Braves Part Ways With Former First Round Pick Cody Johnson
by gondeee on Nov 19, 2010 5:35 PM EST
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PrintAnd somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.
Yes, the Braves own mighty Casey has played his last game for the organization that drafted him. Slugger Cody Johnson was drafted in the first round of the 2006 draft, 24th overall. When he was selected he was considered a high risk / high reward player -- someone with enormous power, but also enormous holes in his swing. During his time in the Braves minor league system both showed up.
The Braves have apparently sold Johnson to the Yankees in return for cash considerations. That's what an organization does when it wants to save a little face and not completely release a player.
In 1813 minor league plate appearances Johnson has hit 94 home runs, but he has struck out 629 times -- more than a third of his plate appearances. He seemed to be unable to conquer double-A pitching, with the Braves demoting him last year back to single-A.
Johnson has prodigious power, but he hasn't gotten it through his head that he has to make contact for that power to count. Coaches at every level have tried to get him to refine his all-or-nothing approach to the plate, but time after time he refused to listen. This "release" has as much to do with Johnson's sour attitude as it does with his poor performance.
The Yankees added him to their triple-A roster ... a bit of wishful thinking.
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Not for some of us
Don’t want to dance on anyone’s grave, but many of us here on TC wrote him off years ago.
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
Writing him off...
and cutting him loose are two different things though.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
Not really
If you’ve written him off, cutting him loose makes complete sense.
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
I know Cody hasnt worked out, but I’m still a little surprised we didn’t keep him. I mean, do we really have a bunch of OF prospects that hes blocking? What’s the point of releasing him?
With that said, it seems like a non-move to me.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
he sucks
and was uncoachable
screw him
I pray to Jason Heyward every night
by JasonHeywardisGod on Nov 19, 2010 5:39 PM EST up reply actions
kinda harsh
Tho not incorrect.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
Agreed Why the basic release of C. Johnson ?
Why release him, if only someone could have taken the time and taught the kid not to strike out some much. Of course you can only lead a horse to water you cannot make him drink it.
So perhaps the Braves have just lost their patience with Johnson still I hate to see him go and this is a deal that may come back to bite us a couple of seasons from now.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Nov 19, 2010 9:20 PM EST up reply actions
Kind of a bummer
never good to let a first round pick go for a few bucks.
Perhaps his attitude was really bad and the coaches grew tired of him. If that’s the case, I guess we could use the money we got to help sign an int’l FA.
"That guy mvhsbball is really an insufferable schmuck." - FuquaManuel
by Scott Coleman on Nov 19, 2010 5:41 PM EST via mobile reply actions
If that's the case
Might be better not to have him around the other prospects either.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
I agree with this
he seemed like a cancer for refusing to try and switch his swing
what a waste of pick and power
I pray to Jason Heyward every night
by JasonHeywardisGod on Nov 19, 2010 5:44 PM EST up reply actions
Dude...
You aren’t getting it…Cash is just the player needed to finalize any rosterbated-trade scenario. Now WE have him. WE have the power. We have Cash!
"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones
According to MLBTR
We’ve offered Hinske a contract but are unsure of Diaz.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
No...
but I’m guessing it’s something like 1year/1.5M with incentives and a mutual option for 2012. That seems fair.
"That guy mvhsbball is really an insufferable schmuck." - FuquaManuel
by Scott Coleman on Nov 19, 2010 6:19 PM EST up reply actions
I still don’t agree with all the uncoachable talk. Cody is a great kid who works hard and knows what his problems are. He puts in a lot of work to try to get better at making contact, but at the same time there’s the reality that if he focuses on contact he’s going to take away the power. I’ve talked with him a bunch of times, and talked with coaches about him, and I never got any indication that he was hard to work with or unwilling to try to improve his game.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
So why do you think they gave up on him?
I have an inferiority complex, but it's not a very good one.
Because they weren’t happy with his development. They obviously didn’t think that he was going to be able to adjust in a way that would lead to him helping them in the future. That’s not the same thing as him being unwilling to adjust, not even close.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Sorry, that makes no sense. If they think the he’s willing to put in the effort to try to adjust, and as long as he’s not blocking anyone of actual value, they’d keep him. They’ve already invested enough money in CJ that throwing away that investment at this point is nonsensical.
