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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3,193 comments Add your comment
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:06 pm
DOB-
I “heard” the Goods was terrible. I “saw” Couple’s Retreat…thats how…duh! Pay attention! I also agree w/ Lavell…the only thing of recent memory I felt like came 1/10th close to The Hangover was What Happens in Vegas.
Rob-
Atkins will be non-tendered by Colorado. They’ve already moved on with Ian Stewart.
Toasty-
Look at the parks he played in though. Citizens, Dolphins, and Nationals are much more favorable than PETCO and At&t.
Steve-
My point is not the offering to LaRoche, BUT that he won’t take a 1-yr deal from the Braves when he’ll get 3 from someone in the market.
Jeffrey D -
Thanks! This means we’ll be keeping Vazquez then because anything Olney says isn’t believable. I was a little worried about that til now.
Whew! I think I covered enough of you with that one post.
TcD
November 11th, 2009
12:06 pm
BAS —
Just catching up on the overnite stuff during a boring con call — and here is my solution to your problem — get a couch with a recliner on one or both ends. They are great and take up no more room than a regular couch….
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:07 pm
Wayne-
I could see a 1% chance it would happen if the Braves would trade Lowe somewhere else AND agree to take on Cordero’s contract to be our closer with Votto.
I still say nothing gets him though…
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:09 pm
I still really like Atkins for 1b though…
Solid glove and his hitting will be back in 2010. And he never did regress on his ability to hit w/ RISP or in the clutch, and the Braves need another hitter like that…
More so than that, it gives ability to bring in a higher priced LF to hit cleanup.
That and, can you give me a lineup better than one that would have Atkins hitting 8th in June?
Couch Tater
November 11th, 2009
12:10 pm
I can’t see Castellini signing off on any Votto deal. I could see either Harang or Cordero getting moved to open up salary. But Castellini knows that fans are out of patience. I don’t see him gutting the club to balance the books for 2010. Remember, Arroyo and Harang are in the last year of their contract. -John Fay, Cincinnati Enquirer
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/
Steve from OH
November 11th, 2009
12:12 pm
Oh no, Roachy won’t accept, but at least we’ll recoup a draft pick for him is my point…
jeffrey d
November 11th, 2009
12:13 pm
Griffey just signed with Seattle again. Make sure we keep DOB and Hudson in different rooms.
Mitchie-san
November 11th, 2009
12:14 pm
Looks like Junior will be around one more year…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thehotstoneleague/2010250884_ken_griffey_jr_will_be_a_marin.html
GboroBravo
November 11th, 2009
12:14 pm
DOB saw The Goods, possibly one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I do like him in Entourage, but the Goods was just terrible.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
12:15 pm
Steve/Efrim
And if he did accept, that wouldn’t be all bad either. Would he bet a year to see if two things might happen: Freeman falls on his face, or LaRoche puts up more consistent numbers in 2010 so as to make his 2010 free agency more valuable?
David O'Brien
November 11th, 2009
12:16 pm
Hudson announcement now seems likely to happen
Wednesday, Thursday, not today. Hudson is traveling (he’s doing a bunch of other players’ charity events this winter in addition to holding his own such event) and Wren and his top assistants, plus Roger McDowell and new minor league pitching coordinator Dave Wallace, are all flying to Arizona this afternoon, so it’s likely they’ll wait until tomorrow to announce the Hudson thing.Daybed Wagmoe
November 11th, 2009
12:17 pm
Buster Olney’s saying that other GMs are “expecting” the Braves to trade Vazquez.
I saw this on Buster’s video blog today also. There were also many reporters “expecting” the Padres to trade Peavy last offseason, and that didn’t happen. There were plenty of reporters “expecting” the Braves to trade for Peavy, saying that it was only a matter of time and it made too much sense for both sides.
I hope that we get nothing less than the best bat on the market for Vazquez. Anything short of a 30-HR, power-hitting corner OF or 1B is unacceptable.
