Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap: 4/14

by yondaime4 on Apr 14, 2009 11:28 PM EDT in Minor League Recaps Comment 20 comments

Gwinnett 0, Durham 1

T. Hanson 5.2IP 2H 1R 2BB 7K
B. Jones 2-3

Gotta say it sucks that Tommy didn't get the win for this game. He pitched well, just running into his pitch count (95 it looks like) in the 6th inning. The only player to have multiple hits was Swagga and no one had any XBH for the Braves.

MIssissippi 4, Huntsville 5 Final in 13 Inn.

G. Hernandez 4-6 2B, 2K, 2 SB
K. Kaaihue 2-4 2B, RBI, K
W. Cabrera 1-4 2B RBI, BB, K

Remember when I said this infield would strike out 500 times this year? Well the team struck out 18 times in 13 innings tonight. Brandon Hicks and Travis Jones had 7 between them. Bleh. They were up against Jeremy Jeffress who throw like 100 MPH but they didn't ease up much after he left. One bright spot is Gorkys though. He has been walking some and it looks like his speed is finally back after last year's hammy injury so he might bounce back to being an elite prospect again which would probably make him trade bait.

Frederick 10, Myrtle Beach 5

J. Heyward 2-4 2B, 2K
F. Freeman 1-4 HR(2), 2 RBI
C. Johnson 2-3 2B,HR(4), BB, K

The big three did their thing in this game combining for 4 XBH. Cody Johnson leads the minors in homers (unless someone hit 3 tonight) and so far all of his hits are for extra bases this short season. He also leads the team in walks and at this point he and Heyward have the same number of Ks. He is impressing so far this season; could he hit 40 homers? The Pelicans were also facing super prospect Brian Matsuz in this game.

Savannah 6, Rome 7

D. Ross 2-4 HR, 3 RBI, K
G. Rodriguez 3-4 K
S. Sime 2-3

David Ross' rehab assignment went pretty well at the plate and behind it as he threw out a potential base stealer. My boy Chris Shehan (he was my orgnizational sleeper pick) i 0fer the season so far. So I'm a fool 5 games into the season. Also I feel obligated to mention Samuel Sime (even though I don't consider him much of a prospect) since he is batting .500 right now. Sure it is only 4 games so far but he deserves to be mentioned.

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If Cody Johnson...

Pans out, who’s the odd man out in the outfield?

Not Heyward…

Schafer? I don’t see it.

Frenchy? Maybe if he struggles the next year or two.

45-42 Jackets

by AtlantainAshes on Apr 15, 2009 12:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

frenchy. easily because you assume that a 21 year old heyward could put up the numbers that frenchy does right now and frenchy is in arbitration approaching free agency. Question is who is the odd man out with Gorky and CJ

by yondaime4 on Apr 15, 2009 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So, we’re assuming that these two guys have reached their maximum potential? Hmm, well, with Gorkys, you’d have a guy who hits for a high average, has a little bit of pop, a ton of speed, and plays great defense. With Cody, you’ve got a guy who hits the ball a mile, strikes out a lot, and on his best days is serviceable in the OF.

In a scenario where both guys are the best they can be, I think I’d have to take Gorkys, cause he’d be a mighty dynamic leadoff hitter with outstanding defense. Cody’s power is hard to pass up, so who knows, on a different day, I might pick him.

"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Apr 15, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well if we are gonn do this right lets do it!

2011 Lineup w/Gorkys
1. Gorkys LF
2. Logan CF
3. Chipper still
4. Heyward RF
5. McCann C
6. Fremann 1B
7. KJ 2B
8. Yunel/Hicks SS

You know I was gonna do a lineup with CJ there but I can’t imagine it being better than that. I mean I guess KJ or Esco would go to the 2 hole and Schafer to leadoff and then CJ drops to the 7 spot. But honestly I’d rather have the defense of Heywar/Schafer/Hernandez in the OF over the 40 posible homers CJ hits. Looking at that offense I would even be comfortable with taking chipper out and moving everyone up and have Freeman/KJ/Hicks?Esco in the inf. The lineup would still be solid if not great. Granted this is all best case scenario.

