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Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,067 comments Add your comment
Jonas
February 22nd, 2010
1:52 pm
reporting time is tomorrow..2/23/10 for position player ..Esco/Prado are not lated, they are drinking the last Mojito of the winter, before reporting time.
O.J.
February 22nd, 2010
1:53 pm
Bravosimos, i mean, its the 3rd or 4th day of camp, I am sure they dont have the radar guns out yet, and if they do, the numbers dont mean anything.
Andrew in PA
February 22nd, 2010
1:54 pm
Heyward flexes his muscles
11:14
AM ETAtlanta Braves Top Email The sky’s the limit for the Braves’ Jason Heyward, who ranked No. 1 in our Keith Law’s list of Top 100 Prospects.
Heyward has turned some heads merely by showing up. David O’Brien of the Atlanta JC tweets this morning that “Jason Heyward reported to Braves camp, and rumors of the uber prospect’s increased muscle mass were not exaggerated.”
A solid spring could put Heyward in contention for the starting spot in right field, where competition will come from Jordan Schafer, among others.
Keith Law
Heyward’s No. 1 for a reason
Heyward will be a middle-of-the-order bat with power and patience while playing above-average defense in right with a plus arm. He has an advanced approach at the plate, something that was already in place when he was a 17-year-old high school senior, and strong, quick wrists that let him commit later to pitches while still driving the ball to all fields. He gets good leverage in his swing and has plenty of loft to eventually produce 30-plus homers a year, and so far hasn’t shown any tendency to expand the zone because he’s trying too hard to hit for power. In the field, he has outgrown center but moves extremely well in right with good reads off the bat. And you can see from all of the above that he has a high baseball IQ, with good feel and/or instincts in every area of the game, especially for someone his age.”
toga party
February 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
“guys i bet you melky shows up with no bread“-Andrew in PA
Now I feel bad. Maybe we should take up a collection or something?
Rob from SC
February 22nd, 2010
1:56 pm
Elon Brave
do you go to USC
McFann
February 22nd, 2010
1:56 pm
bravesgrl4life our mann is looking really good this year.
Good to hear! I’m ready for the season to start, too–this could be a good one!
That stinks that you won’t be able to take your niece to a Spring Training game. Yeah, guess she’ll just have to make a trip to your place!
Oh, and, hey, do me a solid–if you get to talk to BMac any time soon, tell him McFann says a late “Happy Birthday”.
CB
February 22nd, 2010
2:00 pm
McFann, will he know who McFann is?
beekay
February 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
Jason “Ironhead” Heyward
JMU Dukes baseball top 40 and rising!
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
2:09 pm
McFann, I’m trying to get hubby to delay the trip for a week. I can get some sweet dugout level seats at Dark Star the following weekend.
If I get the extreme pleasure of meeting him, I will certainly tell him belated HB from you.
BravePack12352
February 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
Jason “The Beast” Heyward
McFann
February 22nd, 2010
2:14 pm
CB–
No…but she cann elaborate if she wants to.
bravesgrl4life–
Ah, I gotcha…so maybe just a “Hello” would be better…might be a little late for a “Happy Birthday”, but hey, the later the greater.
And thanks, BTW.
Andrew in PA
February 22nd, 2010
2:17 pm
wow now they have hinske up on the front page,very exciting
Smitty
February 22nd, 2010
2:17 pm
It’s gonna be J-Hey or Hey’s
And Roodge Owns
February 22nd, 2010
2:20 pm
Ameteur question: Can a hitter be too tall? Is that ever a concern as (I’ve heard) it is with pitchers?
Rob from SC
February 22nd, 2010
2:26 pm
Where are Prado and Escobar
18 Wheels of Love
February 22nd, 2010
2:28 pm
Jason ‘The Hybrid’ Heyward
Jonas
February 22nd, 2010
2:28 pm
And Roodge Owns …No…Who remenber Dave Kingman (6′6)of The Cubs.
Hillbilly
February 22nd, 2010
2:29 pm
Ameteur question: Can a hitter be too tall? Is that ever a concern as (I’ve heard) it is with pitchers?
