Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap: 5/22

by yondaime4 on May 22, 2009 11:47 PM EDT in Braves Minor League Recaps

Ah the rare organizational sweep. Good night to be a Braves fan.

Toledo 3, Gwinnett 7

W. Timmons 2-4 RBI, BB, SB(4)
B. Conrad 1-4 2B, RBI
JC Holt 1-4 2B, RBI, 2K

You know I wouldn't be surprised if JC Holt got a call at some point this season for the Braves. Well part of me would be surprised because he appears to be one of those guys the Braves have either given up on or forgotten about. His skill set is similar to Brent Lillibridge, but he appears to have held up pretty well in AAA. I mean the guy has like no power, but he has some speed and plays some INF and OF. Maybe a "Break Glass in Case of Emergency" type guy.

Mobile 0, Mississippi 3

G. Hernandez 1-3 BB
M. Young 2-4 2B, 3B, RBI
K. Cofield 5IP 6H 0R 2BB 3K

Meh. Nice game by Cofield? You know the Braves do have some decent bullpen arms at almost every level. The Gwinnett bullpen is pretty great across the board and while our top ranked bullpen arm in AA (Marek) is posting an 8 something ERA Kevin Gunderson has been good and the Old Guy (Rafael Cruz) has been great except in one outing. Interesting.

Wilmington 1, Myrtle Beach 5

J. Heyward 1-3 HR(8), BB, SB(4)
F. Freeman 2-4 RBI
C. Johnson 2-3 HR(16), BB, K, HBP
C. Rohrbough 5.2IP 5H 1R 3BB 5K

I mean seriously? Really? 16 homers in 41 games? I read someone before the season talking about how Mike Stanton is the most interesting prospect in baseball because of the crazy skill set he brings to the table and the ridiculous power vs equally ridiculous strike out totals. Cody Johnson has got to be in that conversation now. Anyways, Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman are both awesome. And Cole Rohrbough has been really good when not injured this season. A 2.00 ERA with 20K in 18IP so far is pretty solid though i could see his walks drop a little. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in AA at some point if he stays good.

Asheville 6, Rome 7

S. Shults 3-4 2B, HR(2), 2 RBI, K
B. Schleuhuber 2-4 2B
C. Kimbrel 2IP 0H 0R 1BB 6K

Kimbrel really does have the occasional game where you are just wowed by what he does. He was SO bad in Myrtle Beach, but this might be the best pitching line I have seen all year, even if it is in only 2 innings. He has 20K in 8.2 innings so far in Rome with 6 saves. He has struck out every batter he has face in 3 of his outings there and has at least 2K in all but one outing. Just mind bottling.

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Mind bottling? lol, Will Ferrell fan? But yeah, Kimbrel has been mind boggling, I think he might’ve under prepared for the season and was rusty at the beginning of the season, but now I think he has his control back or at least it is rapidly improving. I don’t think it will be too long before Kimbrel is back at the Beach.

by MatM on May 23, 2009 12:13 AM EDT reply actions

agree. he still has a couple walks but damn he has been filthy when hes been on

by yondaime4 on May 23, 2009 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Cody Johnson

killin’ it, man! And I’m glad to see Kimbrel have a good outing.

"If I had a little humility, I would be perfect" - Ted Turner

by Little Lady on May 23, 2009 12:16 AM EDT reply actions

The “rare organizational sweep” just happened on back to back nights. I just wish I lived in Myrtle Beach to catch some of these games. I’m stuck down here watching the FSL and the Fort Myers Miracle, whom I actually intern for.

by bACEballstud on May 23, 2009 1:39 AM EDT reply actions

I think atlanta lost last night…..by like 9

by yondaime4 on May 23, 2009 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions

lol, it’s so easy to forget about what that club is doing when all the others are kicking ass.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on May 23, 2009 2:23 AM EDT up reply actions

If Cody stays healthy, he’s gonna hit 50 HR… I really think so.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on May 23, 2009 2:23 AM EDT reply actions

Cody Johnson = Russell Branyan

The guy has struck out 58 times in 140 at bats. WAY too high. He has monster power, yes, but unless he starts walking 70 times a year he’s not even going to be Rob Deer.

by Zorak84 on May 23, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

That the same Russell Branyan...

hitting .308/.400/.617 in the vast expanses of Safeco?

by MichaelProcton on May 23, 2009 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes

The same Russell Branyan who has a career batting avg of .235 and career OBP of .332.

by Zorak84 on May 23, 2009 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions

And .825 OPS

Branyan is a righty killer, and an adequate half to a platoon. And the Braves would probably kill to have a hitter of his quality in LF.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on May 23, 2009 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I concur wholeheartedly.

