More Braves Minor League Signings

by gondeee on Nov 23, 2010 8:27 AM EST

The annual signing of minor leaguers continues. Via MLBTR we find out that the Braves have signed several minor league bats, likely only to fill out their triple-A squad, but as Brooks Conrad proved during the regular season last year, a team can find value in a career minor leaguer.

The Braves signed speedy center fielder Jose Constanza, formerly with the Cleveland organization. He hit .319/.373/.394 last year and all of his value is tied up in his stolen base ability -- 34 for 40 last year and an 81% success rate for his career.

Shawn Bowman is a 26 year old minor league slugger who hit 22 home runs for the Blue Jays double-A team last year. He's purely a minor league signing, as he's never reached the triple-A level. He is apparently a plus defender, though his bat still need some work. He was originally in the Mets organization.

One of the more promising signings is infielder/outfielder Ed Lucas. He hit .307/.398/.480 for the Royals triple-A team last year. Though he'll be 29 last year he's a solid defender who can play any infield or outfield position, has a little pop, and good plate discipline. He could figure into the backup infielder mix for the Braves in spring training.

The last signing could also figure into the utility mix, and this guy really is a unique utility player. Wilkin Castillo, who has seen time with the Reds in the Majors the last two years, can play the infield, outfield, and catcher. Though he plays second and third like a catcher would, he does represent some flexibility for the team. Unfortunately his bat does not have much in it.

No one besides Lucas who really stands out to me, but these are still some interesting minor league veterans.

Also in the news this morning, apparently the Brewers are making a push for Eric Hinske, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown. Hinske hasn't spent too much time in one place the last few years, so it will be interesting to see if he decides to return to Atlanta.

In all likelihood the Braves will choose to part ways with Derrek Lee today. This being the deadline for teams to offer players arbitration. We'll also find out about Matt Diaz and Peter Moylan, two guys on the bubble for Atlanta.

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Moylan

Is Moylan really on the bubble? I would have thought that guy was a no-brainer offer.

by hoyabinx on Nov 23, 2010 8:50 AM EST reply actions

An increasing walk rate, combined with an ever increasing price tag in arb...

makes it questionable.

Although I thought the deadline to offer arb to potential free agents, like Derrek Lee, was earlier than the one for controlled players, like Moylan and Diaz.

http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/

by Mr. Sanchez on Nov 23, 2010 9:00 AM EST up reply actions

I think they'll bring Moylan back....

……the pen is so young. Then again, I’m not sure what he’s expected to earn next year, so the they may be better off just signing someone else to serve as that veteran presence.

In any case, I just REALLY hope I don’t see Moylan(in a Braves uni) face another lefty.

by Undocorkscrew on Nov 23, 2010 9:26 AM EST up reply actions

We can easily find a beter veteran reliever for less money, though Moylan does seem like a good clubhouse guy.

by king of games on Nov 23, 2010 9:35 AM EST up reply actions

i think we should keep moylan

he has been so solid for us,
and will continue to be,
and if it werent for uggla he would still have an incredible home run rate

by willlinn on Nov 23, 2010 11:39 AM EST up reply actions

and btw....

…The Braves pen broke quite a few records this year, was Moylan the most ineffective reliever in history against left-handed hitters? Unlikely, although he may be up there in SO/BB ratio….

.308 AVG
.507 OBP
.481 SLG
22 BB
3 K’s

by Undocorkscrew on Nov 23, 2010 9:29 AM EST reply actions

But

He did have a .214/.283/.306/.589 line against right handers with a 3.27 K/BB. The fact remains he is still brutal on righties and as long as more hitters are righty than lefty he will have solid value.

Jason Heyward wins at baseball.

by bbxxj on Nov 23, 2010 9:45 AM EST up reply actions

Unfortunately, the Phills have a lefty heavy lineup.

by king of games on Nov 23, 2010 10:59 AM EST up reply actions

Does having Moylan around mean you can’t use Venters or O’Flaherty when you face the Phils? If we needed Moylan’s money to get a good left handed reliever your comment would make sense but since we have more than one excellent lefty reliever (and a couple canidates down on the farm) Fredi can happily employ Moylan as a weapon against right handed hitters in middle relief and double play situations.

Jason Heyward wins at baseball.

by bbxxj on Nov 23, 2010 11:28 AM EST up reply actions

Still think we could get someone better for less money.

by king of games on Nov 23, 2010 11:43 AM EST up reply actions

I draw

Jason Heyward wins at baseball.

by bbxxj on Nov 23, 2010 11:57 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Until

I get more stats to throw in your face.

by joshmaurer on Nov 23, 2010 12:04 PM EST up reply actions

I really doubt it

He had a 67% ground ball rate and a 9% line drive rate against righties last year. So in a jam with a righty up (which could be 70% or more of the time) Moylan is one of the best in the league at getting a double play grounder or striking the batter out and not giving up a hard hit ball or home run. And if there is a lefty up we still have Venters or O’Flaherty.

So for well over half the times we get in a jam in the 6th or 7th Moylan is excellent at coming in and getting us out of it. That to me is well worthe 2M or so he could get in arbi.

