The Braves just lost 20-6 so I figured it was a good time to fire up the Play Index and check out other times the Braves pitching gave up at least twenty. This is a good moment to tell you that if you aren't already a Play Indez subscriber at Baseball-Reference, you should be. It's a fun way to look up things just like this.
One little note. Play Indez goes back to 1914.
The last time the Braves gave up 20 runs was July 1, 2003 when the then-Florida Marlins beat the Braves 20-1. I'll list the pitchers that day and you'll probably say, "well, that makes sense." Mike Hampton, Jung Bong, Trey Hodges, and Roberto Hernandez. Hampton alone was charged with nine runs while recording 12 outs. Funny thing about this game is that Rafael Furcal led off the game with a single and advanced to second when Florida's Brian Banks overran the ball. After a groundout advanced Fookie, he scored on a Gary Sheffield grounder against Josh Beckett so the Braves drew first blood. A bases loaded walk in the first tied it before Miguel Cabrera - HITTING 8TH! - led off the bottom of the second with a homer.
The most runs surrendered by the Braves came on July 3, 1945. The Cubs scored two-dozen runs against Boston to cruise to a 24-2 win. Whitey Wietelmann, who began the game at second, finished the game on the mound and gave up the final six runs. This game concluded a streak of 17 years without giving up at least 20 runs, the longest streak between 20-run massacres during this sample.
The most pitchers used in one of these bloodbaths came on June 8, 1990 when Atlanta called on six relievers after Derek Lilliquist started and was removed after recording just ten outs. Two weeks later, Russ Nixon would be removed from his job as Bobby Cox left the GM spot and managed the rest of the season. And the 20 to come.
The Braves have not been shutout in any of these games. They've scored one run three times, including in 1999 when Hall of Famer John Smoltz took the mound against Mike Mussina and the Orioles. Smoltz gave up as many runs as outs he record (seven each) and finished with a Game Score of 15. Justin Speier was awful, Kevin McGlinchy was putrid, Russ Springer was (consults thesaurus) dreadful, and Rudy Seanez just sucked. Only Mike Remlinger was able to avoid trouble in his one inning where he lowered his ERA to 1.47. Ryan Klesko hit a sacrifice fly to score Brian Jordan for the Braves' only run.
The "closest" blow-out game on June 2, 1928. The Reds, who have done this three times to the Braves, scored 20 runs with the help of a five-run ninth. Rogers Hornsby, who was Boston's manager and second baseman for the day, certainly liked his hitting a bit better than the team's pitching. He went 3-for-5 with a double and a homer while Les Bell, hitting behind Hornsby, homered three times. Yet, they lost by eight. It was one of four games Art Mills pitched in that year. He gave five runs in two innings and finished the season with a 12.91 ERA.
The Reds aren't the only team to put 20 or more on the Braves multiple times. The Dodgers did it twice - both while in Brooklyn - with the second time coming against Milwaukee, who only gave up 20 runs once. Also, the Giants have done it twice and have the honor of doing it while representing two different cities. I already spoke of the 1990 beating, but they also did it in the first half of a double-header back on September 10, 1924 at the Polo Grounds. The Braves also lost the second game 8-0 meaning that they were outscored 30-1 in one day. It should surprise you none that the '24 Boston Braves finished 53-100 with a run differential of -278. There's bad and there's 1924 Braves bad.
Not all the blame can fall on the pitchers. On July 2, 1925, the Boston Braves were defeated by the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) 20-7. Only five runs were earned due to six errors. Rube Marquard faced six batters and allowed all to reach before being replaced. All scored and only one was earned.
All in all, since 1914, Sunday marks the 13th time the Braves have surrendered at least 20 runs. It has never happened twice in one year and only twice (1924-25, 1970-71) has it happened in back-to-back years so if there is some kind of bet where you can wager if the Braves give up 20 or more runs in 2016, I'd put money on it not happening.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Random Prospect Sunday - Braxton Davidson
Keith Law said he had one of the best swings in the 2014 draft class. John Manual of Baseball America named him the best pure hitter and best power hitter that the Braves drafted last year. SB Nation's Matt Garrioch said that in this player, you find the rare "middle of the order impact bat." Certainly, Braxton Davidson is an intriguing prospect. Despite being given a mid-first round grade, he slipped all the way to the 32nd overall selection of the 2014 draft. If Davidson does become the player he could be, he might go down as one of the best first rounders Frank Wren's team selected despite being the last one.
Born June 18 in 1996, Davidson came into this world just as Jason Schmidt lost 3-2 to the Dodgers due to a pair of Mike Piazza homers. Davidson was an Asheville, NC native and would remain at home to attend T.C. Roberson High School and was committed to attend North Carolina before the Braves came calling. A pair of former T.C. Roberson players have appeared for the Braves - Cameron Maybin and Darren Holmes - but Davidson was the first player selected by the Braves out of the school since Conrad Pressley in 1972. Pressley never made it out of A-ball in his three years in the Braves system.
Davidson fell so far not because of his bat but because other teams weren't sure if he could play outside of first base professionally. Teams generally aren't anxious to select prep first basemen because the floor for being an elite first baseman is so high. But the Braves felt his hit and power tools were enough and rolled the dice he would retain enough foot speed to play in the outfield. After signing for $1.705M shortly after the draft, Davidson reported to the Gulf Coast League and the almost-18 year-old was ready for his first season.
He only had two hits in his first six games, but started to get it going and after a double header on August 12, Davidson was hitting .243/.400/.324 with 7 2B and a triple. He had yet to homer, but overall, the numbers were pretty good for an 18 year-old kid with no college experience. The Braves thought so much of his maturity that they promoted him to Danville to finish the year. He only had a half-dozen hits in 13 games in the Appalachian League, but also maintained a BB/K rate of 9/10 and carried a .348 OBP. Again, the power was non-existent, but the Braves confidently felt that was only a matter of time.
Davidson carried some franchise Top 10 rankings heading into the 2015 season even after the Braves retooled their minor league system. He responded by hitting just .243. It's been a great year for him.
