Can you project stats better than the Bill James Handbook? Project these 13 players statistics for the 2010 season and we will compare them at the end of next season. What is a hit and a miss is somewhat subjective but it will be interesting to see how accurate our projections turn out to be.

For hitters: post BA, OBP, SLUG, HR's, RBI's, AB''s

For pitchers: post ERA, H's, BB's, SO's, IP

• Jay Bruce
• John Lannan
• David Wright
• Adam Jones
• Jair Jurrjens
• Stephen Drew
• Adam Lind
• Kelly Johnson
• Magglio Ordonez
• B.J. Upton
• Matt Cain
• Ubaldo Jimenez
• Oliver Perez

Jason Heyward and Barbaro Canizares represented the Braves in the Futures Game today. Canizares started at first base and went 1-2 with an RBI single. Heyward started in RF and went 1-2 with a single. Heyward hit the ball hard in both AB's, singling to center in his first AB and grounding out sharply in his second. World team 2B Starlin Castro made a nice play to retire Heyward in his second AB, snagging a line drive on the short hop and throwing Jason out at first. Heyward was impressive all around.

Former Braves, Tyler Flowers and Neftali Feliz also competed and played well. Feliz threw a scoreless inning, striking out 2. The stadium guns were showing Feliz's velocity in the mid 90's while pitch f/x had him up to 100. Flowers started at catcher for the US team and went 1-2 with a single.

The game was nearly rained out but after a 4 hour rain delay, play began. The game was shortened to 7 innings because of the delay. The World Team won the game 7-5.

Kawakami has a sore right shoulder and his next start has been pushed back three days to next Tuesday. This is the second time, including ST, that Kawakami has had shoulder issues. Its not believed to be a serious problem but should it continue to nag Kenshin, Tommy Hanson could receive an opportunity to make his ML debut.

This should satisfy some Talking Chop members, or at least one, who suggested that Kawakami be pushed back in the rotation.

Angels' pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed along with two others in a car accident last night in a hit and run. Adenhart was 22 years old and fresh off the best performance of his promising young career. A mini-van struck Adenhart's vehicle while running a red light. The driver of the mini-van is in custody after he was caught attempting to flee on foot.

This news isn't exactly Braves-related but its a major story in baseball. I send my  condolences to Adenhart's family and friends, the Angels organization, and the families of the others killed in the accident.

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-nick-adenhart-killed10-2009apr10,0,5362563.story

for all participating in the Talking Chop/ Good Phight fantasy league. The draft is tonight at 7:00. Hope everyone in the league is able to participate. Good luck

Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves

Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs

Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves Go Braves

Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs Go Dawgs

The deal is reportedly worth 1.35M base if he makes the team, with another 200k in incentives. The Dodgers also have a 2M option for 2010 with a 200k buyout.

Its suprising to me that its just a minor league deal. At the price, I could certainly see the Braves experiencing non-buyer's remorse with the uncertainty surrounding our current LOOGY options. Ohman should provide good value for the Dodgers, replacing Joey Beimel who signed with the Nats for 2M.

In light of the recent signings of Abreu and Dunn, I came to consider another option for LF. Swapping Kelly Johnson and a prospect or perhaps two for Alex Rios makes increasing sense for both the Braves and Blue Jays.

First of all, I'm well aware that Rios signed a 7 year extension prior to last season but things have changed dramatically for the Blue Jays since last spring. When Rios, 28 in a week, signed, the Jays were hell bent on contending and were pushing the payroll beyond their ideal level. Injuries sunk the Jays hopes of contending in 08' and with the loss of Burnett, improvement of the Rays, additions of the Yankees, and the presence of the Red Sox, the Jays may be looking to retool at some point later in the year. Analysts such as Keith Law have speculated that they would look to move Halladay and/or Vernon Wells if they were to struggle in 09’. Realistically, Wells' contract isn't mobile in the current economic climate and the organization has been unwilling to unload the face of the franchise, Roy Halladay. While I’m sure in the event of a roster reconstruction the Jays would look to move Wells first, Rios may be the only one of the two that they could move to create financial flexibility. The have a couple of young corner outfield prospects in Lind and Snider who are either ready or near ready to take over starting roles. Their farm system is not particularly deep, though they have a few impact prospects. Bottom line, Rios is a player they could move to shore up other areas while not leaving a gaping hole in his place.

