SB Nation - Tommy Hanson

Filling Out the Braves 2010 Lineup Card

gondeee — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:43:33 -0000

Troy Glaus is the final piece of the Atlanta Braves off-season puzzle -- a solidifying force in the middle of the order.

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With the expected signing of Troy Glaus, and the recent trade of Javier Vazquez for Melky Cabrera, the holes on the roster that the Braves entered the off-season with seem to have been filled. With that in mind, I fill out the lineup and the rest of the 25-man roster:

Lineup
1. Nate McLouth, CF
2. Martin Prado, 2B
3. Chipper Jones, 3B
4. Troy Glaus, 1B
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Yunel Escobar, SS
7. Matt Diaz, RF
8. Melky Cabrera, LF

Rotation
1. Tim Hudson
2. Derek Lowe
3. Jair Jurrjens
4. Tommy Hanson
5. Kenshin Kawakami

Bench
1. David Ross, C
2. Omar Infante, IF
3. Brooks Conrad, IF
4. Brandon Jones, OF
5. Mitch Jones, OF

Bullpen
1. Billy Wagner, LH
2. Takashi Saito, RH
3. Peter Moylan, RH
4. Eric O'Flaherty, LH
5. Kris Medlen, RH
6. Jesse Chavez, RH
7. Mike Dunn, LH

That's a pretty solid lineup with Glaus in the middle. I'm assuming the Braves will take the Tommy Hanson approach with Jason Heyward and let him get some time at triple-A first, but if he does make the team I would expect him to hit 7th between the right-handers Escobar and Diaz. But I think it's more important for Heyward to get a first footing at triple-A before he's promoted to Atlanta. With the lineup above, there's really no reason to rush Heyward. Yes, he would make it stronger, but it's pretty solid the way it is and burying Melky in the 8th spot obscures his underwhelming bat.

The rotation is strong, and of course any of those guys could be swapped around. They're all right-handed, so order is not really that important.

The bench will probably have a lot of competition, and there's still a chance the Braves could sign someone else to fill out a pinch-hitter role. As it stands we would have to rely on young players like Conrad, Jones, and Jones who don't have much experience pinch-hitting. They are also all free swingers and the Braves would probably prefer at least one other pinch-hitter who is more of a contact hitter.

The bullpen is more than solid from top to bottom. Actually, this is likely the best I've felt about our bullpen in years, and there's still some other guys who could sneak into the mix like Luis Valdez, Jeff Lyman, and Lee Hyde. Too many bullpen arms is a good problem to have.

Overall I like our 25-man roster the way it is constructed above. Glaus really solidifies the lineup for me. He was the true missing piece and the right piece to add. Now everyone just needs to stay healthy so we can put that same lineup out there for 120-plus games.

Settling for Lowe

gondeee — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:42:23 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

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It looks like the long-awaited trade of Atlanta Braves starter Derek Lowe is nearly upon us. The prerequisites for a Lowe trade are about to be finalized and that could be the trigger which leads other teams to make a move to acquire Lowe.

The Boston Red Sox are on the verge of signing John Lackey for way too much money. The Phillies and Mariners and Blue Jays are playing the Napa Cap Shuffle with Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, and the Phils want to have their cake and eat it too, so they will land Halliday regardless of the cost.

That leaves several teams, particularly the Angels, without a "top-flight" starter, and if they believe that Lowe fits that mold, then maybe they'll bite on a trade. The Mets, and specifically their fans, are also left wanting more, but not only do we not want to trade with a division rival, we don't match up well with the Mets on the trade front.

Those two teams would be the front runners for his services, but there may be another mystery team or two who could get into the bidding, especially if the Braves can eat some of Lowe's salary as they apparently indicated that they can (though that is not their preference). Lowe is essentially the next most attractive starting pitcher on the free agent or trade market this winter, and his services could come relatively cheap in terms of players a team would have to give up to get him.

For the Braves, getting rid of that contract would be a huge help, as the team must view that as somewhat of an overreaction last year to what had transpired the year before with the starting rotation. The balance on the Braves now would be to spend more money on the lineup rather than the rotation, especially with inexpensive rotation options in Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson entrenched for several years.

We're still in the sit and wait mode on a possible Lowe trade, but we're certainly waiting more eagerly.

[UPDATE: 11:15]

Maybe the White Sox could be a buyer. After all they seem to be collecting a bunch of old Dodgers players who have bad contracts.

MLB Trade Rumors: Atlanta Hot After Mike Cameron or Marlon Byrd??

raygu — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:00:17 -0000

by Luis Alvarez - AP

4 months ago: Milwaukee Brewers' Mike Cameron hits a two-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, in Washington. The Brewers won 11-9. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

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I was flipping back and forth between the XM Radio Grateful Dead station and XM 175 tonight on my drive home and caught some of the interview with Mark Bowman, the Atlanta Braves beat writer for MLB.com. Bowman was interview by Joe Castellano and Jim Bowden.

As I switched over, Bowman was talking about the Braves interest in Mike Cameron and Marlon Byrd. I haven't heard this rumor before, but I was curious where Nate McLouth would play should the Braves sign Cameron or Byrd as they are both centerfielders. I assume McLouth will play right field till Jason Heyward is ready, but I thought the Braves were going to allow Heyward a chance to win the right field job in spring training.