Wait, what? Consider these two facts:
Here's some first-half highlights. Forgive the awful music.
More Random Prospects...
Kyle Kinman
Mallex Smith
Fernando Miranda
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| Baseball America |
Davidson fell so far not because of his bat but because other teams weren't sure if he could play outside of first base professionally. Teams generally aren't anxious to select prep first basemen because the floor for being an elite first baseman is so high. But the Braves felt his hit and power tools were enough and rolled the dice he would retain enough foot speed to play in the outfield. After signing for $1.705M shortly after the draft, Davidson reported to the Gulf Coast League and the almost-18 year-old was ready for his first season.
He only had two hits in his first six games, but started to get it going and after a double header on August 12, Davidson was hitting .243/.400/.324 with 7 2B and a triple. He had yet to homer, but overall, the numbers were pretty good for an 18 year-old kid with no college experience. The Braves thought so much of his maturity that they promoted him to Danville to finish the year. He only had a half-dozen hits in 13 games in the Appalachian League, but also maintained a BB/K rate of 9/10 and carried a .348 OBP. Again, the power was non-existent, but the Braves confidently felt that was only a matter of time.
Davidson carried some franchise Top 10 rankings heading into the 2015 season even after the Braves retooled their minor league system. He responded by hitting just .243. It's been a great year for him.
Wait, what? Consider these two facts:
- Davidson has walked 81 times this year in 116 games. Yes, he's struck out 127 times, though that's not an insane number that should scare you off. Many players succeed with a 27.4% of their PAs ending in a strikeout. On the flip-side, most who walk 17.5% of the time also succeed. Among minor leaguers, Davidson is tied for ninth in walks this season. Among players whose 2015 season is classified as their age-19 year, Braxton's 81 walks are 23 more than the nearest competitor - Norberto Obeso of the Blue Jays. Braxton's walk rate is 16th in the minors.
- That age of 19 is pretty important as well. He was the third youngest batter in the South Atlantic League this season who played in at least 100 games. Admittedly, that's a little cherry-picking with the numbers because two younger players appeared in at least 98 games, including teammate Ozhaino Albies (profile), but it doesn't make Davidson's age any less amazing. Here's another fancy age-related fact. Davidson has not faced one pitcher this year who is younger than he is.
- Though he's shown a clear enough platoon split this season, he hasn't been completely lost against lefties as his .372 OBP against them does attest to. It's at least good enough to feel a bit excited about his chances to be more than a platoon bat.
Here's some first-half highlights. Forgive the awful music.
More Random Prospects...
Kyle Kinman
Mallex Smith
Fernando Miranda
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Jonny Gomes Pitching Was More Than a Novelty
Some so-and-so's on Twitter voiced their displeasure of Jonny Gomes pitching Friday night. "Embarrassing," they called it. Using Gomes was "making a mockery of the game."
Don't get me wrong - Gomes looked awful on the mound and every bit of a guy who has never pitched a game in his life (which he hadn't). His pitching motion evolved during the inning with him suddenly deciding to do a Luis Tiant-impression. His pitches confused Gamecast and Pitch f/x who thought he was throwing a knuckleball outside of his fastest delivery (classified as a changeup...somehow). Gomes threw batting practice fastballs that were sometimes pulverized. And really, how much did the team save the bullpen from throwing one more inning right before rosters expand?
But here's the thing...it wasn't about using the best prepared position hitter as a pitcher (Andrelton Simmons probably wanted the ball even more). It wasn't about saving the bullpen, though it makes for a nice reason. It wasn't even about a misguided idea of what respecting the game is, though if that were a concern, we could have asked Brian McCann his thoughts on the matter since he wrote the book.
No, it was none of these things. It was about September. It was about a clubhouse that was going through the motions of an awful season in which the Braves are only getting worse. Did you know the Braves are 3.5 games up on last place in the East? In two weeks time, they could be looking up at the Marlins and Phillies and that's actually okay. The Braves are who they are at this point. They own every bit of the league's worst offense and third worst pitching staff. Gone are Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson, who combined for an OPS near .800. Also gone: Alex Wood, who was the Braves second-best starter this year, along with the four most-used relievers this season. Their replacements have often been underwhelming and that's unlikely to change this season. The Braves are trying to see what they have with Mike Foltynewicz and Matt Wisler. Their bullpen is made up of down-on-their-luck veterans and guys like Matt Marksberry, Andrew McKirahan, and Arodys Vizcaino, who are all trying to remain in the picture for 2016. It's far more important to see what Atlanta has in Christian Bethancourt than keep playing A.J. Pierzynski, even though they are a better team with AJ in the lineup. All of these things come with expected growing pains.
So, Gomes taking the mound might seem like a small blimp in an otherwise-awful year, but I promise you that the Braves clubhouse had a different feel not present when the Phillies rocked them 12-2 on August 1. When the Brewers shut out the Braves 11-0 back on May 22, I am willing to wager that the Braves players felt worse about that game than they did about Friday's shellacking. The Braves took it on the chin, but came away with a smile. Sure, it was their 17th lost of August - which ensures that August will be their worst month this year. And yeah, it was the 19th time this season they lost by at least five runs. But at the end of the night, it was the most fun many of us Braves fans have had in weeks when it came to our team.
Look, losing sucks. I'll even paraphrase Heathers. Losing sucks losers dry. Well, that didn't make as much sense as it did in the movie (when losing was replaced with "real life"), but you get the point. Most of the time, losing is simply no fun and all-too-often, it's heartbreaking. The Braves lost last night like they have been doing with regularity since their 6-1 start. Williams Perez stunk, the bullpen wasn't much better, and outside of Freddie Freeman, the offense looked non-existent. But...the Braves still won. Their clubhouse was given something to laugh about. Their fans were given something to be happy about and almost as importantly, something to tune in to watch for. For one-half inning, the crushing weight of a crap-filled season was lifted. I'll take that mockery of the game over watching Edwin Jackson try to throw another inning any day of the week.