Rios' contract is worth $65M over the next 6 years but only $5.9M in 09'. Though the Blue Jays are unwilling to begin roster reconstruction at present time, if they are in 4th place in June, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the likes of Wells, Halladay, Rios, and B.J. Ryan made available. Kelly is the type of cheap, on-base oriented player the Jays covet and the Jays are rumored to have been interested in him in past years. The Jays also have a shortage of CF prospects and basestealers, making Gorkys a likely target if we were to engage in trade talks. While they wouldn’t be quite the player Kelly is, some combination of Infante and Prado would be serviceable at second base.

Maybe Rios is a player the Braves are targeting or just wishful thinking on my part. However, whether it be now or at midseason, Rios would be a great addition to our OF and the two organizations match up well in terms of needs. My point is, perhaps standing pat and not acquiring suspect players for the sake of immediate "help" is the better option. Rios is just an example of the type of player that could be available a few months down the road and surely there will be others we have not considered. Given the likelihood that more talented players could soon be available, I think the organization would be best served to pass on the likes of Nady and Swisher and make a strong run at a player who could really be a difference maker.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  See Josh's message below.  I've settled on a pretty strict personal "no fantasy sports" lifestyle choice, but I encourage anyone else not so inclined to participate. - WCamels

I've set up a fantasy baseball league at espn.com for members of the Good Phight and Talking Chop blogs to play against one another. I'm looking for up to 7 of you Good Phight members to join this league. The league rules will be set up based upon what the members of the league desire. I plan on inviting owners on a first come, first serve basis but am hoping some experienced players are interested in doing this so that it can be a competitive league.

If interested in playing, email me at jegatlaw at gmail

I've started a Talking Chop vs The Good Phight (the SBnation Phillies blog) league. I've got a private league over at espn.com that is presently a 10 team, head-to-head based on each of the 5x5 categories. I will expand the league beyond 10 teams if there is enough interest but I need at least 4 other Talking Chop members for this. There will be an equal number of Good Phight and Talking Chop members. Once we have all the owners in place, I'll email everyone and we will adjust the league rules to our liking.

If anyone is interested, email me at jegatlaw@gmail.com

Which Braves prospect in the post-1990 era was the biggest bust?

The term "bust" can be difficult to define with some prospects going to achieve moderate success but still falling significantly short of expectations. For the most part, I sought out players who were projected to be all-star caliber players but failed to materialize. I realize one player in particular is still relatively young and could still become a starter but he doesn’t appear to be on his way to becoming the superstar he was once projected to be and for my purposes, I will consider him a bust.

5. George Lombard- Peak Top 100 Ranking: #26. Though he was relatively raw when he was drafted, Lombard was touted as one of the best athletes to ever play in the organization. Originally committed to play RB at the University of Georgia, Lombard instead signed with the Braves as a 2nd Round pick in 94’. He had truly elite speed and plus power to boot. He made BA’s Braves’ Top 10 list 5 times, twice as the #2 prospect in the organization. His best minor league season came in 98’, when he slugged 22 HR, swiped 35 bases, batted .308, and posted a .951 OPS as a 22 year old in AA ball. High strikeout totals throughout his career and injury problems in 99’ stunted Lombard's growth as a player and he was never able to regain his stature within the organization. For all his physical talents, Lombard retired in 2006 with a career ML batting average of .220 while receiving more than 200 AB’s in a season just once.