"They should just give two ROYs in the NL and skip the AL this year." - KLaw
I don’t see how I could make it clearer. Being willing to put the effort in to try to adjust (which I fully believe Cody is) is different from being unable to adjust because of physical or mental limitation (which you could argue Cody is).
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
So they think he's willing to work...
and willing to adjust, but incapable of adjusting, or being successful with adjustments, and are cashing in before he loses more value?
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
And I’m saying that makes absolutely no sense. The Braves dropped $1.375 MM on his signing bonus. He’s blocking no one. Keeping him in A+ or AA for another season to see if he can get something to click costs next to nothing.
If Johnson has shown a willingness to work, there is absolutely no reason to part ways with him now, it doesn’t matter how “limited” the guy seems mentally or physically.
"They should just give two ROYs in the NL and skip the AL this year." - KLaw
My take...
Rule 5 would have gotten him, so the Braves traded him first. There’s a midnight deadline today (tomorrow, technically) that prevents teams from adding more players onto the 40-man roster, to get everything set for the draft.
I’m guessing the Braves didn’t intend to protect him (or didn’t have the room) and figured he’d be taken, so Wren told GMs he’d be available, and got the best cash offer from the Yanks.
-C
It’s rough to sit through these games and not have someone that can’t hit a Ball?
I don’t think he’d get picked in the Rule 5 draft. He couldn’t make contact in AA, a team wouldn’t be willing to put him on a Major League bench. And as far as I can tell, the Yankees haven’t added him to their 40 man roster.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
He might've gotten picked
but the Braves would’ve been able to get him back at the end of spring training if they wanted him.
In the rule 5 draft, the drafting team pays $50,000 to the former team for the rights to the player. If at any time during the season, they remove the player from their 25 man roster, they original team has the option to get the player back for $25,000.
There’s no way any team, no matter how bad could possibly keep him on the 25 man roster for long, so at some point we’d get the option of getting him back.
by OldDutchPots on Nov 19, 2010 7:04 PM EST up reply actions
This is where I'm bad at things.
For some reason, I thought they only had to keep him on the 40-man, not the 25-man.
Duly noted, with my apologies.
-C
It’s rough to sit through these games and not have someone that can’t hit a Ball?
But even then...
the other soft tossing lefty who I’m forgetting the name (Osuna?), that was taken in Rule 5 by the Royals, didn’t stay up but we didn’t want him back. Perhaps we saw CJ going similar, and took the cash now. Perhaps they also offered more cash than we’d have gotten in Rule 5.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
if he’s not unwilling to accept coaching, then maybe he’s unable. He’s been essentially the exact same player since we drafted him. Either way, the coaching he’s getting isn’t working and most likely will continue to not work
MASN Announcer: "Ususally they have what they call here 'the privilege,' and that's what bobby cox calls it when he let's the veteran guys swing away on 3-0. This is not such a hitter."
Jason Heyward: Single up the middle, ballgame.
I don’t understand what you’re saying. Being willing to accept a lesson and having the ability to implement that lesson into action are two separate things. You can know what you’re supposed to do, be willing to do it, and still not be capable of it. That doesn’t make you uncoachable.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
I think the term "uncoachable" is subject to interpretation.
I think it can mean you don’t respond to coaching, even if you’re trying, though in most cases it’s probably meant to say the player isn’t listening.
I have an inferiority complex, but it's not a very good one.
That's the thing.
It makes him a better person, but a hopeless proposition if he tries but cannot implement the coaching. If he is simply inable to make more contact, he is a lost cause; without more contact, he will never be an usable major league baseball player. If he was just hardheaded, there would be hope that something could get through to him. If he was simply inable, there isn’t really anything that can be done.
What about his teammates?
CB, did you ever ask his teammates about him? Several have told me he has freakish power, but he is a defensive liability, has an arrogance about him as a 1st round guy that rubs guys the wrong way, especially the more he gets outperformed, and they never felt like he totally bought in…they saw a lot of “false” hustle.
As Ive watched him in past seasons, I never saw the total package, and the Braves got this right. His only chance to be a player is to be a DH in the AL.
by Braves12 on Nov 20, 2010 8:34 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I never got that impression from his teammates. He’s a more solitary guy than most players, but that’s because he’s quiet and shy, not because he’s arrogant.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Fair enough
Perceptions are not always reality
LOL
cbwilkins will be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his ginormous pillow.
Why would I do that? Cody is still playing. There are plenty of guys I like who don’t play for the Braves.