Don't get me wrong - Gomes looked awful on the mound and every bit of a guy who has never pitched a game in his life (which he hadn't). His pitching motion evolved during the inning with him suddenly deciding to do a Luis Tiant-impression. His pitches confused Gamecast and Pitch f/x who thought he was throwing a knuckleball outside of his fastest delivery (classified as a changeup...somehow). Gomes threw batting practice fastballs that were sometimes pulverized. And really, how much did the team save the bullpen from throwing one more inning right before rosters expand?
But here's the thing...it wasn't about using the best prepared position hitter as a pitcher (Andrelton Simmons probably wanted the ball even more). It wasn't about saving the bullpen, though it makes for a nice reason. It wasn't even about a misguided idea of what respecting the game is, though if that were a concern, we could have asked Brian McCann his thoughts on the matter since he wrote the book.
No, it was none of these things. It was about September. It was about a clubhouse that was going through the motions of an awful season in which the Braves are only getting worse. Did you know the Braves are 3.5 games up on last place in the East? In two weeks time, they could be looking up at the Marlins and Phillies and that's actually okay. The Braves are who they are at this point. They own every bit of the league's worst offense and third worst pitching staff. Gone are Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson, who combined for an OPS near .800. Also gone: Alex Wood, who was the Braves second-best starter this year, along with the four most-used relievers this season. Their replacements have often been underwhelming and that's unlikely to change this season. The Braves are trying to see what they have with Mike Foltynewicz and Matt Wisler. Their bullpen is made up of down-on-their-luck veterans and guys like Matt Marksberry, Andrew McKirahan, and Arodys Vizcaino, who are all trying to remain in the picture for 2016. It's far more important to see what Atlanta has in Christian Bethancourt than keep playing A.J. Pierzynski, even though they are a better team with AJ in the lineup. All of these things come with expected growing pains.
So, Gomes taking the mound might seem like a small blimp in an otherwise-awful year, but I promise you that the Braves clubhouse had a different feel not present when the Phillies rocked them 12-2 on August 1. When the Brewers shut out the Braves 11-0 back on May 22, I am willing to wager that the Braves players felt worse about that game than they did about Friday's shellacking. The Braves took it on the chin, but came away with a smile. Sure, it was their 17th lost of August - which ensures that August will be their worst month this year. And yeah, it was the 19th time this season they lost by at least five runs. But at the end of the night, it was the most fun many of us Braves fans have had in weeks when it came to our team.
Look, losing sucks. I'll even paraphrase Heathers. Losing sucks losers dry. Well, that didn't make as much sense as it did in the movie (when losing was replaced with "real life"), but you get the point. Most of the time, losing is simply no fun and all-too-often, it's heartbreaking. The Braves lost last night like they have been doing with regularity since their 6-1 start. Williams Perez stunk, the bullpen wasn't much better, and outside of Freddie Freeman, the offense looked non-existent. But...the Braves still won. Their clubhouse was given something to laugh about. Their fans were given something to be happy about and almost as importantly, something to tune in to watch for. For one-half inning, the crushing weight of a crap-filled season was lifted. I'll take that mockery of the game over watching Edwin Jackson try to throw another inning any day of the week.
Minor League Stats Pack for August 29
Coming down the stretch for the minor league seasons, here is this week's Minor League Stat Pack. As usual, be sure to check out the major league companion article I posted today at About.com.
Gwinnett - Mallex Smith
For August, Smith has hit a robust .348 with 13 steals. He's walked 8 times to 16 K's and added eight extra base hits, a single-month high for this year. He's picked up a base hit in his last seven games, which matches his AAA personal record. It is not his best streak this year, though. He has a pair of eight-game hit streaks in AA plus an 11-game hit streak. But when you're hitting .310 on the year, you kind of expect to have a lot of hit streaks. He needs five more steals to match Randy Ventura's steal-total for the franchise-high.
Mississippi - Rio Ruiz
Speaking of hit streaks, Ruiz currently has a 13-game hit streak and has finally started to hit this season after a disappointing season in Mississippi. In August, Ruiz is hitting .316 with 11 extra-base hits, including three homers. For reference, he had 13 extra-base hits during the first four months of the season and just one homer. He's shown great plate discipline, but the rest of his game coming along is a huge boost. For the record, of his 457 plate appearances this year, only eight have come against pitchers younger than Ruiz, who turned 21 on May 22. The Braves are aggressive with their youth and sometimes it leads to long adjustment periods. Ruiz is finally coming around.
Carolina - Jake Schrader
He won't make many prospect lists, but Schrader has been a consistent bat ever since the Braves drafted him out of Tampa in the 2013 27th round. After hitting .290 for Rome, Schrader has hit .265 with a team-leading 14 homers for Carolina. His 174 total bases paces the club while his 28 doubles is tied for the team lead. One slight problem with Schrader. Ignoring that his power is still less-than-ideal for a 1B and he's old for the Carolina League at 24, Schrader has never seen a pitch he didn't like. The fact that he's walked 19 times this year in 399 PA is a testament to the wildness of youngin's at that level. Amazingly, it's not even the most extreme numbers of walks to plate appearances we've seen this year in the Braves system. Sean Godfrey has walked just 15 times in 437 PA.
Rome - Touki Toussaint
Shut down for precautionary purposes, Toussaint finished his first full season with just 87.2 innings in 17 starts as both the D'Backs and the Braves heavily monitored his pitch count. He walked a lot of batters (48) and overall, his numbers look poor. Even with that in mind, the Coral Springs Christian Academy alum will be on the Top 100 lists for many publications heading into 2016. The potential of Toussaint may have been most on display on July 20. He shutdown the Lakewood BlueClaws over six innings without allowing a hit. He walked four batters and struck out eight before leaving after 85 pitches. There's a lot to be excited about. He's only scratching his surface.