I know that Pujols isn’t a likely target as St. Louis isn’t likely to trade him, but I’d love to see the Braves go after him, even if they’d have him under contract for only 2 years. After Wainwright and Carpenter, their rotation is rather mediocre, and landing Vazquez could help them fill it out. We could throw a couple of highly-rated prospects in there too.
On second thought, that sounds like another Teixeira-type trade that would come back to bite us in the long run.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
12:17 pm
Mitchie
Thanks for your service, and for all the other vets out there!
Junior resigns! Seattle is a glutton for punishment, I guess. Was it a club friendly contract?
David O'Brien
November 11th, 2009
12:18 pm
Votto is a pipe dream…..we don’t match up. — Wayne
Votto is a pipe dream for any team — because they’re not trading him.
P-Town Bravo: “Pay attention?” To someone who loved Couples Retreat? Nah.
Eavesdropper
November 11th, 2009
12:20 pm
Folks,please ignore Jeff Schmuck,He has absolutely no Baseball acumen!
Mailman
November 11th, 2009
12:21 pm
DOB today is Wednesday.
Mitchie-san
November 11th, 2009
12:21 pm
Wayne,
Thanks, dude. Happy Vets day to you and your son.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
12:21 pm
Daybed
Cardinals would be crazy to trade Pujols, unless they knew some unfavorable news was about to be released, and even then you would have to include Heyward or Hanson, or both to get him.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
12:24 pm
Mitchie
Back in my day, anybody who got a primo assignment (Hawaii, California, etc) was said to be on the Thule Greenland wait list.
Watch out!
David O'Brien
November 11th, 2009
12:25 pm
By the way, not to belabor the point, because I don’t think The Goods is any all-time classic comedy or anything (I just said it’s very funny and worth seeing if you’re into Piven’s Entourage-style humor), but just so no one’s scared off by the words of, say, our regular above who liked Couples Retreat, here’s the first paragraph of the review of The Goods from Roger Ebert:
by Roger Ebert
‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard” is a cheerfully energetically and very vulgar comedy. If you’re okay with that, you may be okay with this film, which contains a lot of laughs and has studied Political Correctness only enough to make a list of groups to offend. It takes place after a failing car dealer calls in a hired gun and his team to move goods off the lot over the Fourth of July.
He said it better than I could. And I concur.
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:26 pm
DOB-
Oh, I forgot…you’re too “good” for that…
BTW, if you get the chance, tune in to ESPN Classic at 5pm Sunday.
They’re showing the Kansas tournament game from 2006
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
12:29 pm
Haven’t seen a movie in a long time. We normally go to the movies on Thanksgiving night. Anything good out there now, or coming in the next few weeks. (no R rated recommendations necessary, I don’t watch R movies)
Mitchie-san
November 11th, 2009
12:30 pm
Wayne,
I know! I am worried about where my next assignment may be. Probably taking weather observations in Siberia…
Most likely Ill head back out on a ship. Which is fine with me.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:31 pm
Freeman, once he arrives, will be cheaper and under team control longer than Votto. Freeman, if he lives up to billing, should have more pop in his bat than Votto.
Ok, don’t be ridiculous. Votto is a proven major leaguer who is still really cheap. Freeman is a good prospect who struggled in AA. I’m as big a prospect hugger around, but let’s don’t
startcontinue with the crazy talk.P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:31 pm
Wayne-
If thats the case, you’ll want to go see Old Dogs with Robin Williams, John Travolta, and Seth Green. That comes out then and looks like a hit.
Regardless of what he says, I know my movies.
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:32 pm
Roman Gal-
Thank you. I pretty well stated as much earlier.
Proven Talent > Unproven Talent
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
12:32 pm
What was the old saying….”Join the Navy and see the world!…..thru a porthole”
At the time, I joined the AF because I didn’t think I would like to be on a ship, but looking back, I could have been wrong??
David O'Brien
November 11th, 2009
12:33 pm
lavell12: No doubt, The Hangover is on another level entirely. One of the funniest movies in years. And so is Zombieland, the second-funniest movie I saw this year and one of my 10 or so favorite movies of the year along with The Hangover.
Willie Montanez
November 11th, 2009
12:34 pm
I think the only player they offer arb. too is Gonzalez.
They’ll offer arb to LaRoche. Bank on it. They’d love nothing more than to wrap him up on a one year commitment… otherwise, they’ll take the pick…
David O'Brien
November 11th, 2009
12:34 pm
I meant to day Thursday for Hudson announcement, not Wednesday. Days blend together when holed up in the basement media workroom of an airport hotel, or standing around a crowded lobby with 40 other reporters waiting for morsels of news.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:34 pm
If I’m wrong, I’ll gladly admit it later. DOB
If you can gladly admit you’re wrong, you must be a saint. I don’t know about y’all, but when I’m wrong, I start making fun of other people. And I’m most certainly not glad to admit that I’m wrong…98.6% of the time anyways.
Braveheart
November 11th, 2009
12:35 pm
Why isn’t Buster Olney believable? That’s ridiculous to me. He talks to a million folks involved in the sport, reads a million articles a day it seems, and he reports what’s being said. When you say you don’t believe what he reports what you’re saying is you don’t believe what the folks in baseball are telling him or what those writers he cites are writing about (usually based upon information those writers gained from talking to other folks in baseball). It’s not really a believability issue with Olney himself. All he does is report. The believability you’re taking him to task for is better aimed at the folks who told him the information he reported. Or do you believe Buster doesn’t talk to all those people and doesn’t really read those articles and doesn’t really accurately relay the information he’s told and that he reads? If so, that’s where you take his credibility to task. I don’t believe that to be the case with Buster.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
12:36 pm
RG
Yeah, we can get a little crazy with our prospect hugging. If an opportunity comes along to get a proven major league talent (not just an average player, but above average), then I think you have to entertain dealing your prospect and taking the proven guy.
BUT, I wouldn’t go out looking for proven top drawer young talent, if I had a prospect that I realistically thought would have a chance to be above average in a year or two.
Does that make sense?
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:36 pm
I expect arb. to be offered to both LaRoche and Gonzo. I expect them to let Soriano walk and tell Kelly and Church to walk if they can’t trade them for scraps first.
The Vazquez extension is a HUGE piece because if they can extend him, I expect Lowe to be gone ASAP.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:37 pm
I pretty well stated as much earlier.
I suppose a good point can never be made too many times. Wait…nevermind. That’ll just open up a whole nother can of worms. Sorry, P-Town, I should’ve read the blog more thoroughly. You’ll just have to remember that I’m part of the ADD generation…that’s my excuse anyways.
jeffrey d
November 11th, 2009
12:40 pm
Yeah, we can get a little crazy with our prospect hugging
Unless that prospect is JoJo Reyes.
Phil Karns
November 11th, 2009
12:41 pm
The Hangover really wasn’t that funny. A funny movie needs funny dialogue, with a lot of one-liners that people use for years to come. The Hangover was a series of events taking place that were somewhat humorous, but not laugh-out-loud funny by any mean. Really funny comedies have been few and far between for a long time because the dialogue just isn’t there. Old School is the last one that comes to mind.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:42 pm
Does that make sense? Wayne
It sure does and I agree. It’s the same thing with Hanson and Peavy last year. Granted, the Padres probably wanted Hanson + about half of our farm for Peavy, but honestly I’m not entirely opposed to dealing Freeman if the right deal came along. I certainly think that Votto (not that I’m saying he’s available) is someone that I would trade Freeman for. And when Frank Wren calls to ask me my opinion, I’ll tell him. Wait! Today’s “talk in third person day,” isn’t it? I should say….When Frank Wren calls Roman Gal to ask for Roman Gal’s opinion, Roman Gal will tell him what exactly Roman Gal thinks about Roman Gal’s ideas.
Yep. Much better.
Soph
November 11th, 2009
12:42 pm
JoJo could use a hug too…
David O'Brien
November 11th, 2009
12:43 pm
Heyward probably won’t play winter ball; not definite yet, but not likely. He’s healing fine from low-back strain, but they don’t really want to have him rush to get back and play winter ball after playing so little in past two months.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:44 pm
Unless that prospect is JoJo Reyes.
Someone is bound to flip out if/when he’s traded or let go. Jo-Jo just needs a healthy dose of Change of Scenery.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:47 pm
I noticed the AJC changed their logo. I don’t think I like it better than the old one. I wish I could remember which type they used for the old “ajc” in the little blue circle, but the new “ajc” looks different. Maybe it’s just because the blue is darker now.
jeffrey d
November 11th, 2009
12:47 pm
JoJo could use a hug too…
Just saying…his name comes up in a lot of the ridiculous trade proposals. Jurrjens is the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball and no offer would ever be good enough for him. But with Jojo, it’s more like “he’s really good, I promise! This oughta up that offer. Sucker….”
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:47 pm
Just heard someone mention signing Figgins and moving Chipper to 1b…
Like Chipper’s ego would EVER let that happen!
Sadly I am in full agreement with these guys as in his regression at 3b is killing the team AND he in reality should be batting 6th.
Bob Griese
November 11th, 2009
12:47 pm
Gordo JoJo needs to lay off the tacos and burritos, and mix in a salad or two.
jeffrey d
November 11th, 2009
12:48 pm
Hey, new logo. Oh, Roman Gal beat me to it.
Didn’t they just change it? Or is my sense of time way off again?
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:48 pm
Roman Gal-
Funny you say that because I actually have ADD.
DOB-
Did I mention watching that Kansas/Bradley game on Sunday?
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:50 pm
Funny you say that because I actually have ADD.
Dang…well, I guess I won’t get any sympathy from you. I’ll have to think of another excuse. Just give me a little while….
Mitchie-san
November 11th, 2009
12:50 pm
Hey Wayne,
I dont know, I think I got around so far here is a list of some port visits I have gotten over the years…
Kyoto, Japan…Shimoda, Japan…Muroran, Japan…Sapporo, Japan…Nagoya, Japan…Sasebo, Japan (2)…Okinawa, Japan (3)…Tokyo, Japan…Pusan, South Korea (4)…Chinhae, South Korea (4)…Pyongtaek, South Korea…Manila, Philippines…Subic Bay, Philippines(2)…Guam (2)…Saipan…Hong Kong, China (3)…Zhanjiang, China…Shanghai, China…Goa, India…Phuket, Thailand…Pattaya Beach, Thailand…Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2)…Singapore, Singapore (3)…Colombo, Sri Lanka…
Cairns, Australia…Townsville, Australia…Sydney,Australia(2)…Brisbane, Australia(2)…Noumea, New Caledonia…Vladivostok, Russia…Pearl Harbor, HI…Kauai, HI
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
12:51 pm
Oh and for Random…
EVERY guy on this radio show I’m listening to talk about the Braves says its not even worth acquiring a leadoff hitter or base stealer til Bobby leaves because Bobby doesn’t play ABC baseball and steal any bases.
So apparently I’m not the only one…
Soph
November 11th, 2009
12:52 pm
I think they updated the logo a few days ago. I noticed it yesterday.
Mitchie-san
November 11th, 2009
12:52 pm
There’s others that I have forgotten…some I cant tell you…
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:52 pm
Didn’t they just change it?
It’s been that way for a couple of days. I’m just slow to post my thoughts, I suppose.
jeffrey d
November 11th, 2009
12:53 pm
I’ll have to think of another excuse. Just give me a little while….
Francoeur? The economy? KJ? Schafer’s ears?
Steve from OH
November 11th, 2009
12:54 pm
EVERY guy on this radio show I’m listening to talk about the Braves says its not even worth acquiring a leadoff hitter or base stealer til Bobby leaves because Bobby doesn’t play ABC baseball and steal any bases.
Sigh.
Braveheart
November 11th, 2009
12:54 pm
Whatever happened to ADD? Seems like everyone gets diagnosed as ADHD these days.
Steve from OH
November 11th, 2009
12:55 pm
Whatever happened to ADD? Seems like everyone gets diagnosed as ADHD these days.