And why a ginormous pillow?
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Because ginourmous pillows are comfortable?Or maybe you have a big head?
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
by MBL1 on Nov 19, 2010 7:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I thought everyone had a ginormous pillow
"Everybody's hurt in this league, so when guys go out, other guys have to step in. What are we going to do, cry wolf? Nobody cares about the pain, they just want to see the baby." - Cowboys LB Bradie James
by -Primetime21- on Nov 19, 2010 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
Why would YOU need a pillow ?
You must have had strong feelings for him……As I remember you read the riot act to me when I gave my opinion on Cody and you told me he was not being demoted last season for having an attitude…it was because he was injured!!!!!!!! Waiting for your appology?…….I knew….I knew there was something up…..just tooooooo many signs!
it just felt right and the chance to go to the postseason is hard to pass up. I’ve always respected their orginization… and Bobby…I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it...Derrek Lee (at press conference sayiing he had been traded to the Braves)
Why would I apologize? Where is there any indication in this move that it’s because of attitude? Have the Braves said it? Have I missed something?
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Sorry
But this kind of makes me laugh. Could see it coming from a mile away
by ajones2522 on Nov 19, 2010 6:48 PM EST via mobile reply actions
i don't like it
Why couldn’t we package this guy with say vizcaino for Gardener if the yankees were interested?
We got Vizcaino from the Yankees, so I don’t know if they’d take him back.
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
by MBL1 on Nov 19, 2010 7:02 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Why not?
I’d take back wainwright if i could any day. I know comparing the two isnt fair but if he pans out they look like geniuses
They would look like idiots for taking him back a year later.
by drumzalicious on Nov 19, 2010 7:04 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Kinda caught me off guard as I didn’t even know he was eligible for the draft.
Had had a lot of hope for Cody and if not for the fact that he was eligible for the draft I would have thought he’d have value in a trade.
Soooo now who do we have for OF prospects besides Milligan?
by drumzalicious on Nov 19, 2010 7:03 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Harrilchak?
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
by MBL1 on Nov 19, 2010 7:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Does this mean...
….I can go back to calling him Kody without getting jumped on?
Cody . . . We wish you all the best!
This is an incredible opportunity for Cody. NYY have a completely different approach to hitting and my sources confirm that their hitting coaching is a cut above. Does anyone realize that Cody was on the DL most of last season, played injured and still hit 18 HR’s? Cody will have his time and will be great . . . just keep watching and cheer him on. We all enjoyed the tremendous monster home runs . . . now lets give him a good send off!
I definitely wish him the best. Hopefully I’ll get to see him with Trenton. I think having the DH is gonna help him a lot too.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
I thought he could pull a Ryan Howard
Stay in the minors for a LONG time, come up in 3-4-5 years and be a Ryan Howard…wishful thinking I guess
"I'm gonna get drunk and play video games till my eyes bleed"- It's Always Sunny in Philly
still could
just not for the Braves
by apoxonbothyourhouses on Nov 20, 2010 2:19 AM EST up reply actions
Howard
Hit like a mother for the Phils in his last few years in the minors, but he was blocked by Thome. Not the same situation at all.
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
Also because when Ryan Howard was 21 he was playing 48 games of short season ball, about 3 levels below AA.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Exactly
And Ryan Howard also didn’t have 1800 ABs minor league under his belt by then, with strikeouts in over 1/3 of them.
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
But I think it’d be a pretty safe bet to say that if he had gotten that many by that age he would have struck out that much.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
This saddens me. The baseball gods are just cruel to allow someone like Brooks Conrad an MLB spot and someone like Cody gets dumped.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:10 AM EST reply actions
he struck out 150 times in like 330 at bats…the dude is no good
I pray to Jason Heyward every night
by JasonHeywardisGod on Nov 20, 2010 5:51 AM EST up reply actions
He’s also still relatively young and has enormous power. He is good, but not at making contact. He’s very good at hitting HRs. Nobody is saying he is Ichiro.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 8:24 AM EST up reply actions
Power w/o contact = ??
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
If he ever is able to learn to make an acceptable level of contact...
…his power will make him a solid to good hitter. If he does not, however, he is just another minor league slugger who can’t handle upper level pitching.
Im confused
Do you really think Cody is more major league ready? Or are you just bemoaning his inability to make something of his talent?