Is Ed “Too Tall” Jones too tall?
Does Charlie Daniels play a mean fiddle?
Did the Walton’s take way too long to say “goodnight?”
Does Elmer Fudd have trouble with the letter “R?”
Does a 10 pound bag of flour make a really big biscuit?
Smitty
February 22nd, 2010
2:29 pm
And Roodge Owns: If your talking about Heyward I wouldn’t be to worried about him being 6′5″…there are many player in the Majors that are around that height and he is a very graceful moving 6′5″…he def is not clumsy at all went to see him play in Scranton/W.B. for the AAA playoffs and was very impressed by the fact that he was only 20 at the time
18 Wheels of Love
February 22nd, 2010
2:31 pm
Too bad Chocolate Thunder was already taken! That would have been tremendous.
He could go by ‘Oak’ and come out to Oak Tree by Morris Day and the Time.
UKUGA/brent a.
February 22nd, 2010
2:32 pm
“guys i bet you melky shows up with no bread”
that typo made me laugh more than most . . .
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
2:33 pm
Hillbilly, that made me laugh out loud
Thrillhouse44
February 22nd, 2010
2:34 pm
JMU Dukes baseball top 40 and rising! – beekay
Go Dukes!
CB
February 22nd, 2010
2:35 pm
Hillbilly,you are watching entirely too much TV, don’t you have anything else to do in the hills?
Thrillhouse44
February 22nd, 2010
2:36 pm
Jason “The Beast” Heyward – BravePack
Sean Taylor used to be called “Meast” for Man-beast. But recycling a nickname diminishes it, I believe.
CB
February 22nd, 2010
2:36 pm
I forgot my smiley
toga party
February 22nd, 2010
2:37 pm
Does anyone remember from last year if mlb.tv had any price discounts at the beginning of the season? Like how most cable companies have a $10 – $15 discount on MLB Extra Innings during the first week of the season?
Asked another way, is the current pricing ($100 for regular, $120 for premium) likely to be the best deal until after the all-star break?
Thanks for any input.
CB
February 22nd, 2010
2:38 pm
Chipper called Heyward “The Freak”. Is that taken?
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
2:39 pm
Posted a story on Hank Aaron and his thoughts on Heyward, Hanson, steroids, Cox’s final season, etc. Click on link at top of right-hand side of this blog
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
2:40 pm
CB, isn’t that what they call Tim Lincecum?
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
2:40 pm
CB: The Freak is Jevon Kearse’s nickname. So it’s taken, at least for football.
Hillbilly
February 22nd, 2010
2:41 pm
CB, just waiting on turkey season and baseball. And I don’t even know why I chose the name “Hillbilly.” I live in South Central Arkansas so I’m really a river-bottom flat-lander.
Bravesgrl4life, Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle? Now THAT would be a great one for a Geico Commercial.
toga party
February 22nd, 2010
2:44 pm
Hillbilly, I think Aflack might use it first.
Master of Karate and Friendship
February 22nd, 2010
2:45 pm
Also, Tim Lincecum is known as The Freak, along with The Franchise.
CB
February 22nd, 2010
2:45 pm
DOB and bravesgrl4life,maybe Heyward will show what “A Real Freak” is.
And Roodge Owns
February 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Answers on the tallness much appreciated.
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Hillbilly – so true.
Jonas
February 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
toga party….No ,that it the price, I was subcribe last year to MLBTV and was a disaster, first they freeze a lot, it about 3 to 4 minute delay, you has to have a fast internet connection to received the feed. Also if you are in the Atlanta Market the TV feed is block, you can swithch in to the radio feed, but that it..I don’t expending my money this year on that.
claudell
February 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
How about “The Natural”, and we’ll put him on the cover of Sports Illustrated?
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
Maybe “Real Freak” will be used for Heyward. I can’t wait to see him hit against Lincecum
CB
February 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
We are supposed to leave Thurs. for Dark Star. Do you think I can talk the wife into leaving in the morning?
beekay
February 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
Jason “the Haymaker” Heyward
beekay
February 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
“The Heymaker”
Mikeyc588
February 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
DOB,
Didn’t Tim Lincecum already take “The Freak”?