Danville - Juan Yepez
After struggling after a well-earned promotion to Danville, Frank Wren's final high-priced international prospect has turned the corner. With hits in his last seven games, Yepez has increased his batting average to .282 from the .169 it was before. He's worked a trio of three-hit games into this streak and has hit his 2nd and 3rd homers the last two days. Yepez has only played first base and DH'd since his promotion as Austin Riley has handled third base, but Yepez may still turn into a good hitter in his own right. The 17 year-old is hitting .295/.367/.459 with 4 HR in 55 games overall.
GCL - Jonathan Morales
A 25th rounder out of Miami-Dade College, Morales saw his playing time opportunities increase in the wake of Lucas Herbert's injury. The 20 year-old Morales has taken advantage, hitting .295/.372/.508 with 7 HR and an even 14/14 BB/K ratio. He's also thrown out 43% of potential base stealers. There wasn't much written about Morales before the draft, nor a lot since, but the Braves have to be thrilled with the immediate returns. Like Schrader, we must caution our enthusiasm since Morales is facing a lot of younger pitchers, but any 25th rounder posting his numbers deserves a second look.
DSL - Luis Mora
Unlike many that might get mentioned from the DSL, Mora was repeating his stay in the Dominican. The 6'4" righty threw 38 innings last year with more walks than strikeouts - or innings pitched for that matter. The 20 year-old continues to be winless in his professional career, though that doesn't tell us much. However, he lowered his WHIP from 2.18 to 1.18, his ERA from 10.18 to 3.80, and his K/B rate from 0.81 to an even 2.0. It was night-and-day for Mora, who might need to get pushed to Danville because he'll be 21 when next year's rookie squads are preparing for the 2016 season.
Gwinnett - Mallex Smith
For August, Smith has hit a robust .348 with 13 steals. He's walked 8 times to 16 K's and added eight extra base hits, a single-month high for this year. He's picked up a base hit in his last seven games, which matches his AAA personal record. It is not his best streak this year, though. He has a pair of eight-game hit streaks in AA plus an 11-game hit streak. But when you're hitting .310 on the year, you kind of expect to have a lot of hit streaks. He needs five more steals to match Randy Ventura's steal-total for the franchise-high.
Mississippi - Rio Ruiz
Speaking of hit streaks, Ruiz currently has a 13-game hit streak and has finally started to hit this season after a disappointing season in Mississippi. In August, Ruiz is hitting .316 with 11 extra-base hits, including three homers. For reference, he had 13 extra-base hits during the first four months of the season and just one homer. He's shown great plate discipline, but the rest of his game coming along is a huge boost. For the record, of his 457 plate appearances this year, only eight have come against pitchers younger than Ruiz, who turned 21 on May 22. The Braves are aggressive with their youth and sometimes it leads to long adjustment periods. Ruiz is finally coming around.
Carolina - Jake Schrader
He won't make many prospect lists, but Schrader has been a consistent bat ever since the Braves drafted him out of Tampa in the 2013 27th round. After hitting .290 for Rome, Schrader has hit .265 with a team-leading 14 homers for Carolina. His 174 total bases paces the club while his 28 doubles is tied for the team lead. One slight problem with Schrader. Ignoring that his power is still less-than-ideal for a 1B and he's old for the Carolina League at 24, Schrader has never seen a pitch he didn't like. The fact that he's walked 19 times this year in 399 PA is a testament to the wildness of youngin's at that level. Amazingly, it's not even the most extreme numbers of walks to plate appearances we've seen this year in the Braves system. Sean Godfrey has walked just 15 times in 437 PA.
Rome - Touki Toussaint
Shut down for precautionary purposes, Toussaint finished his first full season with just 87.2 innings in 17 starts as both the D'Backs and the Braves heavily monitored his pitch count. He walked a lot of batters (48) and overall, his numbers look poor. Even with that in mind, the Coral Springs Christian Academy alum will be on the Top 100 lists for many publications heading into 2016. The potential of Toussaint may have been most on display on July 20. He shutdown the Lakewood BlueClaws over six innings without allowing a hit. He walked four batters and struck out eight before leaving after 85 pitches. There's a lot to be excited about. He's only scratching his surface.
Danville - Juan Yepez
After struggling after a well-earned promotion to Danville, Frank Wren's final high-priced international prospect has turned the corner. With hits in his last seven games, Yepez has increased his batting average to .282 from the .169 it was before. He's worked a trio of three-hit games into this streak and has hit his 2nd and 3rd homers the last two days. Yepez has only played first base and DH'd since his promotion as Austin Riley has handled third base, but Yepez may still turn into a good hitter in his own right. The 17 year-old is hitting .295/.367/.459 with 4 HR in 55 games overall.
GCL - Jonathan Morales
A 25th rounder out of Miami-Dade College, Morales saw his playing time opportunities increase in the wake of Lucas Herbert's injury. The 20 year-old Morales has taken advantage, hitting .295/.372/.508 with 7 HR and an even 14/14 BB/K ratio. He's also thrown out 43% of potential base stealers. There wasn't much written about Morales before the draft, nor a lot since, but the Braves have to be thrilled with the immediate returns. Like Schrader, we must caution our enthusiasm since Morales is facing a lot of younger pitchers, but any 25th rounder posting his numbers deserves a second look.
DSL - Luis Mora
Unlike many that might get mentioned from the DSL, Mora was repeating his stay in the Dominican. The 6'4" righty threw 38 innings last year with more walks than strikeouts - or innings pitched for that matter. The 20 year-old continues to be winless in his professional career, though that doesn't tell us much. However, he lowered his WHIP from 2.18 to 1.18, his ERA from 10.18 to 3.80, and his K/B rate from 0.81 to an even 2.0. It was night-and-day for Mora, who might need to get pushed to Danville because he'll be 21 when next year's rookie squads are preparing for the 2016 season.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Once a Brave, Always a Brave - International Edition
One more look around the world as this series takes us to the players who are playing in either Japan, Korea, or Mexico. For a previous look at this list from way back in May, click here. As usual, these lists cannot be considered exhaustive and with more research, I probably could find more.
Japan / Nippon Professional Baseball
Barbaro Canizares (Fukoda)...A Cuban refugee, Canizares joined the Braves in 2006 and made his major league debut three years later when he had four hits in 21 PA. A trade sent him back down to Gwinnett at the trading deadline. He would spend 2010 with Gwinnett before playing three years in Mexico plus a stop in the American Association. He's trying his luck in Japan and recently hit his first homerun.
Deunte Heath (Hiroshima)...We often think of the hitters that enjoy a move to Japan, but Heath has been solid since moving to Hiroshima last season. The Atlanta-born righty was cut in 2010 and later appeared for the Chicago White Sox, but didn't stick. In 36 total games since last season, Heath has a 2.13 ERA and 1.17 WHIP to go along with over a K an inning.
Ernesto Mejia (Saitama)...Like Canizares, Mejia was blocked at Gwinnett and last year, in his third year with them, the Braves allowed him to seek an opportunity in Japan. He hit great last year (.950 OPS, 34 homers), but has struggled this season though he has continue to hit homers at a nice rate (18 in 101 games).
Ken Ray (Tohoku)...The Atlanta native, who pitched in 69 games with the Braves in 2006, didn't play last year. That hasn't stopped the now 40-year old from pitching in 17 games this season, including 14 starts. He's been a solid pitcher for the Golden Eagles and leads them in ERA among starters (3.10). Crazy that he's still around.
Korean Baseball Organization
Jung Bong (LG/Seoul)...I feel bad for missing this guy last time I did this. Bong is in his ninth year with the LG Twins and his fourth year since moving from starter-to-closer. His first three years were solid, but he has been homer-prone this year. Bong appeared in 45 games with the Braves and three with the Reds after being dealt for Chris Reitsma.
Andy Marte (KT/Suwon)...He's hitting about like you might think he ought to considering he's never had much of a problem hitting pitching that grades below major league (.361/.426/.614). Marte, who hit his first MLB homer in four years with the D'Backs last season, but that just shined light on what Marte never became all those years ago when he seemed like a sure bet.
Yunesky Maya (Doosan/Seoul)...Formerly a Cuban defector the Nats signed, Maya appeared in 16 games between 2010-13 with Washington and sucked in nearly everyone of them. The Braves tried their luck last season with Maya and he was decent enough with Gwinnett, though gave up well over a hit an inning by the time they moved on in July and he went to Korea. While okayish last year, he stunk this season and was later cut.
Mexican League
Luis Ayala (Tabasco)...As much as I cringed when he came into games during 2013, Ayala stayed out of trouble and got groundballs. He spent some of last year with Buffalo for the Jays and then a stop in Tabasco. His 2015 season was a more extended stay with the Olmecas and he was very solid with a 2.04 ERA and 17 saves in 51 games. Gotta wonder if this is it for Ayala, who turns 38 in January.
Kyle Farnsworth (Puebla)...Yep. Farny is still around. A little more than a month ago, he began his return to life action by appearing in middle relief for the Pericos. Before that, Farnsworth was last seen getting cut by the Astros last June.
Freddy Garcia (Monterrey)...A recent addition to the Random Ex-Braves collection, Garcia started the year with the Dodgers organization, but after being cut, he headed to Tabasco. He wasn't much better there, but has gotten on a nice run with Monterrey since July.
Diory Hernandez (Veracruz)...Signed back in 2002, Hernandez spent portions of three seasons with the Braves between 2009-11 and hit .157. I'd like to say that was unfair, but Hernandez was known for his glove and not much else. The Braves released him and after a 2012 spent with the Cubs and Astros organizations, Hernandez headed south of the border.
Wil Ledezma (Puebla)...I hated the trade to get Ledezma. I hated the deal that sent Ledezma away. After failing to make the Twins roster this spring, Ledezma headed back south to play with Puebla, an eventual playoff team.
Donell Linares (Saltillo)...Another Cuban defector, Linares first played with the Braves in 2008 and after a solid year with Myrtle Beach the following year, he spent two years at Mississippi hitting .259 with a .689 OPS. Atlanta cut him and he headed to Mexico where he has played since. He's been a .333 hitter in the Mexican League...for whatever that's worth.
Michael Nix (Saltillo)...Still living the dream. Nix was a 2005 11th rounder out of Auburn who made it to Richmond in 2008 before being cut. He's bounced around since with stops in the Rockies, White Sox, and most recently, Padres organization. He's also spent parts of six seasons in the Atlantic League. Seeking to increase his jersey collection, he's in Mexico this year where he's been a sturdy starter for the Saraperos, which, if Wikipedia is to believed, means serape user. Okay...
Max Ramirez (Tabasco)...I hated the trade to acquired Bob Wickman in 2006, but only because I loved Ramirez. However, the young catching prospect never developed into a hitter, batting .217 over 45 games with the Rangers during 2008 and 2010. He did show plate discipline and still does. After playing in eight different organizations, Ramirez has spent this year in Mexico for two different teams and posted a near-.900 OPS. He'll only be 31 this October so you have to think someone will give him a chance this offseason.
Atahualpa Severino (Monterrey)...The 5'10" southpaw spent last year with Gwinnett as he tried to get back into the majors, but never got much of a look. He tried the Angels this offseason, but the PCL didn't agree with him and he was cut. His control has been awful since heading to Mexico.
Oscar Villarreal (Monterrey)...Yep, El Vulture is still around. Few Braves deserved more disdain than Villarreal in 2006. He seemed to come in just to give up a run so that the starter lost a chance at the win. The offense would take the lead back and magically, Villarreal was 9-1 on the season with a FIP of 4.83. He even started four games because we couldn't have nice things in 2006. Villy has spent the bulk of the last three years with Monterrey both as a middle reliever and closer and has been pretty decent, but as a Braves fan, I still get flashbacks of Bobby Cox going to him and holding on for dear life.
Recently Profiled in Once a Brave, Always a Brave...
The Indies
NL West
NL Central
Japan / Nippon Professional Baseball
Barbaro Canizares (Fukoda)...A Cuban refugee, Canizares joined the Braves in 2006 and made his major league debut three years later when he had four hits in 21 PA. A trade sent him back down to Gwinnett at the trading deadline. He would spend 2010 with Gwinnett before playing three years in Mexico plus a stop in the American Association. He's trying his luck in Japan and recently hit his first homerun.
Deunte Heath (Hiroshima)...We often think of the hitters that enjoy a move to Japan, but Heath has been solid since moving to Hiroshima last season. The Atlanta-born righty was cut in 2010 and later appeared for the Chicago White Sox, but didn't stick. In 36 total games since last season, Heath has a 2.13 ERA and 1.17 WHIP to go along with over a K an inning.
Ernesto Mejia (Saitama)...Like Canizares, Mejia was blocked at Gwinnett and last year, in his third year with them, the Braves allowed him to seek an opportunity in Japan. He hit great last year (.950 OPS, 34 homers), but has struggled this season though he has continue to hit homers at a nice rate (18 in 101 games).
Ken Ray (Tohoku)...The Atlanta native, who pitched in 69 games with the Braves in 2006, didn't play last year. That hasn't stopped the now 40-year old from pitching in 17 games this season, including 14 starts. He's been a solid pitcher for the Golden Eagles and leads them in ERA among starters (3.10). Crazy that he's still around.
Korean Baseball Organization
Jung Bong (LG/Seoul)...I feel bad for missing this guy last time I did this. Bong is in his ninth year with the LG Twins and his fourth year since moving from starter-to-closer. His first three years were solid, but he has been homer-prone this year. Bong appeared in 45 games with the Braves and three with the Reds after being dealt for Chris Reitsma.
Andy Marte (KT/Suwon)...He's hitting about like you might think he ought to considering he's never had much of a problem hitting pitching that grades below major league (.361/.426/.614). Marte, who hit his first MLB homer in four years with the D'Backs last season, but that just shined light on what Marte never became all those years ago when he seemed like a sure bet.
Yunesky Maya (Doosan/Seoul)...Formerly a Cuban defector the Nats signed, Maya appeared in 16 games between 2010-13 with Washington and sucked in nearly everyone of them. The Braves tried their luck last season with Maya and he was decent enough with Gwinnett, though gave up well over a hit an inning by the time they moved on in July and he went to Korea. While okayish last year, he stunk this season and was later cut.
Mexican League
Luis Ayala (Tabasco)...As much as I cringed when he came into games during 2013, Ayala stayed out of trouble and got groundballs. He spent some of last year with Buffalo for the Jays and then a stop in Tabasco. His 2015 season was a more extended stay with the Olmecas and he was very solid with a 2.04 ERA and 17 saves in 51 games. Gotta wonder if this is it for Ayala, who turns 38 in January.
Kyle Farnsworth (Puebla)...Yep. Farny is still around. A little more than a month ago, he began his return to life action by appearing in middle relief for the Pericos. Before that, Farnsworth was last seen getting cut by the Astros last June.
Freddy Garcia (Monterrey)...A recent addition to the Random Ex-Braves collection, Garcia started the year with the Dodgers organization, but after being cut, he headed to Tabasco. He wasn't much better there, but has gotten on a nice run with Monterrey since July.
Diory Hernandez (Veracruz)...Signed back in 2002, Hernandez spent portions of three seasons with the Braves between 2009-11 and hit .157. I'd like to say that was unfair, but Hernandez was known for his glove and not much else. The Braves released him and after a 2012 spent with the Cubs and Astros organizations, Hernandez headed south of the border.
Wil Ledezma (Puebla)...I hated the trade to get Ledezma. I hated the deal that sent Ledezma away. After failing to make the Twins roster this spring, Ledezma headed back south to play with Puebla, an eventual playoff team.
Donell Linares (Saltillo)...Another Cuban defector, Linares first played with the Braves in 2008 and after a solid year with Myrtle Beach the following year, he spent two years at Mississippi hitting .259 with a .689 OPS. Atlanta cut him and he headed to Mexico where he has played since. He's been a .333 hitter in the Mexican League...for whatever that's worth.
Michael Nix (Saltillo)...Still living the dream. Nix was a 2005 11th rounder out of Auburn who made it to Richmond in 2008 before being cut. He's bounced around since with stops in the Rockies, White Sox, and most recently, Padres organization. He's also spent parts of six seasons in the Atlantic League. Seeking to increase his jersey collection, he's in Mexico this year where he's been a sturdy starter for the Saraperos, which, if Wikipedia is to believed, means serape user. Okay...
Max Ramirez (Tabasco)...I hated the trade to acquired Bob Wickman in 2006, but only because I loved Ramirez. However, the young catching prospect never developed into a hitter, batting .217 over 45 games with the Rangers during 2008 and 2010. He did show plate discipline and still does. After playing in eight different organizations, Ramirez has spent this year in Mexico for two different teams and posted a near-.900 OPS. He'll only be 31 this October so you have to think someone will give him a chance this offseason.
Atahualpa Severino (Monterrey)...The 5'10" southpaw spent last year with Gwinnett as he tried to get back into the majors, but never got much of a look. He tried the Angels this offseason, but the PCL didn't agree with him and he was cut. His control has been awful since heading to Mexico.
Oscar Villarreal (Monterrey)...Yep, El Vulture is still around. Few Braves deserved more disdain than Villarreal in 2006. He seemed to come in just to give up a run so that the starter lost a chance at the win. The offense would take the lead back and magically, Villarreal was 9-1 on the season with a FIP of 4.83. He even started four games because we couldn't have nice things in 2006. Villy has spent the bulk of the last three years with Monterrey both as a middle reliever and closer and has been pretty decent, but as a Braves fan, I still get flashbacks of Bobby Cox going to him and holding on for dear life.
Recently Profiled in Once a Brave, Always a Brave...
The Indies
NL West
NL Central
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Happy birthday, Julio!
Today is Julio Franco's 57th birthday. Yes, he's just 57. Isn't that an odd idea that someone can only be just 57?
It was 2001 that Franco magically arrived on the team. After letting Andres Galarraga leave, the Atlanta Braves made the decision that Rico Brogna was their guy at first base. Rico had been a productive player between 1995-1999, bashing 20 homers four times, but Brogna was a Brave because he was cheap. He had hit .232 in 2000 while splitting time between the Phillies, Red Sox, and injuries. The Braves got him for $1.5M as a stopgap option. He got off to a good start, but after April 14, Brogna posted a .570 OPS with 2 HR.
Shortly before Brogna's season came to a close in mid-July, the Braves spun the Wheel of Guys Who No Longer Could Play Baseball and came up with Ken Caminiti. Braves fans remembered the damage the steroid-aided Caminiti did to the Braves when the Padres beat Atlanta in the '98 NLCS. He would also bash the Braves for three more homers in the NLDS as an Astro in 1999, but the Braves won that series. However, a year after hitting .303 for the Astros while dealing with injuries, Caminiti had been a failure for the Rangers, who cut him on July 2. Three days later, the Braves came calling. It would have been one thing if Caminiti hit as a Brave, but he didn't and instead, we were tasked with watching him look exactly like a guy who had never played first base in his life. As Philip Seymour Hoffman said while portraying Art Howe in the film Moneyball, "First base is the moon to him (Scott Hatteberg)." But it wasn't the moon...it was Pluto to Caminiti. He had been a three-time Gold Glover at third base (though that was 1995-97), but at first base, it was as ugly as you might expect.
All the while the Braves offended the baseball Gods with Brogna and Caminiti, they also had the 25 year-old rookie, Wes Helms, who actually started nearly as many games as Brogna. While Helms would rocket ten homers during the year - more than Brogna and Caminiti combined - he only on-based .293. He wasn't an option, either. Neither was Dave Martinez, who got four starts at first. No, the Braves needed another option.
Enter Franco, who had been playing for the Mexico City Tigers and hitting .437 with 18 HR over 110 games. Franco's time in the majors since the end of the 1997 season had included one game where he struck out in his only at-bat as a Ray. Outside of that, he had played for Samsung in Korea between a pair of seasons with Mexico City along with a run in 1998 with Chiba Lotte in Japan. It was a shot in the dark, but once Franco joined the Braves when rosters expanded, he immediately joined the lineup. He was like a myth come to light. 43 years YOUNG and with a body that made the 24 year-old Andruw Jones look fat, Franco stepped in and went 0-for-4 against the Cubs. The next day, he had two hits. Three days later, a three-hit game and a homer and he was off. Over his last 19 games, Franco hit .328 with 2 HR and an .878 OPS. Suddenly, for the first time all year, the Braves had a first baseman. Franco even homered in both the NLDS and NLCS.
Franco became a force for the Braves. While he destroyed lefties, he handled righties well enough to hit .291 as a Brave. Platoon partners cycled in and out of Atlanta. Matt Franco in 2002, Robert Fick in 2003, and finally a rookie Adam LaRoche in 2004. The emergence of LaRoche led the Braves to finally decide to cut the cord with Julio after the 2005 season. He would head to where old Braves went in the 2000s to remain competitive...the Mets. He hit .273 in 2006 with New York and even played some third base for the first time since his rookie year of 1982.
The game seemed to finally catch up with Franco in 2007. He hit an even .200 over 50 AB with the Mets and it no longer became a cute story. The Mets released Franco on July 16. That allowed the Braves to swoop him and pick him three days later. For the Braves, Franco represented yet another option to provide stability to first base like he had done in 2001. Scott Thorman had bombed, Craig Wilson had been released, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was hitting .284, looked uncomfortable at first base. Of course, Franco's chances of playing meaningful time ended before it even really began as the Braves acquired Mark Teixeira less than two weeks after Franco signed. That left the veteran without a purpose and he was sent to the minors where he would stay before returning in a pinch-hit role when rosters expanded. His last at-bat came on September 17. With Atlanta leading 10-6 in the 8th, Julio Franco, then 49 years-old, hit for Peter Moylan and singled in Kelly Johnson.
Atlanta moved on and in 2008, Franco opened the year with the Quintana Roo Tigers before announcing his retirement. He briefly served as a manager in the Gulf Coast League and the Mexican League, but Franco would return for seven games in the since-folded United Baseball League in 2014. This year, he's a member of the Ishikawa Million Stars where he serves as player-manager. One of his players is Eri Yoshida, a side-arming knuckleballer who taught herself to throw a knuckleball by watching Tim Wakefield.
Franco remains one of the most well-loved players in recent Braves history. His run with Atlanta was amazing and at 56, he still keeps busy with the game he adores.
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| Jed Jacobsohn | Getty Images |
Shortly before Brogna's season came to a close in mid-July, the Braves spun the Wheel of Guys Who No Longer Could Play Baseball and came up with Ken Caminiti. Braves fans remembered the damage the steroid-aided Caminiti did to the Braves when the Padres beat Atlanta in the '98 NLCS. He would also bash the Braves for three more homers in the NLDS as an Astro in 1999, but the Braves won that series. However, a year after hitting .303 for the Astros while dealing with injuries, Caminiti had been a failure for the Rangers, who cut him on July 2. Three days later, the Braves came calling. It would have been one thing if Caminiti hit as a Brave, but he didn't and instead, we were tasked with watching him look exactly like a guy who had never played first base in his life. As Philip Seymour Hoffman said while portraying Art Howe in the film Moneyball, "First base is the moon to him (Scott Hatteberg)." But it wasn't the moon...it was Pluto to Caminiti. He had been a three-time Gold Glover at third base (though that was 1995-97), but at first base, it was as ugly as you might expect.
