Well I don't watch that many Braves games outside of when they play the nats, and even then, being across the country, not like I see all those. But my impression is fredi isn't that good of an in game manager. Definitely can do better.
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6:48 PM
?@grantmcauley
#Braves now 1-8 vs. #Nationals this season.
ATL is 34-30 vs. rest of #MLB
WAS is 32-32 vs. rest of #MLB
That's your division race.
Bill shanks' new top 30...
1. Mallex Smith ? CF ? Gwinnett ? A kid with a .340 batting average, a .418 on base percentage and the potential to steal a base every time out is getting attention. It helps to have Peter Gammons mention that scouts are now comparing Smith to Kenny Lofton.
2. Touki Toussaint ? RHP ? Rome ? Acquired from the Diamondbacks, the 19-year-old has two plus pitches (fastball and curve) and they believe the changeup will be just as good eventually. It?ll be interesting to see how he handles the trade in the Sally League.
3. Ozhaino Albies ? SS ? Rome ? He?s really 18 and he?s really making a tremendous impression in Rome. Albies has a .376 OBP and a .322 batting average at the All-Star Break. He has done everything to justify his prospect status. The next Rafael Furcal.
4. Manny Banuelos ? LHP ? Gwinnett ? The former Yankees star prospect is back to where he was in 2011, when he almost made New York?s rotation. Now, he?s a half season away from possibly being in the Atlanta rotation to start the 2016 season.
5. Tyrell Jenkins ? RHP ? Mississippi ? The numbers are very good. It would be better if Jenkins had more strikeouts, but that?s nit-picking. He?s having a solid season in his first full year back after shoulder surgery a while back. May be ready sometime next season.
6. Jose Peraza ? SS/2B/CF ? Gwinnett ? He was in the top two or three coming into the season, and only the emergence of others has had Peraza fall a bit. But he?s again hitting near .300 and again stealing bases. Now it?s just a question of where he will play.
7. Braxton Davidson ? RF ? Rome ? Not many 19-year-olds will have a .400 OBP in the tough Sally League. Davidson is still making progress in his transition to the outfield, but he?s showing the ability to hit. That?s why the Braves drafted him a year ago in the first round.
8. Kolby Allard ? LHP ? Unsigned ? It?s hard to rate a player who has yet to throw a pro pitcher higher, but the Braves think this is the lowest he will be on one of these lists from now on. They think he?s a potential ace, but it?s just going to take a while. He?s just 17 years old.
9. Max Fried ? LHP ? Injured ? Don?t forget about this kid, who was acquired from the Padres in the Justin Upton trade. He?s recovering from Tommy John surgery, but the Braves think when he?s healthy he could take off and be at the top of this list 12 months from now.
10. Ricardo Sanchez ? LHP ? Rome ? Back after going to Florida to get stronger, Sanchez flashed a great curveball in his best start of the season last time out. The upside continues to be off the charts, and the Braves will watch him closely in the second half of the season.
11. Lucas Sims ? RHP ? Carolina ? Don?t blame Sims for being injured in the bus crash, and he has been passed by several of the new players. Before the accident, Sims was figuring things out. When he returns, Sims could get right back on track quickly. Still has great potential.
12. Steve Janas ? RHP ? Carolina ? Also a victim of the bus crash, Janas was doing really well early in the season. The Braves believe he?s a sleeper, and the 6th round pick from two years ago is a bit older (24) so he could come quickly.
13. Michael Soroka ? RHP ? TBD ? This is high for someone still just 17, but the Braves believe he has top-of-the-rotation potential. Soroka has advanced stuff for someone his age, and the Braves can?t wait to see him against pro competition.
14. Max Povse ? RHP ? Rome ? So far, last year?s 3rd rounder is doing tremendous work in the Sally League. We could see Povse sent to Carolina for the second half of the season if he has another good start or two. Tall kid who is really learning more about how to pitch.
15. Andrew Thurman ? RHP ? Carolina ? Another pitcher who has had his season cut short due to the bus crash, Thurman was really doing well before the accident. The Braves expect him back sometime in July. Also older (23), Thurman could come quickly once healthy.
16. Rio Ruiz ? 3B ? Mississippi ? This may be too high, considering Ruiz?s struggles in AA. But he is just 21 and the Braves still see progress. He needs to pull the ball more and generate power. It has been a rough start to his Braves career, but there is still promise for Ruiz.