You need to protect him, but it’s not like any of our currently OFs don’t need that.

by MichaelProcton on May 24, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Never said he was the next superstar, just that barring injury I really think he’s going to hit 50 this year.

Also, Branyan would look damned good in LF for us.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on May 23, 2009 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Gunderson keeps ploding along, always good, but never looking sexy doing it. He is the opposite of FYF. He looks like a high school band member but just posts #s.

Hopefully at least one of the pitchers from the 06 beavers can do something in the majors.

hindsight is 20-13 just like Ted William actual vision- ken tremendous

by heapofoatmeal on May 23, 2009 2:45 AM EDT reply actions

Gunderson’s delivery is so violent; I can’t believe he hasn’t blown his arm out yet. I hope he doesn’t, but the amount of torque he puts on his arm is way beyond what most guys do.

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

by cbwilk on May 23, 2009 6:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Cody Johnson - ANOTHER FIRST

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Cody Johnson has hit a lot of home runs for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans this year, but nobody had gone where he went in Friday night’s series-opening 5-1 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks in front of 2,787 fans at BB&T Coastal Field.

Johnson crushed his Carolina League-leading 16th home run of the season over the batter’s eye in dead center field, perhaps the only part of the park to which he had not homered this year, giving the Pelicans a lead in the fourth inning they would not surrender the rest of the night. Earlier in the frame, with his team down 1-0, Jason Heyward shot his eighth homer of the season to the opposite field, just past the outstretched glove of Blue Rocks left fielder Adrian Ortiz to knot things at a run apiece. Following a Freddie Freeman groundout, Johnson’s homer gave the Pelicans a 2-1 margin, their first lead of the night, and the only one they would need.

by NWFla on May 23, 2009 8:14 AM EDT reply actions

How far is it to dead center at BB&T?

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on May 23, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

It is 400’ to dead center.

by NWFla on May 23, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

From the MB paper:

“Johnson launced his minor league-leading 16th home run of the season, a towering shot that cleared the 390-foogt center-field fence and the 30-foot high batters’ eye at BB&T Coastal Field. The ball was last seen by the awestruck crowd flying toward Grissom Parkway.
“’I got a hold of that one,’ said Johnson. ’That’s probably the longest one I’ve hit in this park. I haven’t hit one that hard in batting practice.’
“Pelicans GM North Johnson said it was the longest home run he’s seen during his three-year tenure at The Nest, and many old-timers said it was the deepest since the park’s 1999 opening.”

by MichaelProcton on May 23, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

People need to realize how hitter unfriendly Coastal Field is. The park is pretty big for single A and the wind almost is always blowing in from the outfield. It’s been reknown for being a pitcher friendly park and somehow Cody Johnson is hitting homers at an amazing pace. I hope this kid can keep his average up and come down on the strikes…maybe walk a bit more. He could be a beast for us.

by pancanbra on May 23, 2009 4:49 PM EDT reply actions

Just for the shit of it…

Home: .271/.346/.671
Away: .293/.369/.680

8 homers at each. Cody Johnson is the man.

"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?"
President, CEO, and chairman of the Brandon Jones fan club. PLEASE COME BACK! PLEASE COME BACK! PLEASE COME BACK!

by bigjoe on May 23, 2009 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely...

There’s been a mild tendency for scouts to call MB pitchers overrated based on their stats there.

by MichaelProcton on May 23, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think Coastal is as bad as it was a couple years ago. I remember our hitters would go there to die and pitchers would look amazing after a seaosn there, but lately it appears to be more balanced than in years past.

by yondaime4 on May 23, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Is our outfield for 2011 going to be Johnson, Schafer, Heyward? With Freeman at first base?

The big thing to worry about with Johnson is his downside against major league pitching. He could easily be the next Scott Thorman.

by Bronn on May 23, 2009 5:26 PM EDT reply actions

He absolutely could be, but Thorman never, ever crushed the ball like this.

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

by cbwilk on May 23, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Really, when was the last time any Braves prospect crushed the ball like this? 16 HR in his first 145 AB at a new level is ridiculous.

Tommy Hanson 4 ROY

by timmy3 on May 23, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Ron Wright is the last guy to have this kind of power. Also Andruw hit 37 homers one year between a couple levels. Marcus Giles had a couple crazy power seasons in the minors too. But Ron Wright is the answer.

by yondaime4 on May 23, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions