From Buyers to Sellers

Just like that, the Mets (featuring the Amazing Beltran) slammed the door shut on any meager playoff hopes we might have had, and exposed our greatest weakness for all to see. Our starting rotation is the worst in the league right now, just getting hammered day after day. No end in sight, no help on the way -- it's so bad that we might be looking at a new era of mediocrity. All the money we've sunk into Hampton and Hudson, Smoltz will be 40 next year, two rookies who we insist have promise but who haven't delievered (James, Davies). And Horacio, always Horacio.

JS has one more day to see what parts we can assemble for spring training 2007. In descending order of likelihood, here are some of the prime candidates to be traded:

1) Wickman -- Hey, you know how it is when it comes time to tighten the belts. Last to arrive, first to leave. Proven bullpen arms are always being shopped this time of year, so let's flip the Wick. Possible destinations: Boston, Anaheim.

2) Baez -- see above. Possible destinations: Anaheim, Arizona.

3) Renteria -- Having a great year, he's also a 30-year-old SS whose trade value will never be higher. Possible destinations: Colorado, Minnesota.

4) Hudson -- He's the kind of guy that tends to move this time of year, but he's been so horrible that it's hard to see who would want him. Still, considering his history of success, someone might take a flyer. Possible destinations: Texas, St. Louis.

5) Giles -- Betemit's departure means it's far less likely Giles will be moved before the offseason, so we'd need a functional 2B in return. Possible destination: Anaheim.

Dirty Sanchez (Marlins 2, Braves 1)

Once again we fell victim to a rookie starter, as Anibal Sanchez baffled the batsmen for seven innings. Our only run came in the sixth when Giles singled in Langerhans, who had a heckuva game, getting two hits (his first since the All-Star break) and making two highlight reel catches -- he must have read my comment on yesterday's game. Cody Ross accounted for the Fish offense, hitting two solo HRs off Chuck James, who pitched very well otherwise.

So it's a bump in the road. We'll have to get a win tomorrow to give ourselves a chance at our seventh consecutive series victory. Smoltz vs. Josh Johnson -- if the bats tonight were any indication, it could be a quick game.

Bob Wickman

We've waited for Scheurholz to make a move to shore up the bullpen, and considering what's available out there, this was about as good as he could do without giving up the store a la the Reds. Wickman has the Proven Closer label, but more importantly can draw on a simple history of success at the major league level that's completely absent from the remainder of the bullpen.

There are definite signs that he's not what he once was, though. Wickman's Baseball Reference page shows an aging pitcher who was league-average in 2003-4 before enjoying a renaissance last season. However, he's no longer the pitcher who would routinely strike out a man per inning, and he got a little lucky last year -- anyone who gives up 9 HR in 62 innings and Ks about 6 per 9 IP is fortunate to only give up 17 total runs.

So far this year he's kept the ball in the park, which he'll have to continue doing. I'd still like to see us import Linebrink or Williamson, but if we don't take a couple from the Phillies this weekend it may not matter much. The recent hot streak accentuated the hole that we've dug for ourselves -- we're still behind the same teams, and losing 4 of 5 will put us right back where we started.

Anyway, we welcome any contributions that Wickman can make. I have a suggestion for his entrance music -- what about "Fat Man" by Jethro Tull? Fear The Flute!

Memo to Jeff Torborg...

...who sounds surprised that 1) Marquis didn't cover third on a single to right, and 2) he made a stupid first pitch to Renteria, busting him up and in with the bases loaded: Jason Marquis is a hothead and a me-first player. Always has been, always will be. Now let the slaughter continue....

The Whompin' Stick

Another day, another double-digit offensive output. Nice of our boys to provide at least a glimmer of hope -- and it would have been even nicer had the Cubs been able to hold a 5-run lead vs. the Mets -- alas, their vaunted bullpen (virtually the only strong spot on the team) imploded Braves-style, so we remain 12 games in arrears.

But let's not dwell on that. Today we salute Chipper Jones, who tied Paul Waner's record of 14 straight games with an extra base hit. He goes for the record tonight against Jeff Weaver of the Cardinals. Not a bad straw to draw -- he'll get to bat lefthanded, his more powerful side, against a mediocre pitcher in a park that, while historically a home run graveyard, does yield a fair share of doubles. He's 5 for 15 against Weaver -- all singles.

A little later we'll meet the man with whom Chipper (for the time being) shares history.

The Compleat Midseason Grades

First, thanks to everyone for their cards and letters concerning the Brave-O-Matic Midseason Grades. While a few were a tad churlish (bunch of slaves to the now, if you ask me), most confessed that the extended rollout of the MG served to heighten their anticipation, thus making the eventual payoff ever more sweet. This was our hope.

On to the bullpen -- and since there haven't been any consistently defined roles to create a pecking order, we'll go alphabetical:

Kevin Barry

This will double as an introduction. The newest member of the 'pen, and seems to have been slotted in Chuck James' April role -- multiple inning eater for an ineffective starter. His first three appearances were brilliant, last night not so much. He's not young (almost 28) -- after matriculating at Rider University (by the way, the Baseball Cube now has some college stats in addition to all minor league player stats -- it's really an invaluable tool), he's resolutely made his way up the ladder, usually as a setup guy/secondary closer, then converted to starter in 2005. Generally good ERA and K numbers, struggles with control at times.

Isn't that a strange career pattern? First, his slow ascent is more indicative of a high school pitcher than a college pitcher (I think). Second, there are probably 5 pitchers who begin as starters and then convert to relievers for every one that goes the other way, especially considering his success as a reliever. He's done well in both roles, and Piazza's HR last night may prove to be an aberration -- since 2000, Barry has given up a grand total of 19 HR in over 450 IP, which is fairly astounding. Sosa gave up 20 in the first half of this season, by way of comparison.

Grade: Inc.


Lance Cormier

Half of the Estrada Booty, he pitched well for a few weeks, then completely fell apart. He made a couple of emergency starts that resulted in emergency bullpen cattle calls, and sports a gaudy 13/25 K/BB ratio (yes, that's backwards). July 4 marked his Independence Day from the major league roster, as he was optioned to Richmond.

Grade: F


Macay McBride

Another guy whose K/BB is underwater (16/20), but he hasn't given up a gopher ball in 34 appearances. As the sole bullpen lefty, his job is secure, but he inspires neither confidence nor ire.

Grade: C-


Chad Paronto

I have an old friend who likes to tinker with cars, and one of his favorite pastimes is to go junking -- he'll find a salvage yard and poke around, looking for something he can use. Most everything there is garbage, but once in a while he'll come across a ditributor cap or headlight rim that happens to fit. In the salvage yard that is the Braves bullpen, Paronto is the headlight rim.

Grade: B


Ken Ray

Meet the distributor cap. We all know how slow Cox can be to adjust player roles, but maybe Sosa's blowing TWO leads last night will land Death Ray back into the closer role. Obviously, that's no guarantee of success, but I'm heartened by his recent return to dominance after a bit of a rough patch. His motion is fairly unstable -- he falls to the first base side of the mound, not unlike Reitsma, so McDowell should keep a close eye on his mechanics.

Grade: A


Chris Reitsma

Was reportedly hiding an injury -- though as A Brett reports, the nature of the injury and what to do about it isn't clear to anyone. He'll spend the remainder of the year scouring the New England Journal of Medicine for possible solutions. Maybe a copy of the DSM-IV would be helpful at getting his head straight while he's at it. Suggested off-season reading material for his agent: the Baseball GM phone book....

Grade: F


Oscar Villarreal

Still the staff leader in victories (by two, no less), the Vulture specializes in blowing leads for Smoltz, interspersed with occasional bouts of effectiveness. Oscar's season can be best described by examining the "hold" rule. From the MLB official site:

The hold is not an official statistic, but it was created as a way to credit middle relief pitchers for a job well done. Starting pitchers get wins, and closers -- the relief pitchers who come in at the end of the game -- get saves, but the guys who pitch in between the two rarely get either statistic. So what's the most important thing one of these middle relievers can do? "Hold" a lead. If a reliever comes into a game to protect a lead, gets at least one out and leaves without giving up that lead, he gets a hold.

Pretty basic, no? Not for the Vulture -- in 39 appearances thus far, he's managed to perform this minimal task exactly zero times.

Grade: D-


Tyler Yates

He's been okay, given his role. Since the Braves are 4-15 in games in which he appears, it's pretty clear what his role is.

