Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Pictures of Braves, Vizcaino vs. Red Sox
A friend of mine is a big Red Sox fan and is down in Florida right now to catch a couple of their Spring Training games. Fortunately, that means he was able to see the Braves play, as well. He was kind enough to pass along these shots, including Arodys Vizcaino in action. Enjoy!
Monday, February 28, 2011
So Spring Training Started?
So according to one or two articles I’ve read online, apparently Spring Training started recently. You could have fooled me as I look outside and still see a foot of snow on the ground. So it was a bit odd watching the Braves play the Mets in sunny Florida on tv while my heater was on full blast.
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| Credit: timesunion.com |
The one thing that’s starting to get me in the baseball mood is planning this season’s trips. Being a Braves fan in Upstate, NY means you really have to plan ahead to see your team play. Right now I’m looking at 1 or 2 games against the Nationals in DC during opening weekend, 2 or 3 games at Turner Field in June, 2 or 3 games against the Cubs in Chicago in August and probably a couple games against the Mets in New York throughout the season (that’s really the only same-day trip to see the team play). The Gwinnett Braves also play in Syracuse in August, so I’m hoping to catch a game or two there, as well.
But until the regular season starts, Spring Training will hold my attention from afar. Over the first few games, I’ve been pleased with how the regulars are doing and have been happy to see Nate McLouth start off strong. Outside of seeing how some of the prospects play, here are the main questions I have for the next month:
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
What's The Deal With Barbaro Canizares?
Ever since I really started following Braves prospects a few years ago (instead of simply being aware of who the top up-and-comers were), the one player whose situation has puzzled me the most is 1B/DH Barbaro Canizares. The Cuban defector was signed by the Braves in early 2006 and has spent nearly his entire career in the team's minor league system.
Taking a look at some of his stats and accolades, without any preconceived thoughts, we see that Canizares put up a .341/.403/.504 line last year with 13 HR and 77 RBI in 425 AB with the Triple A Gwinnett Braves. That .341 average was tops in the International League (3 guys were next closest at .319, including some guy named Freddie Freeman) and was named to his third consecutive IL All-Star team (3 post-season selections, 2 mid-season selections). And don't think this was a one-year fluke. His 4 season Triple A slash is .314/.374/.458, almost dead equal with his career (5 seasons) minor league line of .314/.375/.455. The guy doesn't strike out much (about 12% of his Triple A plate appearances) and has remained relatively consistent throughout his career (his worst OPS in 4 Triple A seasons was .785 in 2008). And Barbaro continues to impress in the off-season. He led his Obergon Mexican Pacific winter team to the league title and a berth in the Caribbean Series, hitting .320 with 12 HR and 45 RBI in just 56 games. Canizares stepped it up in the seven-game championship series, mashing 2 HR and adding 8 RBI. Sounds like a decent player, right? Especially for a team that hasn't had much to get excited about at 1B over the past handful of season (this year being the exception, of course).
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Off-Season In Upstate, NY
Braves pitchers and catchers report in just a couple weeks and the team opens up their 2011 season against the Nationals in a little more than 2 months. While I'm beginning to see a faint light at the end of the baseball off-season tunnel, Upstate, NY is still looking at 2 more months of winter. With the third snow storm this month hitting the area a few days ago and temperatures recently dipping below zero, baseball still seems like a long way away....
Since the sub-header of this blog mentions the thoughts of a Braves fan, specifically in Upstate, NY, I figured I might as well share some of those views. One thing I've noticed while following a number of ATL/GA/South Braves fans and media outlets on my Braves State of Mind twitter account is that the end of baseball season simply means COLLEGE FOOTBALL. I'm not sure (most of) us in the northeast can truly understand the college football passion in the south..and most other parts of the country, for that matter. I do consider myself a college football fan and have season ticket's to my alma mater's FCS team, but it's not a season that I spend each year desperately waiting for. The closest FBS team is Syracuse and they haven't exactly given fans much to cheer about since the Marvin Harrison, Donovan McNabb and Dwight Freeney days ended 10 years ago. There are a number of FCS teams in the northeast, but while the quality of play is still solid, it's not as exciting as having 100,000 fans in a stadium each Saturday afternoon.
In thinking about it a few days ago, I realized my sports focus are mainly on two things: baseball (Braves) and college basketball. This is my 5th season as a season ticket holder for UAlbany Great Danes basketball. The team plays in the America East conference with Vermont and Boston University, among others. I think the college basketball season helps me get through the (much too) long Upstate, NY winter as I wait for baseball season..especially on days like this past Thursday when my team destroys a conference-rival by 39 points.
The timing of the two seasons almost work out perfectly, too. For the most part, the Braves regular season runs from April through September. The Danes college basketball season begins in November and pushes into the first few days of March. In good years for my teams, I have almost no sports drop-off. A Braves run into the play-offs eats up enough of October while Great Danes victories past the conference tournament semi-finals keeps me busy into much of March.
Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm done with the Upstate, NY snow and cold temperatures for this year and can't wait for another Braves season (and I wouldn't mind seeing my Danes go dancing into March Madness in a couple months, either).
