Braves' Jo-Jo Reyes Mercifully Disabled

by gondeee on Apr 15, 2010 10:08 AM EDT

Jo-Jo Reyes waited almost two weeks after spring training to get in a game, and when he did he got demolished, to the tune of 9 runs, 10 hits, including 2 homeruns. But we all knew Jo-Jo wasn't any good, so why didn't the Braves? This is nothing that hasn't happened in any of the last three seasons, in which his ERA has never been below 5.81. This guy, for all of his perceived talent, is not a Major League pitcher, and it is so frustrating as to why the Braves keep trying to insist that he is.

So the Braves are placing him on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained knee. Even Bobby Cox is getting preemptively defensive about this kind of injury:

"[Reyes'] knee is bad," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "It really is. It's not an excuse. It's really bad."

In his place the team will recall Michael Dunn, who is the guy that should have made the team to begin with. He was actually cut a couple of weeks before the season, which surprised me, since he was clearly a pitcher with more upside and better stuff right now.

In Reyes' defense, he tweaked the knee after facing two batters, but he did surrender a double and a single to those two batters. So in theory he was more effective once he got injured since he actually got some outs. Either way, I'd be happy not seeing him in Atlanta again this year.

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I cant stop war chanting....

by David G. Little on Apr 15, 2010 10:22 AM EDT reply actions

Harsh

but true.

by McGriff the Crime Dog on Apr 15, 2010 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

Why is he still on this team especially after his performance last year as the 5th starter?

by Walker Wallace on Apr 15, 2010 10:54 AM EDT reply actions

Shouldn’t we just trade him to the mets for a bag of jock straps and get it over with?

HansonManCrush

by HansonManCrush on Apr 15, 2010 11:00 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

He might be too awful even for the Mets. Perhaps the Royals?

by redwards95 on Apr 15, 2010 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

We would have to release him first.

by BullManUGA on Apr 15, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Reyes isn’t much worse than the Royals number 3 starter, Kyle Davies. Reyes gives up a few more homers, but the strikeouts and walks are similar. Reyes would fit right in with Davies and Luke Hochevar.

by BrandonG on Apr 15, 2010 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe we could deal Jojo and another prospect...

maybe Cody Johnson or Brandon Hicks, and get back Alex Gordon?

by Mr. Sanchez on Apr 15, 2010 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I love Bobby's loyalty to his players,

but this is getting ridiculous. He’s gone, now, Bobby. You don’t have to defend him any more. Save your energy for defending Melky, McLouth, Escobar, and Diaz….

"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson

by Jacob Peterson on Apr 15, 2010 11:01 AM EDT reply actions

+1

"Playoffs are over, fire Bobby, hang Wren, destroy the stadium, sign Eckstein." ~ UltimaParadox, 4/12/10

by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 15, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I'm sure he's a nice guy...

but GTFO JOJO.

God typed "iddqd" before creating Jason Heyward.

by EyePod on Apr 15, 2010 11:04 AM EDT reply actions

I’m guessing that because he’s still young and left handed that they keep praying that he’ll eventually become good at the major league level, but there really is no evidence to support this. His minor league numbers were good enough that I think he’s a classic example of a AAAA player with the parent club (the Braves) being delusional and unwilling to accept the reality of the situation.

by Zontar on Apr 15, 2010 11:24 AM EDT reply actions

In fairness to Reyes and the Braves management, I thought it was worth a shot to see if he would have better results in relief where he would have less exposure. I’m not ready to declare that experiment a failure based on one bad outing.

However, his brief foray in relief is perfectly consistent with his long and failed stints as a starter. My hope is Dunn, Chavez, and eventually Proctor, pitch well enough to bury Reyes on the depth chart. He may be an effective reliever at some point in his career, but I like Dunn’s chances better.

