Braves Making the Team Meter: Week 5
by gondeee on Mar 23, 2009 11:55 AM EDT
35 comments
Week 5 of the half-marathon that is spring training. All of our players should be back in camp on Tuesday, and by the end of the week when Garret Anderson returns, we might just see some lineups that will resemble regular season lineups -- I'd say beginning with our homestand on Thursday, and continuing Friday and Saturday (by the way, the Friday and Saturday games are going to be on Sports South, and Wednesday and Sunday's games will be on the MLB network).
Here are the players that are on the team, with the spots being competed for in bold:
Catcher (2) - Brian McCann, David Ross
Starting Infield (4) - Casey Kotchman, Kelly Johnson, Yunel Escobar, Chipper Jones
Backup / Bench (5) - Greg Norton, Matt Diaz, Omar Infante, Martin Prado, Backup Outfielder
Right Field (1) - Jeff Francoeur
Center Field (1)
Left Field (1) - Garret Anderson
Rotation (Note: to start the season we will only need 4 starters for the first two times through the rotation.) - Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens, Kenshin Kawakami
Bullpen (7) - Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, Blaine Boyer, Reliever, Reliever, Reliever
Go here for last week's MTM.
| Player, Position | Chance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Anderson, OF |  |
Anderson's been heating up the last week, hitting with frequency and hitting for power. The center field race is certainly tightening, and will come down to the final day or week. |
| Gregor Blanco, OF | |
He'll be back in camp this week to strut his stuff and confuse the center field mix even more. I like Blanco, but I think he's a good trade chip for some of these teams that might need center fielders or lead-off men. Ultimately, something will probably have to give between Anderson, Blanco, and Schafer; would Blanco be the odd man out instead of Schafer? |
| Brooks Conrad, INF |  |
He's started to hit a little better, but he's still firmly ticketed for triple-A. |
| Diory Hernandez, INF | |
Five errors this spring, and a lot lately are really hurting his chances of being the first go-to utility infielder. He's trying to expance his presence at other positions, but he's having a rough go of it. |
| Brandon Jones, LF | |
As a young kid he might get exposed during a full baseball season, but I think he'd probably end up being just as good as Garret Anderson, and for a lot less, and with the added bonus of expected improvement. |
| Jordan Schafer, OF | |
I really like the speed he's shown this spring, and the willingness to steal a base. He's a guy who relishes the lead-off role and has the patience and speed to handle it and improve at it in the majors. I say give the kid the center field job, you know you will eventually, and his upside is a whole lot more than Anderson or Blanco's. |
| Player, Position | Chance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manny Acosta, RHP |  |
He's one of the trade chips the Braves seem to be dangling. |
| Jeff Bennett, RHP | |
At this point, Bennett might get waived. Of course, there are still two weeks for him to turn it around. Still, I think he either gets demoted or traded. |
| Blaine Boyer, RHP | Let's go ahead and say that he's made the team. I don't think they'd trade him right now. | |
| Jorge Campillo, RHP | |
Could he be a trade chip? I could see a team like the Pirates, who need bullpen help, trading for a guy like this for the added flexibility. Of course, the Braves could use his flexibility too. |
| Buddy Carlyle, RHP | |
Speaking of flexibile, Carlyle is that guy. He's still in a battle for a spot, but he might have the edge over Bennett and Campillo. |
| Tommy Hanson, RHP | |
It looks like he's losing major league spring time in games to Javier Vazquez, who is back from the WBC. The good outing by Tom Glavine may have written Hanson's ticket to triple-A. I think that's the right move, let's take it one level at a time with this kid, he's too special to spoil. |
| Boone Logan, LHP | |
He got roughed up some this week, but he's still the front-runner for the LOOGY role, especially since the other contenders also got roughed up this week. |
| Kris Medlen, RHP | |
He may have snuck into the mix for a bullpen spot. I'd like to see him continue starting at triple-A and see where that leads. |
| Peter Moylan, RHP | I'm going to go ahead and declare him ready for the season. With the ability to carry an extra bullpen arm early in the season, there's no reason that Moylan can't be coddled early in the year and not used on back-to-back days. | |
| Eric O'Flaherty, LHP | |
One reeeeaaalllly bad outing against the Mets is the only blackmark on an otherwise terrific spring. But if you can't get the Mets out, then you shouldn't be on this team. |
| Jo-Jo Reyes, LHP | |
Still pitching great this spring, and he is still likely headed to triple-A. With the successful return of Glavine, his stock drops a bit. |
| Jeff Ridgway, LHP | I don't think there's any reason to keep him on this list as Logan and/or O'Flaherty are going to be the lefties. | |
| Rafael Soriano, RHP | Like Moylan, I'm going to declare Raffy ready for the season. I hope the nasty Soriano is back this year. |
| Arrow Key: |
|---|
| = Chance of making the team is even. |
| = Chance of making the team is going down. |
| = Chance of making the team is going up. |
0 recs |
35 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
A Pirates trade...
