Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap: 8/4

Gwinnett 5, Columbus 1

• R. Gorecki 3-4 RBI, BB, SB(13)
• B. Canizares 2-5
  
• V. Pope 2-3 HR(2)

Holy Crap! Van Pope is almost  hitting .200 for the season! He is actually hitting .312 in his last 10 games. Todd Redmond pitched his second straight good game, going 6 strong innings without giving up any runs and only allowing 2 hits. He hasn't allowed a run in his last two games.

Montgomery 5, Mississippi 1

• M. Young 1-3 HR(3), 2 BB
• J. Heyward 2-3 HBP
  
• E. Osuna 6IP 5H 4R 1BB 3K

I am glad to see Jason Heyward in this game after he left yesterday's opening game and didn't return for the second game. I didn't know if he was out because of injury or what. The box score says he is fine. His OPS is still just north of 1.200 in AA. Edgar Osuna posted his second straight game where he allowed 4 runs in 6 innings. I think he is going to have games where teams just get to him because of how soft he throws. If his command isn't razor sharp he is going to be hittable.

Myrtle Beach 4, Salem 1

• C. Miles 2-4 HR(4), 2 RBI, CS(3)
  
• G. Rodriguez 2-4 RBI, K
• R. Gress 2-4 2B, 
• J. Thompson 5.2IP 7H 1R 1BB 5K
  

I don't know where Cody Johnson has been lately. He has not played in a game since July 29 and he isn't on the DL currently. I wonder if they pulled him to help him straighten out his swing a little. I think they did that with him last season in the second half and it really paid dividends. Also, Randy Gress is a monster.

Savannah 2, Rome 3

• A. Milligan 1-3 2B, BB, K
• L. Sumoza 1-4 2B, 3K
• B. Schlehuber 3-4 2B
• C. Culver 1-3 2B, 2 RBI

Also in this game JJ Hoover went 5+ innings and struck out 7 while allowing only 1 run. John Sickels talked about him a little today if you want to head on over there and read what he has to say. Buddy Carlyle made a rehab start as well and allowed 1 hit through 2 innings.

Princeton 0, Danville 3

• LV Ware 2-4 2 2B
• C. Harrilchak 2-4 RBI
• M. Crim 7Ip 4H 0R 1BB 3K

Ware has been a double machine in Danville (also he is 17/19 for SB) and I think he has this level mastered. Maybe it is time to send him back to Rome for a month to see if he can make the adjustment. Matt Crim is from my old stomping grounds of Charleston, SC (he was drafted out of the Citadel and I used to live a block from there) and has accomplished a fairly impressive feat so far this season. He is 7-0 in 8 appearances. The amazing this is that his stats aren't overwhelming at all. in 44 innings he has allowed 48 hits though only 7 walks to go along with 30K. The one thing he does well (and apparently a lot of our pitchers do) is he induces a lot of groundballs.

GCL Braves 4, GCL Phillies 3

• K. Rose 1-3 3B, SB(18)
• C. Bethancourt 2-4 HR(2), 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB(5)
  
• J. Hanson 2-3 BB
• C. Perez 4IP 4H 3R 2BB 3K

You know, the Braves may not have a lot of depth at the top of the system, but on the whole we might have a larger supply of high ceiling guys than any other system. Heyward, Freeman, Spruill, Teheran, Bethancourt and Carlos Perez. What do they all have in common? They are all teenagers and they all have big ceilings.