Since the sub-header of this blog mentions the thoughts of a Braves fan, specifically in Upstate, NY, I figured I might as well share some of those views. One thing I've noticed while following a number of ATL/GA/South Braves fans and media outlets on my Braves State of Mind twitter account is that the end of baseball season simply means COLLEGE FOOTBALL. I'm not sure (most of) us in the northeast can truly understand the college football passion in the south..and most other parts of the country, for that matter. I do consider myself a college football fan and have season ticket's to my alma mater's FCS team, but it's not a season that I spend each year desperately waiting for. The closest FBS team is Syracuse and they haven't exactly given fans much to cheer about since the Marvin Harrison, Donovan McNabb and Dwight Freeney days ended 10 years ago. There are a number of FCS teams in the northeast, but while the quality of play is still solid, it's not as exciting as having 100,000 fans in a stadium each Saturday afternoon.
In thinking about it a few days ago, I realized my sports focus are mainly on two things: baseball (Braves) and college basketball. This is my 5th season as a season ticket holder for UAlbany Great Danes basketball. The team plays in the America East conference with Vermont and Boston University, among others. I think the college basketball season helps me get through the (much too) long Upstate, NY winter as I wait for baseball season..especially on days like this past Thursday when my team destroys a conference-rival by 39 points.
The timing of the two seasons almost work out perfectly, too. For the most part, the Braves regular season runs from April through September. The Danes college basketball season begins in November and pushes into the first few days of March. In good years for my teams, I have almost no sports drop-off. A Braves run into the play-offs eats up enough of October while Great Danes victories past the conference tournament semi-finals keeps me busy into much of March.
Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm done with the Upstate, NY snow and cold temperatures for this year and can't wait for another Braves season (and I wouldn't mind seeing my Danes go dancing into March Madness in a couple months, either).
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Where Has All The Power Gone?
For the past 20 years, Braves baseball has meant solid, if not stellar, starting pitching. Whether it be Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz or Hudson, Hanson and Lowe, Atlanta's starting rotation is more often than not one of the best in the league. With a prospect pipeline that includes Julio Teheran, Mike Minor, Randall Delgado, Arodys Vizcaino, Brandon Beachy, etc, etc., that trend should continue. But while a strong rotation has been the hallmark of the franchise over the past two or three decades, the team's unprecedented division dominance from 1991-2005 also included some bats with power. Comparing those 15 years to the 2006-2010 seasons, we begin to see what's perhaps a notable factor as to why the Braves haven't tasted much divisional success recently.
From 1991-2005, the Braves had big poppers like David Justice, Fred McGriff, Ryan Klesko, Chipper Jones (in his prime) and Andruw Jones to anchor the middle of the order. Over the past 4 or 5 years, as Chipper's power has declined, much of that load has been placed on Brian McCann's shoulders. While Brian is certainly one of the best hitting catchers in the game (as evidenced by his 4 Silver Slugger awards), he's not the type of player who Braves fans can expect hit 30 HR a season. McCann has led the team in homers each of the last 3 seasons without hitting more than 23 (in 2008). A serious power bat would give the Braves a true one-swing walk-off type threat instead of continuing to rely on stringing together 2 or 3 hits in tight late-game situations.
From 1991-2005, the Braves had big poppers like David Justice, Fred McGriff, Ryan Klesko, Chipper Jones (in his prime) and Andruw Jones to anchor the middle of the order. Over the past 4 or 5 years, as Chipper's power has declined, much of that load has been placed on Brian McCann's shoulders. While Brian is certainly one of the best hitting catchers in the game (as evidenced by his 4 Silver Slugger awards), he's not the type of player who Braves fans can expect hit 30 HR a season. McCann has led the team in homers each of the last 3 seasons without hitting more than 23 (in 2008). A serious power bat would give the Braves a true one-swing walk-off type threat instead of continuing to rely on stringing together 2 or 3 hits in tight late-game situations.
Friday, December 10, 2010
See Ya Scotty
Widely covered already, the Braves lost LHP Scott Diamond to the Minnesota Twins in yesterday's Rule 5 Draft. I probably wouldn't be holding true to my "Atlanta Braves fan from Upstate, NY" blog intent if I didn't specifically highlight this move.
Diamond wasn't a top-level prospect for the Braves (hence the reason why the team didn't protect him with their open 40-man roster spot), but he is a product of Upstate, NY. Despite being from Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Diamond pitched collegiately for the Division I Binghamton University Bearcats in Vestal, NY. Binghamton also happens to be in the same conference (America East), and serves as the main rival, of my alma mater, the University at Albany. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by Atlanta in 2007. While I wasn't tuned in enough to college baseball at the time Diamond pitched for the Bearcats to see him play, I enjoyed following him through the Braves minor league system over the past year or two due to his connection to Upstate, NY.
Diamond pitched well in 2010 between Double A Mississippi and Triple A Gwinnett, but he was caught in the middle of a stocked Atlanta pitching prospect group. His selection by the Twins gives him a pretty solid major league chance. Minnesota has bullpen needs that might allow him to fill a lefty specialist role and there are still some questions at the back end of their starting rotation.