I relish the idea of Frank Wren getting to fleece the Pirates management with some of our spare parts, but what do the Pirates have that the Braves want?
by Andy Braves Fan on Mar 23, 2009 1:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
a low team salary?
thats about all i can think of
by bravesguy311 on Mar 23, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL this actually cracked me up. Touche.
by yondaime4 on Mar 23, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It seems like every player the Pirates produce is more a utility-type player, so maybe we trade for someone like that. We got Lillibridge from them a couple of years ago, and if we hadn’t sent him to Chicago, he would be a good backup option. We got Redmond from them last year for Tyler Yates… and now they need another bullpen arm. I’m under the impression we know their system pretty well, so we could find another gem in there, either a backup infielder/utility guy in case any infielder goes down (Infante moves over and we call that guy up instead of Diory), or with more pieces in a trade perhaps a younger third baseman (who would now be blocked by LaRoche).
by gondeee on Mar 23, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, yeah, yeah…the more important question is: what do you think of the new Decemberists album?
by Smoltz's Beard on Mar 23, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
better than "The Crane Wife"
by apoxonbothyourhouses on Mar 24, 2009 7:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The album is good, but the ending is corny. The music is phenomenal, but I find myself rating it based on the story. The Decemberists make everything weird.
by someguy917 on Mar 24, 2009 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just broke out my trusty 'BA Prospect Handbook" to find..
some left side and middle infielders that the Bucos might have. Ten of the top thirty prospects included are 2B/SS/3B and include P. Alverez 3B(1) N. Walker 3B(6) S. Ford 2B(8) J. Cunningham 3B/SS(13) B. Friday SS(14) J. Mercer SS(15) C. D’Arnaud SS(17) M. Hague 3B/1B(23) J. Negrych 3B/2B(24) B. Bixler SS/2B(27)
It apears that the Pirates have a fair bit of depth as far as 3B/MI goes just as we do with our pitching prospects. I’m not sure who we would like out of that group, but I think Cunningham or Friday could be good and obtainable MI prospects.
by bbxxj on Mar 23, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ford is going to end up in the outfield, Negrych won’t hit with enough average or walk enough to play in the bigs, Bixler could be that backup type guy, and they still like the rest enough that I’d have to think they’d be very hesitant to trade them. Doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen though.
Funny enough, I saw the Pirates AA team in Spring Training the other day and I had to as one guy who he was (they didn’t have names on their jerseys) He was this huge hulk of a guy who was just crushing the ball. Turned out to be Matt Hague. Really nice guy, like I said, huge. Doesn’t look like he’d be able to stick at third though.
"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com
by cbwilk on Mar 23, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think the Braves will be trading for minor-league infielders.
by Tokyokie on Mar 23, 2009 1:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
There isn't a clear answer in center field?
I’m assuming that what you think since you have no name filled in at that position. So my question to you….What is wrong with Schafer and shouldn’t he clearly be the favorite to win the CF job?
I’m just getting sick and tired of hearing that a player that is out of options should be favored more than the better answer (i.e. Josh Anderson). imo Blanco or Jones should get the 4th OF spot and Schafer should be the starting center fielder come opening day. Now what’s wrong with that?
by ChipperTeixeira89 on Mar 23, 2009 2:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Read my comments for Schafer, I’m all for giving him the job, but this MTM is more about what the Braves thinking might be, and I don’t think they’ve made up their mind yet… at least not publicly.
by gondeee on Mar 23, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Schafer has played three months of AA ball
He struggled greatly against LHP, and benefited from a .350 BABIP.
What’s wrong with wanting to see him show he can handle AAA pitching before he’s handed the starting CF job on the ML club?
by Lennox on Mar 23, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So send him back down to the minors
And after two months (maybe even less) of hitting AAA pitching, he’ll then be ML ready? ….ok.
by ChipperTeixeira89 on Mar 23, 2009 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And the entire point of a ML team roster is to have it filled with players that help your team. The entire point of a starting lineup is putting your best players that can help you win now.
Also there has been PLENTY of players who have made the jump from AA to the major leagues that have become successful, even if that means going through a couple of dry spells.
Bottomline, Josh Anderson is not a starting centerfielder atleast not on a team that expects to contend. Go send him to a team like Seattle or Pittsburgh. Schafer is here to stay and should.
by ChipperTeixeira89 on Mar 23, 2009 4:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
IF Schafer is ML ready, then he won’t have any problem in AAA. If Anderson and/or Blanco is really that awful, then he’ll have no problem seizing the roster spot from either of them by early May.
If a team is expecting to contend, then, bottom line, the difference between Josh Anderson/Gregor Blanco and Jordan Schafer for a month or two certainly isn’t going to make or break the team.
Meanwhile, IF Schafer isn’t ready, then starting him out on the ML club doesn’t help anybody.
by Lennox on Mar 23, 2009 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey, settle down with all that logic. This is no time for a concise, clear, reasonable argument.
"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com
by cbwilk on Mar 23, 2009 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What is this word logic that you use? I have never heard such a word on this blog before. lol.
by KC Ryan on Mar 23, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
dumb question
This might be a dumb question but there’s something I’m missing. Why do we only need 4 starters in the first two rounds of the rotation? Not debating, I just don’t know the answer and I’m curious.
by McGriff the Crime Dog on Mar 23, 2009 5:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Probably because we have an off day here or there, and it’ll work out to 5 days rest for our top-4 pitchers.
by Smoltz's Beard on Mar 23, 2009 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Screw it...Experimental Gene Mutation!
Don’t trade anyone…
...catsports...
by bwellnjonesco on Mar 23, 2009 6:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Is that some sort of acid flashback?
by Smoltz's Beard on Mar 23, 2009 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Its what I see every time I close my eyes…
...catsports...
by bwellnjonesco on Mar 23, 2009 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
…..aww man……..adjectives are insufficient to describe the stark, primal terror this thing has evoked in the core of my soul….I think this is the beginning of some new personality disoder for me….Thanks bwell…
by !Vive la Francoeur! on Mar 23, 2009 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
this really needs to be the new banner.
by yondaime4 on Mar 23, 2009 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
God Damn Firewalls!
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
by buzzdeadwax on Mar 24, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
