Hitting prospects in our farm

by atlbraveschamps on May 14, 2010 5:14 PM EDT

It is clear we have an amazing pitching depth in the minors. My question is there depth for position players in our farm besides Schafer, Salcedo,Bethancourt,Freeman, RSF, Johnson and Milligan. Can we expect anything from Hefflinger, Mycal Jones or Kyle Rose? Is there any players on the rise? What about this years draft, will we be going for more position players than pitching because of our incredible depth? Its clear we need more power and speed in our system

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I expect them tp pick whoever is the best player, whether it’s a pitcher of a position player. Everybody needs pitching, if we get overstocked, we can trade for what we need. Wren doesn’t strike me as a guy who’s scared to make a trade.

Heyward is pretty good

by bighop on May 14, 2010 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

Why is RSF mentioned with Schafer, Salcedo, Freeman and co.? He’s not even close to being on their level.

"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."

by Scott Coleman on May 14, 2010 5:39 PM EDT reply actions

I hope RSF is going to be such a stud that in the future that we’ll say “why is Schafer, Salcedo, Freeman and co. being mentioned with RSF?”

You mark that frame an 8, and you're entering a world of pain.

by vooodooo on May 14, 2010 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Randy Gress

by Bmacbandwagon on May 14, 2010 5:49 PM EDT reply actions

haha

by get swoll yunel on May 14, 2010 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Gerardo Avila, maybe? Willie Cabrera, perhaps? Matt Young has no power, but looks like an ideal lead-off man(but 29 is real old, right?). It looks as if the Braves are somewhat interested in Gerardo Rodriguez with his power. They are moving him outside of first base. But his downside, just like Milligan and Cody, is he strikes out way too much.

by Michael Pesce on May 14, 2010 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

ehh

aside from Freeman, i don’t think we have any legitimate hitting prospects. Salcedo is only like 18 right? and in extended spring training. We should deal one or two of our pitching prospects for some hitters.

by RufRider on May 14, 2010 9:18 PM EDT reply actions

Our offense will be fine in a few years.

Heyward will become a franchise player who is capable of carrying a team on his back. He won’t need much protection.

The only time the Mets win is in the offseason.

by GouldisGold on May 14, 2010 9:42 PM EDT reply actions

Freeman and Schafer

are the only two capable of being major league starters.

But we already have Heyward, Prado, Escobar, and Mccann.

That means we only need 2 more players via trade or farm.

We need a LF and 3rd baseman. May be Brandon Hicks or Cody Johnson can be stop gaps until we can get somebody worthy of starting.

by jaypatel on May 15, 2010 9:48 AM EDT reply actions

Wait, out of all the guys in the farm system, you’re going to make the blanket statement that only 2 can be Major League starters? Really? Really? Wow.

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by cbwilk on May 15, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions

salcedo is going to be great. in 2 yrs probably

by Braves Biceps on May 15, 2010 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Prove it? He has no stats, we just think that he’ll be great because websites like MLBTR have stated that he will be Chippers replacement. What you forget is that we signed two other shortstops, too.

Do not write what you cannot prove.

by Michael Pesce on May 15, 2010 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

he overspoke

but he’s not totally off-base. outside of freeman and maybe schafer, maybe salecedo once we get more data on him, none of those guys project to be major league regulars. the reasonable among talking choppers knew cody johnson wasn’t a legit prospect, and it seems like people are finally coming around this year.

but i’ll defer to ben badler on this issue:

Ben Badler: Other than Freeman, no, it looks like the would have to go outside of the organization to find another bat. To be honest, I don’t know what to make of Schafer. He’s had such a strange developmental path between his suspension and what he had to deal with mentally after the suspension that, really, I just don’t know. Some scouts saw him as an everyday regular in center field, but there seem to be just as many who see him as a part-time guy who has to sit against lefthanded pitching.

by jerryclore on May 15, 2010 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

he was asked about the upper minors...

so AA and AAA. And depending on how he feels about Cody Johnson, I can understand it. Most of our prospects are in A ball and below.

by Mr. Sanchez on May 15, 2010 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Wait, so you’re saying Cody isn’t a prospect? Have you checked out those May numbers? They’re on the front page right now…

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on May 16, 2010 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions

we could argue up an down about this

but the numbers don’t the whole story. there are guys who will mash in the minors – the steve pearce type, that clearly aren’t going to do it in the majors.

hey, i hope i’m wrong. whatever i say, you’re going to point to the numbers and there isn’t anything empirical i have access to that will prove you wrong. it’s just big swing, lots of Ks, few walks – the burnout rate for these guys is high and there’s almost no margin for error.

let’s come back to it in a couple of years and see who was right.

by jerryclore on May 16, 2010 3:53 AM EDT up reply actions

I guess. The burnout rate for minor leaguers is high. So if we’re always falling back on that, nobody is a prospect. I’m just asking you to concede that the dude’s a prospect, in the traditional sense. I’d say it’s hard to make a case that the guy with the best raw power in the Minors (yeah, Mike Stanton is a close number 2), isn’t a prospect.

