Minor League Recaps: 6/3 (Charlie Morton is the Sh*t)

by yondaime4 on Jun 3, 2008 10:58 PM EDT in Minor League Recaps

Richmond 7, Durham 0

C. Morton - 8IP 1H 0R 1BB 13K
B. Canizares - 3-5 HR(8)
M. Jurich - 3-4 2 2B, 3 RBI

Well damn Charlie Morton. In a big game with the division leader Morton came up huge and just proves that he is in a zone right now. In Baseball America's Hot Sheet chat today someone asked about Morton:

What kind of Ceiling does Charlie Morton have?

Matt Eddy: Let's peg him as a potential No. 4 for now, because of his age (24) and lack of a track record. On the other hand, if his fastball command improves a bit, Morton's got the secondary stuff, particularly a curveball and changeup, to be better than that.

I think that is fair given his track record, but he really appears to have found something extra since the AFL. I am a believer and I think he has the potential to be a #2 with his current fastball command. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Birmingham 3, Mississippi (Final in 13 innings)

J. Schafer - 1-5 RBI, BB, K
G. Creek - 3-4 2 2B, BB
T. Hanson - 6IP 5H 3R 1BB 5K

Van Pope singled in Jose Carmena in the 13th for the win. Tommy Hanson pitched a solid game again. He appears to have made the adjustment in the past couple of games and hasn't really been hammered save for that second start. Greg Creek has really been the most consistent hitter in this lineup for most of the season but I don't think he'll ever really amount to much. He might be the first mayor of Gwinnett. Mike Gonzalez threw an inning of relief giving up no runs but allowing two hits. He should probably be back within a week to give us a really solid bullpen. I still think they should have kept Stockman up. He must have done something with Bobby's daughter to be treated like he is.

Winston-Salem 2, Myrtle Beach 5

G. Hernandez - 3-3 RBI, SB(6)
E. Campbell - 1-4 2B, 3 RBI
D. Heath - 7IP 6H 1R 3BB 6K

Heath pitched an excellent game and appears to have recovered from his struggles in the last few starts. Gorkys had another big game as we have come to expect from him. Eric Campbell had the big blow with a bases loaded double in the first. I used to love Campbell but I don't know how i feel about him after all his off the field stuff. I hope he can rebound like Josh Hamilton but stay with us.

Rome 0, Charleston 3

F. Freeman - 1-4 3B
J. Locke - 6.2IP 8H 3R 2BB 1K

Every time I see Jeff Locke's name in the box score I think of John Locke and then I think about that damn coffin on the season finale. Was anyone at the game tonight? Why didn't Heyward play? Did he get called up or just taking the night off?

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holy FUCK charlie morton. campillo better watch his ass.

by bigjoe on Jun 3, 2008 11:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Room for improvement. . .

He gave up a walk and a hit. He needs to work on his strikeout ratio too, I mean 13 strikeouts out of 24 total outs? That’s terrible.

by JDMaker1 on Jun 3, 2008 11:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

I KNOW RIGHT? His arm will probably fall off tomorrow anyways

by yondaime4 on Jun 3, 2008 11:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

because he threw 122 pitches….

by yondaime4 on Jun 3, 2008 11:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Pitch count

yonda, I’m really not joking here… I really think someone messed up in the dugout with his pitch count… There’s little to no way he would have been allowed to throw over 110…
(meaning he did throw 122, just shouldn’t have)

by bravos408 on Jun 3, 2008 11:23 PM EDT 0 recs

its not like it was a close game, they probably shoulda pulled him after 7. SOMEONE is getting reamed out tomorrow morning

by bigjoe on Jun 3, 2008 11:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

the dude is a big boy and has always been considered a work horse (even though he tends to tire late in the season) so I doubt its a huge deal when he is cruising the way he was. I mean I don’t want to see anyone throw 122 pitches if they don’t have to but Morton is 24, has never had a huge workload in the past because he has been a reliever for most of his minor league career so I don’t think they are too too concerned about overthrowing him. Still you’re right 122 is a lot.

by yondaime4 on Jun 3, 2008 11:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

Dear Yonda

How do the stats of Morton last year back up your claim?? I see no digression in his stats at all at the end of the year.. You made a flat out claim that he digresses and tires as the year goes on… He pitched 7 innings 1 run in the playoffs against Mobile (in september), then dealt against the best in the minors when he went to Arizona. In his last two bullpen appearences in Miss he pitched three scoreless, then started and gave up 2 in 5 innings, then 1 in 7, then zero in 2 plus before the game was postponed by rain, then 1 in 7 innings for his last start of the regular season..There is ZERO decline, and ZERO proof that he tires. It is a claim that you have made. It is speculation, and you speak from this huge platform to the public who eat your bowls of BS knowledge that are found by you sitting on your ass. You claim in August he was "starting" so that helped him. Where is your proof that in the past, starting has helped him?? It never had! Thats why he was demoted and moved to the pen in the first place. And in the pen (in the minor leagues), the hitters see you less, and you pitch less (less workload)..but he still struggled…. What causes you to believe its easier for him to come out of the pen or be in the rotation?? The reason he’s been in and out for the past two years is because they were trying to find something that worked for him… In one of the last games he pitched this year you made a speculative statement that "maybe the hitters get used to his stuff".. Then he goes out last night and carves up a team he has faced twice already (the same team infact that caused you to speculate the first time, and a team that also happens to be one of the strongest in the International league). Everyone is allowed to draw their own conclusions, but that doesn’t mean they are accurate… Which is why again, please, I’m begging you.. Get your journalist hat on, and do some real research. Call Kent Willis, or Derek Bo…that way, you’re speculation won’t be needed in the world of minor league player development

And here’s an article/blog from DOB who was at Morton’s last game in Arizona

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=70237

If you notice, the article quotes Morton’s velocity as having reached 97 several times, which is also some knowledge you have lacked… hmm 97 in his last game (which was a no hitter through 5) Yeah man, he really tired out at the end..