Honestly, it’s probably time to trade him, but his value has dropped so much, the Braves might figure they might as well hang on to him in case he suddenly figures out how to pitch.

by BrandonG on Apr 15, 2010 11:50 AM EDT reply actions

I also thought it was worth a shot trying Jojo in relief. And now I think it’s worth a shot trying him on the waiver wire.

by redwards95 on Apr 15, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

"his brief foray in relief "

he now has exactly one relief appearance in each of the last four years.
07-he came in after Buddy Carlyle got rocked by the Phils on Sep 4. 3.1 innings, 3 hits, 4 walks (one intentional), 1 K, but only 1 run
08-July 27, replaces an injured Jorge Campillo early, again vs. Phily.2.2 in, 4 h, 4 bb, 4 k, 5 runs, 2 HR, plunked Victorino (so it wasn’t a complete waste)
09-May 20 vs. Colorado, came into the 8th with a 12-1 lead. 1 in, 2 h, 1 bb, 1 k, 2 runs.

So he seems pretty bad there too.

by Mr. Sanchez on Apr 15, 2010 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions

F him and his family!

-Yellow Jackets, Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Thrashers fan!

by ChrisK562 on Apr 15, 2010 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

I’m not ready to throw him out to the Royals just yet, mainly because I’ve seen be damn near untouchable at the AAA level. Maybe its a mental block that he can never get over, but I just can’t believe he can’t make the transition to the big leagues. He’s on the DL, let him go to Gwinnett and try to learn to pitch out of the ’pen.

Shouldn't Reid Gorecki get a shot in RF before that Heyward kid everybody talks about?

by Rhyno18 on Apr 15, 2010 12:16 PM EDT reply actions

That indeed is the crux of the problem. Upper management for the Braves has also seen what you have seen and they also refuse to believe that he can’t make the transition. Really, do we have to dig up a list of guys who tore up AAA and failed in the majors and post it for people to accept that it happens all the time? Nobody here probably has any problem with Barbaro Canizares being in AAA. He’s got plenty of evidence on his side that he can indeed hit in AAA, yet I don’t see anybody making excuses for him and begging him to get one more chance in the majors. Yet somehow it’s impossible for Reyes to be in the exact same situation – too good for the minors, not good enough for the majors? Actually it’s very possible.

Not really sure what going back to Gwinnett would accomplish other than getting him off the major league roster We all already know he can pitch at the AAA level and he’d probably be great there as a reliever, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he could be called up and get the job done in the majors.

by Zontar on Apr 15, 2010 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

While you have a point about Jo-Jo

It’s a pet peeve of mine that people are pointing out Barbaro as a career minor league player.

Barbaro is a Cuban defector who didn’t get over here to play baseball until age 26. We started him off at AA really, and he was pretty good there. Then he went to AA and was pretty good there, too. He spent another year at AAA before we gave him a shot last year. He’s not some guy that’s been a four-A player all his life, some Andy Marte doppelganger who never cut it at the major leagues despite extensive minor league success.

The reason no one is clamoring for Barbaro is that he’s a very limited player. He’s barely good enough defensively to handle first base, and his bat is good but not great at AAA. He’s hit a total of 25 home runs over two years combined, despite playing pretty much every day in AAA. He’s ten years older than Freddie Freeman and not a noticeably better hitter. There’s a reason no one here is clamoring for him.

Jo-Jo was never super-dominant in the minors, but there was plenty of reason to think he could succeed in the Majors in some role. We’ve seem him display sometimes dominant stuff against big league hitters.

by Bronn on Apr 15, 2010 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

So what you’re saying is, fan confidence should be back up next week based on this alone? ;)

tUMD Hockey: In search of a title! But probably not this year.

by UMDBHIK on Apr 15, 2010 12:56 PM EDT reply actions

eh

i honestly think that judging Reyes as a reliever off of one appearance is kinda unfair. After the 2nd batter he was pitching injured and he also warmed up rather quickly to throw the same amount of of pitches as a starter. I honestly think he could still be a serviceable reliever.

by drumzalicious on Apr 15, 2010 1:31 PM EDT reply actions

Would it be ok if.

we throw in his ugly ST appearances? Just sayin’

by HEYJUDE on Apr 15, 2010 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

HIP HIP HOORAY !!

Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out !!!

by ggotch on Apr 15, 2010 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

He’s even worse than Davies. At least he was average for one year in KC.

This is what irks me about the Braves lately. It takes them forever to cut bait on a horridly performing player. I’m sure JoJo will be back & the beat goes on.

by FitzFan on Apr 15, 2010 3:48 PM EDT reply actions