La Stella

[MS_half-step]

For all those eager to see him promoted you got your wish, bad news is that simba may be headed to the DL.

http://www.talkingchop.com/2014/5/28/5758064/breaking-tommy-la-stella-promoted-to-majors

[smootness]

It actually looks like nobody will be going to the DL, at least as of now. Pastornicky was sent down to make room.

[Irondawg]

Well he can't be any worse and give him a few weeks and if it's just as bad start looking for a trade partner.

[msstate7]

It actually looks like nobody will be going to the DL, at least as of now. Pastornicky was sent down to make room.

Can't blame the braves. TP is terrible defensively

[The Croom Diaries]

I was thinking if La Stella was brought up after June 1 the Braves could control him for an additional year, is that right? If so, it seems really stupid to not wait 4 more days to do that.

[War Machine Dawg]

I was thinking if La Stella was brought up after June 1 the Braves could control him for an additional year, is that right? If so, it seems really stupid to not wait 4 more days to do that.

No doubt, but Uggla/TP/Pena have forced their hand. Plus, La Stella was in Pawtucket and the big club is in Boston. Logistically, that worked out about as well as it could have and made a lot of sense.

[msstate7]

2 hits and an assist at home. Heck of a debut

[Dawg61]

Looks like the Braves have a good one. Bat him 2nd?

[msstate7]

Looks like the Braves have a good one. Bat him 2nd?

I'd like to see him leadoff (assuming he keeps hitting).

[Dawg61]

I'd like to see him leadoff (assuming he keeps hitting).

High contact rate, low strikeout rate, high OBP and it moves Heyward down. Sounds like a good idea to me. Why wait? Put him there next game and move Heyward to 2.

[msstate7]

High contact rate, low strikeout rate, high OBP and it moves Heyward down. Sounds like a good idea to me. Why wait? Put him there next game and move Heyward to 2.

Probably have to move Heyward to 5th. You'd have 3 lefties at the top. Bj's been decent lately so I'd leave him in 2-hole for now

[Dawg61]

Probably have to move Heyward to 5th. You'd have 3 lefties at the top. Bj's been decent lately so I'd leave him in 2-hole for now

With a runner on 1st doesn't that create a bigger hole between 1st and 2nd for Heyward to pull through? Or has Heyward become a big opposite field hitter now?

[msstate7]

With a runner on 1st doesn't that create a bigger hole between 1st and 2nd for Heyward to pull through? Or has Heyward become a big opposite field hitter now?

When Heyward is right, he gets a ton of opposite field hits.

Reason I don't want 3 lefties in a row at top is bc of bad matchups late in the game. We'd have 3 lefties and then 5 righties in a row

[BoomBoom]

I was thinking if La Stella was brought up after June 1 the Braves could control him for an additional year, is that right? If so, it seems really stupid to not wait 4 more days to do that.

not quite. being called up now, assuming he never gets sent down for a couple weeks (DL and rehab stints do not count), then he would be a "Super Two" player after 2016, meaning he would be arbitration eligible for 2017-2020 rather than 2018-2020. either way he'd be eligible to be a FA in 2021.

given that he can only play 2B, and not that well at that, and that he projects to offensively be an average hitter but never more than that (no power or speed), and given how Peraza is doing (pencil him in for 2B in 2016), it really doesn't matter. La Stella is unlikely to have much value as a utility player, so by 2017 it doesn't really matter. with Peraza capable of being the backup SS, i can see them carrying La Stella as a bench bat if he produces as expected, but he'll be trade bait the whole time.

they never were waiting for June on him. he might have been called up a few weeks ago, but he was slumping a bit and the Braves veterans expressed that they though Pastornicky had "earned" a shot at the job. so they gave Pastornicky a couple weeks while they watched La Stella. Pastornicky bombed, and La Stella came out of his slump and showed a little bit more power, and that was that. btw, it wouldn't be 3 days more, the actual cutoff date is determined after the fact come 2017, but is usually the 2nd week of June if i remember right.

[smootness]

Probably have to move Heyward to 5th. You'd have 3 lefties at the top. Bj's been decent lately so I'd leave him in 2-hole for now

Uh, no no no no. BJ should never be hitting 2nd in the ideal lineup. Heyward works perfectly in the lead-off spot; I'd like to see La Stella hit 2nd assuming he can keep it up well enough. They'll both get on base plenty for Freeman, Justin, and Gattis. It would transform our lineup, honestly.

[msstate7]

Uh, no no no no. BJ should never be hitting 2nd in the ideal lineup. Heyward works perfectly in the lead-off spot; I'd like to see La Stella hit 2nd assuming he can keep it up well enough. They'll both get on base plenty for Freeman, Justin, and Gattis. It would transform our lineup, honestly.

So...

Heyward (l)
LaStella (l)
Ff (l)
Jup (r)
Gattis (r)
Cj (r)
Bj (r)
Simmons (r)

Not very balanced lineup

[Dawg61]

So...

Heyward (l)
LaStella (l)
Ff (l)
Jup (r)
Gattis (r)
Cj (r)
Bj (r)
Simmons (r)

Not very balanced lineup

Could try

Stella
Johnson
Freeman
Jup
Heyward
Gattis
Bj
Simmons

[msstate7]

Could try

Stella
Johnson
Freeman
Jup
Heyward
Gattis
Bj
Simmons

Johnson is a double play machine, so I wouldn't hit him 2nd.

