was throwing 92-94 with the fastball, 76-78 with a sweeping curve, and the occasional changeup. A couple of times he bore down and really went after guys. It wasn’t a great overall appearance, but the talent is definitely there.
cbwilk - July 26, 2009
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Talking Chop to post a comment.