Braves Making the Team Meter 2010: Pitchers, Week 2
by gondeee on Mar 3, 2010 7:00 AM EST
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PrintMaking the Team Meter for the Atlanta Braves pitchers for week 2 of spring training shows us what the talk has been about early in spring training. Go here for week 1 of the pitchers edition MTM. I added a new column this week and hopefully refined the chart just a bit (I always welcome constructive criticism).
| Player, Position | This Week's Trend | Last Week | Notes and Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juan Abreu, RHP |  |
|
I was surprised to see Bill Ballew rank him 20th among Braves prospects in Baseball America's 2010 Prospect Handbook. He says that a contract snafu with the Royals allowed Abreu to become a free agent and the Braves landed him because they offered him a Major League contract. Abreu can reportedly reach 100mph with his fastball at times. |
| Manny Acosta, RHP |  |
|
With a lot of early talk about Chavez and Proctor likely being ready for the season, that puts Acosta further down the depth chart. His chances are still waffling after a so-so outing in his first spring game. |
| Jesse Chavez, RHP | |
 |
No one apparently impressed Bobby Cox more the first day of camp more than Chavez, though Jesse didn't have a good first appearance in his first spring game. I'll put his chances at 50-50 right now, until he gets his control back. |
| Kyle Cofield, RHP | |
|
Like Abreu being ranked in the Braves top-30 prospects by Baseball America, Cofield was ranked 24th ahead of guys like Ortegano and Diamond. He is described as very raw with good, but inconsistent stuff. He still has a bunch of potential, and that's why he was protected on the 40-man roster. If he can harness his stuff, he may be able to come out of nowhere like Charlie Morton did a few years ago. |
| Erik Cordier, RHP | |
|
He'll get his first look on Thursday when he pitches in relief. |
| Michael Dunn, LHP | |
|
Apparently Dunn has had control problems early in spring training, and that is causing some to doubt he will make the team. He's still a bit raw as a pitcher and could use some more time in the minors. Those control problems showed themselves in his first spring game. |
| Mariano Gomez, LHP | |
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With Dunn struggling early, Gomez could work his way into the Braves bullpen mix as the second LOOGY. |
| Lee Hyde, LHP | |
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Of the young kids on the Braves roster, Hyde has one of the better shots at making the team, and that could get a little better with Dunn struggling. |
| Craig Kimbrel, RHP | |
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There has been a lot of positive talk about Kimbrel this spring. If he has figured out his control problems he could be worth a look. |
| Jeff Lyman, RHP | |
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Lyman gets his first spring action today. |
| Stephen Marek, RHP | |
|
Marek also sees his first spring action today. |
| Kris Medlen, RHP | |
|
Medlen pitched well yesterday, throwing two innings of one-hit ball. He looked sharp for this early in spring. We may be able to take him off of here next week, as it's not a matter of if he makes the team, just a matter of where. |
| Mike Minor, LHP | |
|
Reports have him working on his secondary pitches this spring with an eye towards starting the season in the middle minors. |
| Jose Ortegano, LHP | |
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He won't get into a game until Saturday. |
| James Parr, RHP | |
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Parr was scheduled to pitch yesterday, but he didn't get in the game, though he was warming up in the bullpen in the ninth. |
| Scott Proctor, RHP | |
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According to Bobby Cox, he might be ready to start the season as he is ahead of schedule in his return from TJ surgery, and could be ready at the start of the season. |
| Todd Redmond, RHP | |
|
We'll see him for the first time on Friday. I may have a bit too optimistic about his last week, we'll move him down a notch. |
| Chris Resop | |
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Resop's homerun problems reared their head in the first spring game, as he gave up a solo homer in his inning of work. |
| Jo-Jo Reyes, LHP | |
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It was a big indictment of Reyes when he was passed over as the spot starter in the rotation while Jurrjens is out this spring in favor of Medlen. This proves that he is below Medlen on the depth chart, and tells me that the Braves don't expect Reyes to see the Majors in 2010 if they can help it. |
| Luis Valdez, RHP | |
|
He is not listed as one of the pitchers scheduled to pitch through Saturday. I wonder if they're just holding him back, or if something is wrong -- nagging injury or the like. |
| Jonny Venters, LHP | |
|
Venters finds himself listed 30th among the Braves top prospects in the Baseball America Prospect Handbook. He's doesn't have too much upside, but he could prove to be useful in the bullpen at some point. |
| Arrow Key: |
|---|
| = Chance of making the team is waffling or 50-50. |
| = Chance of making the team is trending down. |
| = Chance of making the team is trending up. |
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Any news on the TC Annual?
"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??"
Ah!
Can’t wait, can you? I should be getting the proof copy in the mail today when I get home from work. Assuming that everything is fine with that copy, the book will be for sale tonight.
Nice :)
"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??"
gogogogogo
"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??"
by Doghnut on Mar 3, 2010 11:41 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
www.creedthoughts.gov.www\creedthoughts
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Mar 3, 2010 3:54 PM EST up reply actions
funniest character on the show
Everything he says is hilarious, just like Kelso on Scrubs.