Jonas
February 22nd, 2010
2:54 pm
I got Jason Heyward Nick name….”The Duck”…he was AFLAC All American Prep First baseman….
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
2:56 pm
The Boras legend continues: “This [Detroit] is where I wanted to be from day one,” Damon said “I think [Scott Boras] did a great job.”
thinbreakness
February 22nd, 2010
2:58 pm
Well that’s swell. Must’ve been the threat from Damon’s wife that pushed Dombrowski over the top.
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
2:58 pm
Hearing around here that the Edward Salcedo thing might be a done deal. Not confirmed yet, but that’s the word.
CB
February 22nd, 2010
2:58 pm
DOB,good story on Hank. Now if Heyward can have that career……
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
Mikey: Don’t know how I forgot — yes, Lincecum is The Freak in baseball. So it’s taken twice. At least.
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
That’s a bunch of BS from Damon, don’t you think? He had to say that. I mean, what was he gonna say? “Well, I really didn’t want to go to Detroit, but since they were the only ones putting up the money Scott wanted, I had to take it?”
TommyP
February 22nd, 2010
3:01 pm
Enough with the need for a nickname. This has gone on for, what, 5 hours now?
Wow…
Jonas
February 22nd, 2010
3:03 pm
NO MORE DAMON….NO MORE DAMON…..NO MORE DAMON….NO MORE DAMON
TommyP
February 22nd, 2010
3:03 pm
I’ve read where Salcedo will make the transition to 3B as his frame fills out. Is that accurate? (read an old scouting report of him)
That signing neatly takes the place of our lost first round pick. Well done, Bravos. I hope this becomes a trend when we sign a Type-A free agent.
thinbreakness
February 22nd, 2010
3:04 pm
If anyone has been to Detroit – Do they have an ivory tower there?
ncscoots
February 22nd, 2010
3:05 pm
The Boras legend continues: “This [Detroit] is where I wanted to be from day one,” Damon said “I think [Scott Boras] did a great job.”
I know ballplayers can be dumb as rocks, but, seriously, does Johnny bleepin Damon really think anybody with a functioning brain cell buys that, LOL?
TommyP
February 22nd, 2010
3:05 pm
From some of our prospect gurus, what’s the report on Salcedo?
Arkansas Transplant
February 22nd, 2010
3:06 pm
Jason “The Experience” Heyward
Arkansas Transplant
February 22nd, 2010
3:06 pm
You just don’t know until you “experience” it yourself.
TommyP
February 22nd, 2010
3:06 pm
Hard to take Damon’s comments seriously. About as hard to take as Boras’ claims of offers his clients have from mystery teams.
NCmike
February 22nd, 2010
3:07 pm
I’m still going with the Minotaur (1/2 man – 1/2 bull)
N8
February 22nd, 2010
3:08 pm
“Where are Prado and Escobar
Rumor has it that Escobar enlisted Prado’s help to go and find Brayan Pena and bring him back to Atlanta.
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
3:09 pm
Detroit is awful. My in-laws have a place in Marysville, MI, and you have to go through Detroit to get there if you drive up. Nasty town. We’ve started flying into Flynt so we can come into Marysville from the northside and not have to go through Detroit. Two upsides – not having to go through the constant construction and terrible roads in the City (even the Interstate), and the Flynt airport is a lot less busy than the Detroit Ft Wayne airport.
Half-A-Glass
February 22nd, 2010
3:10 pm
From DOB’s story…..
“On Heyward’s minor league achievements: “Things like that don’t impress me, minor league credentials, what a player does. The thing that impresses me is when a player gets to the major leagues, how well he adapts to the major leagues. I’ve seen a lot of guys come up that had great potential — and I’m not saying he’s going to falter, by no stretch of the imagination; I think he’s going to do well, but I don’t get too excited until after I see them perform in the major leagues.—Henry Aaron”
And that folks is what a relative few have been saying about Heyward on the blog for sometime now. Too many minor league “can’t miss”es have missed. Stuff like “we can’t sign this one or we can’t go after that one…. it will block Heyward!” Heyward is full of potential but potential is just what it is until he does it on the big league level.