Grade: C


The Detritus

You know the names, and you know what they've done. Stockman is the only guy who may reappear, and Devine appears to be trade bait.

The Continuing Saga of the Midseason Grades

Starting pitchers:

John Smoltz

His NL rank in various stats:

IP - Sixth
Ks - Sixth
ERA - 12th
Wins - 25th

Is having as good a year as the highly publicized Glavine, and his K rate has actually increased over last year, despite going away from his splitter. He's a horse.

Grade: A-


Tim Hudson

He'll never be worth the contract he signed, and if he doesn't get more consistent the fans may begin blaming him for signing it. People are silly that way. It's strange, and frustrating, how Hudson seems to lose his command for weeks at a time, then puts it together and looks unbeatable. I give him about a 90% chance of pitching better in the second half, but for now...

Grade: C-


Horacio Ramirez

Has a worse ERA than Hudson (4.65 to 4.56), but there's no doubt that HoRam has been the better pitcher. The numbers are skewed by that ugly start against the Reds, but six of his nine starts have been stellar. Maybe he's doing it with mirrors, or maybe his discovery that the strike zone also has an INSIDE corner will make an enduring difference in his results. All I know is, he shut down the Yankees in New York, and looked like he knew he could do it.

Grade: B


John Thomson

Actually led the NL in ERA for a while, but only because he was blowing up after two-out errors. I've always felt he was underrated, and I still do -- only now, he's become an underrated reason that we suck. Rowland's Office rightly ridicules him for his penchant for goofy injuries. On the plus side, he sweats more than Mark Wohlers in the throes of performance anxiety.

Grade: D


Kyle Davies

Struggled badly in eight starts before going on the 60-day DL with a strained groin. Must be some strain. I'm hesitant to grade him too harshly -- he's still a baby, and I've got high hopes for him. But he was having a hell of a time getting out of just about any inning. But I'll give him a break (I'm sure he's relieved).

Grade: Inc.


Chuck James

So far, so good. He's going to give up his share of HRs, so he'll have to keep the walks to a minimum. Considering the relative merits of our outfield and infield defenses, inducing a large number of flyballs would seem a prudent strategy. He's fun to watch, and keeps things moving -- only Smoltz when he's on a roll pitches as quickly.

Grade: A


Jorge Sosa

All together now:

Grade: F

Midseason Grades (Part 3)

Continuing the longest-running midseason report in history:

Wilson Betemit

Heir to Mark DeRosa as the guy who hits well enough to start, but can't crack the lineup. He may have a better case than DeRosa, but only because of the current state of the team. In the days of yore, having a young supersub IF was acceptable, even necessary. Because we were winning, there was no organizational pressure to see what DeRosa could do as a regular -- he was injury insurance. We have to look at Betemit differently, because we're looking to the future now. We must find out if he can handle a starting job, so we must find a place for him. He's done all he can do in his present role.

Truth be told, he and DeRosa are a lot alike -- they can both hit .280 with some walks and doubles power. Both sport iron gloves, from all available evidence. Here's hoping that Betemit does more with his shot, once he gets it, than DeRosa did.

Grade: B+


Todd Pratt

Before last season ended I went on record hoping the Braves would acquire Pratt for 2006. Estrada was on his way out the door, McCann showed himself ready for a starting role, and I opined that Pratt would be a useful one-year veteran bench presence. John Schuerholz, evidently an avid reader of Brave-O-Matic, agreed and promptly signed him.

For all I know, he may indeed provide a "useful bench presence", but his field presence thus far can best be described as "washed up", as evidenced by his .189 batting average and poor defense (highlighted by a passed ball and error on a SB attempt last night, both of which led to runs). Seems like a good enough guy, but I'd much rather see Brayan Pena at this point.

Grade: D- (I know, should be an F, but since he was my idea and all...)


Pete Orr

Although he and Pratt have basically the same batting line (Pratt: .189/.245/.274, Orr:.213/.234/.307), Orr has actually been a valuable pinch-hitter this season:

As PH: .323/.344/.484
As starter: .136/.156/.182

He's also given us a good glove at 2B -- no errors, good range factor. At least he's giving us something -- not much else to say.