Apparently you haven’t been reading the case files of Dr. Paul Lentz…
jeffrey d
November 11th, 2009
12:55 pm
It’s been that way for a couple of days
Oh has it? I hadn’t noticed. But what I meant was it seems like they just redid the logo a couple months ago.
Soph
November 11th, 2009
12:55 pm
Schafer’s ears?
Uh oh. Someone hold her back.
RobU
November 11th, 2009
12:55 pm
The Goods was pretty good, but Piven is so great in Entourage that any role he does is going to have a hard time living up to it.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:56 pm
Schafer’s ears?
That’s not an excuse. Schafer’s ears are one of the 7 Modern Wonders of the World. Wait…that doesn’t help my case either.
jeffrey d
November 11th, 2009
12:57 pm
What? It’s a good reason.
“I couldn’t catch up on old blog postings because Schafer’s ears are so big.”
I’ve seen worse logic on here.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
12:58 pm
Whatever happened to ADD? Seems like everyone gets diagnosed as ADHD these days.
Kids these days…they can’t even get diagnosed with the right disorders.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
1:00 pm
I’ve seen worse logic on here.
Like…”Oh, where’s jeffreyd?”
“He’s probably laying on the side of a street somewhere after Roman Gal got to him.”
“Why is that?”
“Because he started talking about Schafer’s ears!”
…Wait, that’s good logic.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
1:00 pm
Roman Gal and jeffrey d
I have long been one of the “Reyes” fools, I guess. I have seen a myriad of lefthanders with “stuff” let go, only to emerge later in another program and do well.
And that doesn’t necessarily mean ONLY lefties.
Chris Carpenter was a late bloomer. (I looked up about 6-8 of them once, but right now, I can’t remember all of them)
While it will not break my heart if JoJo is dealt or released, I am still watching for signs that he “gets it”. If we can salt him away in AAA for a couple of more years, who knows?
I take some encouragement from half his starts in 2008, which were good to great. Of course, the other half of his starts, he sucked, but that is another story……
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
1:00 pm
I’m saying “wait” a lot today. What’s a good synonym for “wait”?
AdirondackDave
November 11th, 2009
1:01 pm
This Hudson signing is beginning to sound like the Generalissimo Franco saga.
Soph
November 11th, 2009
1:01 pm
I’ve seen worse logic on here.
I won’t argue with you there. Soooo true.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
1:02 pm
Halt!
Soph
November 11th, 2009
1:03 pm
lol I was going to say hold your horses but halt works.
Braveheart
November 11th, 2009
1:03 pm
Yeah, RG, ADD was just too analog for these kids. Needed to upgrade to ADHD.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
1:04 pm
If we can salt him away in AAA for a couple of more years, who knows?
I’m pretty sure he’s out of options now. I don’t know if they plan on sticking him in the bullpen or what this year. Who knows where Jo-Jo’s gonna go-go.
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
1:07 pm
Braveheart-
I have ADD.
Minus the H because I’m simply the most laid back and least hyperactive person you’d ever meet, well, unless you see me on the ball field…then I play, well, think some combination of Marcus Giles, David Eckstein, and Aaron Rowand.
Gets difficult occasionally, especially considering my job requires me to constantly multi-task.
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
1:08 pm
But hey, right now I’m blogging, listening to a podcast, and working on a case report on my other monitor.
So I guess I’m doin a-ok today.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
1:08 pm
ADD was just too analog for these kids.
First slide rules and now this…
Greg Olson Homers
November 11th, 2009
1:10 pm
I will say, female member of Piven’s sales team was hilarious. Just said the most outrageous things you arent expecting.
Roman Gal
November 11th, 2009
1:10 pm
Next thing you know, Weejuns will be going out of style and we’ll be giving eulogies at Barbie’s funeral.
Random
November 11th, 2009
1:19 pm
Bay Area Steve (November 10th, 2009 1:51 pm): “Braveheart’s line was funny. A bit insensitive perhaps, but to single out that line is to weigh political correctness over funny. We know the source, we know there is no harmful intent, funny wins.”
Maybe so — à chacun son goût. No qualification at all would be required had I known for sure that it was meant in jest. That’s why I was pining for a possibly omitted emoticon.