I still think bj is the best choice at 2nd right now. He's doing much better lately

[msstate7]

Lastella might not be up long. Big error and could have had another one.

[smootness]

Having a balanced lineup in terms of R-L is not worth putting BJ at 2. I don't care if he's been hitting better, he's still a guy who will post an OBP under .300. I don't want that anywhere near the top of the lineup.

[msstate7]

Having a balanced lineup in terms of R-L is not worth putting BJ at 2. I don't care if he's been hitting better, he's still a guy who will post an OBP under .300. I don't want that anywhere near the top of the lineup.

Bj has an OBP of .268 his last 10 games, but I don't think that tells the whole truth. Bj has really cut down his strike out rate. He's struck out 6 times in last 10 games (41 ab's). He's walked 4 times in this period, so that's decent ratio. His average is only .189 during this period, but he's been pretty unlucky. I've seen him hit a lot of at em's.

I think bj is turning it around. Is he a good option hitting 2nd? No, he isn't. Problem is there is no good option for the braves and having only 3 lefties makes it tough.

As for 2b, it's time to call the Astros. I'd do whatever it takes short of blowing up the farm system to get altuve. Jose altuve makes this team much, much better

[Dawg61]

And losing Altuve makes the Astros even worse so he's not going to be cheap. Who are you giving up for Altuve? Minor leaguers won't cut it.

[msstate7]

And losing Altuve makes the Astros even worse so he's not going to be cheap. Who are you giving up for Altuve? Minor leaguers won't cut it.

Wood as the center piece and a decent prospect

[War Machine Dawg]

Bj has an OBP of .268 his last 10 games, but I don't think that tells the whole truth. Bj has really cut down his strike out rate. He's struck out 6 times in last 10 games (41 ab's). He's walked 4 times in this period, so that's decent ratio. His average is only .189 during this period, but he's been pretty unlucky. I've seen him hit a lot of at em's.

I think bj is turning it around. Is he a good option hitting 2nd? No, he isn't. Problem is there is no good option for the braves and having only 3 lefties makes it tough.

As for 2b, it's time to call the Astros. I'd do whatever it takes short of blowing up the farm system to get altuve. Jose altuve makes this team much, much better

No love for Simba getting a shot in the 2-hole? Personally, I think he's tailor-made for the job. Doesn't strike out much, decent walk & OBP rate, puts the ball in play. Reminds me a lot of Prado in that way.

As for a 2B trade, I liked the idea of working with the D-backs to bring back Prado. That's the ideal move that we might could actually afford. Don't think we're going to be willing to pay the price to go get Altuve. Plus, 2B is one of the weakest MLB positions. Just not a whole lot of good options available, so no one worth it will be cheap.

[msstate7]

No love for Simba getting a shot in the 2-hole? Personally, I think he's tailor-made for the job. Doesn't strike out much, decent walk & OBP rate, puts the ball in play. Reminds me a lot of Prado in that way.

As for a 2B trade, I liked the idea of working with the D-backs to bring back Prado. That's the ideal move that we might could actually afford. Don't think we're going to be willing to pay the price to go get Altuve. Plus, 2B is one of the weakest MLB positions. Just not a whole lot of good options available, so no one worth it will be cheap.

I'm not against giving Simmons shot there.

[Dawg61]

Wood as the center piece and a decent prospect

For Altuve? Try Minor or Teheran. Astros ain't stupid although sometimes I wonder.

[smootness]

We need to keep Wood.

As for BJ, you kind of proved my point. During this hot stretch that is supposedly showing us enough to keep him in the 2 hole, he's still hitting .189 with a .268 OBP. And again, that is during this good run he's had. He's just not even a halfway decent hitter anymore, and he's likely not coming back. He needs to toil at the bottom of the order when he plays.

[msstate7]

We need to keep Wood.

As for BJ, you kind of proved my point. During this hot stretch that is supposedly showing us enough to keep him in the 2 hole, he's still hitting .189 with a .268 OBP. And again, that is during this good run he's had. He's just not even a halfway decent hitter anymore, and he's likely not coming back. He needs to toil at the bottom of the order when he plays.

Again I feel he's been unlucky lately. If (and a big if) he keeps putting the ball in play hard, his avg and obp will go up. His strike out rate has dropped dramatically which I take for a good sign.

[smootness]

Again I feel he's been unlucky lately. If (and a big if) he keeps putting the ball in play hard, his avg and obp will go up. His strike out rate has dropped dramatically which I take for a good sign.

That is a good sign, and it looks like he's cut down on his swing some, which will help. I'm just saying that I'm not anywhere close yet to saying he's now the right guy to hit at the top of the order. We either need to find someone else who can get on base up top for Freeman, Justin, and Gattis...or we need to move Justin back to the 2 hole.

[msstate7]

That is a good sign, and it looks like he's cut down on his swing some, which will help. I'm just saying that I'm not anywhere close yet to saying he's now the right guy to hit at the top of the order. We either need to find someone else who can get on base up top for Freeman, Justin, and Gattis...or we need to move Justin back to the 2 hole.

I wouldn't oppose jup or Simmons hitting 2nd either. I really would like to move jhey to 5th though and to do that we need a legit leadoff (altuve) IMO.

Of course, altuve is a longshot at best

[msstate7]

I wish the braves would take notice of these good teams beating them with 2 strike hits. Good teams are showing us how to cut down swing with 2 strikes. Will we notice? I kinda doubt it