Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Peavy, Braves, Penny, Francoeur

thanks Cork for the nod to the best third baseman of all time!!! take that Wright is my boy, lol!!

I can still hear Harry's call (RIP). Michael Jack Schmidt!!

oh and go get Peavy Ruben, just don't spend Drabek AND Brown and try to do it with NEITHER of them. give them a load of Donald, Marson, Worley Carrasco etc.

I would like to see a Bowden for LaPorta deal. I could also see a Bowden for Santana deal with the Indians. The guy who think the Sox would trade Buchholz for Marson is crazy. Buchholz will not be traded for anyone at this point except an Adrian Gonzalez type player.

Capital Ave. Club just had the most ridiculous trade idea ever. That will be the first and last time I ever go to that site.

"Capital Ave. Club just had the most ridiculous trade idea ever. That will be the first and last time I ever go to that site.

Posted by: RaginCajun6 | May 29, 2009 at 04:20 PM"

It was really bad and really long.

I think Dye is the only one leaving that outfield.

The only name i would add to sid slid's list is DeRosa. If we could get Willingham and one of the other 3 (assuming they can get derosa re-signed) we would be set in the outfield until Heyward and Hernandez come up

Mark DeRosa is still my first choice at this point since he still lives in Atlanta from what I hear, and could sign him and take Norton's roster spot in 2010. My second choice would be J. Pierre after the return of Manny and third would be R. Winn.
Luke Scott, Josh Willingham and Brad Hawpe would be really scraping the bottom of the barrel. I guess Luke Scott wouldn't be so bad.

joemorgan=#1 is right about Scott, even with the now crowded OF that the O's have, he will be much more valuable once huff is gone

Dude Hawpe is much much better than Juan Pierre and Mark Derosa

no PWHjort, Scott is not hurt, in fact he hit 2 HR's last night!

That 2000 Expos draft has pretty much nothing to do with the current Nationals. Loria took his whole staff to the Marlins when he switched teams.

And trading LaPorta for Bowden is pretty stupid.

Scott just came off the DL. As for the Braves I think adding Willingham and DeRosa and then extending DeRosa makes the most sense. That puts two righty bats in a very left heavy lineup while also significantly upgrading the corner OF spots. Adding these two certainly doesn't make the Braves a feared offensive team but if they are league average with that pitching staff then they can make the playoffs

Mark DeRosa is still my first choice at this point since he still lives in Atlanta from what I hear, and could sign him and take Norton's roster spot in 2010. My second choice would be J. Pierre after the return of Manny and third would be R. Winn.
Luke Scott, Josh Willingham and Brad Hawpe would be really scraping the bottom of the barrel. I guess Luke Scott wouldn't be so bad.

Posted by: wisbrave | May 29, 2009 at 04:45 PM
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Hahaha...lol. Brad Hawpe would be the 2nb best hitter on the Atl Braves after Jones. Even with just his away numbers alone he would rank near the top in every category:

.275/.359 4 hrs and 10 bb

Those are better numbers than Francouer, Kotchman, Schafer and Anderson.

Braves fan's should rejoice in the streets if they could acquire Hawpe.

I don't think a Diaz/Anderson platoon in left is all but assured. In fact, I think the organization is probably looking to upgrade left field before they do right field.

"Plus isn't Scott hurt?"

he was but has come back strong if not even stronger than before, he is 4 for 8 in his past 2 game back from the dl including 3 HR's in that span along with 2 walks. he also has picked up 7 rbi's in the 2 games since coming back

i have been extremely impressed with his production especialy comin off the dl so far

I didn't suggest he wasn't worth getting, I just thought he was hurt. And it turns out he WAS hurt but currently isn't. Seems like a good fit. But it also seems like we'd have to give up some useful players since the Orioles are near the end of a VERY LONG re-building process.

PWHjort, i wouldnt call the orioles rebuilding process very long, it really only started a couple years ago at most, the bedard trade brought in a lot for us: adam jones, george sherril, chris tillman

The Bottom Line trade possibilities are among the worst ever seen here. Buchholz will not go for any young catcher who is unproven period and neither should Bowden as both are perhaps the 2 best pitchers not in the majors! People here are so jealous of the sox prospects that they cry about "the Boston Hype Machine" yet every prospect of late from masterson, lowrie, delcarmen, lester, pedroia, ellsbury, youk, and papelbon have all exceeded their perceived potential without any flops to be seen other than Craig Hansen.