But there's still a chance Diamond could return to the Braves system. As compensation for the pick, the Twins sent Atlanta $50,000. Rule 5 requires Minnesota to keep him on the team's 25-man roster for the entire 2011 season in order to guarantee his rights. If they don't, the team must offer Diamond back to the Braves for $25,000. I'd love to see him return as a Brave, but it would certainly be exciting to see him given a shot at the big leagues.
Diamond wasn't a top-level prospect for the Braves (hence the reason why the team didn't protect him with their open 40-man roster spot), but he is a product of Upstate, NY. Despite being from Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Diamond pitched collegiately for the Division I Binghamton University Bearcats in Vestal, NY. Binghamton also happens to be in the same conference (America East), and serves as the main rival, of my alma mater, the University at Albany. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by Atlanta in 2007. While I wasn't tuned in enough to college baseball at the time Diamond pitched for the Bearcats to see him play, I enjoyed following him through the Braves minor league system over the past year or two due to his connection to Upstate, NY.
Diamond pitched well in 2010 between Double A Mississippi and Triple A Gwinnett, but he was caught in the middle of a stocked Atlanta pitching prospect group. His selection by the Twins gives him a pretty solid major league chance. Minnesota has bullpen needs that might allow him to fill a lefty specialist role and there are still some questions at the back end of their starting rotation.
But there's still a chance Diamond could return to the Braves system. As compensation for the pick, the Twins sent Atlanta $50,000. Rule 5 requires Minnesota to keep him on the team's 25-man roster for the entire 2011 season in order to guarantee his rights. If they don't, the team must offer Diamond back to the Braves for $25,000. I'd love to see him return as a Brave, but it would certainly be exciting to see him given a shot at the big leagues.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Hinske, Linebrink and Sherrill...Oh My!
I can't imagine what Frank Wren's cell phone bill looks like. In the past week, the Atlanta Braves GM has added to the team's bench while addressing the few remaining bullpen needs. Let's take a look at these moves...
Last week Eric Hinske agreed to the Braves contract offer, bringing the playoff good luck charm back for the 2011 season. Hinske will earn $1.35 million next year with a $1.5 million club option for 2012 ($100k buyout). That's a pretty good deal if you ask me. Hinske turned down what was believed to be a comparable offer to join his home state Milwaukee Brewers. Assuming he performs similar to this past season, the 1B/OF will provide notable left-handed power off the Braves bench. Unfortunately, Hinske's signing sealed the departure of Matt Diaz. In addition to being a fan favorite, Diaz remains a career LHP killer. With Omar Infante and Melky Cabrera no longer on the team, the Braves didn't have the positional flexibility to keep both Hinske and Diaz. On the fortunate side, Diaz has already signed a 2yr/$4.25m contract with the Pirates. Great for him to pick up some stability. I wish him well!
With Hinske back, Wren turned his sights to the Braves bullpen. Prior to jumping down to Disney World for the MLB Winter Meetings, he swapped minor league pitcher Kyle Cofield for right reliever Scott Linebrink from the White Sox. Cofield hadn't made it past Double A after being drafted by Atlanta in 2005, so it's not much of a give up for Atlanta. The 34-year-old Linebrink has struggled a bit over the past couple years in Chicago, but has traditionally been a solid bullpen presence during his 11 career major league seasons. Should Roger McDowell be able to help him return to pre-2009 form, he will serve as a solid middle-to-late inning RHP option, replacing the Takashi Saito/Kyle Farsworth role last year. Perhaps most importantly, the Braves will also receive about $3.5m to help cover Linebrink's $5.5m 2011 salary.
Last week Eric Hinske agreed to the Braves contract offer, bringing the playoff good luck charm back for the 2011 season. Hinske will earn $1.35 million next year with a $1.5 million club option for 2012 ($100k buyout). That's a pretty good deal if you ask me. Hinske turned down what was believed to be a comparable offer to join his home state Milwaukee Brewers. Assuming he performs similar to this past season, the 1B/OF will provide notable left-handed power off the Braves bench. Unfortunately, Hinske's signing sealed the departure of Matt Diaz. In addition to being a fan favorite, Diaz remains a career LHP killer. With Omar Infante and Melky Cabrera no longer on the team, the Braves didn't have the positional flexibility to keep both Hinske and Diaz. On the fortunate side, Diaz has already signed a 2yr/$4.25m contract with the Pirates. Great for him to pick up some stability. I wish him well!
With Hinske back, Wren turned his sights to the Braves bullpen. Prior to jumping down to Disney World for the MLB Winter Meetings, he swapped minor league pitcher Kyle Cofield for right reliever Scott Linebrink from the White Sox. Cofield hadn't made it past Double A after being drafted by Atlanta in 2005, so it's not much of a give up for Atlanta. The 34-year-old Linebrink has struggled a bit over the past couple years in Chicago, but has traditionally been a solid bullpen presence during his 11 career major league seasons. Should Roger McDowell be able to help him return to pre-2009 form, he will serve as a solid middle-to-late inning RHP option, replacing the Takashi Saito/Kyle Farsworth role last year. Perhaps most importantly, the Braves will also receive about $3.5m to help cover Linebrink's $5.5m 2011 salary.