Open Thread and Noc-A-Homa-Win-A-Lotta: Braves at Padres (7/7)

by gondeee on Jul 7, 2007 10:04 AM EDT in Open Threads

This afternoon we get to see one of the next wave of talented young pitching prospects for the Atlanta Braves. Jo-Jo Reyes did not start out the year as the top pitching prospect in the system, but with a strong showing at Mississippi and then four solid starts in Richmond he will be the first rookie starting pitcher getting the call this year. Here is a link to Jo-Jo's minor league stats so far. Baseball America ranked Reyes as the eighth-best prospect in Atlanta's organization, of course what do they know. Here is what I had to say about Jo-Jo Reyes when I ranked him the fourth-best prospect on the Talking Chop pre-season Top 25 Atlanta Braves Prospects list.

If Harrison is the touch and feel pitcher, then Reyes is the power pitcher of the Braves elite pitching prospects. But that's not to say that Reyes is only a power pitcher, he can mix in his other pitches enough that he's been described as the smartest pitcher in the Braves organization. He was all-everything at Rome this year, dominating the league for the first half of the season. He wasn't lights out after his promotion to Myrtle Beach, but he held his own and finished strong. Reyes needs to find consistency with his pitches, but he has the stuff to dominate for a long time. Along with Harrison they may be the cornerstones of a strong lefty-dominated Atlanta rotation for years. Look for his arrival in the Majors sometime in 2008.

Well, he's found consistency, though he is still issuing his fair share of walks, but other than that one really can't find too many negatives to say about him... and he's making the majors a year early. He seems like a solid pitcher. Here is a snippit of what John Sickels said about Reyes in his "Baseball Prospect Book" (2007):

Although the radar gun gets his fastball at 88-91 MPH, he has a deceptive delivery that makes it "act faster" than the radar readings says. He has an effective slider and changeup arsenal, and when he throws strikes he can breeze through a lineup fairly easily.

Good stuff all around about Jo-Jo. I know that I'm really looking forward to his start today. More notes about the Braves:

Jarrod Saltalamacchia was struck by a batted ball near the left temple and had to leave last night's game. He is listed as day-to-day.
Brian McCann underwent an MRI on his sprained right knee which showed no structural damage. He expects to be able to play on Saturday.
Jo-Jo Reyes will be the fourth Braves player to make the major league roster who started out the year at double-A. Joey Devine, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Yunel Escobar are the others.
Joey Devine, who was called up yesterday, is expected to stay with the club through the All-Star break to add more depth to the overused bullpen.
John Smoltz was placed on the 15-day DL to rest his right shoulder. An MRI performed on the shoulder showed no damage to his right rotator cuff, but did indicate some inflammation in that right shoulder.

Don't forget to get your picks in before the game for Nok-A-Homa-Win-A-Lotta (click here to learn how to play and to view the leaderboard); the three categories are (1) Attendance, (2) Pick to Click, and (3) Above and Beyond Pick.

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Comments

Picks

43,000
Jojo
Salty shakes it off and goes 2 for 3.

Burning Brave

by torchy on Jul 7, 2007 10:24 AM EDT reply actions

picks

38,294
Frenchy
Frenchy hits 2 homers

by woodywoodsaver on Jul 7, 2007 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

Picks

45,321
..... uhh..... ANDRUW
Andruw has another multi hit game w/ at least a hr

by SidBreamStash on Jul 7, 2007 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

Mine

46,249
JoJo Reyes
Jo Jo goes 7 strong with 8 strikeouts

by secondbass on Jul 7, 2007 11:42 AM EDT reply actions

Picks

39,874
Jo-Jo
Escobar goes multi-hit

by gondeee on Jul 7, 2007 11:48 AM EDT reply actions

picks

40,478
Francoeur
B-Mac goes yard

by whunt13 on Jul 7, 2007 11:58 AM EDT reply actions

pik

37,000
chipper
chip homers

by chance13ga on Jul 7, 2007 12:12 PM EDT reply actions

pick.

41,555
Rent
Jo-Jo outlasts Wells.

by Smoltzs Beard on Jul 7, 2007 12:28 PM EDT reply actions

der picknen

1 - 38,000
2 - Edgar
3 - 'pen doesn't allow an earned run

by BarryFreakinBonds on Jul 7, 2007 12:29 PM EDT reply actions

Picks

38,750
Diaz
Fat Man Wells is knocked out of the game in the 5th after giving up at least 4 runs.

by Stook on Jul 7, 2007 1:01 PM EDT reply actions

Picks

40,000
Jo-Jo
Diaz has a multi-hit performance, at least one being an EBH

by brndn on Jul 7, 2007 1:07 PM EDT reply actions

i'd like to make it a party for Jo-Jo...

change:

3) Jo-Jo gets a hit

by brndn on Jul 7, 2007 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Picks

44,234
Jo-Jo
Jo-Jo goes atleast 5 innings

by RandyRocks on Jul 7, 2007 1:41 PM EDT reply actions

picks.

