Sunday, July 8, 2007
Harris finaly falling back to earth?
Sadly it looks to be true. After his last 10 games his average has fallen over 30 points (.383-.351). During this bad streak Harris has no extra base hits and 4 SBs, 3 of which came in one wonderful game Vs. Florida on the 30th. Now some would say this is a slump, I say this is reality. Harris has looked a little over matched as of late against pitchers everyone and their brother is hitting. Do i think this swoon will continue? Of course not. Harris is a scrappy hitter with a decent eye (6 walks in that period) but much of the time when he's hitting the ball it seems to make it's way feebly to a infielder. Perhaps he's playing hurt?
Either way Harris finds himself with his platoon job in jeopardy as Diaz is raking for power and average. In the same 10 games Diaz has seen his average CLIMB 12 points (.340-.352). He also has a pair of doubles in that stretch and 5 RBIs. KJ is also raking raising his average 14 points (.274-.288) with again a pair of doubles and 4 RBIs and 9 runs scored. What's amazing about that last bit is that he's scoring at a 56.3% clip when he gets on base. That's ridiculous. Harris has 5 runs scored in this span at 62.5% rate, but one of those was pinch running so the actual rate is 50% over a much smaller sample. Last but not least Escobar is raking too. In his last 10 games (of which 4 he was a pinch hitter or runner) he has raised his average 45 points (.264-.309) has 5 doubles, with 5 RBIs 8 runs and 2 stolen bases. This is easily more productive than any of the other 3 in his last 10 games.
Let me put it this way, if Bobby is a stat head he would sit KJ and Harris and let the LHP side of the platoon hit some vs. righties. Or, just give Diaz the job in LF, trade either Escobar or Rent for some pitching with the other playing short and let KJ play 2b. That way we field a stable order and get another pitcher. Bloody logjam.
Either way Harris finds himself with his platoon job in jeopardy as Diaz is raking for power and average. In the same 10 games Diaz has seen his average CLIMB 12 points (.340-.352). He also has a pair of doubles in that stretch and 5 RBIs. KJ is also raking raising his average 14 points (.274-.288) with again a pair of doubles and 4 RBIs and 9 runs scored. What's amazing about that last bit is that he's scoring at a 56.3% clip when he gets on base. That's ridiculous. Harris has 5 runs scored in this span at 62.5% rate, but one of those was pinch running so the actual rate is 50% over a much smaller sample. Last but not least Escobar is raking too. In his last 10 games (of which 4 he was a pinch hitter or runner) he has raised his average 45 points (.264-.309) has 5 doubles, with 5 RBIs 8 runs and 2 stolen bases. This is easily more productive than any of the other 3 in his last 10 games.
Let me put it this way, if Bobby is a stat head he would sit KJ and Harris and let the LHP side of the platoon hit some vs. righties. Or, just give Diaz the job in LF, trade either Escobar or Rent for some pitching with the other playing short and let KJ play 2b. That way we field a stable order and get another pitcher. Bloody logjam.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
So i'm a little cranky...
I've got a fever of 101, tons of work I need to get done by Monday morning, and, oh yea, the braves lost. Now this wasn't a blow out, scratch that, it WAS a blow out! Consider this, before today the Pads had scored a wopping 14 runs this month. 14 runs in 6 games equates out to 2 1/3 runs a game and that includes the 4 we gave them yesterday. Today we gave them 8 runs. 8 runs! For god sakes people 8 runs is a huge blowout for the Pads. The Pads scored 8 or more runs 4 times last month. 1 each against the Nats, Rays, Cubs and Orioles. The cubs are the only team of the bunch over .500 and that's a recent development.
Now after ranting about how bad 8 runs is I want to point out who the worst culprit is. Yes JoJo was bad. 5 ER in 3 innings pitched does not bode well for the youngster. He's fighting for Davies's spot in the rotation but at this point it's not clear which is worse. Neither is looking good. HOWEVER, 4 of the 5 runs were the direct result of the longball. I think some of the problem actually came from a lack of scouting information on Reyes. How does that hurt a pitcher? Well, normally a pitcher making his first start has an advantage over hitters who haven't seen him before. But Reyes is a different beast from most pitchers. He LIKES to throw a lot of pitches. He tosses all over the zone to try an keep hitters guessing. Most of the time in the minors, hitters will take a hack at something that looks decent. In the majors that doesn't happen. Thus you walk batters while showing them more of your pitches.
On the flip side, a catcher that has never caught you before has to adapt to how you pitch. Reyes has a big delivery and the ball moves. It looked like Brian git a little frustrated over how JoJo was all over the zone and began stetting up more in the middle. You give a pitcher a target he tries to hit it. That seems to be exactly what happened to Reyes. Second time through the order McCann is setting up over the plate and the Pads are hitting it. I don't want to knock Brian's skills, but Salty should have been behind the plate today. He knows JoJo and at this point the defence between the two is comparable. Put Brian at 1b and let him rest his knee (JK, you never move an Allstar to a new position midyear).
W: Bell (3-2)
L: Yates (2-1)
S: Hoffman (25)
HR: J. Francoeur (10), M. Cameron (11), K. Greene (15)
Now after ranting about how bad 8 runs is I want to point out who the worst culprit is. Yes JoJo was bad. 5 ER in 3 innings pitched does not bode well for the youngster. He's fighting for Davies's spot in the rotation but at this point it's not clear which is worse. Neither is looking good. HOWEVER, 4 of the 5 runs were the direct result of the longball. I think some of the problem actually came from a lack of scouting information on Reyes. How does that hurt a pitcher? Well, normally a pitcher making his first start has an advantage over hitters who haven't seen him before. But Reyes is a different beast from most pitchers. He LIKES to throw a lot of pitches. He tosses all over the zone to try an keep hitters guessing. Most of the time in the minors, hitters will take a hack at something that looks decent. In the majors that doesn't happen. Thus you walk batters while showing them more of your pitches.
On the flip side, a catcher that has never caught you before has to adapt to how you pitch. Reyes has a big delivery and the ball moves. It looked like Brian git a little frustrated over how JoJo was all over the zone and began stetting up more in the middle. You give a pitcher a target he tries to hit it. That seems to be exactly what happened to Reyes. Second time through the order McCann is setting up over the plate and the Pads are hitting it. I don't want to knock Brian's skills, but Salty should have been behind the plate today. He knows JoJo and at this point the defence between the two is comparable. Put Brian at 1b and let him rest his knee (JK, you never move an Allstar to a new position midyear).
W: Bell (3-2)
L: Yates (2-1)
S: Hoffman (25)
HR: J. Francoeur (10), M. Cameron (11), K. Greene (15)
Friday, July 6, 2007
Paronto and the Shark
If you weren't watching the game, first off shame on you, second you missed one of the most hilarious things i've seen on the field in a while. If you don't know about the San Diego chicken you have likely been living in a hole for most of your life but i'll spell it out anyway. The chicken is one of the Pad's mascots (i believe they have a friar too) and decided to play a little prank on the braves. After donning a Shark suit OVER the chicken suit he snuck up on Glen Hubbard and, i kid you not, humped the bejesus out of him. Then he attacked the braves pen (which for some unknown reason is down the RF line in SD), scrambling the pitchers and coaches. Most fained fear, except for Chad Paronto. He ran out like a nancy boy from a locker room, hands flopped over and prancing. Think of it, all 6'5" and 250 pounds running like that! I was rolling on the floor in stitches. Then to top it all off soon after he had to dodge a foul ball and, low and behold, he does it again. I think i may need surgery to remove the goofy grin from my face. Good day.
(BTW: anyone notice Chad doesn't have a wikipedia page? I think I need to fix this. Any suggestions?)
(BTW: anyone notice Chad doesn't have a wikipedia page? I think I need to fix this. Any suggestions?)
How sweet it is
Update:
Salty say's he fine and that he can start @ 1b tonight with Brian behind the dish. Looks like Pena will have to wait some more.
Tonight's game was really and truly sweet. After a so so first inning, Buddy was lights out (in his own way) giving up 8 hits and striking out 7 in 8 innings. Bobby pulled him after 8 but it looked like he could have gone another with his pitch count only a couple over 100 and his heater still sitting in the mid ninetys. But he did and Yates gave up a run but got the door closed.
Of other note is AJ who put up his first multi hit game since June 9th. JUNE 9TH! One of them was even a long 2 run HR. Chipper also had a great night with 2 hits (including his 400th double) and a walk. In fact the 3-6 spots all put up a multi hit game with almost all of the run production coming from there (Buddy got his first hit and RBI).
Unfortunately another ugly problem has reared it's head. Salty got hit by a foul tip in the 7th. On the replay it looks to have hit him on the collar bone between the shoulder and chest pad as well as on the neck. With McCann hurting, an injury to Salty could mean the recall of Brayan Pena from Richmond. To make room for him the braves would likely send Devine down again as the bench is already a man short. However, there has been talk of Salty being demoted to give him more work (at First or Catching I don't know). If he really is injured then the DL is always a possibility but the braves just put Smoltz there today (and called up Jojo) so i doubt they will do it unless Salty's hurt bad.
Braves 7, Padres 4
W: Carlyle (3-2)
L: Germano (5-3)
HR: A. Jones (15), R. Branyan (7)
Salty say's he fine and that he can start @ 1b tonight with Brian behind the dish. Looks like Pena will have to wait some more.
Tonight's game was really and truly sweet. After a so so first inning, Buddy was lights out (in his own way) giving up 8 hits and striking out 7 in 8 innings. Bobby pulled him after 8 but it looked like he could have gone another with his pitch count only a couple over 100 and his heater still sitting in the mid ninetys. But he did and Yates gave up a run but got the door closed.
Of other note is AJ who put up his first multi hit game since June 9th. JUNE 9TH! One of them was even a long 2 run HR. Chipper also had a great night with 2 hits (including his 400th double) and a walk. In fact the 3-6 spots all put up a multi hit game with almost all of the run production coming from there (Buddy got his first hit and RBI).
Unfortunately another ugly problem has reared it's head. Salty got hit by a foul tip in the 7th. On the replay it looks to have hit him on the collar bone between the shoulder and chest pad as well as on the neck. With McCann hurting, an injury to Salty could mean the recall of Brayan Pena from Richmond. To make room for him the braves would likely send Devine down again as the bench is already a man short. However, there has been talk of Salty being demoted to give him more work (at First or Catching I don't know). If he really is injured then the DL is always a possibility but the braves just put Smoltz there today (and called up Jojo) so i doubt they will do it unless Salty's hurt bad.
Braves 7, Padres 4
W: Carlyle (3-2)
L: Germano (5-3)
HR: A. Jones (15), R. Branyan (7)
Braves looking at Dmitri Young
Rotoworld.com is reporting that the braves were looking into Young recently but backed off when the Nats asked for an arm, leg, and one of 3 minor league prospects (JK, they wanted Salt's first born too). Now I'm no JS but I'm pretty sure an aging 1b like young is not what our club needs right now. You have Salty, Thorman, and even Diaz who could play there. Albeit Diaz is an outfielder, but he's built like a first baseman. God i'd love to have Harris's speed and Diaz's bat in the lineup every day.
Anyway, the bottom line is I don't understand the interest. Perhaps the braves are looking to trade Thorman and aren't comfortable with Saly's defense (not that Young will win a Gold Glove any time soon with 9 errors so far), or the braves are trading both and looking to keep the production. Neither case seems likely to me.
Update:
So i may have scooped Rosenthal a little but he's got me on the reason the Braves were interested. He speculates that Atlanta wants to send Salty back to AAA. Not a bad idea, but i'm not sure how he would feel about it.
Anyway, the bottom line is I don't understand the interest. Perhaps the braves are looking to trade Thorman and aren't comfortable with Saly's defense (not that Young will win a Gold Glove any time soon with 9 errors so far), or the braves are trading both and looking to keep the production. Neither case seems likely to me.
Update:
So i may have scooped Rosenthal a little but he's got me on the reason the Braves were interested. He speculates that Atlanta wants to send Salty back to AAA. Not a bad idea, but i'm not sure how he would feel about it.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Roger McDowell
So I've had issues with Roger's ability to mentor pitchers the last season and a half but Chip just imparted some unusually insightful information on us TBS viewers. "I asked Brain McCann after the game what Roger had said to Peter Moylan before that double play and he told me "He told him to throw him the sinker, he'll hit it to Renteria, and he'll turn the double play.'" Despite the poor wording it came to pass EXACTLY as Roger said. Give the guy credit, he knows how to pitch. Now let's see if he can get Devine and JoJo to produce.
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