17. Dustin Peterson ? LF ? Carolina ? Perhaps a surprise, Peterson has been very solid at the plate with power and getting on base. His season was interrupted by the bus accident, but his progress cannot be diminished in his first season with the Braves.
18. Caleb Beech ? RHP ? Rome ? Last year?s 13th round pick has been a big surprise, with outstanding numbers across the board. He might be moved up to Carolina to be challenged a bit, since the Sally League is a bit easy for him right now.
19. Dan Winkler ? RHP ? Injured ? Coming back from Tommy John surgery, Winkler was close to the big leagues last season with the Rockies before he was injured. It will be interesting to see whether the Braves let him start again (as he did with the Rockies) or make him a reliever.
20. Jason Hursh ? RHP ? Mississippi - Started off the season terribly but has been better lately. With the numbers getting interesting, when will the Braves put Hursh in the bullpen? That looks to be his future role, especially with the Braves struggling in the pen in Atlanta.
21. Garrett Fulenche ? RHP ? Danville
22. Arodys Vizcaino ? RHP ? Suspended
23. Shae Simmons ? RHP ? Injured
24. Alec Grosser ? RHP ? Rome
25. Chad Sobotka ? RHP ? Rome
26. A.J. Minter ? RHP ? Draft Pick
27. Jordan Edgerton ? 3B ? Rome
28. Austin Riley ? 3B ? Draft Pick
29. Daniel Castro ? INF ? Gwinnett
30. Johan Camargo ? SS ? Carolina
I hate this list bc he didn't put wisler, folty, Bethancourt, peterson, and Perez on it. Come on dude, they're still prospects... Hell, 2 of them are still in AAA
. Ozhaino Albies ? SS ? Rome ? He?s really 18 and he?s really making a tremendous impression in Rome. Albies has a .376 OBP and a .322 batting average at the All-Star Break. He has done everything to justify his prospect status. The next Rafael Furcal.
...
If this kid continues to progress, it's gonna be very interesting what happens at SS in 3-4 years. Would we do the unthinkable and trade Simmons?
?@mlbbowman
The #Braves have six RH bats (position players) in tonight's lineup
Liriano's splits
vs. LH .236 BA .304 OBP
vs. RH .170 BA .241 OBP
Definitely stupid not to have Wisler on it. The rest are debatable. The only other one I'd include is Folty. Peterson and Bethancourt are definitely not prospects anymore.
It's not a terrible list. I think he definitely has Mallex and Banuelos too high and Fried, Ruiz, and Peterson too low. But he's not a real evaluator, so it doesn't really matter. He's a guy who will go almost solely off of minor league numbers.
My own list (no more credible than Shanks') would go something like this:
1. Albies
2. Folty
3. Toussaint
4. Wisler
5. Peraza
6. Davidson
7. Allard
8. Fried
9. Jenkins
10. Mallex
11. Ruiz
12. Banuelos
13. Peterson
14. Sims
The rest are kind of in the same boat. The exciting thing is that I think Albies, Toussaint, Davidson, Allard, Fried, Ruiz, and Sims could all still improve their standing quite a bit by either continuing to progress, coming back from injury, or turning around their current struggles.
What jumps out at me from that list: We are SORELY lacking in the bats department. Need to move a few arms for some hitters.
We'll probably have to make a couple moves within the next year or two, but we just signed two of the top 11 international prospects, both hitters, and we're poised to go all-in on next year's international market, so I think we'll be ok there down the road.
Albies, Davidson, Peraza, Ruiz, Mallex, Peterson...we don't have quite the top-end bats some systems do, but we're no worse than average there now. It's just our best bats are 2 years or more away and we're unbelievably loaded with pitching.
Anyone know if there's a top flight catcher available internationally this year?
Hopefully Perez won't be out. Can't believe after a line drive off of him, fredi left him in despite a 4 pitch walk, another ball, balk, another ball, then finally beaned a guy. Fredi finally pulled him.
4 straight losses... 6 games out... Collapse is here. I take solace in fredi is on his farewell tour... Book it!
?@Braves
Williams Perez exited tonight's game in the 5th w/left foot contusion. Was seen by Pirates team doctor, x-rays were taken and are negative.
Braves got gene Morgan'd last nite...line drive doesn't hit him they win.
@ChrisCotillo
Source: #Braves promote RHP Jake Brigham to majors.
BravesReddit
Brigham's last 12 starts: 7-2 2.49 ERA, 0.9385 WHIP. So you could say he's having a pretty good year.