Posted by: RED SOX DYNASTY! | May 29, 2009 at 05:19 PM
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(sigh)........

"I don't think a Diaz/Anderson platoon in left is all but assured. In fact, I think the organization is probably looking to upgrade left field before they do right field."

Why? Diaz has been hitting fine for most of the season and still rakes lefties, and Anderson is showing signs of coming on (even though he's shown no power whatsoever).

Failcouer has been a black hole in RF for the last month and has shown no signs of improved plate discipline/pitch recognition from last year, when he was one of the worst players in baseball. What more do we need to see?

RF and CF are the biggest issues here, but CF is going to be much more difficult to upgrade.

DeRosa makes the most sense to me at this point just for the versatility he brings when he can fill in at 3B when Chipper inevitably goes down with more nagging injuries.

Losing Infante and Esco at the same time has been devastating thus far.

add chris tillman to that list

i don't think CF will be changed, as for left i've thrown this out the past couple of days but over 600 ab's a diaz(250) and chris duncan(350) platoon would produce around
.318/.404/.512/.916 34hr 109rbi that would be the 3rd or 4th most productive LF in baseball

"add chris tillman to that list"
The Orioles might be the most exciting team in baseball. Markakis,Jones,Roberts,Reimold,Weiters, are all incredible.
With pitcher like Tillman,Hernandez,Matusz, Arrieta they are going to be awesome next year!
Seeing these guys slowly come is refreshing.

also dont forget snyder

With the injuries the Cards ave had all year I don't see them moving Duncan. It would be nice for the Braves but I think Ankiel will leave next year that would leave an outfield of Ludwick, Rasmus and Duncan. The braves also need right handed hitters.

Erbe is on 7day disabled
BOW EAS 1 3 0.90 4 4 0 0 0 20.0 11 7 2 2 8 19 1.05 .153
still nice numbers

" As for Bowden, yeah he's good but he is not an elite pitching prospect"

I always find this interesting when see this written. Bowden has dominated at every stop in his trip through the minors, with the exception of a small struggle as a 20 year old in his 1st, partial season at AA and that was it.

Ddger Blue, I'm a Sox fan and agree that the assertion that Bowden and Bucholz are the 2 best pitchers not in the minors is absurd, some of the guys you list is just as bad.

Jeffress has a live arm but that is about all he has going for him thus far.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/J/Jeremy-Jeffress.shtml

Ethan Martin has pitched 40 innings professionally and has a 3.76 era. Nice ceiling/potential but a little early.

Carrasco was pretty bad in double-a and while he was good in a triple-a call-up last year he has struggled mightily this year.

Tillman, Feliz, Hanson, Alderson, Baumgarner, Holland, Anderson are all in the discussion along with Clay (Bowden is polished but has a limited ceiling).

Carrasco is probably just as good as Buchholz. But a year or two behind developmentally.

Guess the geniuses here don't understand what "PERHAPS" means when I referenced Bowden and Buchholz as "perhaps the 2 best pitchers not in the majors right now"! Bowden 22, 93 mph fb, has a 1.69 era in 48 innings while giving up only 29 hits. Yeah, I guess he sucks right? Buchholz 25, 96 mph fb, has a 1.31 era in 48 innings while giving up only 24 hits and 12 walks with 49 k's! I'm getting used to my words getting twisted on here but you all look like b!tches every team you wet yourselves over my posts. I never said they were better prospects than Feliz, Baumgarner, or Hanson but they are better than the rest, especially the overrated Carrasco. And btw, Price is already in the majors so he has nothing to do with my comments.

If nothing else happens i'd be happy with juan pierre. braves get a true leadoff man, defensive upgrade, a really good tutor and mentor for schafer, and it makes yunal escobar and kelly jonson better as they can now hit 2 and 6 respectively where they are better suited

The Center Field Gate article would be funny if not for the fact that the writer is apparently serious.

In reference to a Nick Johnson for Manny Delcarmen trade he quips..."The Bosox may need another week to convince themselves of what the rest of us in this part of the galaxy already know:...We can get a better deal, maybe another-player-plus-Delcarmen, in early June."