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
Cody is not major league ready. Neither is Brooks.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 12:49 PM EST up reply actions
That’s just woefully incorrect.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
In 2009, he was pretty bad. He had some big hits early in the season for us, sure, but when he got regular playing time at the end of the season, he tanked again…and do i even need to talk about the SF series?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:39 PM EST up reply actions
How is a guy who put up an .811 OPS over the course of a season coming off the bench not Major League ready? That’s just not true. Is he a Major League regular? No. Has he earned and does he deserve a job on a Major League bench? Absolutely.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Off the bench, sure. But along the same lines, woulnd’t a guy with raw power like Cody be a good asset off the bench?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:51 PM EST up reply actions
I guess what I am asking is, what’s the difference between Jake Fox and Cody Johnson?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:53 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t even understand the question. Jake Fox is 28 and has been playing professionally since 2003, when Cody was a high school sophomore.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Even more reason to keep Cody around.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 21, 2010 1:41 AM EST up reply actions
Cody Johnson would not be a good asset off a major league bench right now.
It is real simple. Given his contact problems in the minors, even low levels of the minors, in the majors he would do almost nothing but strike out.
There are plenty of major leaguers who fit that description who are not capable of hitting HRs.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 12:32 AM EST up reply actions
Mark Reynolds is the only player in the majors
That strikes out nearly as often as Johnson does in the minors. If Cody Johnson were in the majors, he’d probably strike out in 70% of his at bats. If you really think that Cody Johnson could provide anything of value to a MLB bench, then you don’t understand how this game works.
Really?
The guy who posted an OPS over .800 last year isn’t ML ready?
"They should just give two ROYs in the NL and skip the AL this year." - KLaw
SSS alert.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:35 PM EST up reply actions
He’s a bench player. He’ll never have anything more than a small sample size. He doesn’t need to be good over large sample sizes.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
He soured me with his beyond abyssmal defense.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:51 PM EST up reply actions
If only he were a 2B.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 21, 2010 1:41 AM EST up reply actions
He's so young.
Maybe he still could be.
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
I hope you're joking
A guy that can’t even play LF well is not going to be able to play 2B.
Right, and yet you’re declaring him not ML ready based on a couple of bad defensive plays after a season where he was one of the better hitters off the bench in all of Major League baseball.
"They should just give two ROYs in the NL and skip the AL this year." - KLaw
A year where he proved "Major League ready"...
by ably filling a role on a Major League roster. He’s not a starter, but he’s obviously “Major League ready” based on succeeding at the major league level.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
Except for that miserable showing in the Oct time-frame.
It isn’t just his defense. His offense plummets when given consistent playing time.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 12:34 AM EST up reply actions
It isn’t just his defense. His offense plummets when given consistent playing time.
And how does this differentiate him from the vast majority of players on a major league bench, including our former All Star utility man?
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
He was much worse? Foundationally, it isn’t any different. Howeve, Brooks is downright terribl as an everyday player.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 10:44 AM EST up reply actions
*Turrble.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 10:44 AM EST up reply actions
Again...
downright terribl as an everyday player
I fail to see how this differentiates Conrad from 50+% of players on MLB benches, and thus still “Major League ready”.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Nov 22, 2010 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
No, I was basing it more on his 2009 offense his 2010 offense when given a starting role and his 2010 defense.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 12:33 AM EST up reply actions
Because Brooks just cost us a playoff series.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 12:50 PM EST up reply actions
Franceour...
….never won two games in a season with late inning huge hits that were the difference between us making the playoffs and not making the playoffs at all. Conrad did.
I guess I don’t get what Francoeur has to do with any of this or why we are even takling about him.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:37 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t see what Brooks Conrad had to do with Cody Johnson, so I guess we’re all a little confused.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Fair enough.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 3:52 PM EST up reply actions
This line of thought has...
…gotten very confusing.
Injuries cost us the playoffs. It happens. Move on to next year.
by BravesFan on Nov 20, 2010 2:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Injuries didn’t let a routine threat-ending groundball go through its legs.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 21, 2010 1:41 AM EST up reply actions
Injuries forced him to play in the field
He’s a bench bat and a very good one. If not for the Braves injuries, he never gets exposed in the field.
But he still let a routine ground ball go through his legs at the most crucial point in the game. Nothing changes that fact.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 21, 2010 10:16 AM EST up reply actions
It also doesnt prove that hes not major league ready.
