Interview with Braves top draft pick Mike Minor

Jay LeBlanc of the Washington Times interviews our first round draft pick, Mike Minor. It's a good interview, and well worth the read. Minor seems like a very smart pitcher who knows what he wants to do when he goes to the mound.

7 months ago gondeee 23 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

wooot! 1st post, norule what up fool!!!!

by fizzbot on Aug 13, 2009 11:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

seems like the kid has a good head on his shoulders, and a sound approach to pitching. Hopefully his arm is just as good.

I thought hurricane season was over........

by bravesguy311 on Aug 13, 2009 11:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Very mature and educated approach to the mound for a young guy. Good read.

by Sid Bream's Moustache on Aug 13, 2009 11:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That interview helped mold my perception of him. He seems like he’s got a good head on his shoulders and great idea of what he’s doing on the mound. I hope we get to see him in Atlanta before too long.

by bravesfan91 on Aug 13, 2009 11:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I like him

A lot of guys like to throw, say, fastball/changeup to righties and fastball/slider to lefties or whatever, but I’ll throw anything to any batter. I just add and subtract [velocity], go up and down, in and out.

Just maintain a good work ethic. A lot of guys get in a situation where, “Oh, they’re in the big leagues,” so they think they can relax.

Here I kind of get the vibe that people think they can just get by without working out; a lot of guys don’t like to work out, and that’s a big part of the game, I believe.

These high character, great work ethic guys are just so likeable.

by VictorW on Aug 13, 2009 11:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree with your statement.

That’s the kind of stuff I love to hear from a young player.

by Sparhawk on Aug 13, 2009 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1 for Minor

He may not have Hanson upside…but considering that he very well may be #2 / #3 worthy for 6 cheap years…we may be getting a #2 / #3 guy for 6 years at a total of maybe 12-15 mill (signing bonus + league min + arb years).

by volsandbraves on Aug 13, 2009 12:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Most projections have him as a 4/5 type of pitcher, not a 2/3.

by Lennox on Aug 13, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Someone mentioned a Mark Mulder comp

Not necessarily in terms of repertoire, but similar upside, both college LHP, etc. Looking at Mulder’s numbers, he was definitely a strong #3 with W/L records of a #1. So hopefully Minor can pitch like that, and net us Dan Haren afeter 4-5 years.

"…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 Aug 13, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Most projections have him as a 4/5 type of pitcher, not a 2/3.

On our team a 4/5 is pretty damn good.

by volsandbraves on Aug 13, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Most I’ve seen have him as a 3/4, but numbering your starters is a bunch of BS to me anyways. Give me five guys that throw quality innings deep into games. If Minor can do that, then he’s good with me.

by bravesfan91 on Aug 13, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

2 years ago Hanson was projected as a 4/5. How’d that projection work out?

by rstrangeiv on Aug 13, 2009 1:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, aside from the fact that 2 years ago Hanson was named the best pitching prospect in the SAL before he even pitched an inning above Rookie Ball, he was also a low round draft-and-follow pick up that was pitching in A ball.

Minor is a first round pick coming out of 3 years in NCAA Division 1 baseball, don’t you think the people projecting him are going to have more information to work with than Hanson had when he was in A ball?

After 3 years of observable data pretty much everyone was projecting Hanson as a 1 or 2.

by Lennox on Aug 13, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Hanson/Minor comps just aren't accurate

As you point out, there’s more of a track record to base Minor’s projections on. Minor also has 1-2 years of extra physical development, so that’s another area of projectability that’s gone. I’m not saying he can’t be a highly productive pitcher, just that there’s no reason to make him into something he’s not (a potential Ace) in order to justify the overdraft.

by buzzdeadwax on Aug 13, 2009 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who was royhobbs referring to in your sig quote?

If Dunn walks 30 fewer times, he'll drive in 15 more runs. This is thanks to the scientifically proven formula: RBI = (this is nonsense) (I made it all up).

Here's a stat: Wins as manager: Dusty Baker, 1,162; Bill James, 0.

by TradeAndruw on Aug 13, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A little more than 20 seconds later...

You said it, we’re all entitled to our opinions, and one of these days, I too would like to see your rationale to why Pujols is overrated. All I want to really mention for now is that his $100m contract is a bigger steal than Enron, and that higher-paid, less-accomplished, not-as-humanitarian first basemen like Mark Teixeira or Miguel Cabrera aren’t worthy enough to hold his ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease.

by buzzdeadwax on Aug 13, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good stuff. Little surprised to hear him say most of our guys “don’t like to work out,” though.

"When life gives you lemons, just say 'F*ck the lemons,' and bail."

by Bravely going forward on Aug 13, 2009 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ya don’t talk shi- about your team mates, back the fuc- up fore you get smacked the fu— up

by fizzbot on Aug 13, 2009 3:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

wat

by esadb on Aug 13, 2009 3:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

I’d guess that he’s referring to Minor basically saying that his new teammates in Rome don’t have the same work ethic as he has from Vandy.

by Lennox on Aug 13, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i was referring to

back the fuc- up fore you get smacked the fu— up

by esadb on Aug 13, 2009 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Translation: Continuing upon this path of action will cause you to be met with swift retribution, it is suggested that you take another tack before this happens.

by Lennox on Aug 13, 2009 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I met the guy who did this interview a few weeks ago. He’s a pretty good dude. It was interesting watching him trying to interview a few of the Rays guys with Bowling Green. Some of them were like, ‘sure, whatever’, but one dude was very sketchy about it. It’s like, come on guy, it’s only an interview.

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

by cbwilk on Aug 13, 2009 6:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs