JJ Hoover has turned his season around in his last 3 starts and seems to have regained the form that made him a Sally League All Star last season.
Gwinnett 6, Indianapolis 3
I always think it's neat when the AAA affiliates are playing against the same teams that the Major League ones are. Jose Ortegano's second AAA start went as well as his first. I've been a fan of Ortegano's for years so it's nice to see him having such success at the higher levels of the Minors. Craig Kimbrel picks up the win in his return to AAA, striking out 4 in just 2 innings, raising his K/9 to 13.2 for the season. Gregor Blanco extended his hitting streak to 9 games.
Mississippi 9, Huntsville 5
Juan Abreu picked up the win for the second night in a row and Scott Diamond pitched great for the 4th start in a row. Over that span he has a 1.60 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 33 strikeouts in 28 innings. Richard Sullivan made his first relief appearance of the season, pitching a perfect 7th inning. Willie Cabrera extends his hit streak to 6 games and Randy Gress continues to impress with a 3 hit day. Gress is now 7 for his last 9, with a double, a homer, and 2 RBI in that span.
Myrtle Beach 3, Wilmington 6
Cole Miles led off the game being hit by a pitch, then stole second and third and scored on a Calvin Culver single. He reached on a single in the 6th, then stole second and scored on a Dan Nelson double. He's like a lot of guys with speed and no pop, when he can get on base he's effective, but when he can't he doesn't add much value. Samuel Sime has been consistently hitting since he's been with Myrlte Beach, but he has just 2 extra base hits, both doubles on the 19th, and isn't fast enough to steal bases consistently. JJ Hoover has really turned things around; in his first 6 starts he was 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP, but in his last 3 he's 1-1 with a 0.95 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP.
Rome 5, Hickory 1
Arodys Vizcaino continues to impress and if the Yankees aren't already regretting the Javier Vazquez trade my guess is that a few years from now we're going to have to keep them on suicide watch. In 2 starts this week he gave up just 1 unearned run and struck out 14 in 15.2 innings. More importantly, he hasn't walked anyone in his last 3 starts, and he's averaging 7 strikeouts per walk this season. Myke Jones drives in 2 runs on a 4th inning single and 2 more on a 9th inning single, and continues to prove that his awful April was a complete abberation.
0 recs | 46 comments
I wonder
If Vizcaino will get bumped up to the Beach this year.
Also if Minor will go to AAA around the ASB.
drumzalicious - May 24, 2010
I’m guessing yes and yes on both fronts.
chopc - May 24, 2010
Ill say Vizcaino moves up to the Beach this year and he and Teheran finish the year there. Then in 2011 they start together at Rome and then maybe repeat Rome to start 2012 with the chance to move to Gwennett or Atlanta sometime that year.
bbxxj - May 24, 2010
I think.....
Youmean Mississippi instead of Rome since they are already in Rome. That may actually be a set back for them!
BobW - May 24, 2010
Yeah, I definately got them mixed up. Heck if they continue like this I wouldn’t mind seeing them get 2-3 starts at Mississippi to finish the year and then just start them off there next year.
I would like to see them be a sort of package deal going up the minors together like Heyward-Freeman.
bbxxj - May 24, 2010 via mobile
Well if Teheran
Continues to pitch as well as he has I would be surprised to see him get promoted to Miss. before the end of the season.
Jay212033 - May 24, 2010
I definitely think Minor will get moved up sometime this year, with a possible cup of coffee in September. He seems like the logical choice to be an emergency starter for the Big League club, especially if he can get some AAA experience under his belt.
I like Vizcaino, too and would like to see him developed carefully. No need to rush him at this point. But a move up to High A later on this year might be a good move.
DawgB - May 24, 2010
Frank Wren
Should give himself a big pat on the back for that Javy deal.
Scott Coleman - May 24, 2010 via mobile
and then DFA Melky
timmy3 - May 24, 2010
lol
soup du jour - May 24, 2010
he is SO fat
wow my roomate thought it was Hinske when he stepped up to bat
traphicg - May 24, 2010
lol
Smoltz's Beard - May 24, 2010
I never really got a good idea of the type of ball player Wille Cabrera is, does he compare to anyone?
bwellnjonesco - May 24, 2010
Hmm, I can’t think of a really good comp but it was mentioned recently that his minor league path so far has been similar to Martin Prado. He’s put up decent numbers at every stop but is never really considered much of a prospect because he’s never particularly young for his league and I’m sure scouts don’t like his 5’11" frame. He’s also similar to Prado in that he’s hit from some high averages, doesn’t walk a lot but doesn’t strike out a lot either.
ajones2522 - May 24, 2010
Hmm…interesting. Willie is actually smaller physically than Prado. I’m having a hard time coming up with a comp too. Basically any outfielder without much speed or power who can play the corners but not center. A dead average outfielder.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
So more like a Chris Coghlan or Alfredo Amezega?
bbxxj - May 24, 2010
Maybe more like Coghlan. Amezega was a utility player who had some speed and probably less pop than Willie. Coghlan might be an Ok comp, though Willie has been nowhere nearly as highly thought of as a prospect.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
Cabrera
Has shown that he has some pop, he hit 16 HR in MB a couple years ago.
Jay212033 - May 24, 2010
The list of guys who could hit 15+ homers in High A and not show much power after is pretty long.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
My pop was that he has some pop
Plus Miss. has been known as a pitcher’s park but maybe he could turn into a LF that hits .300 with 10 HR and 60-70 RBI out of the 7th or 8th spot. I wouldn’t be too upset with that. Especially if Heyward is hitting 40+ bombs a year.
Jay212033 - May 24, 2010
I think best case he could become something like that, a starting outfielder on a bad team or a platoon guy on a good team. I like Willie, but you do have to admit, 10 homers a year doesn’t really describe a guy who has pop. The biggest problem I have with him is that while he can play center, he doesn’t have the speed to play it very well and really that’s where his skill set would play best.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
melky?
Mr. Sanchez - May 25, 2010
Unless he starts always having seconds and double desserts, no.
cbwilk - May 25, 2010
He’s an absolute dead ringer for a black-haired Alfred E Newman, but that’s probably not the comparison you were looking for.
bighop - May 24, 2010
Wes Timmons anyone?
Anyone know this guy? He’s not a kid, and seems to have put in like 10 years of MiLB, but Im not too familiar with him. Funny story though:
My buddy’s a Timmons also, from small town, northern Illinois, close to Indiana. When I saw a quick stat that Wes Timmons had done something for Gwinnett, I emailed my buddy a link to Wes’ career stats and asked him if there was a relation.
At the EXACT same time, he got a picmail of Wes’ stats on the scoreboard, from a girl who was at the game! Wow, small world.
He’s currently checking on relations now.
traphicg - May 24, 2010
He’s a great guy. Watching him play at another teams park is always a lot of fun, because he loves to work the crowd like a heel in pro wrestling. Not obnoxiously or anything, he just has fun with it. He’s super fan-friendly when it comes to signing and stuff.
He’s a very solid player. Typical minor league infielder, can play all over the infield. He really should have gotten a call-up last year, his numbers showed he deserved it. Why he has never made it up on one of the times Chipper has been banged up, I have no idea.
Rhyno18 - May 24, 2010
Yay JJ Hoover
Our pitching staff in the minors looks outstanding. Hopefully our draft strategy going into it will be taking the best hitter available, unless a pitcher falls to us that we absolutely have to have. I would prefer an infielder (3B RHer would be ideal), but at this point we need positional prospects in general.
soup du jour - May 24, 2010
Unfortunately
Every single mock draft i’ve seen has the Braves taking pitchers with their 1st two picks. Hopefully they will go opposite these mocks.
Jay212033 - May 24, 2010
if you dont mind my asking what mocks have you seen. I’ve only seen stuff for our first pick.
timmy3 - May 24, 2010
Andy Sieler(sp?) has a new draft blog that's really good.
Keith Law also gave a mock and BA but there are several sights that have us taking pitchers with our 1st 2 picks. Even though the picks are high upside arms but we need bats and plenty of them but on the other hand those arms could get us our bat.
Jay212033 - May 24, 2010
Logan?