Beam him up Scotty, looks like his part of the galaxy phasered their brainstems again. The Nats can pretend all they want but they aren't in a position of negotiating superiority for ANYONE at this point, and especially not for a hobbled part-time DH type with an expiring contract soon to depart. Johnson can hit but his bat is only as good as his durability...chalk up another bargaining chip for the other side. CFG (and Rizzo?) thinks Washington should get not one but TWO good young players for Johnson, and be willing to wait it out till' they get it. Cue the raucous laughter.

When it comes to improving their team the Nats haven't been able to negotiate themselves out of an open paper bag. I see no reason for that to change if that CFG article is legit.

"bravoboy10,
1) Ludwick is hurt. 2) I don't think it ever was. I'm pretty sure both sides wanted more. The Braves wanted Ludwick + prospect for KJ and the Cardinals wanted KJ + bullpen help for Ludwick if I remember correctly. I don't think St. Louis ever said, "we agree to swap Kelly Johnson for Ryan Ludwick straight up" and Frank Wren said "no". I think there were discussions but the framework of the deal couldn't be laid out because each side was over-valuing (or under-valuing) it's piece. Actually, seems like St. Louis got it right or under-valued their side and Atlanta over-valued their side. I was disappointed a deal for Ludwick wasn't done just because he was so perfect for us during the off-season."

Yeah ludwick is hurt but when talking about a deal in hinesight you can't talk about injuries because had the deal been made the guy wouldn't have been injured. I'm not saying that to bash you or anything i'm just saying. But yes before the players had settled on arbitration there was talk of a one for one deal, then ludwick settled for 4.3 i believe and wren didn't want to take on the extra 2 mil, because he thought he was going to need it to get the pitchers he was going after.

I'll be honest..I have zero faith in Wren thus far. Wren will make a move to get an OF, but it will be one that nobody has even thought about and I highly doubt that they will be an upgrade.

"No one is saying that Bowden isnt a good pitcher but to call him one of the best pitchers in the minors is hilarious. "

We will find out agin when either the Sox finally call him up for good, or he is traded for a large piece in a trade CosaoneNYC, just how good he really is then.

One MAJOR difference between Bowden and Kennedy, is his FB is 5-6mph faster and it's easier to hide a mistake at 95mph.

"No one is saying that Bowden isnt a good pitcher but to call him one of the best pitchers in the minors is hilarious. "

We will find out agin when either the Sox finally call him up for good, or he is traded for a large piece in a trade CosaoneNYC, just how good he really is then.

One MAJOR difference between Bowden and Kennedy, is his FB is 5-6mph faster and it's easier to hide a mistake at 95mph.

Posted by: johns | May 29, 2009 at 09:02 PM
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Um i've seen Bowden pitch around 3 times i think and never seen a 95 mph from him. He has always been in the 88-92. Sitting 90-91. Unless your thinking about Buchholz who has that velocity? Bowdens standout pitches were his curve and change not a mid 90s fastball

"Um i've seen Bowden pitch around 3 times i think and never seen a 95 mph from him. He has always been in the 88-92. Sitting 90-91. Unless your thinking about Buchholz who has that velocity? Bowdens standout pitches were his curve and change not a mid 90s fastball"

Bowden tops out at 95mph, his FB sits in the 92-93mph range normally and yeah.. I have also seen Bowden pitch, albeit on MILB TV and at ST games and both his MLB games.

Let's nip this lack of velocity myth in the bud. Bowden typically works in the 89-93 range (with downward sinking movement) topping out at 95. While he's not a high-end velocity guy, he has a deceptive delivery and 2 strong off-speed pitches (and is working on adding a slider to his arsenal this season). He's not a junkballer or just a command guy.

Yes, Michael Bowden is not in the Tommy Hanson class of elite-and-ready-to-contribute-now pitching prospects but his floor is every bit as high. As a GM, you want a deal that's not going to blow up in your face and Bowden is a safe return. (...and I agree with the general consensus in this thread that Bowden is not equal value to Matt LaPorta. The guy who wrote the article proposing it had the right idea in theory about team needs and depth but he neglected to factor in value into the hypothetical trade.)

no I'm sure he meant floor. The ceiling on guys like Hanson and Bumgarner is higher, but it Bowden is at least as safe of a bet as those guys.

On a further note:

Touch of class on Schmidt's part by MLB baseball when he did get into the All Star game, but a shame he didn't get to play. I remember in '83 when both Yaz and Bench retired the same season and they both were named to the team and at least they both were allowed to make PH appearances.

Heres the link for that quote from Sickles blog: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/4/21/446769/prospect-smackdown-justin