I hope Heyward is a star! I know the chances of the Braves succeeding are riding high on his shoulders…… but I ain’t getting the vapors about this young stud (like most here are) until he’s producing at the major league level.
Bottom line…. I hope he’s real. I hope he’s a star. But I ain’t crowning him the king just because he is a physical specimen and has performed at the minor league level. Don’t agree with me? Then argue with the “Hamer” then. He seems to know a thing or two about the game and he agrees with me
)
CB
February 22nd, 2010
3:10 pm
scoots,Boras probably wrote that for him weeks ago and left the team name to be inserted later.
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
3:11 pm
CB, loved the line about Boras leaving that for Damon to fill in the blank.
Jersey Gil
February 22nd, 2010
3:11 pm
Hey guys..this is the Real Deal..the Next Miguel Tejada from the RD.
Remember the Nick Name of Tejada..Gua,Gua(mean in Spanish ‘The Bus”, because Migue drive run in.
Edward Salcedo is a FA SS with a 6′3”, 190 lb. frame from La Vega, Dominican Republic. Big League body, strong and athletic. Smooth, easy defensive actions, easy plus arm, can really play SS. Aggressive swing, power projection, deep load from wide base, good bat speed, geared to drive fastballs, timing will be an issue. All the tools to be a top player. Potential 1st round type if in draft.
NCmike
February 22nd, 2010
3:11 pm
Ok Johnny, whatever you say. I’m sure he’s as happy as Richard Seymour was when he got traded from the Patriots to the Raiders. Just where he wanted to be…
N8
February 22nd, 2010
3:11 pm
Maybe the US Government should hire Boras to do most of the negotiated with their importing and exporting. Seems to me, he could eliminate the defecit in under 2-3 years with his magic he works.
Smitty
February 22nd, 2010
3:12 pm
Hey guys I’m going to create a fantasy league on ESPN.com would any of you be interested?
bigchiefrg
February 22nd, 2010
3:13 pm
how bout Jason ‘The Situation’ Heyward?
RHR
February 22nd, 2010
3:13 pm
+1 for N8
Umm no but really, no word on the whereabouts of my boys Yunel and Marteeeeeeen? Or is that on another blog entry somewhere else? I’ll go look.
bravesgrl4life
February 22nd, 2010
3:13 pm
LOL, N8. You might be right about that.
Bayou Brave
February 22nd, 2010
3:13 pm
The McDonough Masher?
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
3:13 pm
D-backs offered $1 mill for Salcedo, but I haven’t heard what other teams might’ve been involved this time around (Cleveland nearly signed him two years ago for about twice that amount; I’ve heard Braves’ proposed deal with him is for less than $2 mill).
O.J.
February 22nd, 2010
3:14 pm
None of these nicknames make any sense at all. Bobby will probably call him Jace.
Mikeyc588
February 22nd, 2010
3:17 pm
There are some great nicknames out there today, but all too often people just get lazy. I’m completely over the whole A-Rod, D-Wade, T-Mac thing. The absolute best ones, in my opinion, are totally unique like The Say Hey Kid, The Splendid Splinter or The Big Hurt (or even names in basketball like The Answer and Agent Zero). Point being, if Heyward turns out to be half as good as some on this blog, including myself, think he might be, clowns like Stuart Scott will probably call him something boring and trite like J-Hey. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
3:17 pm
The Henry County Heavyweight. Or just Henry County Heavy.
The McDonough Masher
The Bull Brave.
Or something exotic. Divine Intervention, perhaps. No? Hey, just throwing it out there.
rammerjammer
February 22nd, 2010
3:17 pm
Imagine if Bob Cousy visited the Celtics and said, “you know, this sport really needs more white players. We have to figure out a way to get more white guys to play basketball again.”
