Constanza’s bat licking, hot hitting and grotesque knuckle
In under two weeks, outfielder Jose Constanza has rocketed from relative obscurity as a career minor leaguer to buzz-creating .413 hitter after 12 big-league games for the Braves.
After seven years, he’s an overnight success story.
To understand how far under the radar 27-year-old “Georgie” – that’s his nickname in the Braves clubhouse, a reference to a famous Seinfeld story arc — had operated until recently, consider:
– He’s still listed as a switch-hitter in the Braves media guide, although he’s batted exclusively left-handed for the past several years..
– The last time he was rated as high as a top-30 prospect by in any organization was 2007, when he was No. 26 in the Indians system by Baseball America.
– He played 743 minor-league games in seven seasons (six with the Indians) before his first big-league callup with Atlanta, which signed him as a minor league free agent.
– Fifteen months ago a writer for the Indians’ website, answering a fan’s question about the “switch-hitting speed demon” at Triple-A Columbus, noted that Constanza hadn’t been viewed as a potential every-day player in the majors.
Obscurity is threatened. Constanza has started 12 straight games at all three outfield positions for the Braves, demonstrating what a disruptive force speed can be.
He’s also drawn curious looks for a habit of licking his bat after a foul tip.
The amiable Dominican, speaking in broken English, said he began licking his bat years ago for no real reason, other than to taste the hot spot that smells of burning wood immediately after a fastball skips off it. It became a compulsion.
As for his move from switch-hitting, that came after he broke his right index finger jamming it into a base on a hands-first slide in 2005. He was in his first full season in Class-A ball at the time, and didn’t want to say how bad it was or stop playing.
The finger didn’t heal properly, and now there’s a grotesquely large, gnarled lump on the knuckle. “Every year, it gets bigger,” said Constanza, who stopped switch-hitting when it became too painful to bat right-handed.
“Now you’re in the big leagues, you can get it checked out,” Braves reliever Peter Moylan said to Constanza, who plans to see about possible surgery this winter.
The Braves knew what they were getting when they traded for Astros center fielder Michael Bourn on July 31. The major league stolen base leader has lived up to billing.
But Constanza? No one could have expected this, even after he hit .312 with a .361 on-base percentage and 23 steals in 86 games at Triple-A Gwinnett.
After going 1-for-8 in his first two major league games, Constanza is 18-for-38 (.474) in his past 10 games with a double, triple, homer, eight runs, four RBIs and .500 OBP.
“Got an opportunity, trying to [take advantage],” he said. “Working hard, trying to help the team.”
The left-handed hitter is 8-for-14 (.571) against lefties, 8-for-18 with runners on base, and 9-for-20 with two strikes.
“Constanza’s been amazing since he got up here,” said Dan Uggla, whose 31-game hitting streak has overshadowed Constanza, Bourn and everything else. “He’s really got a good idea about what kind of game he’s playing. That dude can flat-out run and get on base. Him and Michael Bourn both. Even when there’s nobody on base and they’re coming up to hit, you’re creating pressure on the defense, just from their legs alone. And both of them can handle the bat.”
Constanza had three singles Wednesday, all infield hits. He had a slap hit where he was already headed toward first base as the ball came off the bat.
“For me, personally, I’d rather face a guy like Barry Bonds than someone like [Constanza],” said Braves pitcher Tim Hudson. “I want somebody up there that’s trying to hit homers; you have a tendency to get those guys to swing and miss. Constanza, I mean he’s pesky, he’s going to put the ball in play. A ball on the ground, more than half the time it’s going to be a hit.
“It’s almost the same kind of approach that [Seattle’s] Ichiro [Suzuki] had back when he first came over and had his legs under him. Anything that’s not right to the defender is going to be a hit. And it’s nice to have that weapon on your side for a change.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
207 comments Add your comment
@___ISH___
August 11th, 2011
6:18 pm
Love that guy…
Tyler NJ Brave
August 11th, 2011
6:20 pm
Hope he keeps rolling
dlipthratt
August 11th, 2011
6:20 pm
great story! Very much history in his story,
Sammy
August 11th, 2011
6:20 pm
So the guy likes to lick wood…. So what ?
BTrey
August 11th, 2011
6:22 pm
Even if he wasn’t viewed as an everyday player, it still makes no sense to me that he never got a sniff of the show. If nothing else, why wasn’t he called up in September as a utility player/pinch runner?
Tyler NJ Brave
August 11th, 2011
6:23 pm
When McCann gets back wouldn’t it be a good idea to send Heyward down just for a couple weeks to clear his head. I’m not sure if anything is still bothering him physically, but I don’t think it will hurt him mentally to send him down to regain that confidence he had last year.
Justin
August 11th, 2011
6:24 pm
Love having this much speed in the lineup. The Braves have watched Jose Reyes kill us with his speed for years.
On another note… I keep hearing that the Braves hitters are going to Chipper for advise on their swing. Let me be the first to say that I hope he becomes our hitting coach and one day manager once he hangs up his cleats.
Bobby Bobby
August 11th, 2011
6:26 pm
Great article. I am guessing they will sign him for next year.
garblicks
August 11th, 2011
6:30 pm
DOB great blog! This guy has something about him that makes me want to watch the braves. I’d say he’s been as good or better than bourne. I wouldn’t take either out of the lineup unless its for injury or a major slump. Constanza rocks!
Justmythoughts
August 11th, 2011
6:41 pm
I make sure I am NOT out of the room when he comes to bat!
reality
August 11th, 2011
6:42 pm
so why have they gone away from Georgie at 9 and the pitcher in the 8 hole? Seems Constanza and Bourn back to back is more efective then Cons, out, Bourn….
Bobby's Cox
August 11th, 2011
6:45 pm
This is baseball the way I grew up watching it before the roid era, and it’s much more exciting! Goes to show you don’t need to sit and wait for the 3-run HR. Our offense is much more consistent now and putting up some runs. Disrupting the pitcher and defense does work…to he’ll with the Earl Weaver train of thought that so many bloggers here clamored for over the years…
Him Tudson
August 11th, 2011
6:46 pm
Even this guy’s groundouts are exciting to watch. How soon can we sign this guy long-term, I wonder…
N Nine
August 11th, 2011
6:49 pm
Georgie got just enough playing time after 7 years in minors. Remember, he struggled the first two games, if Broun came sooner, he would have been sent down. That third game got him going. Think about that!
gd from nz
August 11th, 2011
6:55 pm
just a great story – who would have thought a unknown minor leaguer would be in the lineup displacing Jason Heyward?
Tim Hudson knows he wouldn’t stand a chance against Jose Constanza | HardballTalk
August 11th, 2011
6:57 pm
[...] AJC’s David O’Brien has a nice article up today on Braves rookie sensation Jose Constanza, who apparently goes by “Georgie” in the Atlanta clubhouse. And just what sort of [...]
John in Wichita
August 11th, 2011
7:00 pm
Charles Thomas, Willy Harris, Jose Constanza… let’s take it one step at a time before we break the bank on a guy. I love the excitement he’s brought so far, though. Can’t wait to see this team up close in St. Louis in a few weeks.
Bob the Blogger
August 11th, 2011
7:07 pm
Pretty cool. We get Michael Bourn and everybody is raving about the destructive speed of — Constanza!
Coach (2011 Fredi G. a go!)
August 11th, 2011
7:11 pm
Speed kills
Rowsdower
August 11th, 2011
7:12 pm
Great to see a guy that busted his ass in the minors for years getting a chance and capitalizing. Georgie has given this team such a boost with his play and his energy. I don’t know how he will adjust when the pitchers make their adjustments to him, but you have to think that a guy that slaps the ball and runs has to make less adjustments than someone like Heyward.
Speaking of Heyward, I hope the Braves aren’t reluctant to send him down because of how the Francouer fiasco went down. He really needs to get his head together and he won’t be able to do it during the stretch drive of a pennant race. Especially with Constanza taking his ABs.
Roll Over Heyward
August 11th, 2011
7:16 pm
Heyward STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN – He needs to be taught a lesson and sent down to maybe A Ball in Rome…..he needs to be slapped hard to get his attention and remind him “He Ain’t All That” – he is not the salvation of this team and the way he is playing now he certainly is not the future of this team – He is Nothing But A FLOP!!!!!!!!!
Remarkable
August 11th, 2011
7:23 pm
This is where the Braves are going in the next few years. Speed, speed, and more speed. Jose Constanza is just a little surprise because they didn’t know he could hit too.
I got gout
August 11th, 2011
7:31 pm
This guy reminds me of the spark that Conrad gave us last year…..in a different way of course.
Congrats to Constanza to make it to the bigs!
Kat
August 11th, 2011
7:38 pm
Great personal story on Constanza!
jayvee
August 11th, 2011
7:40 pm
Here’s the thing with Heyward: He needs a completely new stance and swing. He aint gonna get that this year, at least not in the bigs. Thing is, if they keep him with the big team as a bench player, he’s a huge liability: you really can’t afford to have a guy coming off your bench to pinch hit in a key situation when he’s such an easy out. I say send him down now, see if he can get it turned around in time to make the post-season roster.
VinceVanGo
August 11th, 2011
7:43 pm
Constanza did this all year at Gwinnett, I was wanting him to be called up two months ago. And wait until Braves fans see Tyler Pastornicky compete for shortstop next year. He’s the real deal too. It makes me believe that the Braves need to continue building from within their minor league system like the Twins did for years. With a few exceptions(T. Hudson, D. Uggla) the best Braves on the team this year came from their minor league system. The trades and free agent signings, Kawakami, McClouth, A. Gonzolaz, and Derek Lowe have all left a little to be desired. Build from within, save money, and keep them around longerI
Tami
August 11th, 2011
7:47 pm
I too have loved having Constanza with the A-team. Between Bourn and himself, he flat out makes things happen. He’s playing like he never ever wants to go back down to the Minors, and I feel like that has had a major positive effect on the rest of the team.
jerry
August 11th, 2011
7:48 pm
I got my fingers crossed.