Jason Heyward wins at baseball.

by bbxxj on Nov 23, 2010 12:03 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

There has to be someone in our system who can induce a ground ball against righties for 1/4 of the cost. Gearrin maybe?

by king of games on Nov 23, 2010 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

Inducing groundballs and reducing line drives at the major league level is not something that is found easily or every pen would have one. Could Gearrin almost do what Moylan does? Maybe but we have three other spots up for grabs right now you can have both Moylan and Gearrin in middle relief.

Plus what’s this obsession with cutting Moylan, O’Flaherty and even Diaz? Are people still counting their Braves payroll pennies for Crawford or Werth? The extra few million isn’t going go make any difference. Keep the depth as a strength.

Jason Heyward wins at baseball.

by bbxxj on Nov 23, 2010 12:43 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

well, that didn't take long on derrek lee

http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/11/23/braves-dont-offer-arbitration-to-free-agent-derrek-lee/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_braves_blog

"Now, I'm gonna go get off my horse by getting onto a smaller horse, and then onto a large dog, until I'm near enough to the ground to roll off."

by Bravely going forward on Nov 23, 2010 12:52 PM EST reply actions

Moylan

I would be so disappointed if Peter Moylan isn’t a Brave next season.

by deewill23 on Nov 23, 2010 1:26 PM EST reply actions

Jose Constanza

Not sure why you say his value is tied up in his stolen base ability. Number 1: He just posted a stellar AAA line of .307/.398/.480. And Number 2: He is a CFer.

A player with speed, base-stealing ability AND enough hitting prowess to put up a .878 OPS at AAA is potentially a major contributor. AND if he can play average defense in CF with an average throwing arm , perhaps he could be an average CFer on our ML roster, which we woefully lack today.

So, potentially, I’d say he might be much closer to what we actually need than Matt Young.

by fandave on Nov 23, 2010 4:47 PM EST reply actions

Where did you get a .878 OPS from? Constanzo’s OPS in 2010 was .766. His numbers were essentially the same as Matt Young. Young had a line of .300/.380/.407/.786 with 39 steals, and Constanzo had a line of .319/.373/.394/.766 with 34 steals. If anything, Young was a little better.

He’s not any better of a fielder than Young, and he’s just as small. His arm is also weak, limiting him to left or centerfield. The two are pretty much the same player, and Young has an inside track because he’s been with the organization and he’s already on the 40 man.

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
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by cbwilk on Nov 23, 2010 5:49 PM EST up reply actions

total mistake on the slash line and ops. my bad. correct #s for his 2010 season: .319 /.373 /.394 /.766.

Constanzo’s one year younger and over his MiL career has primarily played CF. He also has had more OF assists as a percentage of OF chances, suggesting a possibly better arm, and his stolen base % is somewhat better (210/50 v. 158/68 for Young), although last season – w/ both in their 1st AAA seasons – the stolen bases were essentially identical.

Young has consistently shown more XBH power and I agree would seem to have an inside track.

by fandave on Nov 23, 2010 10:04 PM EST up reply actions

I’ve seen Constanzo play plenty, not as much as Young, but enough over the last 5 seasons, and they’re pretty similar in the field. They both cover a lot of ground but have below average arms.

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
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by cbwilk on Nov 23, 2010 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

That is Lucas’ slash line and OPS

Free Matt Young!

by bighop on Nov 23, 2010 7:03 PM EST up reply actions

right.

by fandave on Nov 23, 2010 10:04 PM EST up reply actions

And, while we’re on that subject, I’m guessing playing in the PCL helped that a lot. I wouldn’t expect the same type of pop in the IL.

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
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by cbwilk on Nov 23, 2010 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

Is Lucas a serious possibility for the utility position on the bench? Or do you see him in Gwinnett?

Free Matt Young!

by bighop on Nov 23, 2010 10:36 PM EST up reply actions

I’d honestly never heard of the guy before he signed with the Braves, so I don’t know anything about him, but I’m guessing he’s at Gwinnett. The team already has Diory Hernandez and Brooks Conrad with utility experience for the bench, and even Brandon Hicks after that. All three of those guys have at least played in the Majors and are already on the 40 man, and Lucas has neither of those going for him. It would take a lot of injuries for him to land on Atlanta’s 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

by cbwilk on Nov 23, 2010 11:15 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks

I read a comment on the fanpost thread that he played 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF, CF and RF, with that slash line, he sounded too good to be true.

Free Matt Young!

by bighop on Nov 23, 2010 11:28 PM EST up reply actions

I’m not saying he’s not good, because I haven’t had the chance to see him, but if he really was great, wouldn’t he have played for the Royals?

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

by cbwilk on Nov 24, 2010 12:42 AM EST up reply actions

Probably

Obviously, I’ve never seen him either, just heard of him yesterday. I keep hearing the Royals farm is loaded, this guy is in his late 20’s(maybe why he is successful?), I thought that might be part of the reason he got away from them. You mentioned the PCL, that probably plays a part in that slash line making him look so good too. At his age and the multiple positions, is Wes Timmons a fair comparison? Wes plays fewer positions, but seems like another internal bench possibility to me.

Free Matt Young!

by bighop on Nov 24, 2010 10:29 AM EST reply actions