Grade: C


Brian Jordan

One of the Aged Three (along with Pratt and Remlinger -- how's that working out?) -- Jordan hit well in April and had a couple of nice moments, but has been useless since. At least his injury is legit -- I don't think you can fake a broken clavicle, but maybe we can conjure up some rehab issues to keep him out until the inevitable late-September swan song.

Grade: F


Other position players:

Scott Thorman was brought up to replace Jordan -- so far I can't really tell the difference. Brayan Pena was light-years better than in 2005 during his brief callup, and may have a future after all. Tony Pena, Jr. showed up to collect his first ML hit and to (hopefully) remind his employers of Rafael Belliard. And future batting champion Martin Prado stopped by to say hello.

A Game Worth Watching (finally)

Didn't we used to do this every other week or so? It's 13-4 in the 6th right now, and we haven't scored this many runs since the first week of the season. Couple of notes:

-- By the end of the fourth inning, every Brave position player had at least one hit, one run, and one RBI. When was the last time that happened? Someone talk to Elias...

-- By far the best news in this game is the health and hitting of Chipper. Yeah, we've got Betemit if we need him, but we need C. Jones to play and play well.

-- Maybe I'm just in an expansive mood because of the score, but you can put me in the Jeff Torborg bandwagon. I'm still resentful about the absence of our beloved TBS crew, but I'll give credit where it's due -- Torborg is consistently insightful and pleasant to listen to. His prescient comments about James' pitching motion were some of the best analysis I've heard in a while.

Midseason Grades (Part 2)

More position players (until I give out -- to be continued):

Brian McCann

What a sweet swing the kid has. It was evident immediately upon his arrival last year, and I expected him to outpace his roommate in their soph seasons, but .353? I don't know what's more surprising -- that he's done it to this point, or that it looks like he could keep on doing it. I wouldn't put anything past the kid -- I think he can hit .340 one year, then come back the next year and hit 30 homers if he decides to do that.

Here's a question to ponder -- what impact do you think the catcher has on the effectiveness of the pitching staff?

Grade: A+


Andruw Jones

Finally, at long last, most of the bickering about Andruw seems to have ceased, and he's allowed to be what he is -- that is to say, "not Willie Mays". Maybe it was the big 2005, or maybe he's putting together another typical Andruw season without the wild fluctuations in his performance, but he seems to have reached the point in his career where you just pencil him in, forget about him, then see how well he does in the MVP voting.

Grade: A-


Jeff Francoeur

Unfortunately, Cox has also taken the "pencil him in and forget about him" approach with young master Francoeur, with decidedly less felicitous results. Yes, he's on pace to hit 30 HR and drive in 110 -- to the superficial observer, this will seem like a fine year. Prepare to be met with some eye-rolling as you attempt to explain to said superficial observer that Frenchy's RBI stats are largely a function of following four high-OBP guys in the lineup, and that a more telling stat might be that he's very nearly on a pace to break the major league record for most outs made in a season. His assist numbers have also taken a hit, but that's a function of opportunity as well -- nobody's testing his arm anymore, which means he gets credit for fewer extra bases taken.

Obviously, he could use some more seasoning, but obviously he's not going to get it. Despite his struggles, he's our best option -- I'd just like to hope he has a higher ceiling than Dave Kingman.

Grade: C


Ryan Langerhans

Ryan looks like a ballplayer, but was overextended as a starting LF. He plays great defense, but at the least important defensive position. He's got a nice-looking swing, but uses the same one seemingly regardless of pitch location. He's big and fast, but doesn't hit home runs or steal bases. He'll take a walk, but doesn't get nearly enough hits. So now he's in his born role of 4th/5th outfielder, where he'll be for a number of teams for several years and make a nice living.

Grade: D+


Matt Diaz

Although he's an outfielder, Diaz was basically replacing Julio Franco on the roster as designated lefty-masher, and has not disappointed. The pleasant surprise has been his performance against RHP:

2003-2005 2006
vs. LHP .333/.388/.486 .333/.369/.517
vs. RHP .128/.180/.255 .344/.377/.453

He's earned the additional playing time, and may get even more if Thorman's struggles continue. Since most of his offensive value is tied up in his ability to hit singles, as he neither walks much nor has great power, he'll need to hit over .300 to be a truly valuable player, but so far so good.

Grade: A