Homer
August 11th, 2011
7:49 pm
Once Heyward get straighted out which might not be until next year, then Constanza will be an excellent fourth outfielder.
Ghost of Gil Garrido
August 11th, 2011
7:50 pm
“[Georgie] said he began licking his bat years ago for no real reason, other than to taste the hot spot that smells of burning wood immediately after a fastball skips off it.”
See? That right there is all you need to know that this is going to be a magical next couple of months. You got a team full of bat-licking, teammate-hugging characters who really seem to enjoy each other’s company. (Like the report from DOB that Bourn was sitting around the locker room in his skivvies long after the game the other night, just shooting the breeze with Huddy.) Camaraderie like that can take a team far in the post-season.
Should be great for this 2011 team to watch a weekend of festivities dedicated to the 1991 team – - as fun a bunch of teammates as we’ve ever had in this town…
01HAWK
August 11th, 2011
7:52 pm
I never leave the room when CONSTANZA comes to the plate. That running hit in the box was absolutely amazing. I hope he gets his knuckle fixed and maybe he can go back to switch hitting.
Right now, he is more exciting than Bourn. He actually draws more attention than BOURN by opposing teams.
If we had brought him up instead of Jordan Schaeffer we would be in better shape so far as catching the PHILS………………………But, as long as we make the playoffs, it is fine with me.
Now I feel that Schaeffer was totally expendable due to CONSTANZA. I would love to see his name on some jerseys soon.
Heyward has got to play. Send him to Gwinnett til rosters expand in September.
paul
August 11th, 2011
7:55 pm
some of you people are complete tools, and that is putting it nicely. I am sure most that are criticizing haven’t had an at bat above little league. Heyward has a hole in his swing, a couple of major holes. He has hit at EVERY level, including the majors. I agree he is struggling very much right now, but it would be stupid to “send him down”… He is a smart guy and has always hit. He will hit again. Have faith in the big man…… it will pay off.
01HAWK
August 11th, 2011
8:03 pm
No sense in HEYWARD sitting on the bench. He needs some at bats. Gwinnett will be good and he can come back up for the playoffs. Hopefully he will not pout if he is sent down. He is at .218 I believe. Why shouldn’t he go down to AAA.
Last ten games he is at .167 with 1 RBI
justanothertool
August 11th, 2011
8:08 pm
Yeah, Paul. How many major league games have you played? Any minor league games? So you make the assertion that Heyward’s swing has at least two major holes? Then he will fix that faster than at the minor-league level? This all sounds contradictory to me. But I’m just another “tool.” Gosh…you should take Parrish’s job….we all stand in awe before you.
Rowsdower
August 11th, 2011
8:10 pm
First off, insulting people for their opinion is asinine and making a generalization about people is uneducated.
Second, sending Heyward down is not giving up on him. Its getting him much needed ABs in a non-pressure situation that will allow him to make some adjustments to his swing and, more importantly, get his confidence back. He is not going to grow as a player being a 4th OF with the Braves, which he is at this point. He is 22 years old. To give up on him completely would be even more asinine than your comments…
justanothertool
August 11th, 2011
8:12 pm
So true Rowsdower. Some people are intolerant…..and you can’t say anything that contradicts their opinion….they already know it all.
Brava
August 11th, 2011
8:20 pm
Georgie’s story is so heartwarming and a testament to the fact that hard work pays off.
I also think Heyward needs to be sent down to Gwinnett to work on his hitting. I just cringed last night when the heckler was shouting “overraaaaated” over and over while he was batting. He’s struggling so badly that I wonder how far off him getting booed at Turner Field is. I really don’t want to see that happen. He needs to get out of the pressure cooker of a pennant race where he can concentrate fully on making adjustments to his mechanics.
Rowsdower
August 11th, 2011
8:36 pm
@justanothertool – I was gonna say grab a bat and let me see how many holes I can find in YOUR swing, but I decided to take the high road
urban redneck
August 11th, 2011
8:45 pm
dear jose,
i’m going to need you to stop hitting the ball. you’re taking starts away from my non-hitting homeboy. thanks!!
justanothertool
August 11th, 2011
9:08 pm
No….you said it, Rowsdower…no high road here. LOL I could at least make better contact with a golf driver than a ball bat now….so watch out! LOL Why don’t you take a whack at Paul while you’re at it?. He’s the expert. He could explain to you how to whack him farther.
David
August 11th, 2011
9:19 pm
“Constanza has started 12 straight games at all three outfield positions for the Braves, demonstrating what a disruptive force speed can be.”
He must be fast if he can start at all 3 outfield positions at the same time!!
mike mangan
August 11th, 2011
9:31 pm
J Hey needs about 50 to 75 at bats to regain his early 2010 form.A better than average outfielder although he cant throw like Francouer but then again who can.Jhey needs to find an old coach who has worked with him thru thick or thin.Maybe even Chipper’s Dad.
How ironic is it when you look at our hitting coaches…T.Pendelton,Larry Parrish both really good Major league players but I think we got a lot more out of Don Baylor and Clarence Jones,
What is the solution for JHey ? Even if he doesnt get in the lineup he needs a lot of BP.My seven year old grandson would stay in the batters box all day hitting against a pitching machine,Maybe Jason can grab a couple rolls of quarters and just start swinging and working on his batting stance with out all the critics knowing whats best for J Hey.
BravesfaninWis
August 11th, 2011
9:44 pm
I agree on the Heyward situation. Sending him down to get as many at bats as possible to fix his swing and get going again is not giving up on him, its helping him. By sitting him on the bench and watching is not helping him get his swing back and getting him seeing the ball better.
Send him down, let him work on things, then bring him back for the playoffs if they make it. Hopefully he will take it in stride and go with it and not complain. Its all for his benefit if that happens.
@___ISH___
August 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
It’s unanimous then, let’s send Heyward down so he can get the much needed AB’s. There’s no use in keeping him on the bench and giving him one or two games a week in which he’ll go 0-3 with a walk and 3 k’s. That’s gonna do him more harm than good. Hopefully he makes some adjustments and makes it back soon.
Brava
August 11th, 2011
9:54 pm
J Hey needs about 50 to 75 at bats to regain his early 2010 form.
What are you basing this on? He’s had 298 at bats this season and has not returned to his early 2010 form. He’s also been taking a lot of batting practice and working with Larry Parish and Chipper on the side. But, I guess you know better than them what’s best for him.
rugburn
August 11th, 2011
9:54 pm
usually when someone goes into a slump they are trying to pull everything. they have to be patient and try to hit the ball up the middle. chipper, when he’s going good, hits a lot of balls to the off field. look at freeman, same thing, and now uggla. when they are going bad, pitchers go low and away to get them out. with heyward, they are able to go anywhere for the out. he pulls off the outside pitches and can’t catch up with the inside pitches
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
9:56 pm
I’m a big fan of Constanza. He is a great story and I wish him the best. The thing that seems to not understood is that Constanza is not THIS good. He’s a speed demon, there is no doubt. But consider this: On the balls he’s actually put in play, he’s reached base without an out on an amazing 45% of them. To put that into context, Ricky Henderson, a hall of famer and renowned speed merchant himself, only reached base safely around 30% of the time he put the ball in play. Ichiro Suzuki, whom Tim Hudson recently compared Georgie, reaches base safely about 35% of the time he puts the ball in play. These number do not count HR’s. Do you really think Georgie is THAT much better than Ricky Henderson or Ichiro Suzuki? Juan Pierre, the guy I think Constanza most resembles carries a lifetime .314 BA on balls in play. If you adjust Constanza’s BA to reflect that more realistic level.. he would be hitting .282 (respectable) with an OBP of .313 (not good). What’s that mean? That Constanza has been very lucky. True, that luck has been helped by his speed and willingness to just put the ball in play. He’s playing to his strengths and that is the sign of a smart ball player. But he is NOT playing to his talent level. He is playing WELL above and he will come back to Earth.
As lucky as Constanza has been, Heyward has been similarly unlucky. He has reached base on an astoundingly low 24% of the balls he hits in play (not including HR’s). And yet he still has managed a low but surprising .314 OBP. Adjust his BA to a league average for balls in play and he’d hit .261 with an OBP of .351 (very respectable). And it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Jason’s true talent level is above league average when it comes to balls in play. No one can argue that Heyward hasn’t shown a hole or two in his swing, but that won’t be fixed at the Minor league level. There aren’t enough pitchers in the Minor leagues that are capable of exploiting any holes Heyward has in his swing. Heyward has done all he can in the Minors and needs to fix his swing in the Majors JUST like Uggla and more recently Prado has been given the chance to do. Heyward is a smart and capable player and he will make those adjustments. The difference between Heyward and Constanza is that while Heyward is making those adjustments, he will still sport a workable OBP (not making an out is what matters more than anything in baseball). If Constanza loses his luck and deflates to just league average he will look a lot less appealing. God forbid Constanza actually starts to get unlucky and hits below league average.
What does all this mean? That luck is not an indicator of future success. Luck can only be read from past performance. Sitting Heyward is actively hurting his development; development that will not be helped by being sent to the minors. Constanza is a great story and I hope he continues to rake as he has, but he will eventually come to Earth. Heyward is the better player by any measurement but speed and he is no slowpoke. You play your best players because they are the ones that will give you the best results over time. Constanza has the “hot hand”.. but you cannot predict when that “hot hand” will cool. Talent predicts future performance, not luck. Hope my novel makes sense and I know there will be many that disagree, but I stand by my reasoning and my conclusion that sitting Heyward for Constanza is not a good thing. Sometimes results just don’t mirror process. Like the old saying goes.. Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut.
Bearcat Cook
August 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
J HEY NEEDS TO BE ON THE NEXT BUS TO ROME WITH NO A/C. THEN COME BACK WHEN HE MATURES AND LEARNS SOMETHING. IF MANAGEMENT DOES NOT DO THIS, THEN THEY ARE TO BLAME. LET’S TRY TO GO FRONT OFFICE. PUSH THE RIGHT BUTTON NOW!
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:01 pm
Delgado got his 2nd win at Gwinette with 7 shutout innings meanwhile their $1.00 catcher Nieves is batting .370
Heyward grounds out to second
August 11th, 2011
10:01 pm
Constanza is the man, and I think if he continues this way of playing throughout the year, we should keep him in the big leagues.
All you Heyward supporters (and I like Heyward) need to realize he just doesn’t have it this year. He might be better next year, but he has been atrocious this year. What would you rather have? A guy who strikes out and grounds out to second and has slumped all year, or an explosive, speedy guy that gets on base and scores runs?
Next year may be different, but right now Constanza is the man and needs to be utilized.
mpimentel
August 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
what a B I G comment dude
Guthro
August 11th, 2011
10:04 pm
Never got the ball out of the infield and still went 3 for 4, i love it!
mpimentel
August 11th, 2011
10:05 pm
cuzdanza…..that´s the name that we like it……cuz-danza….cuz-danza….cuz-danza—–cuz-danza……cuz-danza……..cuz-danza……..cuz-danza…….yeah……a nickname for him…
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:05 pm
I know it’s long and I’m sure a lot of readers will gloss over it. But I think the information in it is worthy of being read.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
10:07 pm
Heyward, didn’t Vince teach you that “talent” is predictable? SARCASM.
Vince, nothing can be predicted. I do give you credit for using Sabermetrics while trying to not mention it. “Luck” and hitting bad pitches is the crux of production in any level of baseball. Most HRs…..what are the pitches? Mistakes. Bad location. Or hung breaking pitches. Mistakes. Heyward gives this team the best chance to win today? Really? The last game, they both played. Faced the exact same pitchers. Who was the only starter that didn’t get a hit? Oh sorry Constanza was just lucky 3 times. I’m sure if Heyward had made contact on any of his 3 strikeouts, he would have beat out those plays as well right? But that is luck, I guess.
rugburn
August 11th, 2011
10:08 pm
of course constanza isn’t this good….nobody is.. braves fans don’t believe he will hit .413 over a 600 at bat season, but the fact remains that he is doing it right now. i doubt jason could pick his best 12 games all year and hit .413. the whole team is energized and playing exciting baseball and we like it.
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:10 pm
Vince M, I agree we should sit Constanza in favor of Heyward and forget about winning the wild card and going to the playoff’s an let Heyward struggle through the rest of the season until he patches that hole in his swing.
rugburn
August 11th, 2011
10:11 pm
i guess we would rather be lucky than…have potential.
Sam The Swami
August 11th, 2011
10:12 pm
Michael Bourn has been unbelievable and Constanza has been great too. I hope Bourn gets a huge standing ovation when he is announced at home. He’s a clutch hitter and his defensive play has saved several extra base hits.
Mike
August 11th, 2011
10:13 pm
Whoever said Heyward is a flop will be feelin like the cheesey idiot he/she is, real soon.
Give me a break…
Furman Bitcher
August 11th, 2011
10:18 pm
HE IS THE HOT HAND. you ride this horse as long as you can. Will he hit .400 all year. Um no but he is a HELL of a lot better to have up right now than Heyward LUCK OR NO LUCK. Maybe poor Jason is just an unlucky guy. I like Georgie.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:19 pm
@Joseph, you don’t respect Sabermetrics. That’s fair. But all I mentioned was BA on balls in play. That’s the least SABR of any of the sabermetrics. Reaching base on 45% of the balls in play is NOT sustainable. And using a 1 game sample size to compare talent between Heyward and Constanza will not impress anyone.
I didn’t say that talent is predictable. I said that Heyward is more talented than Constanza. That is something that any scout or personnel man will tell you regardless of their SABR leanings. Talent plays in any sports league. With the exception of Heywards last strikeout, his other two were on very close calls. They were strikes, but I don’t mind him taking them because swinging at them would likely not be any better as they were very good pitches.
I’m not trying to take anything away from Constanza. I love what that kid is doing and I hope he continues it. All I’m trying to say is that he is not better than Heyward. Constanza could bat 1.000 with a slugging percentage of 4.000 for the rest of the season and that fact wouldn’t change. Sending Heyward to the Minors would not help his development.
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:22 pm
Not only has Constanza helped us create runs with his speed but he has also prevented several runs in the field with catches no other current or in recent history, outfielder couuld have made.
Furman Bitcher
August 11th, 2011
10:23 pm
If Costanza has a .350 OBP the rest of the year he should start instead of Heyward. heyward is the future but we need to win now with the players who are playing best. thats Georgie.
Rowsdower
August 11th, 2011
10:23 pm
@Vince M – All the more reason for Heyward to go down to Gwinnett for a few weeks and hopefully get his head out of his…his head together.
Obviously, Constanza is not going to hit .400 the rest of his career or the rest of this year for that matter. Even if he hits .250 that’s better than Heyward is providing to this point. And noone is comparing him to Rickey or Ichiro. Hudson merely stated that facing a waterbug that is on fire is a pain in the ass because a routine groundball can turn into a double.
Furman Bitcher
August 11th, 2011
10:24 pm
Its the Summer Of Georgie
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:24 pm
@Ralph So you can guarantee that Constanza will continue with his hot hand the rest of the season and that Heyward will continue to struggle the rest of the year.. On top of that you will tell me that playing Heyward will cost us AT least 5 wins over the rest of the year as compared to Constanza? Really?
Furman Bitcher
August 11th, 2011
10:28 pm
Vince, your argument with all your pretty stats just doesnt add up. RIGHT NOW Georgie is the hot hand an Heyward is colder than anyone on the team. There are no guarantees he is just the hot hitter and Heyward has struggled ALL year. If Heyward was only in a mini slump it wouldnt even be considered.
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:28 pm
Vince M, that last sentence I will guarntee it.
Carroll
August 11th, 2011
10:29 pm
I agree with the blogger who said he reminds them of Charles Thomas…I already thought the same thing. So maybe he will be just a flash in the pan like Thomas?? We should be so lucky! That guy’s energy catapulted us into the playoffs that year and then netted us Tim Hudson in the following offseason. Not a bad return on a flash in the pan!
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:30 pm
Heyward is a crappy outfielder, Constanza will take away at least one or two hits per game that Heyward would never get to.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:31 pm
@Furman If you could guarantee that Constanza would carry a .350 OBP the rest of the year, I would jump on board the Constanza train and even be the engineer. His talent level does not support that guarantee though. If his luck just returns to league average he will have a lower OBP than Heyward does RIGHT now. Baseball is a lot like Poker. Pocket Aces don’t guarantee you a winner every time, but they’ll win a lot more than they’ll lose over the long haul. That seven-deuce offsuit might be lucky for you, but on average, it will do way worse than those pocket Aces.
rugburn
August 11th, 2011
10:33 pm
i don’t think anyone is guaranteeing that constanza will stay hot. quite the opposite, everyone knows he can’t keep this hot streak going.we won’t know if jason will get hot because georgie needs to keep playing until he can’t hit .250 anymore. jason had 2 good months last year, who’s to say that georgie can’t have 2 good months this year
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:35 pm
@Furman, they aren’t pretty stats. They are just cold hard facts. And you are partially right. Yesterday, Constanza was the hot hand. Tomorrow he might flame out and return to league average or worse. That’s my point. You can’t predict how long luck will last. All you know with any real certainty is who the likely better player is.
And as for mini-slump vs all year struggles, I present exhibit Uggla.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
10:35 pm
Exactly Carroll. Speaking of the off-season. I can not think of one like this one coming that is actually going to be this interesting with so many storylines. What is done with the pitching staff? Is Medlen given a chance to get his starting job back? Does Constanza stay? Bourn? Do they see if Viz can turn into a starter or is he purely a reliever? Wren has his work cut out for him.
Maybe Constanza never gets another hit and Heyward goes on an Uggla-like tear. Anything can happen, but until Constanza stops producing runs, HE HAS TO PLAY. He beat out a chopper, then steals a base and scores on a bloop hit by Hudson. 3 pitches thrown. Other than Bourn, who else has that capability? The game is changing before our eyes and speed is necessary now. Unless you play in a small park of course.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
10:38 pm
Vince that was weak. Comparing Uggla to Heyward? 1 has a career of production. THe other has only played 1 year and just turned 22.
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:43 pm
Vince M, can you guarntee if they play Heyward the rest of the year that he will end the season with a .200 plus BA, I sure as hell wouldn’t put any money on it, on the other hand I would bet everything I own that Constanza will bat better than .250
P.S, Wren isn’t going to bet on Heyward either.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:43 pm
@rugburn Yes, I know that no one is guaranteeing anything. And I don’t think my argument is actually being taken seriously which is too bad. It comes supported with facts, good reasoning, and has been presented very politely the whole time. The only response I continue to get is either that my stats are meaningless, which is a cop-out. Or that Constanza is the hot hand so why not ride him. That latter rationale is exactly like riding Double-zero’s in Roulette because it’s won the last two times. The double zero from the last spin does not increase or decrease the chance of double zero the next spin. Is Constanza locked in? Seems like it, but all we know is that he was locked in yesterday. And when will he not be locked in? What if he goes 0 – 4 tomorrow? Does that mean he’s lost it? What about 0 – 8 the next two days? Or even 0 – 12 the next three? What if he gets 1 hit on Saturday where he beats out an infield single but goes hitless the rest of the series? Hot hands are a fallacy in that they cannot be used to predict future performance with any reasonable chance of success. And worse, it is very difficult to recognize when the hot hand is no longer hot.
Plus, who is to say that Heyward wouldn’t similarly go off given the AB’s Constanza has had? His season to this point wouldn’t support that, but neither would Uggla’s. Uggla is case in point on why you let talent play. Eventually, usually sooner than later, it pays off. And to anyone who thinks that 1 player can cost (or win) a team 5 wins over 46 games, you don’t know baseball.
rugburn
August 11th, 2011
10:44 pm
the argument to play heyward because of his potential, even though he is completely lost, is the same as saying we should’ve continued to pitch proctor because he has a 95 mph fastball. why get bourn when we had shafer? results are what matter.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:46 pm
@Joseph Uh uh, You can’t have that double standard. Constanza has had 12 games of performance to judge by. If you can’t use Uggla to show that Heyward can and will eventually come out of his slump, then you can’t use Constanza’s performance over 12 games to show that he’s a better option than Heyward.
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:47 pm
Maybe Heyward should start licking his bat!
NickB
August 11th, 2011
10:50 pm
Ralph is wrong, heyward is a+ fielder according to EVERY fielding statistic, in fact he’s a top 10 Fileder in RF. Constanza is a below average fielder and has been his entire career in the minors…. He makes the average play look spectacular because of his horrible ability to read the ball off the bat and take good routes. He’s hitting, getting a good deal lucky, but he is hitting. But don’t let yer bromance with Georgie cloud reality here.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
10:50 pm
Uggla has produced for the prior 5 years. That is why he was still out there during the worst part of his career. Heyward has played only 1 full year. Uggla has real numbers to show what he has done in a professional career. Heyward doesn’t. Sooner than later it pays off? Ok Vince, so is Heyward going to produce this year? I give up. Let’s sit a guy that is actually playing defense, running the bases, getting hits, driving in runs, AND SCORING RUNS and let Heyward struggle at the plate and make outs this year.
Heyward has a bright future, but you cannot put him out there when this team is in the playoffs. There isn’t time to learn, right now. It is time for production and Constanza has been doing that. Period.
Brava
August 11th, 2011
10:50 pm
I didn’t say that talent is predictable. I said that Heyward is more talented than Constanza.
It depends on how you define talent. They are too completely different types of players, so it’s impossible to say one is more talented than the other. Can Constanza hit 18 homeruns as Heyward did last season? No, he doesn’t have the power. Can Heyward steal 28 bases as Constanza dis this year in Gwinnett? It’s doubtful, he’s stolen 16 in the past two seasons. Can Heyward go from 1st to third as fast as Constanza? No. Can Heyward play all the outfield positions? Who knows, he hasn’t. Can Constanza throw as hard and far as Heyward? No.
What I’m saying is they both have their strengths and their weaknesses. It all depends on what talent you are evaluating whether one is better than the other.
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:50 pm
Pastronicky is hitting over .400 but makes a lot of errors, maybe we should promote him and play him over gonzo because of his potential.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:52 pm
@Rugburn Talent isn’t the same as being able to throw a 95 mph fastball. Proctor could throw fast, but it was thrown straight with little to no movement and he had no good secondary pitches. So, no, Proctor had no potential.
Bourn is also way more talented than Schafer. Results are what matter to the final standings. I won’t argue that. However the only way you can put yourself in position for the best results is to play your players with the most potential to get you those results. You can luck into better results by going against that philosophy, but that doesn’t mean you did the right thing.
As for Heyward being completely lost, that’s not true. He’s not swinging as well as he should. That hole in his swing, wherever it is, needs to be corrected. It will be corrected. However it will not be corrected at the Minor league level for reasons I have already discussed (short story: most Minor league pitchers suck and can’t exploit those holes). But he still has a very good idea of the strike zone and for the most part his approach is solid. Sporting a .314 OBP when he is hitting as poorly as he is is actually pretty impressive. As he gets out of this, that number will go up pretty significantly.
Joshua
August 11th, 2011
10:53 pm
Remember when people were screaming for Uggla to be sent to the minors? How’d that work out?
Send Heyward to the minors…lol…I’m sure the Phillies think that’s a terrific idea.
NickB
August 11th, 2011
10:55 pm
No Brava , that’s not how talent works. Heyward possesses greater skills as a whole for the playing of baseball. He gets on base hits for power players superior defense and has a better arm. I reckon he could steal 30 bases a year if Fredi turned him loose. ( I doubt if his % would be very good, but then again Constanzas wasn’t very good, 73% , either)
Constanza is harles Thomas part deaux. Eventually pitchers are going to stop throwing him strikes and he will swing himself back on the bench. Seriously he swings at everything, why throw him strikes?
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:55 pm
Nick B, Heyward doesn’t make a lot of errors but there are many, many balls that drop in front of him that Constanza would get eaisly, those don’t show up in the fielding stats.
Brava
August 11th, 2011
10:55 pm
Send Heyward to the minors…lol…I’m sure the Phillies think that’s a terrific idea.
What do the Phillies have to do with it?
They might think it’s a good idea, they sent Dominic Brown down to work on his problems.
NickB
August 11th, 2011
10:56 pm
Yes Ralph only you are a judge of fielding. 8 different defesnive metrics, though not perfect, are obviously wrong………………… it’s like talking to a cat on here sometimes……..
Rowsdower
August 11th, 2011
10:56 pm
Constanza has produced a run in 30.4% of his ABs. Heyward has produced a run in 10.7% in the same period of time. Runs are the only statistic that matter in baseball. You factor in runs saved with the defense that Constanza is playing and its a runaway.
Are those numbers sustainable of a full season, no. But they are certainly sustainable for a month. Particularly for a guy that simply needs to put the ball in play to get a hit. Speed is the wildcard for bABIP. The same ball that Constanza puts in play is more likely to be a hit than it is for a slower player.
Just for perspective, Uggla has produced a run in 48.2% in that same time. He’s been running pretty “lucky” too, hasn’t he?
BTW…it’s 4-0 Astros over the D-Bags!!!
up north
August 11th, 2011
10:57 pm
Does anyone remember Ralph Garr, the Roadrunner-beep beep?! That is who I thought of the first time I saw him running the bases.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
10:57 pm
@Ralph Setting up multiple strawman arguments isn’t the way to reasonably debate a difference of opinions. I’ve argued my point while respecting everyone else’s argument this whole time. I’ve debated the points made and kept it to that. Saying that Pastornicky should be played over Gonzales as a tongue in cheek way to negate my potential over luck argument is nonsensical. Pastornicky is similarly playing over his head. His potential is that of a slightly above league average SS. His defense is nowhere near Gonzales but his hitting will be markedly better, eventually. However, the real reason your strawman argument fails is because Pastornicky is not ready for the big leagues yet. He still has development that needs to happen. Any scout or personnel man worth their salt would agree with that statement. Heyward has nothing to gain from going to the Minors. If anything, it might actually hurt his development.
Ralph
August 11th, 2011
10:58 pm
I’m just glad Fruti is making the line up instead of Vince M and Nick B.
NickB
August 11th, 2011
10:58 pm
I’m not talking about errors. I’m talking range, angles and positioning. Heyward is a better fielder by a large margin over Constanza. Heck in CF , Constanzas minor league numbers would make him the worst CF glove in MLB!!! in LF he would be avg (but then again, most MLB LF’ers are lugs who hit) in RF he would be in the bottom 5………… Heyward is in the top 10….. He’s really good out there.
NickB
August 11th, 2011
11:00 pm
If i was managing the team I bet they would have 3 more wins right now.
rugburn
August 11th, 2011
11:02 pm
i feel sure that the phillies would much rather pitch to heyward right now than to pitch to constanza. so vince, do we put viscaino in friday night in a tie game? somewhere you have to draw a line between potential and results. what about leading off the ninth in a tie game , do you want what j-hey is bringing or what georgie is bringing?
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
11:05 pm
Give Wren a call then Nick. I’m sure he is ready to fire a manager that is 2nd in the NL with an injury riddled team.
Sam
August 11th, 2011
11:05 pm
Honestly Heyward will never have a high BA with balls in play at this rate. 70% of the balls he does hit are grounders to 1st or 2nd. Still I think he will be a force, maybe more at the Ryan Howard pace though. Not everyone can start bashing the ball at 20 or 21. I think Heyward should go down and stay down. He will really be ready to contribute middle of next summer at the trade deadline. Maybe even later than that though. The Braves have a history of rushing young talent. Look at how much better those young pitching prospects are pitching with another year on them. Look at Freddie Freeman this year with that extra seasoning year. He’s having a lot better rookie year than Heyward did and should win ROY. So what I ask is patience with someone who will be a monster for opposing pitchers someday.
Brava
August 11th, 2011
11:05 pm
Yes, NickB, that is how talent works. Just as in life, some players at better at executing certain tasks than others. Also, I haven’t seen anything to suggest Heyward’s defense is superior to Constanza’s. To be honest, I’ve seen Constanta get to balls that I doubt Heyward would have caught. He’s just not as fast.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
11:05 pm
@Rowsdower Runs are the most important stat as far as result go. However, getting runs is a factor of where you hit and who hits behind you. It has nothing to do with actual skill. Heyward is perfectly capable of making it from 1st to 3rd on many plays. He’s faster than he looks and a very good base runner. He’s not as fast as Constanza but not many players are. As for balls Constanza could get to that Heyward can’t.. that’s debatable. IF Constanza had that same defensive skills as Heyward, then yes, his speed would give him a fielding advantage. However, Constanza takes bad routes towards balls hit in the air, has a horrible first step, and his arm is not going to throw anyone out on the basepaths. He does not judge balls of the bat very well either. These are skills that all outfielders need and are more important than pure speed. Speed is easy to see and judge with the naked eye. It is hard to see and quantify the jumps that Heyward get on the balls hit his way. That first step is more important than any other step taken when going after a ball hit in the air.
Look, I’m not trying to make this into a bash Constanza stance. I like Georgie. I want him to continue to do well. What I don’t want is for him to continue to cost Heyward plate appearances. I’ve made my points.
rugburn
August 11th, 2011
11:09 pm
well, i have to crash. enjoyed the debate vince. catch you another time.
The Monger
August 11th, 2011
11:11 pm
So we already have a poster who said Constanza has been BEASTIN, in straight BEAST MODE at Gwinett this year with a .312 average and 23 steals, and I have personally witnessed him in BEAST MODE the year before this in 2010 where he hit .319 with I believe 42 steals!!! This GUY CAN FLAT OUT HIT A BASEBALL, and IS FAST as THE WIND!!!!! HE HITS TO ALL FIELDS and has amazing bat control!!! HE IS A HITTER!!! IS everyone on this blog blind or know absolutely nothing about baseball?? How can NOBODY but me see this kid was always a hitter but never got a chance because of his size until later, reminds me of maury wills who didnt break in until 27, and then set stolen base records for years…He is gonna be a Juan Pierre or Luis Castillo in their prime type player for years….How is a hitter who has hit over .300 for the last 2 and a half years coming out of obscurity?? Not to me….BORN HITTER!!!
bustersonly
August 11th, 2011
11:13 pm
Vince M has found an ally in Nick B, probably the same person blogging with two different names, face it no two people could be that stupid.
Vince M
August 11th, 2011
11:16 pm
@bustersonly No, I am not NickB. And as stupid as you think I may be, I, at least, have been courteous in my comments. You are a tool however and not worth my time. Well, not worth anymore of my time would be more accurate.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
11:17 pm
bustersonly, that is sabermetrics for you. I have read “the book”. I sadly admit I was all in for saber until I read “the book”. Saber is created by a baseball writer. Not a manager, not a player, not a person with front office experience. It is used to predict what will happen, and it refuses to believe that baseball used to actually be based on get a hit, move the guy into scoring position, then drive him in.
a tool
August 11th, 2011
11:18 pm
Vince M, I think you are stupid also.
Brava
August 11th, 2011
11:20 pm
Vince M. I disagree with you, but don’t think you’re stupid. I appreciate your civility. We could use a lot more of that around here.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
11:20 pm
Vince, you have been courteous. And I be honest, it is rare from a saber guy to be that. Most (of course it is a generalization) are the I know more so how dare you speak to me type of people. I went to a couple of meetings and that is honestly the crux of the ones I was unfortunate to meet there. I am nto saying all are that way, but it is a generalization. My feelings about sabermetrics do stand, but in no way is it a shot at the individual. I disagree with the concept not the person.
El Bravo
August 11th, 2011
11:20 pm
Vince M, I do agree with a large portion of your analysis, however, your comparison to Juan Pierre is arbitrary. Over the last two years in the Minors Constanza’s BA on balls in play is 36.4%. We should expect a drop off at the Major League level but that is very hard to assess, specially for a 27 year old rookie with speed and little power (Ichiro was also an older rookie when he made it to the Majors and became an immediate success). It could very well be that Constanza’s true ability on balls in play is more in line with Ichiro than Juan Pierre (I doubt it but it is possible). If you split the difference and assume a 33% success rate on ball is play he becomes statistically a totally different player (.300 BA and .345 OBP). The bottom line is that we probably won’t know his true ability at this level until he amasses enough at bats to make an educated decision (about 400 ABs). Heyward is more talented that Constanza and will be a much better player on the long run but it makes no sense to be so cavalier about Constanza and his ability after only 46 ABs at this level. You continue to ride his hot hand until you begin to accumulate enough at bats to be able to more accurately assess his true talent at this level.
Rowsdower
August 11th, 2011
11:21 pm
Ok, i’m going to show this and wash my hands on the Heyward debate because I love the kid and I think he is going to be a beast over his career.
Here are Heywards month by month splits since he came up with my run production metric:
April 2010 – 38.6%
May – 44.2%
June – 28.8%
July – 28.8%
August – 35.1%
September – 14.6%
Postseason – 0% (in 16 ABs)
April 2011 – 27.8%
May – 9.8%
June – 24.5%
July – 22.2%
August – 20%
Heyward is supposed to be a run producer and he isn’t producing runs like a table setter batting at the bottom of the order. We all agree that Heyward has uber potential, but that isn’t winning games right now. Constanza is producing runs at a 30% clip. That IS helping win games.
Heyward is the future. Constanza is now.
bustersonly
August 11th, 2011
11:23 pm
Joseph, I guess i’m as stupid as Vince M and Nick B because I don’t know what sabermetrics is so I dont know if you were paying me a compliment or bashing me.
MIBravesFan
August 11th, 2011
11:23 pm
From DOB’s blog post: “Got an opportunity, trying to [take advantage],” he said. “Working hard, trying to help the team.”
That sums up exactly what it is that those of us who like the guy, like about him. And liking this guy and the way he is playing and what he is bringing to this team does not mean I’m not still a fan of JHey – I definitely am. I believe Jason is going to be a great baseball player. But I can appreciate what “Georgie” is doing with the opportunity he now has after a long time working for that opportunity. I do not understand why others don’t.
fourbee2002@yahoo.com
August 11th, 2011
11:26 pm
It seems that people either love or hate Georgie. I’ve heard all sorts of reasons for both opinions. Everyone is overlooking the FACT that sometimes good players get overlooked by their team, or former team. For example, Maury Wills, a Hall of Fame player, was not summoned to the bigs until he was 26 (Georgie is 27). It seems that an injury “forced” the team to promote him. He wasn’t what they wanted, he was a slap hitter with a lot of speed, they wanted power hitters. Fortunately for Maury, things worked out. Georgie was blocked in Cleveland because they had a dearth of outfielders and many of them were considered power hitters. He was signed by the Braves as a minor league free agent and was regarded, basically, the same way Cleveland viewed him. I, for one, am glad that he got the opportunity to play. Even if he is a “flash in the pan”, as some describe him, he is helping the Braves win. However, what if he is actually a good player?
I’m not saying that Georgie will turn out to be another Maury Wills. I’m not saying that he’ll turn out to be a major league regular. All I’m saying is:
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
Hopefully, Georgie will be lucky AND good.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
11:28 pm
busteronly, I do not use stupid. I do not know a single person on here personally so how can I call them stupid or question their intelligence level? My comment to you was about the sabermetric genre as a whole, not at any individual. More of an aura if you will.
Saber is a new-age statistical genre. I will not go into detail because I do not agree with it. So it wouldn’t be a fair assessment.
Rowsdower
August 11th, 2011
11:29 pm
@Vince M – “Runs are the most important stat as far as result go.”
Umm, what other result matters than wins and losses? See, i’m trying to win a pennant, not a fantasy baseball league.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
11:30 pm
fourebee…..add Lou Brock to that list. Traded away from the Cubs to the Cards. Cards fans tried to run the gm out of town. Rest is history.
bustersonly
August 11th, 2011
11:31 pm
Thanks Joseph but its way over my head!
Homebound fan
August 11th, 2011
11:34 pm
Jason Hayward and Dan Uggla were very similar in the earlier part of the season, as far as batting goes. The difference is that Uggla kept getting to play and worked his batting problems out. Hayward was put on the bench, where you don’t get many swings. He is a smart and dedicated kid, and I don’t think his ego will be bruised by being given the chance to play every day in AAA. Fielding is not his problem so sending him to AAA now and letting him bat every day is the only way he can get enough at bats to work on his swing. It won’t be but a few weeks before we will need him back up. Keeping him on the bench will only delay that day.
Joseph
August 11th, 2011
11:36 pm
Heck who even thought Cody Ross would do anything last year when the Giants picked him off of waivers? Baseball is full of players that were either never given a chance or given up on, and they come through when it counts. Is that Constanza this year? I don’t know and nobody knows that answer until after the season is over.
panamajack
August 11th, 2011
11:36 pm
I would rather have the big diesel in the line up than Heyward.
@___ISH___
August 11th, 2011
11:57 pm
We FINALLY get a little production from RF this season and not EVERYONE is happy about it. Wow, I NEVER would have thought that…
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:04 am
5-3 Astros in the 9th. GO STROS!!!
Jo Bling
August 12th, 2011
12:05 am
I agree with Vince that Heyward is the better player overall and that will be demonstrated over time, but I disagree that playing Constanza right now is the wrong decision. Playing the hot hand now is the right decision. That doesn’t mean Heyward should be sent down. He is a major league player and he has a job at the major league level. Sending him down could be devastating. He will come around, but he is going to have make adjustments. Major league success is all about making adjustments. Pitching has adjusted to Heyward, and it wasn’t very difficult to figure out. He stands too far from the plate and his swing is too long. The pitchers have figured him out and he will have to adjust. Meanwhile, the pitchers haven’t yet figured out Constanza. But they will, eventually, and he, too, will have to adjust. But, for now, keep him in the lineup until until they figure out how to get him out. When that happens, hopefully Heyward will have made some adjustments of his own and be ready to start killing the ball again. Heyward is not going to be sent down. It just isn’t going to happen, so you guys are going to have to get over it. He’ll be back, though, I can pretty much assure you. He’s too great a talent not to get through this.
bill maier
August 12th, 2011
12:07 am
vince- constanza hit over 300 in his minor league career- where pitchers are not around the plate as much- so a contact hitter- lou brock for example can do better in the mlb level sometimes than the minors luck– it is not luck when you put the ball in play– take level swings, dont uppercut the ball– hit the ball where it is pitched– dont try to pull the outside pitch etc- it is call fundamentalas and good hitting- something this team lacked with both mclouth and schafer- constanza should have been up in jumne when some of us were calling for it- but of course wren knows better than any fan
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:13 am
If Schafer did what Constanza is doing (put the ball in play and run like hell) we wouldn’t have Bourn, Constanza or this ridiculous debate about Heyward…
Tom
August 12th, 2011
12:13 am
VinceM – Your comment about LUCK concerning Constanza and JasonH ability and performance is pure B__S___! You create your own form of luck(?), by the way you perform. Most fans disagree with you, the bigs is not the place for a young player to have OJT, that is why we have minor leagues. Do not be to proud to go down and work on things that will help you. Continue to hit .220 or less and your days in the bigs are numbered. When all of our OF were hitting .220 about a month ago, I suggested we seriously look at 2 guys at Gwinnett AAA(Constanza and Gartrell). Constanza is working out great and right now even Gartrell(28HRS, .280BA) looks far better than JasonH. Who knows Gartrell might even be our 4th OF guy if given the chance?
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:14 am
Melancon on for the save…
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
12:23 am
I probably missed this, but….Is McCann going to play in Gwinnett Friday or wait until Saturday to catch? Last I heard is was being “considered”, just wondering if a decision was announced?
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:24 am
Melancon for the blown save…you just can’t count on a team that’s 41 under…
bill maier
August 12th, 2011
12:25 am
tom, amen
Braves in 11
August 12th, 2011
12:25 am
You guys that are bashing Heyward are hysterical. He’s having a bad sophomore slump and his injuries haven’t helped him one bit. Constanza is a great story but he will eventually cool down and at then Heyward will get back in there.
Heyward is still going to be one of the forces for years to come. Given time and experience Heyward will make the adjustments to be a good player. Look at Uggla all you guys bashed him for months and now theres no one saying anything bad about him.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:26 am
He is in Gwinnett, but they haven’t announced if he will catch or DH Friday night. That said, he is expected to play.
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
12:30 am
Braves in 11, yes there were some bashing Heyward, but the majority of us tonight were debating why you put Heyward in over Constanza today. Yes eventually he might cool down. But at this moment, he needs to play until that happens. Heyward is simply having a horrible year this year. He is going to grow into an outstanding player.
I disagree with comparing him to Uggla for the simple reason that Uggla has had 5 prior years of productive service to look at and see that his slump wasn’t of the norm.
@___ISH___
August 12th, 2011
12:30 am
you just can’t count on a team that’s 41 under…
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:31 am
@Braves in 11 – You’re absolutely right. Heyward will make the adjustments to be a good player. He isn’t a good player right now and we’re in a pennant race. This isn’t the time to “give a guy work.”
Constanza is helping the team win right now. Heyward isn’t. He needs ABs in Gwinnett to get it together. This isn’t giving up on him. There isn’t a real Braves fan that is giving up on him, we just want to win. Constanza gives us the best chance to win right now.
I will not look at Uggla because there is no comparison. Uggla has 5 years of solid seasons under his belt. Heyward has 1/2 a season. He’s 22 and needs to play. He isn’t going to play in Atlanta right now. Why not send him down and get him ready for the rest of his career instead of languishing on the bench as a 4th OF (which is what he is right now)?
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:32 am
Damnit, Joseph, quit stealing my arguments
@___ISH___
August 12th, 2011
12:32 am
the majority of us tonight were debating why you put Heyward in over Constanza today
You are exactly right sir…
Braves in 11
August 12th, 2011
12:33 am
Joseph,
I agree with you that Constanza needs to play today. But come playoff time who do you play then…I think it’s Heyward vs.Righty’s and Constanza vs. Lefty’s when the time comes. I mean Heyward has been terrible vs. Lefty’s this year and Constanza has shown he can hit vs. anyone.
I would love to see Heyward in the lineup tomorrow though. Carlos Zambrano is the guy that got Heyward off to a great start of his career last year and maybe facing him would re-spark him.
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
12:34 am
Rowsdower, the real thing is going to be him catching and jumping to throw to 2nd. Hope he isn’t rushed back. Maybe opening against the Giants might be a good time if all goes well. Dang just imagine our line-up with Mac back? With the guys that deserve to play today. Yes I know tomorrow things could totally change due to production, but that given……..
1. Bourn
2. Prado
3. Freeman
4. Uggla
5. McCann
6. Chipper
7. Gonzalez
8. Constanza
9. Hudson (heck if the freaking AL can use the DH, why cant we have a designated pitcher hitting?) lol
But seriously, where is an out in that line-up? Gonzo is the weakest today and he is on a what? 11 game hit streak?
Nick must be related to J Hey
August 12th, 2011
12:36 am
Heyward is probably going to be a monster player in a year or so. Now, this year, he’s totally lost.
Nicky, Georgie’s On Base Percentage (OBP) is .500. That means half the time he on base. His batting average is lower than that. .413. This of course means that 41.3% of the time he’s getting on base due to base hits. The mathematics that cause him to have an OBP of .500 (on base 50% of time)
require him to get on base many times not by hitting but by taking walks. This would indicate that your comment of ‘he swings at everything’ is inaccurate.
No, he won’t hit 413 for the rest of the year, but he has passed the first test: He hit a homer, and hasn’t tried to become a power hitter. He’s just continued to put the ball in play on the ground and run it out….maybe by September he’s flamed out and back in Gwinnett……I wouldn’t bet on it, though.
@___ISH___
August 12th, 2011
12:37 am
I wouldn’t have a problem with platooning Heyward with Constanza, Chipper’s not gonna play every day either so Georgie gets AB’s in left too.. It’ll all work out.
reckingball
August 12th, 2011
12:38 am
The Braves ARE NOT going to send Haywood to AAA.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:38 am
When Mac comes back, this offense is going to be sick. I would flip-flop Mac and Freeman just because Mac is our best hitter and best hitters hit 3rd. Otherwise, God help everyone.
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
12:39 am
Braves in 11…If Heyward gets going, I’m with you on the righty lefty splits. I think this team is hoping to turn Constanza into a platoon with Heyward, just waiting on him to get his work in in the cages and with Parish and Chipper. BTW….love he is looking to the mentor of the team for guidance. Anybody still think there is beef about Chipper “calling him out”, which he didn’t do.
I was all about to disagree with you about starting Heyward against BIG Z, but before I posted this, I realized, maybe you are right. Maybe give Prado a day off. I know they had day off today, but travel days are not real days off. Has Prado had a game off since coming off the DL? I like the idea. But I wouldn’t bench Constanza for Heyward tomorrow though. Going to be interesting to see who is in there though
Jo Bling
August 12th, 2011
12:39 am
“the majority of us tonight were debating why you put Heyward in over Constanza today”
“You are exactly right sir…”
Well, I think a substantial part of the discussion has been whether it’s a good idea to send Heyward down to Gwinnett. I would say probably not, and it’s not going to happen anyway so not really worth arguing about.
Braves in 11
August 12th, 2011
12:40 am
Next year I hope that the Braves do sign Alex Gonzalez to maybe another 1 year deal unless Pastornicky is ready for the big show. Alex’s defense alone has saved us many runs and the pitching staff and the organization loves the guy.
For all the crap people give Alex offensively….he’s still one of the best defensive short stops in the game.
Logan
August 12th, 2011
12:42 am
I’m guessing the only thing missing from that 7:16 pm post was Love Mom.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:42 am
The Braves can’t send Haywood down because they don’t know who he is.
reckingball
August 12th, 2011
12:44 am
You can’t figure it out?
Brian Jordan and I like to call him Haywood, every now and then.
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
12:44 am
Honestly Rowsdower, you could play with what I posted from 3-6 and there isn’t a wrong answer. How many teams have that option? This team is getting healthy, and it is just getting more fun each game. Love the stretch run.
And Rowsdower, honestly…who would you rather see win the west? The division isn’t out of the question yet. Phillies haven’t clinched so it is still possible, but oh well going on today’s records……..What west team would you rather face in a 5 game series on the road, Giants or D’Backs? Giants have pitching but no offense at all. D’Backs have hitting and “good” pitching, and a really good bullpen?
reckingball
August 12th, 2011
12:45 am
They are not going to demote Heyward to AAA either.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:45 am
@Braves in 11 – I’m with you brother. Alex needs to be resigned. If for no other reason than to show Pastornicky how to play SS at the big league level. Tyler’s bat is major league ready, his glove, not so much. He is a talented enough athlete to turn the corner on D and Alex is just the person to show him the ropes.
…and he wouldn’t cost much either
Tom
August 12th, 2011
12:45 am
Braves in 11 – Are you serious man? Constanza is playing so good you can not keep him out of the line-up even if he has an average game or two. JasonH is a great kid but is in over his head now. Perhaps you are suggesting playing him over one of the other 2 OF guys(Bourn or Prado)? Are you a close family member or a neighbor? It is a business, not little-league where everyone plays, either produce or get traded or released like McLouth. KK, or Proctor.
reckingball
August 12th, 2011
12:48 am
when did they release McLouth or KK?
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:48 am
I would rather show the Giants what happens when they play us at full strength. We win that series 3-1 if Brooksy and Alex field 2 groundballs. We all know Conrad wouldn’t have been on the field if Chipper or Prado were alive.
BTW..the D-Bags scored 7 in the last 3 innings to wreck the Asbags. Once again, you just can’t count on a team that is 41 under…err 42 now.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:50 am
@reckingball – Both of those guys has seen the field for the last time as an Atlanta Brave.
reckingball
August 12th, 2011
12:51 am
No kidding?
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
12:51 am
reckingball, that was an “Animal House” moment right there. Remember the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor……ssshhh he is on a role. lol
Tom
August 12th, 2011
12:52 am
Rowsdower – Pastornicky is hitting.398 at Gwinnett AAA, even better than Constanza was doing! Probably our SS of the future, but Alex can hit .250 with his great D and we should be happy with that! Big league playing fields probably cut down a lot of errors made at minor-league fields. Either of the two seems to be viable choices?
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
12:55 am
Tom, I think they will attempt to sign Gonzo to a 1 year deal, if nothing but an insurance policy, and give Pastornicky a shot at the job in ST. If he earns it fine. IF not then he starts at Gwinnett and Gonzo holds the fort until he is ready. Win-win scenario, I think.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
12:56 am
Yes, Tyler is our SS of the future (unless Salcedo, Lipka or Simmons go ape). I see Salcedo as a 3B and Lipka as a CF, but its crazy that 4 of our top 10 prospects play SS. I need to see his D improve before I turn the keys over. Alex’s D is WAY more critical to our success than another speedster.
Braves in 11
August 12th, 2011
12:58 am
@Rowsdower….you’re absolutely correct about Pastornicky’s defense he’s just not where he needs to be but he could be a great bench player next year and eventually take over the role in 2012.
@Tom – Constanza has been a career minor leaguer for a reason. You just don’t wait until you’re 27 years old to be brought up to the show and become a permanent fixture on the field. I love what the kids done and hope he continues his success…but it’s only a matter of time before pitchers figure him out. The one thing he has a legs up on Heyward is beating out all of those infield singles.
You also can’t be serious about comparing Heyward in a class with Proctor, KK and McLouth. And for your information McLouth still hasn’t been released and he won’t be until after the season. Heyward is going to produce maybe not this year but he’s going to be the future RF for years to come.
Heyward has gone down the Franceour path offensively. But the huge difference between both of them is that Heyward is willing to listen and learn and try to get better offensively. Franceour on the other hand was and always will be a free swinger and the Braves and many teams don’t have the patience for a player like that these days.
reckingball
August 12th, 2011
12:58 am
@12:52……”Big league playing fields probably cut down a lot of errors made at minor-league fields.”
There could be something to that, i.e. Dan Uggla playing with the Fish, at the Stadium To Be Named Later, vs. Turner Field.
Braves in 11
August 12th, 2011
1:01 am
@ Tom… This quote is hysterical “Big league playing fields probably cut down a lot of errors made at minor-league fields. Either of the two seems to be viable choices?”
Triple A baseball fields are just as good as major league fields. I live in Buffalo and they keep the field here terrific along with many other minor league parks I have seen. I guarantee you if you asked Jose Constanza right now since he’s known the minors well about ballparks that he would rate any minor league stadiums playing field higher than what we seen in Florida this past week.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
1:06 am
I actually play on the Triple A park here in Round Rock, Texas, and I have to agree with Braves in 11, there is nothing wrong with that field. It is as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
That isn’t a slight against Pastornicky. It is just eliminating the field effect. He has work to do and I know he’s athletic enough to get it done. He might not be our SS of 2012, but he is probably our SS of 2013.
@___ISH___
August 12th, 2011
1:06 am
How are pitchers gonna “figure out” a guy with good plate vision & discipline who makes contact and runs like the wind?
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
1:15 am
That was my argument too, ISH. Speed is the one deal breaker for sabermetrics. Batting average on balls in play (bABIP) is skewed by someone that has extraordinary speed. Unfortunately, the math doesn’t factor for that, so it must be “luck.”
Joseph
August 12th, 2011
1:36 am
Rowsdower, you are 100% correct. To Saber people Speed is nothing but luck. A weak ground ball to SS that Constanza beats out, to saber people that is unsustainable because it was weak and luck. Speed never enters the saber culture’s mind. To saber the game WAS NEVER A SPEED GAME when facts are it was. And it is progressing back to that before our eyes. Is Constanza the future of this team? I doubt it, but right now he is the hottest hitter and has got to be out there everyday.
Rowsdower
August 12th, 2011
1:46 am
Constanza is our bridge to Pastornicky who is also a speed demon. I really hope he improves on D because he is going to be another speed guy for us. Let Salcedo provide the power, just focus on fielding the ball and running like a bat out of hell, kid.
Nick
August 12th, 2011
3:06 am
Saw him play the Indians in Indianapolis when Gwinnett was here this summer and my comment to the wife and daughter was this guy is flat out good why isn’t he up with the Braves. Soon they called him up and I am not at all surprised at how he is playing. Keep it up Jose!!
Jabbo
August 12th, 2011
3:09 am
Hurricane Hazle.
wins-by-a-link
August 12th, 2011
7:32 am
Give the scout who “discovered” Georgie a huge bonus, Looks like Cleveland really didn’t know what they had, As far as Heyward is concerned I just don’t know what has happened to him, He looks nothing like the player he was last year, This guy has a ton of talent and someone should be able to turn him around, Such a waste of talent, But lets face it Frenchie did almost the same thing and has never recovered. If Hayward could recover he could be the deciding factor in how the season turns out.
Arkie
August 12th, 2011
7:50 am
Hopefully, Fredi will do what is best for J-Hey. First talk with him. Make sure he understands the Braves are not giving up on him, but helping him by sending him down for a few weeks to play every day. He has adjustments to make. With proper help he will come back stronger. His swing needs a little adjustment. Keeping his bat still will help. His longer arms need a fraction more time in the hitting zone. This should help staying back on the ball. A good hittig coach (and just minor adjustments – do not try to ruin his hitting like Jeff F.)will help. This with a dose of confidence and determination and J-Hey will return and have a long and successful carrer. J-Hey Be all you can BE!!
Larry A
August 12th, 2011
7:54 am
Vince,
Being a stats freak myself, I agree with most of what you have said, Constanza is on a non-maintainable streak just like Uggla. He seems to understand the type of player he is, slap and run. As long as pitchers don’t find a hole in his swing, he may be OK. His problem is he does not walk so his OBP is never going to be stellar and his BA will come down to normal soon enough. What is interesting historically with guys like this is sometimes they are better big league hitters than minor league hitters because they simply don’t hit the ball as hard in the majors because of better pitching.
I do have an issue with comparing Constanza to Rickey Henderson however – Henderson was right handed and hence was severely handicapped coming out of the box so his reaching base on balls put in play numbers will be lower because of it. Henderson also hit for power and got a huge number of walks. There have been plenty of left handed slap hitters to compare him to more effectively. Suzuki may be one, or Brett Butler, Al Bumbry, Lou Brock, Miguel DiLone (well he was a switch hitter but he smacked down on the ball).
Whomever suggested he should go back to switch hitting has forgotten the advantage left handed hitters have getting out of the box… He does not gain anything by hitting right handed.
braves buff
August 12th, 2011
7:56 am
You know, at first I was really angry with Heywards play this year while the offense was struggling…but lately…I have to say I feel sorry for him now..I watch him every time he plays, he just is so lost at the plate, he looks confused, he looks like he is in a twilight zone, …cant help but feel pity for him. I think too many people are instructing him on what to do when he gets up there….Leave him alone, let him just play!
Matt
August 12th, 2011
8:11 am
Dear DOB,
You are my absolute favorite writer. Feels like you’re talking to me. Love Georgie, love the blog, don’t necessarily mind the bat licking. Tasting the burning wood? That kinda sounds like something a bad arse would do.
From now moving forward dude’s gotta play everyday.
Georgie @ short stop sometime??? Try it, that’s all I’m saying.
CRMAC300
August 12th, 2011
8:36 am
Great article in AJC by Carroll Rogers about Michael Bourn and Carl Crawford. Read it!
FlyOnTheWall
August 12th, 2011
8:37 am
You know what? I don’t care what the stats say…I watch every game and if I can see who is playing better…so should the manager…and it sure isn’t JHey. JHey has the worst glove in the outfield, maybe the worst arm and for sure the worst bat, at least right now. What’s the debate? He needs to work on all of it and he can’t do it on the bench…either let him play and assume he’s another auto out or let him go back down and get playing time.
Just please let Georgie keep licking his bat in the meantime.
Heathcliff Slocum
August 12th, 2011
9:23 am
Braves Buff – You nailed it. The poor kid looks lost up there – such a contrast to a kid who was just short of cocky last year. You hope he puts it back together.
ChillyMutt
August 12th, 2011
9:24 am
LOVE this guy. Tried to buy a Constanza Braves shirt yesterday – never have purchase a player specific shirt – and the Braves don’t have them. :~/
Don in TN
August 12th, 2011
9:56 am
Larry A @ 7:54, I would love to have another Brett Butler.
John A
August 12th, 2011
10:55 am
One of the things that JHEY is lacking is hussle. He doen’t run out grounders, and his lack of attention when on base (getting picked off) is border line STUPID. Those kind of thing got two other players canned from the Braves….Escobar & Jones. Remember Bobby pulling them from games for their STUPID plays? Do you think Bobby would tolerate JHEY not running out a grounder? I doubt that anybody can forget the hussle of Pete Rose. Rose was not the most talented player on the field many games, but was the player who hussled the most of any player on the field.
Constanza is the player on our team that is demonstrating what hussle can do for one team and what it will do against the opposing team. If JHEY continues his lackluster style of play, then riding the pine is the place for him. Talent is a GREAT thing to have, but if you don’t use it what’s the point of having it to begin with?
I know all of you have heard the expression “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, well it’s time for JHEY to demontrate his toughness. Uggla (as much as I have to admit) was having a terrible time, and I was on his case, but to his credit he NEVER stopped hussling. He ran out every ball hit, and throughout his slump NEVER demonstrated to anyone his lack of PRIDE & DETERMINATION. Can we say the same things about JHEY?
don
August 12th, 2011
11:00 am
I have always felt that the best Atlanta team featured the speed of Otis and Deion. There is a definite need for speed to create runs. You can’t always wait for the three run homerun from slow footed hitters. Constanza and Bourne give the team some much needed speed that has been lacking for years.
bvillebaron
August 12th, 2011
11:01 am
Vince, Braves in 11:
You guys should no better than to try to post anything logical with Ralph, Bill Maier, George, etc. They are so much in love with Constanza based upon a whopping 46 ABs that I wouldn’t be surprised if they asked him for a date.
P.S. to FlyontheWall regarding your comments about Heyward’s defensive ability and throwing arm vs. Constanza’s fielding ability and arm. Sorry man, but you must be watching every game played by some team other than Atlanta.
bvillebaron
August 12th, 2011
11:15 am
JOhn A:
Admittedly, I don’t get to see all of the Braves’ games, but I have never seen Heyward not run out a ground ball or play the game hard. No question he is not playing well and I have advocated that he should be sent down so he can play as long as Constanza is hot rather than sit on the bench, but I don’t see his struggles as having anything to do with not trying or playing hard.
Stats Hugger...
August 12th, 2011
11:18 am
Enough with the stupid stats about balls in play (of course, not counting HRs), etc. Is that you Billy Beane? How’s Money Ball working out?
Tom
August 12th, 2011
11:25 am
Braves in 11, 1258a -” Constanza is 27 and has always been a minor-leaguer”, looks like someone screwed up not finding him, apparently he always had good minor-league numbers. You are right, he probably will not hit .400 but the .300″s is very likely. How many infield hits does he have so far, does not seem to strike out much. If the IF has to take a step to get to his grounder, he has it beat out. Bourn is pretty much the same way. To me the biggest difference between Constanza and JasonH is that George is HUNGRY, while JH seems passive. Slam the helmet, yell at someone, show some fire, fans want to see that!! How can you guys say he has a ton of talent after only one average year(.280BA, 18-19HRS, 70RBI), that is average at best. Yes, I like Frenchy(family lives nearby and my son played HS ball at same time Brian& Jeff did in Gwinnett), Jeff’s soph year he hit .262BA, 29 HRS, 105RBI, after hitting .300 in his 1st year in bigs! JasonH is good kid, just like Frenchy was, but I really think it came to him TOO SOON in the bigs. Just my opinion though?
Larry A
August 12th, 2011
11:32 am
Heyward will be fine. He is only 22 and he really needs ABs right now. He has not been in the lineup consistently and there has not really been any competition for playing time in his career. Stop beating the guy up. He does not suck nor is he overrated. He just needs to get aggressive again.
Burrito Brother
August 12th, 2011
11:47 am
Nice to see him getting his 15 minutes…but a slap hitting minor leaguer who’s been lucky enough to find a few holes is not something to depend on.
John A
August 12th, 2011
11:58 am
JHEY is not playing with the same fire he had last year. some how he seems to have forgotten what it’s like riding the bus. The mere thought of riding the bus should be motivation enough to make serious strides to righting the ship.
As for those who have not seen JHEY’s not running out grounders….you haven’t watched many games when he is playing, and you didn’t see him picked off 1st running for Hinske? That showed total lack of concentration. Don’t get me wrong….I am a hughe fan of JHEY, but he needs to get his hat on straight. Sitting on the bench thinking about his lack of production isn’t helping him, but neither is playing at the major league level. He needs to re-build his confidence, and he lacks the experience to accomplish that at the ML level….a stint at AAA or even AA might be what is needed.
I’m not an expert, but what I do know is this……if he continues on this road he will be joining Jones, and Frenchy. He need not think that can can’t be replaced!!!!!!!!!!
Braves Fan Since "80
August 12th, 2011
12:14 pm
John A….. based on your logic we should have released uggla before the all star break, the dodgers should have KO’ed Kemp last year and the other Upton kid should be out of baseball….. heyward has more upside than most and being petty will just make sure he plays for someone else when he stars in MLB….. I support the managers decision to play georgie and keep heyward…… the only reason to make a move is an internal decision….. He gives us more options than Conrad, last years hero/goat…. Confidence is built not made
Constanza’s bat licking, hot hitting and grotesque knuckle | Raw Sports - Atlanta Braves
August 12th, 2011
12:28 pm
[...] Atlanta Braves [...]
phil
August 12th, 2011
12:59 pm
I’m beginning to think you can stick a fork in Wayward….makes me sick but there are no signs that he’s doing anything to right the ship….it just keeps settling deeper into the sand bar….
Mark's for the Braves
August 12th, 2011
1:02 pm
If Georgie keeps playing like he’s playing, we sure can’t sit him. Anxious to see if he’s still hitting even close to .350 or so by October. If he is, he may be our new permanent OF.
Tom
August 12th, 2011
1:48 pm
Hey guys, let’s not blast or demean JasonH, he’s a good kid, just like Frenchy was. Constanza is the guy right now, enjoy it and hope he becomes a permanet fixture. Our team is so exciting to watch with our speed guys now, much more than it was the before. George is so HUNGRY(after all those years in the minors), don’t think he will ever let down with the max effort. Wish JasonH the best, but he may have to take the same route Frenchy did to realize it. Perhaps there is something about the extra pressure of playing close to your hometown?
bvillebaron
August 12th, 2011
2:46 pm
Tom:
Yeah, that’s right, Heyward will start hitting as soon as he slams his helmet, yells at someone, etc. Funny how no one had any problem with Heyward’s demeanor last year when he was playing well and almost won rookie of the year. His demeanor is no different this year. Gimme a break.
Mitchell
August 12th, 2011
4:51 pm
It’s too bad his name really isn’t Jorge.
Then we’d be on to something.
Angel (yes, really)
August 12th, 2011
4:54 pm
WWhen I see Heyward’s name in a post, I just scroll past it.ENOUGH ALREADY!
Tom
August 12th, 2011
5:04 pm
bvillebaron – Did not say he would start hitting if he slams helmet or yells at someone, but it would show some form of spirit, life, and aggressiveness. Do not get too caught up in one year of majors(.280BA, 19HRS, 70RBI’s), that is average at most, not some superstar!
Thegratefulalive
August 12th, 2011
5:44 pm
@ Tom, actually those numbers are pretty good when u throw in the –.393 OBP, and that he did it in 500 ABs in his first ML season he started at the ripe old age 20
Randy J.
August 12th, 2011
6:00 pm
Loved this article!
Tom
August 12th, 2011
6:09 pm
Thegratefulalive – With all due respect to your opinion I disagree. An example – former Braves player(21 yrs old at that time), made it to bigs. Brought up middle of season 2005, played in 70 games, .300BA, 14 HRS. 1st full season 2006, played in 162 games, 650AB, 169Hits, 29HRS, 103 RBI’s, 132SO’s, .260BA, .293OBP, .449OPS. Also threw out numerous baserunners attempting to take extra base from RF. Yes, you guessed right, it was Jeff Franceour. JasonH does not compare favorably with Frenchy 1st year and Frenchy is considered good to decent by most. Some bloggers here consider him a flop, which I strongly disagree with them. Braves moved Frenchy after 4th season(when he refused to sign long term contract), even with good stats he put up. JasonH 1st year numbers are decent and nothing more compared to other players.
01HAWK
August 12th, 2011
6:50 pm
Heyward is at best an average outfielder. Does not have an accurate arm, although it is strong, nor does he catch the ball at the wall very well.
Constanza is a better fielder than Heyward. Heyward is the future and only 21 years old. If Chipper retires……………………We can put PRADO at 3rd and have an outfield of Constanza, Bourn, and Heyward.
I am hoping Georgie gets his knuckle fixed so that he can go back to switch hitting so that we can at least have a right handed bat in the outfield.
Georgie is only 27 years old. He should have at least 8-10 more productive years.
Constanza was voted the fastest player in the International League. He has made 4 ALL STAR Teams in the minor leagues. So it is not like this guy has not had success. It seems that when you are of small stature you tend to get overlooked. If he can bat .300 and steal some bases then he should have a long MLB career.
I believe we would have been better off with Constanza than Schaeffer or however you spell his name.
Tom
August 12th, 2011
7:16 pm
01Hawk – I completely agree, but JasonH needs help to become regular OF again!
lifelong Braves fan
August 13th, 2011
12:09 am
Jason Heyward has rated both years as a well above average defensive outfielder in right field. Both UZR and defensive runs saved have him rating well above average, and frankly, the naked eye backs that up. He has good range and an underrated arm to most Braves fans, mainly because it isn’t Francouer’s, who has one of the five best OF arms in the major leagues.
I love that Constanza is succeeding in the bigs, but it isn’t going to last, and Heyward is the better option. 45% of balls in play going for hits is absolutely not sustainable, in addition to the 26% of his infield groundballs becoming hits. Ichiro Suzuki, who has as many infield hits as anyone over the last 10 years, only has a rate of 13% for his career on infield groundballs becoming hits. It isn’t sustainable, and my fear is that this two week hot streak is going to encourage Fredi to continue playing him through the rest of the year and into the playoffs, when Constanza has zero history of continuing this pace. He hit 6 home runs in his entire minor league career, and already has 2 big league home runs. It won’t last, and before long, there is a better chance of the bat being knocked out of his hands rather than continuing to be a productive major leaguer.
Heyward’s major league OPS this year is .709, while struggling mightily and being extremely unlucky at the same time with his batting average on balls in play. Constanza’s career minor league OPS is .712. Who do you think is going to play better going forward? The human element of managing implies that Fredi should continue to play Constanza as long as he’s succeeding. I agree with this, because what kind of message does it send when you bench a guy who is currently succeeding. However, as soon as a mini slump comes, he needs to go back to the bench in favor of Heyward. Everything about Heyward’s past and Constanza’s past predicts that Heyward will be more successful in the future, and I hope that Fredi does realize this before it costs the team in the postseason.