Show me one player that hasnt done that. Sure, he did it in a really big spot and he had multiple errors. But you kinda have to expect some measure of that from a rookie bench player thats been pressed into a role that he shouldnt be in.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
Honestly, this coming from a guy that was probably Kelly Johnson’s biggest advocate is kind of funny.
"They should just give two ROYs in the NL and skip the AL this year." - KLaw
Not even close to being in the same boat.
Kelly was slightly below average on D at 2B. Brooks is just abysmal.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 12:35 AM EST up reply actions
So, Injuries let a ground ball go through its legs then?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 12:35 AM EST up reply actions
Trust the front office!
They got it right. Cody has struggled, and they are at a crossroads. He has no trade value, or else he would have been traded (they tried to move him at deadline, no takers). In the NL, it’s more than hitting. Cody has had his issues in the OF.
The way I look at it, the Braves did Cody a favor, b/c his game translates better to the AL. If he continues to K, he won’t make it in NY either. Too many of us fall in love with the long ball.
For the poster who mentioned he was hurt this year but still hit 18 HRs…if he wouldn’t have been hurt, he would have set the MiLB record for Ks in a season. That’s a problem for a guy who has been playing 4 full seasons of pro ball. (BTW, as he was progressing towards the record in the middle of the AA season, they extended his “rehab” to take the pressure of the K record off of him)
Cody needs a new scene. I’m sure he is thanking the Braves for the move.
by Braves12 on Nov 20, 2010 8:58 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I think the decision makers in baseball have shown over the last few years that setting strikeout records doesn’t matter much. Guys like Ryan Howard and Mark Reynolds whiff at incredible rates but as long as their power keeps up, nobody worries about it. A healthy Cody, which we didn’t really see in all of 2010, puts up a very different season.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
But does he?
His previous healthy years at lower levels involved a huge number of K’s. Moving up, without improvement, likely leads to more K’s. Yes, you can be a good major league hitter with tons of K’s. But there is a limit; and with his current minor league K rates, Cody would project right now if played full time in the majors to obliterate all K records; given the difference in pitching talent, he would probably have something like a 50% K- rate.
If he can learn to make more contact, he could be great. If he can’t, he won’t be an acceptable major league player. He would have to improve the contact rate to become Mike Hessman, and then improve it more to make it in the bigs. He is still young, so he could. He could also just become Mike Hessman or not even make it that far. Time will tell.
The only thing I can say about the K rate is that before this season, when he was almost hurt the entire year, the K rate was the same every season. He went up level after level and the rate stayed the same. I know some folks will say there isn’t much difference between Low A and High A, but that’s just incorrect.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
AA is the big jump for prospects
That’s when you finally start seeing a lot of pitchers that can spin a good breaking ball. Most people in the scouting community seemed to think CJ would get eaten up once he got to that level and he proved them right.
Besides, keeping the K rate consistent wasn’t going to be enough for Cody. He needed to lower it if he wanted a legit shot in the majors. After this past season, that seems like at best its 5 years away.
I don’t think anyone reasonable was expecting him to be a Majors Leaguer next year or the year after. And he got eaten up at the start, went on a hot streak, had a major leg injury, and got eaten up trying to play through it.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
So, basically...
…it was a big season for him, trying to make the jump to AA, and it ended up being a totally lost season due to injury. Would make next year very important, I would think. However, unfortunately, he would have been a minor league free agent in a year or two, and obviously we didn’t want to use a 40-man roster spot on him in that time.
Unless the Yanks gave the Braves a couple of million $ (which I seriously doubt) this doesn’t make any sense at all. There has to be more to this story. The Braves did give him over $1mill signing bonus back in 2006. Seems odd to just let him go after one bad year.
One bad year?
Really? As he has progressed through the system, the 1st round talent they thought they were getting has not surfaced. Sure he has power, but it is pretty obvious they Braves have settled on the fact that power potential and 1st round $ are not worth the hole in his swing, high strikeout totals, and defensive liability.
For Cody Johnson, it is better for him to try and perfect his swing in the AL, and maybe he will get a shot. For him, I hope he makes it…but if he K’s 30-40% of the time, it going to be tough. But if a player like that can make it, it is an AL DH who hits sub .250 with 30 HRs.
He’s an all or nothing player, and he no longer fits the Braves profile. Good luck in the NY system.