All the while the Braves offended the baseball Gods with Brogna and Caminiti, they also had the 25 year-old rookie, Wes Helms, who actually started nearly as many games as Brogna. While Helms would rocket ten homers during the year - more than Brogna and Caminiti combined - he only on-based .293. He wasn't an option, either. Neither was Dave Martinez, who got four starts at first. No, the Braves needed another option.
Enter Franco, who had been playing for the Mexico City Tigers and hitting .437 with 18 HR over 110 games. Franco's time in the majors since the end of the 1997 season had included one game where he struck out in his only at-bat as a Ray. Outside of that, he had played for Samsung in Korea between a pair of seasons with Mexico City along with a run in 1998 with Chiba Lotte in Japan. It was a shot in the dark, but once Franco joined the Braves when rosters expanded, he immediately joined the lineup. He was like a myth come to light. 43 years YOUNG and with a body that made the 24 year-old Andruw Jones look fat, Franco stepped in and went 0-for-4 against the Cubs. The next day, he had two hits. Three days later, a three-hit game and a homer and he was off. Over his last 19 games, Franco hit .328 with 2 HR and an .878 OPS. Suddenly, for the first time all year, the Braves had a first baseman. Franco even homered in both the NLDS and NLCS.
Franco became a force for the Braves. While he destroyed lefties, he handled righties well enough to hit .291 as a Brave. Platoon partners cycled in and out of Atlanta. Matt Franco in 2002, Robert Fick in 2003, and finally a rookie Adam LaRoche in 2004. The emergence of LaRoche led the Braves to finally decide to cut the cord with Julio after the 2005 season. He would head to where old Braves went in the 2000s to remain competitive...the Mets. He hit .273 in 2006 with New York and even played some third base for the first time since his rookie year of 1982.
The game seemed to finally catch up with Franco in 2007. He hit an even .200 over 50 AB with the Mets and it no longer became a cute story. The Mets released Franco on July 16. That allowed the Braves to swoop him and pick him three days later. For the Braves, Franco represented yet another option to provide stability to first base like he had done in 2001. Scott Thorman had bombed, Craig Wilson had been released, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was hitting .284, looked uncomfortable at first base. Of course, Franco's chances of playing meaningful time ended before it even really began as the Braves acquired Mark Teixeira less than two weeks after Franco signed. That left the veteran without a purpose and he was sent to the minors where he would stay before returning in a pinch-hit role when rosters expanded. His last at-bat came on September 17. With Atlanta leading 10-6 in the 8th, Julio Franco, then 49 years-old, hit for Peter Moylan and singled in Kelly Johnson.
Atlanta moved on and in 2008, Franco opened the year with the Quintana Roo Tigers before announcing his retirement. He briefly served as a manager in the Gulf Coast League and the Mexican League, but Franco would return for seven games in the since-folded United Baseball League in 2014. This year, he's a member of the Ishikawa Million Stars where he serves as player-manager. One of his players is Eri Yoshida, a side-arming knuckleballer who taught herself to throw a knuckleball by watching Tim Wakefield.
Franco remains one of the most well-loved players in recent Braves history. His run with Atlanta was amazing and at 56, he still keeps busy with the game he adores.
This Week at About.com
In addition to my award-winning* posts here, I also write for AtlantaBraves.About.com and this week saw the publication of three new articles there. I have one ready for Monday so keep an eye open for that. As always, I would be indebted if you would click on the following links as page clicks there are kind of nice.
Braves Having No Regrets About Trading Heyward
Yeah, Shelby Miller's win-loss record is poor. It goes beyond just playing for a bad team when you are 5-10 with a 2.50 ERA. Miller has just been unlucky, but that hasn't stopped the Braves from feeling like they made the right deal in sending Jason Heyward to the Cardinals. Regardless of what Tyrell Jenkins does - he's been shut down for the season - Miller's success and three more years of team control makes this deal a clear winner for the Braves...though depending on how the Cards finish October, they may also think of this deal as a winner.
The Top 5 Left-Handed Starters in Braves History
The Braves have two of the very best left-handed starters in history with Tom Glavine and, maybe the top southpaw, Warren Spahn. However, who else makes this list? Did Alex Wood do enough in his short time? How about Steve Avery? Suffice it to say, those not making this list include: Mike Hampton, Jo-Jo Reyes, and Chuck James.
Saturday Stats Pack
In this week's major league companion to the minor league series I do here, I looked at a few fun or odd observations such as where the Braves rank all-time in players used this season, diving into Shelby Miller's two-seamer, Andrelton Simmons' strikeout percentage in context, and how the Braves may need a strong finish from Mike Foltynewicz to avoid doing something they haven't done since 2008.
Thanks for reading and remember to subscribe or follow me on Twitter for updates.
*My Mom awarded me "Best Little Blogger" award.
Braves Having No Regrets About Trading Heyward
Yeah, Shelby Miller's win-loss record is poor. It goes beyond just playing for a bad team when you are 5-10 with a 2.50 ERA. Miller has just been unlucky, but that hasn't stopped the Braves from feeling like they made the right deal in sending Jason Heyward to the Cardinals. Regardless of what Tyrell Jenkins does - he's been shut down for the season - Miller's success and three more years of team control makes this deal a clear winner for the Braves...though depending on how the Cards finish October, they may also think of this deal as a winner.
The Top 5 Left-Handed Starters in Braves History
The Braves have two of the very best left-handed starters in history with Tom Glavine and, maybe the top southpaw, Warren Spahn. However, who else makes this list? Did Alex Wood do enough in his short time? How about Steve Avery? Suffice it to say, those not making this list include: Mike Hampton, Jo-Jo Reyes, and Chuck James.
Saturday Stats Pack
In this week's major league companion to the minor league series I do here, I looked at a few fun or odd observations such as where the Braves rank all-time in players used this season, diving into Shelby Miller's two-seamer, Andrelton Simmons' strikeout percentage in context, and how the Braves may need a strong finish from Mike Foltynewicz to avoid doing something they haven't done since 2008.
Thanks for reading and remember to subscribe or follow me on Twitter for updates.
*My Mom awarded me "Best Little Blogger" award.
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