"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??"
man, i like creed a lot, but i don’t think i could pick the single, funniest character on that show. michael, dwight, kevin, so many legit options in my opinion, i just can’t choose my fav
"Dum spiro spero"
by Bravely going forward on Mar 3, 2010 11:56 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah theyre all funny
But Creed is quality…the man literally never says anything that isnt hilariously absurd.
"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??"
why was Medlen
throwing all those curveballs to lefties? He has a great changeup. I wish he was the #5.
by nathan rothschild on Mar 3, 2010 9:09 AM EST reply actions
he might have been working on his curve
Sometimes guys use ST games to work on specific things instead of playing how they normally play.
"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??"
Wasn't much,...
just a snippet in mlbtr’s review of the royals off season.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/03/offseason-in-review-kansas-city-royals.html
“The other question mark, which we haven’t heard much about, is the loss of prospect Juan Abreu to the Braves. The righty throws a mid-90s sinker and a decent curveball, and Baseball America says the Royals “reached a deal to re-sign him as a minor league free agent after the season, but a contract snafu allowed him to hit the open market.”
That thing also reads like a who’s who of Braves cast offs mentioning Brayan Pena, Bruce Chen, Scott Thorman, Wilson Betemit, Tony Pena Jr, Josh Anderson, Edgar Osuna, and Jorge Campillo either coming or going from the Royals roster.
I am curious about what we actually have. For all the good stuff, he’s also a soon to be 25 year old who had major control problems at AA. If the Braves make him a success, which is a strong possibility, it’s just further proof we have some of the best coaches in baseball.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
And if they can harnass that control...
a mid 90s sinker could be a pretty good weapon in the bullpen. For some reason though, he seems like Manny Acosta deja vu. But still, a nice piece to work with regardless of whether he can actually become a big league piece or not.
Luis Valdez is having visa issues and hasn't reported to camp yet.
Also, the Braves can keep Proctor as an arbitration-eligible player in 2011 if they keep him in the minors for 22 days. I think they’ll opt to do that regardless of his readiness.
by PWHjort on Mar 3, 2010 11:46 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Good info. Thanks!
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Mar 3, 2010 11:47 AM EST up reply actions
Thanks for the info.
I was looking at your depth chart and have two questions:
a) since when was KK hurt? Did i miss something?
b) Why do Ortegano and Valdez make the team? Leaving Valdez aside because he’s not here, but even so, doesn’t Bobby prefer Acosta over him. Either way my main question here is with Jose. I thought he wasn’t polished enough, am I wrong?
"Batting second and playing shortstop-he's Cuban. Yeah, his name's Pablo...no, eh, Yunel Escobar, sorry"
a) He’s not, I just think they’ll leave him off the roster for the first five games (or, until they need him) in order to carry an eighth reliever.
b) Ortegano pitched well in the Caribbean World Series, he’s a lefty, and he can pitch multiple innings. I just like his chances based on nothing scientific. He’s ready enough, I suppose. Anyway, those two were basically guesses. A dart board would do a better job of predicting who wins the last two bullpen jobs.
by PWHjort on Mar 3, 2010 11:57 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
hmm. I guess they could do that to carry an eighth reliever. Can’t hurt. So then the question becomes, when it’s time to take him off the DL, who do you demote? Valdez? He appears to be the only option.
Didn’t know about how well Ortegano pitched in the Caribbean Series. I hope the FO realizes that. I like him a lot. He’s got some pretty nasty suff.
"Batting second and playing shortstop-he's Cuban. Yeah, his name's Pablo...no, eh, Yunel Escobar, sorry"
Thanks for the info on Valdez...
and with that in mind, it makes little sense to put Proctor on from the start instead of letting him rehab a little slower. We’ve got plenty of bullpen candidates that a month won’t make that huge of a difference. Chavez, Medlen, Moylan, etc can handle it, especially if our starters can go 6+ on a nightly basis.
Now I remember hearing about his visa problems. Thanks for passing that along.
I’ve been saying that about Proctor all off-season, but if he’s ready and he can be effective and makes the bullpen better, then there’s no reason not to put him on the opening day roster, and Bobby Cox isn’t going to wait around to keep him under control for next year. He’s going to break camp with the best pen he can.
Let’s go ahead and put Marek’s chances at 0…
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Mar 3, 2010 4:46 PM EST reply actions
And chances of being on the 40 man roster as soon as Heyward...
is up (barring the Hernandez 60 day DL stint opening the needed spot) also is 0. Why oh why did we not let him go and keep Edgar Osuna?
Or even Brandon Jones.
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Mar 3, 2010 5:14 PM EST up reply actions
IMO, Brandon Jones had topped out...
and a Gwinnett OF of Blanco, Clevlan, Mitch Jones, and Jordan Schafer means he’d have been a waste anyway. But he, like Marek, will never make the roster. I guess it’s all on Brett Devall to keep the Tex deals from being a complete goatscrew on all ends.
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