4. Mike Kelly- Peak Top 100 Ranking: #19. The second overall pick in 1991 out of Arizona State began his pro career with the expectations placed upon him to become a big-time power threat at the ML level. Kelly never climbed higher than 4th on BA’s Braves’ Top ten prospect list but none the less was expected to become a star player. He struggled to hit for average as a pro but did post decent HR totals in the lower minors. Kelly was never able to establish himself as a full-time big leaguer and ended his career in 99’ with just 22 HR and a .300 OBP in over 680 AB’s. Kelly's reputation as a collegiate star and being a 2nd overall pick led to high expectations despite his modest success in the minor leagues.

3. Bruce Chen- Peak Top 100 Ranking: #4. BA rated him our #3 prospect in 97’ and #1 in both 98’ and 00’. Though not an overpowering pitcher, Chen dominated minor league hitters. In 98’, between AA and AAA, he posted a 3.09 era and struck out 193 batters in 163 innings while allowing only 123 hits. Three plus pitches in his fastball, curveball, and changeup, as well as plus commnad led to Greg Maddux comparisons by many scouts. He pitched well for the Braves in 2000 before being traded, along with Jimmy Osting for Andy Ashby. He bounced around the league for several seasons before having one nice season as a starter for Baltimore in 05’. He has been largely ineffective since and last pitched in the ML in 2007, when he struggled in 10 innings with the Rangers. While not projected to be an “ace”, Chen had very high expectations and by and large failed to deliver upon them. To be fair, Chen had some success in the majors but it was short lived and well below what was expected of him.

2. Andy Marte- Peak Top 100 Rating: #9. I alluded to being reluctant to label Marte as an official "bust" just yet due to the fact that he is still just 25 years old. However, his stalled development is a strong indicator that he will never live up to the expectations of superstardom once placed upon him. At his height, Marte was the premier 3B prospect in all of baseball. Projected to hit 30 HR annually and be a first rate defender at third base, Marte was a top 3 prospect in the Braves organization for 4 years running. Prior to the 04’ season, BA expected Marte to make his ML debut by “no later than September” as a 20 year old. Marte had all the physical tools to be one of the premier 3B in baseball and was touted as a player who “ooze[d] intangibles.” Though Marte has yet to produce at the big league level, he proved a great benefit to the Braves as a trade chip. In all, Marte netted the Braves 2 affordable years of Edgar Renteria, Jair Jurrjens, and Gorkys Hernandez. In all likelihood, Marte maxed out his value to the organization by virtue of the players he was used to acquire but when it comes to fulfilling his promise to become a great big leaguer himself, he has thus far proven to be a bust.

1. Wilson Betemit- Peak Top 100 Rating: #8. Betemit twice appeared as the number one prospect in the organization in both 2001 and 2002. Originally signed prior to his 16th birthday, Betemit sued the organization until he dropped the suit following his signing of a new contract. Betemit was touted as a five-tool talent at shortstop who had an advanced timetable for breaking into the big leagues. A switch-hitter and outstanding athlete, Betemit was also described as a player who thrived when challenged. The expectation was that Betemit would become a 20-20 man who hit for a high average and would deftly man a crucial defensive position. Betemit’s large frame eventually led him to outgrow shortstop but he was still viewed as a potential impact player at third base. He played well as a big leaguer in 05’ and 06’ in limited action until being traded prior to the deadline in 2006 to the Dodgers in exchange for Willy Aybar and Danys Baez. Since the time of the trade, Betemit has carved out a career as a versatile sub but has failed to establish himself as a starter. Aside from Jason Heyward and Andruw Jones, Betemit was the most hyped Braves' prospect in recent memory but has failed to deliver upon those lofty expectations.

Sighs of relief from: Kevin McGlinchy, Kyle Davies, Luis Rivera, and Matt Belisle

I changed the order of the list several times, mainly concerning the placement of Lombard and Chen. I’m sure you all will not hesitate to criticize and I encourage you to point out any players you think I may have overlooked. I hope everyone enjoyed the list.

Scouting Reports, Prospect Rankings, and Statistics accredited to Baseball-Reference, Baseball America (Namely Bill Ballew), and The Baseball Cube