The article also quotes Frank Wren as saying Morton was getting stronger after the all star break, and so does DOB…

by bravos408 on Jun 4, 2008 6:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

I already said that Morton was good in Arizona and that he benefited from a move back to the rotation late in the season. I really don’t care what you say from this point but I’m glad you actually finally did what I said and put some thought into your argument. I’d give you a gold star but you’d probably just lick the glue off of it.

by yondaime4 on Jun 4, 2008 10:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

^

Yonda, I deal with facts first hand, you deal with what you read about.. Your knowledge is based on what other people tell you (through articles and gossip and such).. So just because you are a moderator on an unofficial Braves website, it doesn’t make you any more credible than some joe off the street (which is basically what you are), who reads BA, DOB blogs, and Kevin Goldstein scouting reports. You have put yourself on some pillar because you and your buddies got a website together. Congrats.. The only reason I even posted on this site, was to respond to multiple ignorant comments I read on the site, and felt I needed to stick up for some very talented a people who were getting blasted for doing their jobs to the best of their abilities.

by bravos408 on Jun 4, 2008 11:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Holy Crap

Yonda,

Morton has Come out of the pen at the very end of 06 in Myrtle (and I mean very end)
He started the year out of the pen in Miss… But spot started a few times, the was put back into the rotation..

Aside from those two instances, he has always been considered a starter..

He pitched in piggy back situations many times, but this role is reserved for starters

by bravos408 on Jun 3, 2008 11:49 PM EDT 0 recs

alright might have overstated there but just for the record:
160 career games
88 career starts
His last two seasons he has been predominantly a reliever until the end of last year. He was demoted from the rotation in both 2005 and 2006 because of inconsistency as a starter.

by yondaime4 on Jun 3, 2008 11:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

^

88 starts, but he has been on at least 2 teams where the rotation consisted of 6 or 7 starters.. And he piggy backed… Which takes away a lot of official starts.. And yes, he was demoted to the pen, but we already knew he sucked then anyway…

by bravos408 on Jun 4, 2008 12:12 AM EDT 0 recs

On a side note

Christian Bethancourt the highly touted 16 y.o. catcher we signed earlier this year was 2-3 with two RBI, a BB and threw out a runner in yesterday’s DSL game.

by Jay212033 on Jun 4, 2008 12:34 AM EDT 0 recs

thanks for the heads up. I’ll start posting those as well

by yondaime4 on Jun 4, 2008 12:58 AM EDT up 0 recs

They Heyward Mystery....

Solved, and it’s a dud. From the Rome paper:
“Rome right fielder Jason Heyward was given the day off Tuesday, his first of the season. He had started 56 straight games, and was the lone Brave to have played in every game. “

by secondbass on Jun 4, 2008 7:58 AM EDT 0 recs

The

I meant “The Heyward Mystery”
With so many ‘Ys’, I guess I got carried away!

by secondbass on Jun 4, 2008 9:21 AM EDT up 0 recs

Morton!

Well let’s bring him up and see what he’s got. Sounds like this morning we’ve lost Smoltz so we need all the guns we can get.

-- Kyle
The Tomahawk

by jameskm03 on Jun 4, 2008 10:52 AM EDT 0 recs

Funny.

I still think they should have kept Stockman up. He must have done something with Bobby’s daughter to be treated like he is.

If that’s true, he’s following in Joey Devine’s footprints and Bobby needs to keep his daughter away from all the Braves teams! Speaking of Joey Devine: 28 K, 7 BB, 16 H, 0 HR and 3 ER (5 R) through 22 IP in 18 G. He blew his only save opportunity, but the A’s won the game; he has a 3-0 record, with 3 holds. If that wasn’t so in-lin with minor league track record and obvious potential as a prospect, I’d peg it as a fluke and let it go. Where are all those people that argued that he wouldn’t ammount to anything now? Just wait till they fade out of contention, trade Huston Street and give Joey the closer’s role in Oakland. I’d say we sure could have used a guy like him so far this year. Oh well…

Please check out my blog at http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/ , now redesigned and recommited!

by ejruiz on Jun 4, 2008 11:16 AM EDT 0 recs

I was absolutely furious when I found out about it. At Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort celebrating my roomates engagement, and I just took my booze and sat in the corner pouting. Kotsay has been much better than I expected, but the longer he stays injured while Devine is pitching well…I’m gonna be bitter.

by Smoltz's Beard on Jun 4, 2008 11:46 AM EDT up 0 recs

Never

Never ever ever liked the deal. Still don’t, even if Kotsay hits .300 and stays off the DL the rest of the way.

by secondbass on Jun 4, 2008 12:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

yeah I was always a big Devine felator and was livid when we traded him. And on top of if we missed on Fields last year as well. AND Medlen hasn’t been very good at AA so far.

by yondaime4 on Jun 4, 2008 12:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

as most of you know, i was DRIVING the joey devine bandwagon and almost broke something when i heard about this, ESPECIALLY since SK is having problems with his back

by bigjoe on Jun 4, 2008 12:26 PM EDT up 0 recs