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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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nolee
June 28th, 2011
6:52 pm
ESPN INSIDER KLaw
When Major League Baseball announced the Futures Game rosters Sunday, many of the usual suspects were there, including seven of the top 10 prospects from my May 31 ranking update: Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Julio Teheran, Shelby Miller, Martin Perez and Manny Machado. But the game also includes a number of prospects I haven’t seen in a while or at all, including these 10 guys who head the list of Futures Game participants I’m most excited to see.
1. Jarred Cosart, RHP, Philadelphia (U.S.): By all accounts, Cosart has one of the most electric arms in the minors, with a fastball that sits 93-98 mph and a hammer curveball at 77-80. He’s a good athlete, but his delivery is still a little stiff. His athleticism should make that issue easy to smooth out, though. Cosart would have pitched in last year’s game but was out with minor arm soreness that went away with time off.
2. Matt Moore, LHP, Tampa Bay (U.S.): He’s perhaps the best left-handed pitching prospect in baseball with a fastball up to 97 and two above-average to plus secondary pitches in the curve and circle-change. Since last year’s All-Star break, Moore has thrown 166 2/3 innings and struck out 237 batters while walking 47. Somehow, he seems to be flying under the radar relative to other top prospects, which has to be because he plays for Tampa Bay.
3. James Paxton, LHP, Seattle (World/Canada): Paxton was a favorite of mine in the 2009 draft, didn’t sign with Toronto as a sandwich pick, fell to the fourth round in 2010, then didn’t sign with Seattle until this past spring. Most pitchers who take that much time off look good in pre-draft stints in independent leagues but can’t maintain it once they sign, but Paxton has gone the other way, finding his old velocity and curveball and struggling more with feel and control.
4. Matt Harvey, RHP, N.Y. Mets (U.S.): Harvey was the seventh pick in last year’s draft and came into pro ball boasting a plus fastball with good downhill plane and a solid average-or-better changeup but struggled with both breaking balls. Reports this year have the breaking balls improving but the changeup regressing — which would still leave him a three-pitch guy, plenty to be a front-line starter given the strength of his fastball. Harvey tore through high Class A, which is what you’d expect a first-rounder drafted out of the ACC to do. He has made one start in Double-A, giving up four runs and allowing 11 baserunners in four-plus innings.
5. Carlos Martinez, RHP, St. Louis (World/Dominican Republic): I’m not sure there’s a more exciting starting pitching prospect in the minors, as Martinez has two plus-plus pitches, including a fastball up to 100 mph, and has been dominating low-A this year. He was knocked around in his second start of the year, but in six starts since then he’s allowed just four runs in 32 innings (that’s a 1.13 ERA) with 10 walks and 42 strikeouts.
6. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Arizona (U.S.): Skaggs was the player to be named later — just a few weeks later, as it turned out — in the trade that brought Dan Haren to Anaheim. Skaggs junked the slower of his two curveballs while he was with the Angels and has seen his velocity gradually creep up into the low-90s as his projectable frame has filled out.
7. Henderson Alvarez, RHP, Toronto (World/Venezuela): My sleeper prospect for Toronto before the 2010 season, Alvarez has seen his velocity jump to the mid-90s, even touching 101 in a recent start, but he’s not likely to do that often. He’s always had a plus changeup and plus control, but his fastball has gained a grade in each of the past two seasons.
8. Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston (World/Venezuela): Altuve is generously listed at 5-foot-7, 170 pounds, and has one major baseball tool — his bat. He hit .408 in the high-A Cal League to start the year and is hitting .366 in Double-A, making a ton of contact despite not walking much at either level. He’s surprisingly strong for his size and maxes out his power by getting his arms extended on almost every swing. But he’s fighting history — according to Baseball-Reference.com, only one player in the past 10 years who was listed at 5-7 or below has qualified for the batting title: David Eckstein. I hope Altuve has enough heart.
9, 10. Jurickson Profar, SS, Texas, and Jonathan Schoop, 3B, Baltimore (World/Curacao): Curacao has produced just a handful of big leaguers, led by right-hander Jair Jurrjens and outfielder Andruw Jones, but a fallow period there might have ended with these two very high-upside infielders. Profar is the true shortstop with incredible instincts, a great eye at the plate and a plus arm, while Schoop has a similar arm and more power but is likely to end up at third or second base
nolee
June 28th, 2011
6:53 pm
OBTW…FIRST!!!!!
Tomahawkin
June 28th, 2011
6:54 pm
I’m not first but I’m “On Deck!”
Am I hitting 5th?
Jimmy
June 28th, 2011
6:55 pm
nolee – I’m with you.Gotta have the air too. If that makes you not a real Braves fan and a bad person, we are a club of two.
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
6:55 pm
Thanks DOB
JS
June 28th, 2011
6:55 pm
first?
Tomahawkin
June 28th, 2011
6:56 pm
I get to be the excellemce of execution hitting second tonight, Yay!
MikeInFl
June 28th, 2011
6:56 pm
MikeInFl – good. Pouring here and thunder everywhere (north of Valdosta).
Planning another trip down to see the Suns. That is a great ballpark.
Really enjoyed the berm in left field..the Knuckle I think they call it.
Jimmy, it is a great park and a good time. I go about once a week on average, I guess. Really enjoyed watching Stanton last year.
Classic minor league baseball promo… Already cheap tickets are 2 for 1 a couple of nights each week with a Kraft Cheese Singles wrapper.
JS
June 28th, 2011
6:59 pm
aw i took too long to read.
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
7:00 pm
Thanks for the blog, Dob.
That Heap is something ain’t he.
Danthecone
June 28th, 2011
7:01 pm
Solid, thanks for giving us the “insider” info, nolee.
Brian McCann for President. I seriously would vote for him if he ran.
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
7:03 pm
nolie_
Weren’t you chided last night for copying and pasting articles? shame, shame
Thanks
nolee
June 28th, 2011
7:04 pm
I is a bad boy Bat. Course I ain’t gonna pay too much attention to what that dingbat says anyway.
Soph
June 28th, 2011
7:05 pm
Heeeeeeeeap
Jimmy
June 28th, 2011
7:08 pm
Mike – after the Albany Polecats moved, then the Macon Braves, the Suns are the closest we’ve got. Been three times an enjoy it greatly. Easy to get to too.
Got to meet Vladie in Albany. He signed a hat and ball. Super nice guy. Kelly Johnson in Macon – same deal. Several years ago, Reggie Ambercrombie in Jax. I love baseball man.
braveslifer
June 28th, 2011
7:09 pm
I loved that pinch hit game by Mac. Glad he picked up his brothers call.
Jimmy
June 28th, 2011
7:11 pm
nolee, aren’t you the original “stupy smelly moron”?
I think that was you.
Be back in a few you good people.
Go Braves!!!!!
(and I don’t work with Ward)
nolee
June 28th, 2011
7:12 pm
I think I am just a smelly moron, not a stupid one too…
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
7:14 pm
McCann’s not old enough to be president.
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
7:15 pm
Only Hudson, Lowe, and Chipper can run for prez
Murph
June 28th, 2011
7:16 pm
(and I don’t work with Ward)
small joke!
Who me?
June 28th, 2011
7:21 pm
“They have hit just .199 – one-ninety-nine! — in their past 15 games.”.
This sentence alone should give Larry Parrish the heebs.
Kat
June 28th, 2011
7:27 pm
David good song choice w/ QOTSA.
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
7:28 pm
People don’t work with Ward, they work for Ward.
Jimmy
June 28th, 2011
7:28 pm
Mike – just checked the rain gauge – almost 2 inches since I got home. Still raining but the thunder has slowed. It’s headed south so maybe will help the fires around Waycross and the Swamp.has conver
Murph – I thought the Ward joke was huge!!!! I am over 30 and it is possible my humor production has dropped, but……
I don’t know Ward but like his comments and like to bring him up when I can. He comes on here at odd hours…stay a few minutes and is then gone. Then around 2-3 a.m., he appears again and has conversations with himself.
Possible male hooker is my guess.
OK, got go do some honeys-do’s.
Go Braves! Go Gators!
Later good folks.
The New Regime
June 28th, 2011
7:29 pm
Ron Paul 2012
The New Regime
June 28th, 2011
7:29 pm
infowars.com
Bob in SF
June 28th, 2011
7:32 pm
Is Brad McCann looking for a job? Would love to see him hired into the Braves system and see how he worked with young guys in the minors before eventually getting him on the big league staff.
George
June 28th, 2011
7:32 pm
Good evening y’ll
Ok We are back tonight to a normal lineup and batting order. Fredi really lost it completely last night with that lineup and batting order. So of course with that stranger than strange lineup last night we won, so back to normal tonight and look out we will lose.
Brave Fan
June 28th, 2011
7:34 pm
Braves need to get Bourne in CF and a LF that can hit! Let Prado play 2B when Chipper is healthy and when Chipper is hurt let Prado play 3rd and Uggla goes to 2B. Chipper retires at the end of the year and then Uggla plays everyday. Use some of the pitching in the organization to make something happen. We are only 2 players from being really good!!!
brian
June 28th, 2011
7:37 pm
time for the old Bravos to hit. Just string together some good hitting games against quality pitching and I think they will take off.
Thrilled to see Big Red back. I still don’t see how effective he was at Houston with his rotator cuff tendinitis. I have had that before and could not even throw a tennis ball to the dog yet nobody knew Hanson was hurting until he came clean.
cabravesfan
June 28th, 2011
7:38 pm
Braves need to get Bourne in CF and a LF that can hit! Let Prado play 2B when Chipper is healthy and when Chipper is hurt let Prado play 3rd and Uggla goes to 2B. Chipper retires at the end of the year and then Uggla plays everyday. Use some of the pitching in the organization to make something happen. We are only 2 players from being really good!!!
So many things in that paragraph that are not happening, starting with Chipper retiring and Marteen playing 2nd…
brian
June 28th, 2011
7:38 pm
Brad McCann was a darn good hitter in the SAL league for Greensboro. I was surprised he fell out of baseball that quickly. I bet he is a darn good coach.
I have tried to get my son a lesson at their baseball academy but they do not even return my phone calls or emails there
nolee
June 28th, 2011
7:39 pm
Sorry, but none of that is likely to happen Brave Fan
Uggla is not gonna sit and the Braves are not gonna spring for an impact player(maybe a cheapie) and Chipper is not gonna retire unless he gets a serious injury.
You need to formulate another plan for us.
kurula
June 28th, 2011
7:42 pm
maybe brian’s brother would be interested in being the braves’ hitting instructor……..
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
7:43 pm
Enter your comments here
nolee
June 28th, 2011
7:44 pm
let’s get Brian’s brother and Chipper’s dad both.
nolee
June 28th, 2011
7:44 pm
oooh, good post Tom…onea yur better ones
Murph
June 28th, 2011
7:44 pm
Phillies are up 2-0 already
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
7:46 pm
I know they say brevity is the soul of wit Tom O’, but you gotta do better than that.
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
7:46 pm
I guess you CAN learn something new everyday.
Putting your moniker back, and hitting ENTER, is tantamount to submit.
Oh well, at least my moniker is back.
Hello, LAdy
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
7:48 pm
nolee
At least it’s one of the few that doesn’t piss anybody off……except me.
cabravesfan
June 28th, 2011
7:48 pm
Hi Tom
Where did your moniker run off to this time?
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
7:49 pm
Thanks, Bat.
I knew I should’ve just ran and hid under the bed after that post.
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
7:51 pm
What other moniker is Tom? Is he George? I knew it!
George
June 28th, 2011
7:51 pm
I will watch our Braves tonight, did not watch last night till after the collage WS was over, it was a heck of a good game. Tonight at 8:00 eastern time I will again watch USC vs FLA, then come to the Braves game. I brought them luck last night doing that. We won. That Beachy kid is really good.
Murph
June 28th, 2011
7:52 pm
Time to go home and face the 3 year old.
Pray for me.
Bill
June 28th, 2011
7:53 pm
Braves fan, Bourn would be great but Chipper will be back (where do you get he will retire..no way ) and Prado will be in outfield.
George
June 28th, 2011
7:53 pm
Chipper should talk to his dad again, he is in king of a slump.
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
7:54 pm
Where did your moniker run off to this time?
“CC Cleaner” & “Disk Defragmenter” treatment. I usually do every month, and it wipes out stuff like that.
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
7:54 pm
Good luck Murph.
Anytime Tom O’
George
June 28th, 2011
7:54 pm
kind of*
Bill
June 28th, 2011
7:55 pm
Be thankful Murph! They grow up fast.
cabravesfan
June 28th, 2011
7:55 pm
I see. Mine disappears every time my computer freezes or crashes.
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
7:55 pm
What other moniker is Tom? Is he George? I knew it!
Nice timing, jeff. Hey, as long as you don’t acuse me of being Paulie.
Total Grace
June 28th, 2011
7:57 pm
Brad really helped my daughter get her swing back on track. So I know he can do wonders for the Braves.
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
7:58 pm
If Jimmy says you’re going to get some rain grab an umbrella. Man, its coming down now.
J-Man
June 28th, 2011
7:59 pm
Well maybe its time to get off the Matt Kemp craze. So who can we go get (This depends on if Prado moves from LF to SS) Adam Jones, Hunter Pence, Jose Bautista (But it will cost alot), Alfonsio Soriano (if we swap D. Lowe for him), Carlos Beltran (but I dont wanna trade in division), Michael Cuddyer.
Trey
June 28th, 2011
7:59 pm
“If Heaven ain’t a lot like Dixie, I don’t wanna go! If Heaven ain’t a lot like Dixie, I just assume stay home! If they don’t have a GrandOleOpry like they do in Tennessee, just send me to Hell or New York City it would be about the same to me!”
What’s up all? That was a brutal argument between Nolie and Captain Mudderland last night. “Ouch!”
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
8:03 pm
Brad McCann taught me how to hit, make an airplane engine and scratch, and how to dance just in time for the prom.
Jay Dubu
June 28th, 2011
8:04 pm
Did Larry Parrish, and the rest of the Braves’ staff not see the hitch in Mac’s swing?
Isn’t that what Parrish is on the payroll for?
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
8:04 pm
FROM scratch
Mark Duncan
June 28th, 2011
8:04 pm
While I am in complete agreement with the frustration over the Braves’s offense on this blog I still would be hesistant to trade away any of our top prospects such as Minor, Delgado, etc. for someone like Kemp. People here keep referring back to the McGriff trade and I remember it well but trying to replicate that would difficult at best. The way I look at it, the offense cannot be any worse in the second half and with Prado coming back and with our pitching depth, at the very least the wildcard this year and a powerhouse for the next 5-10 while the Phillies fade off into oblivion.
Brave Fan
June 28th, 2011
8:04 pm
I know guys but it would be good!
I think Chipper retires. Too good of a player his entire life and the same competitor as an older player he always has been. I don’t think he can settle/accept the player he is now. He isn’t bad now by most standards but not near the Chipper of old.
We are close to being really good if the right couple of pieces are put in place. I know money…ownership…but its frustrating to have the pitching we have and not take advantage of it.
Wishful thinking!!
nolee
June 28th, 2011
8:05 pm
wsn’t really an argument Tomahawkin’. we didn’t disagree about anything.
Trey
June 28th, 2011
8:07 pm
Hey, I’m no Tomahawkin! I don’t think Tomahawkin would ever do a Hank Williams Jr as his “intro”.
George
June 28th, 2011
8:08 pm
Outta here for collage game. Have a good one y’ll. LETS DO IT TONIGHT BRAVES.
Kirby Smart
June 28th, 2011
8:08 pm
I thought we had a good offensive catcher in Javy Lopez… but McCann has made me forget all about him. The kid is so good and such a likable guy.
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
8:09 pm
How is y’ll pronounced?
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
8:09 pm
What’s up all? That was a brutal argument between Nolie and Captain Mudderland last night. “Ouch!” — Trey, not T-Hawkin, nolie
The Captain got all bent out-of-shape over nothing, too. He misunderstood a simple post, and then it mushroomed from there. All he (Capt) had to do was go back and read it.
Kirby Smart
June 28th, 2011
8:09 pm
Parrish is only part of the club because him and Fredi are friends. Same can be said about Dan Uggla.
nolee
June 28th, 2011
8:09 pm
he and his dad have both recently said that he intends to play out the contract unless badly hurt, so I really don’t understand why you would disbelieve what they say.
you might end up being right, but the odds seem very much against it unless he hits 220 the rest of the season.
Certainly not if he stays in the top level of qualified third sackers like he is so far.
Kirby Smart
June 28th, 2011
8:11 pm
Any Uggla predictions tonight? I say he goes 0-4 with two strikeouts, a popout, and a fielder’s choice.
T for Texas
June 28th, 2011
8:11 pm
Thanks for the new read, David.
alex
June 28th, 2011
8:12 pm
i’ve got a 15 and 3 year old,ouch!
T for Texas
June 28th, 2011
8:13 pm
.151/.253/.301 .554
Domonic Browns last 28 days. Remember when he and Heyward were talked about in tandem?
nolee
June 28th, 2011
8:13 pm
He knew what was up Tom. He ignored my explanation, almost an apology though I had done nothing wrong, and decided to get on his high horse and be a bully.
No surprise, I have had run ins with him 3-4 times a year forever. always under different names, but always the same things said in the same manner.
Guy obviously hates me…which breaks my heart cause I an such a sweet, luvable old coot who lives mostly just to make folks laff.
alex
June 28th, 2011
8:15 pm
kirby:J.lopez-how do you spell steroids in spanish
Trey
June 28th, 2011
8:15 pm
Bat, you mean y’all?
Tom, I’m not going to say who was right or wrong in that. It seemed to be more of a poo flinging contest.
J-Man
June 28th, 2011
8:15 pm
U cant call first if u copy and past somebodies article Nolie……But who gives a ratsass lol
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
8:16 pm
No Trey, I mean y’ll. George signs off with it.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 28th, 2011
8:16 pm
Thanks for the new Blog, Chief! Good read.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 28th, 2011
8:17 pm
jeffrey d FROM scratch
I thought the way you worded it originally sounded a bit weird…
Trey
June 28th, 2011
8:19 pm
Oh, I thought that was how it was still pronounced, bat. I kinda thought it may have been a typo.
TnBrian
June 28th, 2011
8:19 pm
Hopefully Hanson and the Braves drop it like it’s hot, drop it like it’s hot, tonight! And hopefully they drop it like it’s hot, drop it like it’s hot, on July 5th against the Rockies when me and my wife are right behind their dugout.
Brava
June 28th, 2011
8:21 pm
♥nolie♥
Tom O'Hawke
June 28th, 2011
8:23 pm
He knew what was up Tom. He ignored my explanation, almost an apology though I had done nothing wrong, and decided to get on his high horse and be a bully.
You are 100% correct, nolie. I, unfortunately, was reading the
comments.
Tom, I’m not going to say who was right or wrong in that. It seemed to be more of a poo flinging contest.
If I pasted the earlier comments on here, Trey, you could judge for yourself. No freakin’ way was nolie to blame. Not even close.
Brave Fan
June 28th, 2011
8:24 pm
I haven’t listened to any interviews but if you say that he intends on playing out the contract then he may do it.
I don’t understand why he hinted at it so much last year and then when he gets hurt he changes his mind. I mean I heard what he said about coming back and didn’t want to go out on an injury but he’s just struggling so!
Ronald Millsaps
June 28th, 2011
8:24 pm
I’m not out to see someone get fired; David referred to McCann getting three of the Braves’ “meager five hits.” This sort of hit total seems to be the rule rather than the exception, and when the team does have a big night, hits seem to pile up that particular night.
I’d like to see the Braves’ median hit total per game. I’m guessing it’s six— even with all the extra-inning games. Actually, maybe it’s seven.
The offense isn’t improving.
Given the Braves’ record when scoring first, you’d think there’d be more of a sense of urgency in attaining said first run.
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
8:25 pm
George is a man on the move. He abbreviates any letters that will save some time.
Ronald Millsaps
June 28th, 2011
8:25 pm
Not out to see someone get fired. I’m just looking for the right adjustments to be made, which might include a firing or two.
sabermalicious
June 28th, 2011
8:26 pm
why isn’t uggla the designated hitter? is uggla’s glove too important?
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
8:27 pm
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I can see why, that wore me out, jeffrey
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
8:28 pm
Is that a sigh or a scream?
Ronald Millsaps
June 28th, 2011
8:29 pm
If that statement is true about Parrish and Fredi being buddies, getting along on the job is great, and you shouldn’t hire someone who’s going to stir up trouble, but you also shouldn’t hire someone just through the buddy system. This concept is just as bad as affirmative action.
ray k.
June 28th, 2011
8:30 pm
Javy lopez was a good offensive catcher and is maybe a hair or two below Bmac offensively, but what he did in 2003–.328 43 HR 109 rbi– was so beyond his normal numbers, I remember thinking he must be taking more steroids than Barbaro.
Bat Masterson
June 28th, 2011
8:30 pm
Thats just a lot of a’s. I’m getting the impression George is just lazy.
Linebrink for Cy
June 28th, 2011
8:30 pm
would still like to see Nate at the top of that order, at least for a game or two.
in the last 10 games, Schafer’s OPS went down from .671 (10 games ago) to .611 (last night) while Nate’s went up from .673 to .687
jeffrey d
June 28th, 2011
8:31 pm
And I say he’s just efficient
sabermalicious
June 28th, 2011
8:31 pm
10 o’clock p.m. game west coast. this means midnight in parrish. sh!tty movie.