“And, knowing your content here, is it possible you singled the line out because he disagrees with your KK position? For me, certainly not sayin’ dude’ll be traded. But, 100% won’t be? Seems unknowable.”
Nah — of course I could be wrong about Kawakami. It’s probly* quite likely.
But I won’t be taking personally all the guff and stuff I’m sure to get in that event, so why should I in advance?
What I was taking umbrage to was the trivialization of Hiroshima/Nagasaki. Ever been to either of those cities?
But that veers too closely to politics, so I was willing to just drop it. Until you brought it up again.
It’s over now, I hope.
PS: I also ignored this comment. Are you sure you want to be numbered in his company?
* I prefer “probly” to “prolly”. It takes a truly slackmouthed adolescent to be unable to pronounce at least one of the “b”s.
bravito199
November 11th, 2009
1:19 pm
How about JJ for Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas
dmack2027
November 11th, 2009
1:19 pm
One reason the Reds could move Votto is that Yonder Alonso is blocked at 1B in the minors. His bat is probably getting close, so they might feel they could move Votto without a serious drop in production.
Plus, they should collect a number of nice prospects dealing such a young and inexpensive player.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
1:20 pm
Mitchie
Spent 3 glorious weeks on TDY on Okinawa back in 1977. Got to see a blackbird land, and was quickly escorted to the hanger. That was the highlight of my trip!
On the way over, we stayed in Hawaii one night, and Guam one night. Winds were too strong to land at our normal refueling stop, so we got diverted to Kwajalein AB for fuel. Stayed there about 2 hours. Gilligans Island! Big victory for us in WWII.
BravesfaninWis
November 11th, 2009
1:22 pm
LEW
No problem man, and I totally get what you are saying about Votto. Words get confused around here sometimes, and I hope I didn’t come off as a jerk.
Steve from OH
November 11th, 2009
1:24 pm
I prefer “probly” to “prolly”. It takes a truly slackmouthed adolescent to be unable to pronounce at least one of the “b”s.
Thank you! I can’t stand people who say “prolly.” Or those idiots who can’t distinguish between “your” and “you’re.”
DiamondJim
November 11th, 2009
1:25 pm
Wayne in Utah: “Got to see a blackbird land” – even better, got to see the Blackbird takeoff at Mildenhall, England – that is really awesome. Also got to watch the Concorde touch and go for about an hour at Prestwick, Scotland. Awesome planes.
Daslied
November 11th, 2009
1:31 pm
Who else agrees that any team that gives Figgins $10MM per over several years will regret it rather quickly?
Logan
November 11th, 2009
1:32 pm
End Times sports reporter Nostra Dames predicted the Braves will finalize a new contract with Tim Hudson. It’s just a matter of time.
beekay
November 11th, 2009
1:33 pm
Our next Tommy Hanson is only 18 yrs.old
Signed: Columbia, 2007. .
Background: The Braves signed Teheran for $850,000, the largest bonus given to a pitcher on the international market in 2007. After pitching sparingly in 2008 because of shoulder tendinitis, Teheran returned to the Rookie-level Appalachian League last summer and ranked as the loop’s top prospect.
Strengths: Teheran throws easy heat with plus command and mound presence beyond his years. His fastball resides at 92-96 mph and holds its velocity throughout the game. His sharp, mid-70s curveball has good depth and can be a plus pitch, particularly after he tightened its spin. His 79-82 mph changeup is also an above-average pitch at times, with depth, fade and screwball-like movement. He has impressive poise that some scouts believe borders on cockiness.
Weaknesses: Teheran is still learning how to pitch. His physical stamina needs some work, and scouts have some concerns about his mechanics, which aren’t effortless. He has a long arm rotation in the back of his herky-jerky delivery that creates deception but attracts questions about his durability.
The Future: Teheran has all the ingredients to develop into a frontline starter. He’s expected to return to low Class A Rome to open the 2010 slate. While the Braves will be cautious due to his youth and lack of physical maturity, Teheran could accelerate his timetable.
beekay
November 11th, 2009
1:34 pm
DOB
I guess Piven recovered from his mercury poisoning. I read that he is a huge a-hole in real life but he is quite funny.
Steve from OH
November 11th, 2009
1:35 pm
Daslied–me! I do!
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
1:36 pm
Daslied-
I don’t. He was ranked as one of the very best defensive 3b in all of baseball and can play multiple positions which allows a team some flexibility over the length of his contract. He can’t hit for power, but he will get his doubles and triples, and even if he doesn’t he turns them into doubles with stolen bases.
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
1:37 pm
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t feel that many players are worth 10M/season but he is worth a good multi year deal and that apparently is what the going rate is at.
beekay
November 11th, 2009
1:37 pm
next B-Mac ??
Background: Bethancourt starred for Panama at the 2004 Little League World Series, and four years later he signed with the Braves for $600,000 as the top catching talent on the international market. In his U.S. debut last season, he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and helped Danville win the Appalachian League title.
Strengths: Bethancourt stands out with his skills and presence behind the plate. He has soft hands, plus-plus arm strength and a quick release. His pop times to second have registered as low at 1.78 seconds, and he threw out 30 percent of basestealers in 2009. He swings the bat well with a short stroke and is expected to hit for some power as his body matures and he gains experience.
Weaknesses: While the raw abilities are obvious, Bethancourt is somewhat rough on the finer aspects of catching. He can improve his lateral movement and ability to block balls in the dirt. He’s a free swinger who needs to gain better command of the strike zone. He’s athletic for a catcher but a below-average runner.
The Future: With his ideal frame and leadership abilities, Bethancourt could develop into a special player. At 18, he’ll be one of the younger players in the low Class A South Atlantic League in 2010.
2009 Club (Class) AVG OBP SLG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB
GCL Braves (R) .284 .344 .431 116 22 33 9 1 2 19 11 22 7
Danville (R) .260 .339 .480 50 10 13 5 0 2 8 6 16 1
Daslied
November 11th, 2009
1:38 pm
There should be a law stating that if Jeremy Piven continues to rehash the “PCU” character*, he should also have to keep the same hairline.
*Insert Piven-portrayed character, as they’re all the same.
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
1:38 pm
Diamond Jim
I live in the shadows of Hill AFB, in Utah, and we get the F16 flyovers quite frequently. When I was at Keesler AFB, the C-130’s landed at all hours of the night, and I kinda got used to having planes around. At Travis AFB, it was the site of the huge C-5’s lumbering across the sky. Lived in the glide path of Houston International for 3 years.
Love them planes!
O.J.
November 11th, 2009
1:39 pm
Who here thinks that Russel Branyan’s monster homerun year was just a fluke?
Wayne in Utah
November 11th, 2009
1:41 pm
I think Figgins might be worth more along the lines of 7-8 million per year, for 3-4 years max.
DiamondJim
November 11th, 2009
1:41 pm
Wayne – I flew as Loadmaster on the C-141B for 22 years in the AF Reserves in Charleston, SC. Over 10,000 hours in the air. Sometimes I miss flying, but other times, no. Got to be too much like active duty – too much BS!
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
1:43 pm
Here’s another off the wall idea.
Would anyone trade Lowe for Mat Gamel and a Carlos Villanueva?
P-Town Brave
November 11th, 2009
1:44 pm
Here’s another one to just simply eliminate his salary:
Lowe for Hoffpauir (or Fox) and Samardzjia
Steve from OH
November 11th, 2009
1:44 pm
I suppose I should qualify that with saying that the team will be disappointed with him offensively (overall). Dude has been an average-ish overall offensive player over his career. Does play good D at 3B, but do teams really want to trade so-so offense for good D at third base in lieu of the converse? I’m not as impressed by his versatility as some because according to UZR, he’s below-average defensively at all 3 OF spots, 2B and SS. Given that, especially if his signing team plans to play him at one of those spots, is he worth it? Average offense and below-average D? Do stolen bases really mean that much to you?
If he plays at 3B, he might be worth 10MM/year. He might.