More after the jump:

Bowden and Castellano then asked about Heyward, and Bowman felt that the Braves will have him play a few more months in AAA before bringing him up in June, similar to how they handled Tommy Hanson this year.

Should Heyward get the call in June, and everyone expects that to happen, I assume Matt Diaz would either be trade bait or platoon with McLouth and Heyward, as he crushed left-handed pitching to the tune of .412-.464-.640-1.103 in 136 at bats in 2009.

So who should the Braves sign? Cameron went 24-70-7-.250-..342-.452-.795 with the Brewers in 2009, while Byrd went 20-89-8-.283-.329-.479-.808 with Texas in 2009.

Poll

Who should the Braves sign this offseason: Marlon Byrd or Mike Cameron?

Byrd-he's younger and will be cheaper.

118 votes

Cameron-he's a solid defensive CFer and is a good guy in the clubhouse

136 votes

Neither-Heyward is ready.

112 votes

366 votes | Poll has closed

The Atlanta Braves Weekly Wrap

gondeee — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:41:44 -0000

Here's a look at the major stories in the world of the Atlanta Braves for the week ending on November 29th:

In the Press...

The Braves signed minor league free agent Juan Abreu.
Tommy Hanson was named a Topps Rookie All-Star.
The Braves re-signed a couple of minor league free agents.
Former Braves farmhand Dennis Dixon will start at QB for the Steelers today.
Fred McGriff and Andres Galarraga are listed for the first time this year on the Hall of Fame ballot.

At Talking Chop...

In a slow Thanksgiving week, we presented our top-25 Braves prospects five at a time: 21-25, 16-20, 11-15, 6-10, and 1-5.
Talking Chop community members can now submit their own top-25 Braves prospects here.
Matt gave us a rundown of the latest rumors at the start of the week. There is a lot of speculation out there, but nothing resembling any sort of concrete rumor yet.

Notable FanPosts and FanShots...

scstrat is perplexed at the notion that the Braves should try to get Marlon Byrd.
alligatorimpersonator gets a post going about Braves' players nicknames.

Clearing Something Up About Offseason Rumors

Jeff — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:39:51 -0000

Over the coming weeks, you're going to hear a lot about how certain teams are listening to offers for certain players, and how certain other players are untouchable. We've already been told that the Tigers are listening to offers for Edwin Jackson, the Blue Jays are listening to offers for Roy Halladay, the Marlins are listening to offers for Ricky Nolasco, and on and on. Meanwhile, the Braves supposedly aren't listening to offers for Tommy Hanson. The media is going to report that some big names are available for trade, while other big names are not.

Ignore all that stuff. It's meaningless.

Here's the bottom line: every team will listen to offers for every player at any time. To listen to an offer doesn't mean you have to initiate anything or even actively participate in conversation. All listening to an offer entails is holding the phone to your ear while another guy talks to you. That's it. It's a zero-risk activity, with the possible upside that the GM on the other end will offer more than your player is worth. And when you're faced with an all-upside/no-downside opportunity, it doesn't make sense to turn it down. Of course the Tigers are listening to offers for Curtis Granderson. Why wouldn't they? What benefit would there be to telling other teams not to bother?

And as far as a situation like Hanson's is concerned...the only difference here is that the team is being more private. If someone were to call the Braves and make an offer, Frank Wren wouldn't tell him to shut up. Just in case, he'd hear him out. He'd hear him out, because there's no such thing as "untouchable" - for any given player in the league, there exists a trade package that could lure him away, and as such every player is always available for the right price. It's just that some have such a high price that the odds of their being traded are effectively zero. Tommy Hanson almost certainly isn't going to be traded, because he's really good and really cheap and really young, but as long as you can envision a scenario in which Andrew Friedman gets desperate for pitching and offers, I dunno, Evan Longoria, then Hanson isn't untouchable. He's just expensive.

If a team is said to be listening to offers for some of its big-name players, then that isn't news. That's always happening, whether it's reported or not. And if a team is said to not be listening to offers for some of its big-name players, that isn't news either, because they are listening, and only suggesting that they aren't to give their players and fans some peace of mind. Jack Zduriencik has indicated that Felix won't get dealt this winter, but do you really believe he's off the table entirely? Of course not. He's just trying to keep Felix content and the fans relieved. If someone calls and offers an incredible package, then Jack will be able to sell it as something the team simply couldn't pass up.

There's no benefit to making certain players untouchable. None. And though a lot of GMs do a lot of weird things, none of them are complete idiots. For the right price, everybody - everybody - is always available.

Hanson Named Topps Rookie All-Star

cbwilk — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:55:26 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Tommy Hanson was 11-4 with a 2.89 ERA after joining Atlanta in June.

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Braves rookie Tommy Hanson, who finished third in the voting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, was named to Topps' 51st Rookie All-Star team, along with the two players who finished ahead of him in the award voting, Florida outfielder Chris Coghlan and Philadelphia pitcher JA Happ.