Or maybe Jim Taylor should return to Green Bay and voice his concern with the lack of white runningbacks in the NFL.
It’s sad that the Henry Aarons of this world can’t just enjoy the events, and admire the work ethic and skills of the participants, without reducing the activity to another social engineering problem.
ncscoots
February 22nd, 2010
3:17 pm
None of these nicknames make any sense at all. Bobby will probably call him Jace.
…after four months of “kid”, maybe.
Jersey Gil
February 22nd, 2010
3:18 pm
DOB..The Baby Bull Braves was Cepeda…
thinbreakness
February 22nd, 2010
3:20 pm
Half Glass-
I think the main reason people are so high on Heyward, aside from the obvious, is that in 1,003 plate appearances he’s made in the minor leagues, he’s only struck out 138 times. In these 3 years his OBP is .391. The guy at 20, strikes out once every 7-8 times at bat. This is marvelous, even in the minor leagues.
ncscoots
February 22nd, 2010
3:20 pm
clowns like Stuart Scott will probably call him something boring and trite like J-Hey. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
Doesn’t matter. The only nickname that counts is the one in the clubhouse.
I kinda like that “McDonough Masher” thing, though, for public consumption. Didn’t someone throw that out there earlier?
David O'Brien
February 22nd, 2010
3:20 pm
Jersey Gil, Cepeda was The Baby Bull. He wasn’t The Bull Brave.
Snotboogie
February 22nd, 2010
3:21 pm
Maybe the US Government should hire Boras to do most of the negotiated with their importing and exporting. Seems to me, he could eliminate the defecit in under 2-3 years with his magic he works. N8
The perfect opening.How long before that guy from Utah chimes in on this with his own perspective.I say 1 hour, max!
RHR
February 22nd, 2010
3:21 pm
Leave the nicknames to me. I’ll have to see him play before I can get a feel for a nickname so lets tap the brakes on nicknames until he makes the opening day 25 man, at least.
JUST SAYIN'
February 22nd, 2010
3:23 pm
Having seen Hank Aaaron’s name (and Red Skelton’s) mentioned on the blog a few times today please forgive me for a little name dropping.
About ten years ago I attended two weeks at the Duke Fat Farm (my wife went with me as a supporter) and the second week Hank Aaron suddenly showed up, unannounced to any of us.
Needless to say most of the twenty or so attendees at that session were very pleased to get acquainted with him. He stayed for the entire week and I got a chance to have a number of casual conversations with him. He told me his wife (Billye) was on a trip to Europe with some girl friends) and he decided this was a good time to make one of his visits to Duke for his “tune-up.” I told him I didn’t think he needed it.
To sum up I can’t remember meeting a nicer gentleman, a fellow who was totally at ease with everyone there and who participated in the program just like the rest of us.
—————-
And about 25 years ago my company made some commercials about one of their products and I was involved in the production. Red Skelton was contracted and surprised me when he said that was his first filmed commercial. He said he did all his commercials on his TV shows LIVE. Again, spending two days with him was an experience my wife and I hold very dear. Red was just as nice as you might imagine. He was funny from the moment he arrived and was “on stage” at all times.
————-
I am getting MLB Extra Innings based on your recommendations and I look forward to not missing any Braves games this year. Let the games begin.
One question; I have looked over the list of unsigned players and I can’t find any for whom I want to trade either Diaz or Melky. Do you know any you’d trade either of them for? That would be the result if we signed anyone else.
Jersey Gil
February 22nd, 2010
3:23 pm
DOB..That’s right..my bad….”THE BULL” Cool…
NCmike
February 22nd, 2010
3:24 pm
Worst nickname ever…. Ryan Anderson…. The Little Unit
Jersey Gil
February 22nd, 2010
3:25 pm
DOB..Where this KID Salcedo going to start?…in A Ball?…Your opinion.
N8
February 22nd, 2010
3:26 pm
The problem with most people hoping that he becomes a star is just that. Why pin all your hopes on him being a star?
How about just letting him be Jason Heyward, and hope that he becomes a solid everyday player? This team doesn’t need stars in the lineup. They need guys that aren’t going to be easy outs and hurt the team more than they help it.