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on May 16, 2010 6:24 AM EDT up reply actions

i meant the burnout rate for minor leaguers like cody johnson is even higher because of the glaring holes in their game and lack of positional value. he does remind me a lot of mike stanton – big swing – but stanton walks almost as much as he strikes out.

but yeah, i guess he’s a prospect in a sense that he’s a guy who will be counted among the team’s top 30 or so minor leaguers. and he doesn’t have any service time as to qualify as a major leaguer. and he’s not one of these 30 year old career minor leaguers. but i can’t think of a successful player with his game, and maybe that’s short sighted and he will break the mold as whoever wrote that writeup said. so we’ll see.

by jerryclore on May 16, 2010 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions

empirical analysis and attempting to rationally project what a 19 or 21 year old may be capable of in futures years are fairly separate and distinct things, in my opinion.

look, for example, at the flame out rate of no.1 draft picks.

by fandave on May 16, 2010 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s thinking like this that kept Nelson Cruz and Garrett Jones in the minors for too long.

by Michael Pesce on May 15, 2010 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

this was a response to the Freeman and Schafer will only be major leaguers crap.

by Michael Pesce on May 15, 2010 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Salcedo?

Does anyone know what he is up to? how is he doing?

by Braves Biceps on May 15, 2010 11:44 AM EDT reply actions

in extended ST

by drumzalicious on May 15, 2010 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Thats the problem

If the only 2 in Schafer and Freeman might be starters in the future were in trouble. We would still need an outfielder maybe a SS if Esco is traded or a 3B if Chip retires. Eventually we’ll need a back up catcher once Ross calls it a day and then you still need bench players. I wouldn’t mind a couple trades of pitching prospects to get some position players in the farm. Salcedo might be the 3B of the future but is very young and has proven anything. Mycal Jones could be the SS of the future- he has speed, hits for power and decent average and plays good D too. Schafer is our CF if he limits his Ks and shows last year wasn’t a fluke. CJ might be the LF of the future but also needs to limit his Ks

by atlbraveschamps on May 15, 2010 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

What about this

C-McCann
1B-Freeman
2B-Prado/Jones
SS-Escobar/Salcedo/Hicks
3B-Escobar/Salcedo/Hicks
LF-Mclouth/Johnson/Milligan
CF-Schafer/Rose
RF-Heyward

by Braves24 on May 15, 2010 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions

What about this

Who is the back up for McCNN, who is the back up to Freeman. 2nd base were set. SS we would be in trouble if we eventually trade Esco. What if Salcedo doesn’t pan out, then were screwed for 3B. McClouth will be gone by then especially if he can’t improve this year. If Schafer can play like how he did in the 1st series against the Phils, he will be awesome, but big if. Rose might be a good back up but needs to improve base stealing or he wont get above AA. I might be the only to think that CJ will be our RF in a year or two. Milligan might be here in 2-3 years but has to cut his K’s.

by atlbraveschamps on May 16, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

We have Bethancourt behind McCann...

What would we get in return in this hypothetical trade of Esco?
Behind Freeman and Salcedo are possibilities like Donnell Linares, Edison Sanchez, RSF at 1st, among others. There’s Harrilchak, Hefflinger, among other OF options.

by Mr. Sanchez on May 16, 2010 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions

This

Plus that was the best case scenario. No one knows if any of those prospects pan out. Some have a higher probability than others and even after that it is still very difficult to tell what will happen

by Braves24 on May 16, 2010 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm going to a Durham Richmond game on June 18th

Which Braves prospects should I keep an eye on?

The player I would like least at #9 would be my sister’s cat, Captain Creamsicle. She does have a great work ethic and agility, but I’m really concerned that at 9 lbs., she’s too small to play safety in the NFL. She also bites way too often on play action and is easily distracted by someone waving string in the crowd. Lastly, her wonderlic score was pretty awful, answering "meow meow meow" for most of the questions- Dr. Brackish Okun

by mob16151 on May 15, 2010 10:33 PM EDT reply actions

Freddie Freeman, Cory Gearrin, Brandon Hicks, and Jose Ortegano. Those are probably the best prospects with Gwinnett. To a lesser extent, Matt Young, Jeff Lyman, and Mike Dunn.

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on May 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanksfor the info

much appreciated.

by mob16151 on May 16, 2010 5:47 AM EDT up reply actions

3B can be covered by Salcedo depending on how he develops. Or possibly Prado and we develop a 2B.

I’m honestly not worried. With the amazing pitching depth that we have we could most def get a hitter in a trade. Heck I wouldnt be surprised to see Wren deal from that depth this offseason.

by drumzalicious on May 15, 2010 10:53 PM EDT reply actions