The rest of the player selected include Mets' catcher Omir Santos, Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa, White Sox second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman Gordon Beckham, Rangers shortstop (and former Braves prospect) Elvis Andrus, Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen and Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold.

The accolade is just another sign of how good Hanson was this year for Atlanta. I've personally had the pleasure of seeing all of the players on this All-Star team at one point or another in their Minor League career, with the exception of Beckham, and I think that Hanson has by far the best chance to be a long-term star player in the Major League, with McCutchen as a solid second.

The Atlanta Braves Weekly Wrap

gondeee — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:34:49 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez may be harder to re-sign now that Scott Boras is his agent.

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Here's a look at the major stories in the world of the Atlanta Braves for the week ending November 22nd:

In the Press...

Tommy Hanson finished a disappointing third in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting.
Pitcher Buddy Carlyle signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters to play in Japan next year.
Mike Gonzalez changed agents to Scott Boras.
We learned through a couple of different sources that the Braves are indeed trying to move Derek Lowe, but are having difficulty doing so.
The Braves added five pitchers to their 40-man roster, protecting them from the Rule 5 draft next month.
The Royals signed former Braves pitcher Jorge Campillo.

At Talking Chop...

I took a look at the choice the Braves made with Andruw Jones and the choice the Blue Jays made with Vernon Wells.
We were the first to report on the Braves minor league free agents.
We reviewed the 2009 seasons of relievers Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez, and the rest of the Braves relievers.
We took a look at some of the top free agents and how they affect the Braves.
Matt and CB reviewed the Braves top-10 minor league relievers here and here.
The bloggers at TC did a round table on the relievers in the Braves system.

Notable FanPosts and FanShots...

Dave_D shared some professional looking photos of some Gwinnett Braves players.
Mgomez4closer wants us to take a look at some minor league free agents.
'hawkchop is concerned about relying too heavily on an ETA for Freddie Freeman.
alligatorimpersonator wants the Braves to bring back Andruw Jones.
Dutch Braves Fan thinks we should re-sign Adam LaRoche.
Doghnut shares a link with us to a good explanation of BABIP.

Tommy Hanson Finishes Third in the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year Award

gondeee — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:11:26 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tommy Hanson finishes third in the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year voting.

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Atlanta Braves rookie starting pitcher Tommy Hanson missed his chance to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Hanson was beaten out by Florida's Chris Coghlan, who won the ward, and Philadelphia's J.A. Happ, who finished second.

The highly touted Hanson lived up to everyone's expectations once he reached the majors in 2009. He went 11-and-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 21 starts -- but it was not enough of a dominating performance to convince voters he deserved the award over the other contenders. His chances were likely hurt by only pitching part of the year in the major leagues.

Interesting that Hanson won the SBN voting a week ago, conducted by bloggers. It seems as though the writers went with raw stats over any other factor in determining the awards once again this year.

BBWAA Awards

craig — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:44:48 -0000

The Baseball Writers Association of America awards announcements begin today and first up is Rookie of the Year for the NL and AL.

The announcement comes at 2:00 p.m.

And the Marlins have a dog in the hunt.

The folks at ESPN has made their picks and they ended up as follows.

VOTING TOTALS: Coghlan (12), Tommy Hanson (3), Andrew McCutchen (3), J.A. Happ (1), Garrett Jones (1).

Of course, they were only selecting the winner of the award which means down the ballot scores didn't count. Not that it would have much of a difference with Coghlan getting so many first place votes. Click on the link to see who voted for whom.

But all of that doesn't matter, what does matter is the announcement of the vote in a few hours and whether or not the Marlins have their third Rookie of the Year in franchise history.

Stay tuned.

The Atlanta Braves Weekly Wrap

gondeee — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:49:17 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

Atlanta Braves hitter Brian McCann winning his third Silver Slugger award was just one of the highlights from this past week.

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Here's a look at the major stories in the world of the Atlanta Braves for the week ending on November 15th:

In the Press...

Brian McCann won his third Sliver Slugger Award.
The Braves officially named Dave Wallace minor league pitching coordinator. They also named Garey Ingram hitting coach at double-A Mississippi.
The Braves signed a minor league shortstop as organizational depth.
After a couple of weeks of talking about it, and a week after it was signed, the Tim Hudson contract extension was officially announced.

At Talking Chop...

The SBN Awards were released, and Tommy Hanson won the SBN NL Rookie of the Year. Let's see if he can win the real thing this week.
CB presented the top-10 Braves right-handed starting pitching prospects in two parts, here and here.
Matt presented the top-10 Braves left-handed starting pitching prospects in two parts, here and here.
I think the Braves should sign Billy Wagner, simply because his agent is named Bean Stringfellow.
The bloggers at Talking Chop had round tables on right-handed and left-handed minor league starters.
Take the Braves out of the running for these free agents.
The Atlanta Braves Fan Confidence continued to climb.

Notable FanPosts and FanShots...

royhobbs has a great review of the Brain McCann charity softball game.
tenesseejed1 shared some pictures of his trip to the AFL.
mvhsbball has a nice and nostalgic post about "Your first memory of the Atlanta Braves."