But yeah I would take Gorkys in a situation where both are studs because he has the potential to be a Furcal type leadoff guy with a little less pop.

by yondaime4 on Apr 15, 2009 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In the unlikely scenario where Gorkys, Heyward, Freeman, and Johnson all pan out

I think Johnson either ends up the odd man out/trade bait, unless he could possibly be moved to 3B.

by Lennox on Apr 15, 2009 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Gorkys Hernandez is the most tradeable prospect we have. I don’t think he makes his ML debut with the Braves, we’ll swap him for something we need at the deadline this year or over the winter.

by gondeee on Apr 15, 2009 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gorkys vs. CJ

Superior speed/defense vs. superior power. I think that if Gorkys can OPS over .800, his defensive capabilities would make him a better LF than CJ.

"…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 Apr 15, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Francoeur is gone, it’s not even a question.

If he sucks, no reason to keep him. If, he’s “Frenchy good” (aka his typical LOW OBP self that he’s been for most of his career) there’s no reason to keep him over the younger, cheaper options. If he’s actually MLB good, then he’s always made it quite obvious that he’s looking to get a big money deal (probably with his beloved Red Sox).

by Lennox on Apr 15, 2009 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol they love their OBP guys up there. Frenchy wouldn’t go over well.

by yondaime4 on Apr 15, 2009 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, that’s under the assumption that he actually puts up a good OBP/SLG over the next couple years. Which is pretty unlikely.

by Lennox on Apr 15, 2009 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think JFK is gonna to post respectable OBP

with this new approach. At least early on he has me cautiously optimistic and I thought he was done.

If Jeff and Andruw Jones keep hitting Jaramillo should go down as the best hitting coach ever, period.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on Apr 15, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Would have been nice to see Richard Sullivan post a win on his b-day. Looks like the defense (including Sullivan himself) crapped out on him.

I get to see Gwinnett tomorrow!

"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Apr 15, 2009 12:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was at the DBAP to see Hanson last night...

and I have to say, his stuff is as good as advertised. Excellent movement on both his breaking pitches and his fastball. Only thing I didn’t like was the inconsistency in his velocity – his fastballs seemed to be anywhere between 88 and 96 for most of the night.

by BraveBronco0121 on Apr 15, 2009 7:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I thought mixing speeds was a good thing?

Unless his velocity just tailed off later in the game.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on Apr 15, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mixing speeds is certainly good...

but you typically do that by mixing up your fastball with offspeed pitches. It’s early and it isn’t really a worry, but ideally you would want to see Hanson sitting in the 90s consistently, not drop below that mark on ~ 1/3 of his fastballs.

by BraveBronco0121 on Apr 15, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cody Johnson is a DEMON this first week~!

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 15, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Cody just keeps surprising me...

I really thought he’d start slow at Mrytle Beach and have a monster second half. Now it just looks like he’s gonna be a monster all year.

Still striking out a lot, but as long as he has as many XBHs as Ks no one can complain.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on Apr 15, 2009 12:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A few seasons = a long ass time

anything could happen…

C-Brian McCann
1st-Ernesto Mejia
2nd-Robert Brooks
SS-Yunel Escobar
3rd-Grant Green
LF-Willie Cabrera
CF-Jordan Schafer
RF-Adam Milligan

(I doubt very highly that Freeman, Heyward, C.Johnson, Hernandez, etc. will all bust, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if one or two of them didn’t pan out.)

or, they could all change positions…

SP-Tommy Hanson
SP-Jason Heyward
SP-Freddy Freeman
SP-Gorkys Hernanez
SP-Tom Glavine

LS for the Falcons – Cody Johnson
American Idol 17 Winner – Julio Teheran
President of the United States of America – Chris Shehan

as the little kid said in Angels in the Outfield…“hey, it could happen.”

...catsports...

by bwellnjonesco on Apr 15, 2009 1:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Through 20 ABs, Cody’s K% is down 7.8%…his BB:K has doubled…and his BB% has nearly doubled too…not to mention his OPS doubling as well. YAY CODY KEEP IT UP ALL YEAR AND MAYBE YOU WON’T BE A BUST ANYMORE

SWAGGA LIKE...whoever the fuck is not walking people
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club

by bigjoe on Apr 15, 2009 1:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs