SB Nation User Blog: themurph

Sickels on Friday

themurph — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:55:47 -0000

Prospect Smackdown: Mike Stanton vs Jason Heyward

I'm looking forward to this on Friday over on www.MinorLeagueBall.com - I've seen both of these guys in person this season so I'm going to put some stuff down here real quick. Now, I'm a Braves fan of course, but I still think Heyward is going to be better. Can't wait to see Sickels use all the stats/numbers like he does...

Stanton - Saw him play twice in a road game. Huge dude that is not quite the fluid athlete that Heyward but is more like a EARLY Matt Holliday. Stance looks like McGwire (with the Cards). Low hands but really quick to the ball. He hit one homer (to LC) that left the stadium, yes, the stadium. Has a hole inside on the hands bc of his setup. He'll get that worked out though.

Failed twice hitting behind the runner which pretty much tells me that is trying to knock the shit out of the ball and let it fall wherever. At the plate, this guy is a righty Prince Fielder (right now) but I think he will be a really good pro based on my personal projection/comp of middle-of-the-order bat EARLY Matt Holliday with a more athleticism..

Heyward - Saw him play 6 times, all home games. Great athlete that is never off balance defensively. Freakin web gem two nights ago diving on the foul line in right. Night before he hosed a guy at third and Greg Creek never moved his glove. Ya'll already know that shit though.

The cool thing is his head is always in the game. Bases loaded with no outs, guy throws him a changeup first pitch and he hits it SO hard through the right side no one really moved. He didn't take a few pitches bc he knew the guy was scared to throw him anything hard first pitch, so he was looking off speed. Picked up two RBIs. He can really run the bases too. Cut his turn at third and made a close play at the plate one where he could go in standing up. All that "so mature" talk looks to be spot on too.

He's our starting RF out of ST next season and he will hit 4th or 5th and move to 3rd when Chipper leaves. Looking forward to the next 10 years of him in the lineup.

Michael Hampton

themurph — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:50:49 -0000

He was removed after throwing two complete innings tonight in Mississippi. I'm not sure if he is hurt of not, but I know he threw more than this in his previous start with MS.

He gave a bomb and Van Pope and Matt Young saved him from giving up any more base hits.

crap...Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great -- Mark Twain

Opening Day 25 man roster

themurph — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 03:51:22 -0000

Humor me for a second:

MI: Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson, Omar Infante

Corner Inf: Chipper Jones, Mark Teixiera, Scott Thorman

OF: Matt Diaz, Brandon Jones, Josh Anderson, Jeff Francoeur

C: Brian McCann, Clint Sammons

SP: John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Tom Glavine, Jair Jurrjens, Chuck James, One of Jo Jo Reyes/Hampton/Bennett

Bullpen: Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, Manny Acosta, Will Ohman, Royce Ring, Blaine Boyer, Tyler Yates

Thoughts? Anyone know if Ring has any options left so he can go down to Richmond when Mike Gonzalez is ready in June?

Braves Top 20-John Sickels

themurph — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:44:30 -0000

[editor's note, by gondeee] - I promoted this from the diary so it doesn't trump the trade news. Damn! There's a lot of news today.

John Sickels top-20 list is out.

I've never seen this many B's in one of his lists. 11! Cody Johnson at 20?

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change.

Jason Heyward, OF, Grade B+
Jordan Schafer, OF, Grade B+
Brandon Jones, OF, Grade B+
Tommy Hanson, RHP, Grade B+
Joey Devine, RHP, Grade B
Brent Lillibridge, SS, Grade B
Gorkys Hernandez, OF, Grade B
Jair Jurrjens, RHP, Grade B (worried about his health)
Cole Rohrbough, LHP, Grade B
Brandon Hicks, SS, Grade B
Jeff Locke, LHP, Grade B-
Steve Evarts, LHP, Grade C+
Jamie Richmond, RHP, Grade C+
Jose Ortegano, LHP, Grade C+
Kris Medlen, RHP, Grade C+
Julio Teheran, RHP, Grade C+ (all hype and scouting reports at this point)
Tyler Flowers, C-1B, Grade C+
Chad Rodgers, LHP, Grade C+
Jose Ascanio, RHP, Grade C+
Cody Johnson, 1B, Grade C+

MiLB 2007 Org Review

themurph — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:50:14 -0000

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/season_in_review/y2007/index.jsp?sid=milb&mlbid=atl

The winds of change are sweeping through Atlanta. Sort of.

Long-time general manager John Schuerholz stepped aside, and Frank Wren is in. There's a vacancy in center field in the big leagues for the first time in a long time, and some of the system's top prospects were traded away during this year's playoff hunt. But some things won't change -- the Braves will continue to develop from within.

Torii Hunter to Braves? - his own words

themurph — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:22:34 -0000

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071017&content_id=2270739&vkey=news_mlb&fext=. jsp&c_id=mlb&partnered

He is apparently good friends with Dmitri Young...

"I always talk to my wife about being interested in playing in front of the African-American fans and trying to get the African Americans back to playing the game," he said. "If I go to Atlanta or D.C. and make a difference that way, I would love it. Trust me -- D.C. is very interesting to me as well as Atlanta."

I admire that stance actually...I hope we can get him. Give Schafer plenty of time to learn and not rush him into the 09 lineup.

Prospects we have left

themurph — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:12:14 -0000

And by that I mean guys that 'could' be a part of the big club next season. I would think that our roster would be very similar to this one next season.

Yunel Escobar, Brandon Jones, Dan Smith, Joey Devine, Will Startup, Jo Jo Reyes, Tony Lerew, Brent Lillibridge.

That's decent enough...would've been nice to get Arroyo though.

BA Prospect Hot Sheet

themurph — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:12:08 -0000

Who's hot?

20. Cole Rohrbough, lhp, Rookie-level Danville (Braves)

Striking out more than one batter per inning in each of his previous four starts, Rohrbough followed that up with 11 strikeouts in six innings July 13, and another 11 strikeout performance Thursday in five innings. The 2006 22nd rounder from Western Nevada Community College, one of this year's highest-profile draft-and-follow signees, has used a fastball that has touched 94 and a power spike curveball with excellent depth and a changeup to record 42 strikeouts and just six walks in 25.1 innings.

Who's not?
Eric Campbell, 3b, high Class A Myrtle Beach (Braves)

It's not often that we get repeat showings in this category, but Campbell's .130/.213/.217 July average certainly justifies a second straight "Not Hot" listing. A 2004 second-round pick out of an Indiana high school, Campbell has yet to play his way to Double-A in his third full pro season and appears to be in Myrtle Beach for the long term with a .210/.293/.374 overall average.

Oscar Villarreal

themurph — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 21:45:46 -0000

We still haven't resigned him yet and the arbitration hearing he is facing is fast approaching...this week I think.

Anybody read or hear anything about what the numbers are that the two sides are discussing?

I know we will resign him, but I thought it would have been done by now. I believe he is the only Braves player that could potentially go to the courtroom.

SI.com Team Previews

themurph — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 20:44:11 -0000

Actually it is Athlons previews...http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2007/athlon/braves.html

If you want to get discouraged go ahead and read the Mets outlook for CitiBank/Jackie Robinson Field and the revenues that will be created through just the naming rights and advertising revenue on the new tv channel. Here's a sneak peek...$20 million a year for 20 years...that's just the naming rights.

I'm sure Ted would be ok with Capital One(or whomever)/Turner Field if it would mean that kind of cheese heading in the direction of the Braves!