For almost 20 years the core of the Atlanta Braves has been built on excellent pitching, and that will continue with the likes of JJJ and Hanson, along with the guys coming on soon.
A team with a budget to uphold (like the Braves), needs young players to produce at an above average level while they are cheap so they can focus their money on what they like to focus it on. Right now (other than Chipper) the majority of the money invested in this team is in the pitching staff.
If we EXPECT Heyward to be the next Pujols, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment. I’m sure while Wren and the Braves see Jason Heyward as a potential superstar down the road. I bet if you asked them for realistic expectations of him in the next 2-3 years, it would be of somebody that plays above average defense (shouldn’t be a problem), runs the bases well (shouldn’t be a problem) and one who hits for league average BA and power (may or not be a problem with his limited minor league AB’s), all while doing it at a far less cost than they could have signed a guy to play RF until they KNEW Heyward was ready to produce.
Hell, Francoeur was going to cost a few million bucks this year, as would Ryan Church. So if Heyward gives them what Francoeur could have given them (save some horrible AB’s and the K totals), all while showing (and here’s the key) IMPROVEMENT and willingness to be coached, I bet they’ll be elated at that production.
Stop expecting this guy to be the savior by being an instant MVP candidate. When in reality, being the savior of this team’s offense might simply mean hitting .270 with 20ish HR and 80-100 RBI, while doing what he does in the OF.
In other words, as long as he’s not a black hole in the lineup, his production, whatever it may be, will be enough to help contribute to wins.
If this pitching staff holds up health wise, all they need from the lineup is league average at each position to play above .500 ball and have a legit shot to win every night.
Seems to me when we had the soon to be 20+ million dollar man (Tex) in the cleanup spot, we didn’t win games because of the pitching?
I’ve said it before, I’ll keep repeating now. This team offensively is living and dying on what Chipper and Glaus do. The other 6 guys are merely along for the ride and we pretty much know what we’re going to get out of them. Chipper and Glaus are the unknown’s with age and injury. Heyward is a bit of an unknown too. But I think if given 150+ starts in RF, you can probably pencil in a .265 average, 15 HR and 75 RBI just based on what his raw ability will produce. Which is about what Chipper gave the team last year.
Why should a 20 year old rookie with fewer than 200 AB above A-Ball be expected to produce more than a 15 year veteran making 13 million dollars? The answer is that he shouldn’t. Stop putting the weight of the world on this kid and let him play.
Snotboogie
February 22nd, 2010
3:26 pm
rammerjammer,
You are missing his point here, entirely. If you read his comments in full (on the other blog/burst), its hard not to agree with his points. Besides, he is doing this on top of enjoying and admiring “the work ethic and skills of the participants”.
Jersey Gil
February 22nd, 2010
3:27 pm
I got a nick name..how about…” A TEAM “…without the Mohaw cut.
ncscoots
February 22nd, 2010
3:27 pm
RHR is SUCH a deal-killer, LOL. Tapping the brakes, indeed.
Besides, it appears that the kid would have to have a ST faceplant of magnitude beyond human ken to not make the 25-man.
Steve McP
February 22nd, 2010
3:27 pm
Damon probably thought that if Tiger could get away with what he said last week then everybody would be on board with anything he chose (or was instructed) to say.
Mitchie-san
February 22nd, 2010
3:28 pm
MFIKY 2.0?
Snotboogie
February 22nd, 2010
3:29 pm
thinbreakness
LOL at the name change.
N8
February 22nd, 2010
3:29 pm
How about just calling him “BALLGAME”?
Because apparently that’s what opposing managers will be saying when they see that he’s penciled in the lineup.
Willy Wally
February 22nd, 2010
3:30 pm
Gotta bring back Jack Dempsey’s “Manassa Mauler” nickname. Call Heyward the “McDonough Mauler”.
Prospects, Prospects, Prospects
February 22nd, 2010
3:31 pm
How about calling him Prospect until he has actually done something on the major league level?