Also, you can’t put him on the 40 man to save him…that wouldn’t be fair to the guys who have earned it, or the player he would be blocking.
I appreciate the Braves understanding that Cody needs a new scene and not trying to fit a square peg into a circular hole. It just didn’t work out. It is a fact in pro baseball…1 in 10 is going to make it, no matter if you are a free agent sign or a 1st round draft pick.
The Braves would not have had to add him to the 40 man roster because he would not have been picked up by anyone in the rule 5. This has been determined in the discussion above.
The Braves knew exactly what they were getting when they drafted him. A raw hitter with tons of power. Why the sudden change of heart now? His previous two seasons in 08 and 09 had him put up respectable OPS numbers of .786 and .861 in Rome and Myrtle Beach respectively.
I don’t see a reason why we couldn’t keep in the minors for a couple of more years since he just turned 22. Not like he’s costing anything.
I tend to believe there is more to this story.
so, 2 full seasons of lower league ball was enough?
Not for me.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 20, 2010 12:51 PM EST up reply actions
When you strike out that much in lower league ball, you have serious problems
Everyone knew it was going to get nasty once he reached the upper minors if he didn’t fix his swing/approach and that’s exactly what happened. I’m sure the Braves know their prospects as well as anybody and they didn’t think there was any point in keeping Cody. I think that should tell you a lot more than his A ball numbers.
That's fine...
You aren’t calling the shots! I trust the Braves brass! If they dump a guy, there is a reason. I don’t mind the move. I’ve seen him many times, and yes…my sources and my eyes tell me he doesn’t fit the Braves system anymore.
by Braves12 on Nov 20, 2010 5:11 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I know I am not calling the shots. I also trust the Braves brass. (!)
I know there must have been a reason they “dumped” him.
And you and your “source” strike again, eh?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 21, 2010 1:43 AM EST up reply actions
Ah, more than one anonymous source is more legit than just 1 anonymous source.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 21, 2010 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
Dude, why are you always sweating me?
I’m trying to add an insightful perspective on here, and I have some people on the inside of the Braves who enlighten me with real info, not fan info.
You want to harrass me about the info I have, but I am not mentioning anything on here that isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
I’m in the know on a lot of issues. I’m just sharing things, so quit hating.
I was right about Melky, KK, Cody, etc. We are famous for dropping guys who don’t fit the “Braves” way…much like the Patriots, Colts, Spurs, and Dodgers.
A great book to read about the Braves is called “Scouts Honor” by Braves insider Bill Shanks. It explains the processes they go through in bringing in guys that fit the Braves profile.
My sources are a scout, players, MiLB coaches, and a contact within the team. I usually have an idea on who they want to drop, is wearing on the clubhouse, and who is on the rise. I don’t know it all but I know something.
by Braves12 on Nov 21, 2010 11:24 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
You aren't right on KK yet...
and your comments on Cody Johnson have all been after the fact, while Melky was obvious to all.
Anonymous people claiming anonymous inside sources on message boards are often full of ish, so you’ll have to understand why folks would be wary of anyone claiming “inside sources”.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Nov 21, 2010 12:30 PM EST up reply actions
True on the ish....
but then again I worked the intel side in the Navy and one of their big things was that your enemies are watching for every little piece of the picture to form the “Big” picture…So, if Braves12 thinks he is feeding us new news if not then at least he is reminding of of the little crap that will help us form the “Big” picture.
…..Now in my case I read a little bit and let my over imaginative mind fill in the rest….rather a Psycho…(uh I mean Psychic) I have an intuition now that we will try to sign somebody else’s Cody and try to make him fit our mode…..and possibly a chance to ride the bench….like we did with Brooks and to some extent tried to do it with Ankiel? (he did win us a playoff game)
it just felt right and the chance to go to the postseason is hard to pass up. I’ve always respected their orginization… and Bobby…I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it...Derrek Lee (at press conference sayiing he had been traded to the Braves)
My sources are a scout, players, MiLB coaches, and a contact within the team. I usually have an idea on who they want to drop, is wearing on the clubhouse, and who is on the rise. I don’t know it all but I know something.
I do too, but you don’t see my blabbing it all over public message boards. I have more respect for my friends and associates and their business than that. Insightful perspective is one thing, as is being in the know, but trying to impress everyone with what (and who) you know isn’t really impressive, it actually puts people off. And there’s a pretty good chance that “your inside sources” wouldn’t be real pleased to know you were blabbing their business everywhere either just to get a scoop on a message board….. Sigh.