42,532
Diaz
Braves turn at least two double plays.

by mccannfan on Jul 7, 2007 2:09 PM EDT reply actions

hatred

i hate fox with a strong passion. they have yet to broadcast a braves game in LA. this is maybe the fourth or fifth opportunity and still have not graced the silver screen. finally a chance arises where they are playing fairly local San Diego and of course the team owned by an idiot labor worker and a team name that sounds like they should play in the WNBA gets the nod. im sick and tired of fox owning the 12-5 time slot.

36,789
Andruw
Andruw hits a homer

by MIZIKE74 on Jul 7, 2007 2:24 PM EDT reply actions

Tell me about it...

...I'm stuck watching the Yanks/Angels, and the Braves game is blacked out on MLB.TV.

So weak.

by Smoltzs Beard on Jul 7, 2007 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

picks

41,856
Chipper
Braves have 12+ total hits

by Velcro Vernacular on Jul 7, 2007 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

picks

39,875
Go GO JO JO
GO GO JO JO with the no hitter but gives up 4 walks

N. Tyler Ayers

by TMAC85 on Jul 7, 2007 3:22 PM EDT reply actions

picks

43,600
Andruw
7 of the Braves in today's starting lineup get a hit (or multiple hits)

by jess7 on Jul 7, 2007 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

Picks

41,221
Scooter
Jo-Jo leaves his home in Richmond, Virginia for some California grass...and a quality start.

by Something Profound on Jul 7, 2007 3:31 PM EDT reply actions

Ha!

"Potato" Diaz

by gondeee on Jul 7, 2007 3:56 PM EDT reply actions

seriously?

I thought he said "Matteo"?

by Velcro Vernacular on Jul 7, 2007 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Hum

He may have said Matteo. Though, I think Potato Diaz could be a good nickname.

by gondeee on Jul 7, 2007 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

aww

poor Matty's already got a complex about his weight! ;)

by Velcro Vernacular on Jul 7, 2007 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Jo-Jo

Whoever got to see the game, I'd like to hear an assessment on how Reyes pitched. From the confines of Gamecast, it looked like a Davies start...3 decent innings and then KABLOOIE! Did he look like someone who'll help us this year, or someone who'll be sent right back down and let compete next year in spring training. The second option is what I'm leaning towards, but again, I didn't get to see it live.

by Something Profound on Jul 7, 2007 6:54 PM EDT reply actions

Also...

...was just wondering how badly Yunel's error was? Did not get to see it for myself due to GameCast, and was just wondering if it could have been a double play.

by Smoltzs Beard on Jul 7, 2007 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Jo-Jo

This was his first start and he really only made two bad pitches I thought - which both resulted in homeruns, and both were up and out over the plate. He had good command, and every other hit besides the homers were singles. This happens with a lot of young pitchers - they can throw their stuff by minor leaguers, but when they try to throw it by major leaguers they get hurt. He's got to learn which pitches he can throw in which counts. Also, the strikezone of Ed Hickox was pretty tiny. Jo-Jo was hitting the corners Glavine-style and not getting a lot of calls. Hell, Wells got run for arguing about he strike zone. I take a lot of positives away from Jo-Jo's performance. It was his first ML start in front of essentially all his friends and family. The Padres hitters found holes, but yes he did have a kablooie inning in the fourth. But Davies has been doing this for three years in the bigs, we "should" give him less of a break. There's some good stuff here to build on.

by gondeee on Jul 7, 2007 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions

More Jo-Jo

I think part of the problem what that Brian was behind the dish. Bobby said himself that he hadn't seen Jo-Jo before. How could Brian call a decent game with the same handicap? Salty was there, even in the game! Salty knows Jo-Jo and i bet the game would have gone differently if those two were paired.

Oh and BTW:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/photo?slug=cb8a5af8860f44119b28a5b5fde63f34.braves_dodgers_baseball_lad1 05&prov=ap

Burning Brave

by torchy on Jul 8, 2007 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Jo-Jo & Salty

I agree . Its very nerve wracking for a young kids first outing in the bigs and Salty could have kept him calm and given him alot more confidence since he's caught him many times in the Minors, and they are also good friends. We will never know for sure now. Maybe they can hook up on his next start.

by 525DP on Jul 10, 2007 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions

NAHWAL Results for Game 88

Attendance for the game was 41,419, with a guess of 41,555, Smoltzs Beard gets the point.

The picks to click were Renteria, Francoeur, Andruw, and Potato Diaz. Points go to woodywoodsaver, SidBreamStash, whunt13, Smoltzs Beard, BarryFreakinBonds, Stook, mccannfan, MIZIKE74, and jess7.

AAB points go to mccannfan and jess7 (cheap).

by gondeee on Jul 9, 2007 11:48 AM EDT reply actions