Anyone know the status on Jordan? I haven’t seen anything on him in a few days.
Buttafuco13 - May 24, 2010
Check the Minor League Hot Sheet in a bit when it’s posted.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
In case you can't wait
He’s 5 for 31 in all of his AB’s in AAA with no XBH. He has 2 BB’s and 7 K’s. He’s scuffling, but don’t forget he’s never really even seen this level before.
fphjr01 - May 24, 2010
He had the day off Sunday, went 1-4 with an RBI Saturday, was 0-4 with 3K on Friday.
I know everyone is anxious to see him get back to Atlanta, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t play above AAA this year, or just makes it up when rosters expand in September. He really could use the time in AAA, and his power probably won’t really come back until next season at the earliest. The wrist surgery is going to prove to be a much bigger long term setback than his suspension a couple of years ago. He’s still the future of CF for Atlanta, but the future is probably 2011 at the earliest.
Rhyno18 - May 24, 2010
I’m coming around to this train of thought quickly. I saw him play in Chattanooga a couple of weeks ago, great speed and hit the ball sharply, but not much power behind it. I was hoping he might be ready for a late July call up to replace a traded out fielder, but I don’t think that is realistic at this point.
bighop - May 24, 2010
With McLouth showing signs of life lately there is no reason to call him up. I really want him to be our CF of the future so it is likely best to keep him in AAA where he can regain his stroke without putting undo pressure on himself and/or his wrist like he would in the bigs.
bbxxj - May 24, 2010
Oh, I agree
I had been pleasantly rosterbating in my mind that McLouth would be tradable with a season and a half under contract with an option year to follow. But I don’t think we’d get much for him at this point and Schafer needs more time anyway. The wrist injury and extended time in the cast (muscle atrophy) simply will take some time to recover to MLB form.
bighop - May 24, 2010
cb, others, Who is still left in extended spring?...
with injuries and recent suspensions, it seems we’re starting to thin things out a little. I notice guys like Tyler Stovall, Caleb Brewer, Ryohei Shimabukuro, Aaron Northcraft, Ronan Pacheco, Wei Huang, Layton Hiller, among others haven’t started their seasons yet. Am I forgetting some injuries to a few of these guys (like Hiller perhaps)? Are most of them slated for Danville or GCL again?
Was just curious about some of those guys, and if they could be late arriving reinforcements since we seem to be signing several from outside the organization to plug holes like the ones recently opened in Myrtle.
Mr. Sanchez - May 24, 2010
Shima got released before ST started. Aside from him as far as I know the rest of the guys are in XST. The list would be too long to go through, pretty much everyone who’s under contract that isn’t playing yet. We won’t really know who’s gonna be where until those teams seasons start though. Even if we had an idea right now it could change depending on who gets drafted.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
Is Hiller hurt?
considering he ended last year with Rome, I’m surprised he hasn’t had his full season debut yet. Same would go for a couple of the more promising or older pitchers like Stovall, Brewer, Northcraft, and Pacheco.
Mr. Sanchez - May 24, 2010
It’s possible they just got beat out for spots by other guys and the Braves haven’t seen a reason to move them up yet. Or, they could be hurt. Honestly, I just don’t know.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
Gotcha...
and thanks for humoring me. I know it can get a bit much.
Mr. Sanchez - May 24, 2010
When I can give an answer I don’t have any worries over it. I wonder the same stuff too, but I’ve been closely following the Minors for 15 years, so I’ve seen enough to know that sometimes you’re just not going to get a good answer.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
Very true. You can find 10 stories posted on various sites every time a Major League player burps, farts or sneezes. Information flows much less freely from the Minors.
Rhyno18 - May 24, 2010
You learn more in 15 minutes talking to players and coaches than you ever could through the internet.
cbwilk - May 24, 2010
Miles
It seems like Cole Miles is always getting some harsh comments. Why is that? I personally see the kid as a great prospect. He’s talented, a lot of people don’t realize it. He is one of the fastest people I have ever seen run. I’d like to see him in the Big Leagues some day. I also noticed that they pulled up Mike Daniels to AA over Cole. Cb any idea why they would do that?
baseb - May 26, 2010
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