This.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
As a general rule...
people who have to tell you how big a deal they are, aren’t.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Nov 21, 2010 3:27 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
For the record...
…the only source I have is me, what I watch, the stats I see, and my own thoughts and beliefs. Fortunately, this always makes me correct, except when I am wrong.
Finally....
As a former gold glove, silver slugger, cy young award winner, my opinion should matter too.
Free Matt Young!
Co-signed.
:)
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 12:37 AM EST up reply actions
I have revealed no one! Also, I’m done posting. I just get tired of the organizational bashing. You’ve never seen me criticize them once because I respect those who play, work, and make decisions for this club.
I can’t stand the ignorant comments like…“Why are we cutting Cody Johnson, he’s still young? We are stupid!” maybe the absolute reason is what I mentioned before…he’s not a good fit, talent-wise and in the clubhouse. It’s fact.
Also the injuries, he had some “lingering” issues before the hamstring tear. He often proclaimed to be nicked up, despite the medical staff finding nothing…and it became an encompassing excuse as to why he couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat!
Johnson’s lack of results were a focus, and they tried to shorten his swing. But they were growing weary of stroking his ego and confidence more than working on his consistency. He became fragile.
If he will make it, it will be in AL…I hope it works out. Both sides are happy in this endeavor.
I’m out.
by Braves12 on Nov 21, 2010 10:25 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I just pictured George Castanza here at the end.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Nov 22, 2010 12:38 AM EST up reply actions
I really don’t like this move because even though CJ had a huge hole in his swing, he has monsterous power and we really don’t have any OF depth. He is only 22, so he could have had another four years in the minors and still only be 26. He really is a high risk high reward player and I don’t understand what we gain in this move, so why move him at this time?
He got dealt because
He didn’t have many people pulling for him on the inside…teammates, coaches, scouts, or the decision makers. They were all growing tired of his act, knew his swing was failing to become consistent, thought of him as a liability in the OF, and disliked the way his injury controlled his season this year, especially with the confusion between Cody, his teammates, coaches, team medical staff, and trainers.
by Braves12 on Nov 20, 2010 10:09 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
They all saw a somewhat healthy athlete complaining of prolonged injury. I asked one of their coaches when Cody was going to be healthy…and the coach said, “That’s up to Cody!” I said, “Is he close?” The coach then said with a chuckle, “That’s up to Cody!”
again, he’s better off with a fresh start, and in the AL. We are better without him.
by Braves12 on Nov 20, 2010 10:15 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
The guy could barely walk when I saw him. He tore his hamstring up pretty good. Anybody who’s ever injured their hamstring will tell you, you don’t have any control over getting it better. All you can do is rest.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
Braves24...
…we couldn’t have kept him for another 4 years. He would be a minor league free agent in two years at most.
One thing worth noting is that the Yankees put him on the AAA roster to protect him in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 draft. he’s still eligible to be taken in the Major League Rule 5 draft, where a team would have to keep him on the 25 man roster all year or offer him back, but because he’s on the AAA roster he’s not eligible to be taken in either the AAA or AA portion of the Rule 5 draft. That’s important because the Minor League phase doesn’t have the same restrictions, if you get taken you’re the new team’s property no matter where they choose to play you.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
So we could have lost him through the Minor League part of Rule 5?
Interesting, and I’d never heard of that.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
Yeah, the Braves usually have three or four guys taken in the Minor League phase. The reason you never hear about it is that so few of those guys go on to do anything worth talking about. If a team doesn’t see you worth protecting on the 40 man or on the AAA roster (and I’m not 100 percent sure how many you can protect on that roster, but I know there are age/experience requirements for that too) then you’re probably not the kind of player who has a great chance to develop into a Major Leaguer.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com
cbwilk you are exactly right . . .
NYY sees what alot of us already know – that Cody has the potential to be great and in the right place, will be. NYY knew Cody would be taken before they could get to him so they made the Braves an offer they could not refuse. End result is that this is a tremendous opportunity for Cody, Braves are off the hook, and Cody can take full advantage of this chance. This is not the end of the story . . . just the beginning.
Great? Seriously?
Cody Johnson has an outside chance of being a major league pinch hitter, that’s about it.
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