Designated for assignment by the Royals and acquired for a miscellaneous live arm; his role with the Braves is unclear. A righthanded hitter, he could platoon with Langerhans though he isn’t a very good defensive player. He could platoon with LaRoche at first, though he hasn’t played there on the Major League level. Has also caught some in the minors but certainly won’t be in the mix there.
Diaz was a college player, at Florida State, drafted in the 17th round of the 1999 draft by the Devil Rays. I would guess that he was seen as organizational filler by a team still building its system. He moved up for a couple of years, missed the 2001 season (I don’t know why, but I’m sure someone can tell me) then played AA in 2002-03. In the latter year, he finally started to look like a player, hitting .383/.444/.542 in 60 games and earning callups to AAA Durham (where he hit .328/.382/.518) and the “big” club, where he went 1-9. These being the Devil Rays, he spent most of 2004 in Durham, hitting .332/.377/.571; he went 4-21 in a callup. The Orioles claimed him in the waiver draft in 2005 but he rejected that and signed a free agent deal with the Royals, calling his judgment into serious question. He destroyed Omaha, hitting .371/.408/.649, but the Royals being the Royals they limited him to 89 big league AB even though he hit .281 because they wanted to play Terrance Long instead.
He’s a batting average guy; isolated OBP is in the .050 range. In the last couple of years, he’s added more power, but still doesn’t look like a 30 HR candidate. On the other hand, he hit 47 doubles in 134 games in 2004 and 22 in 65 last year. So here’s a guy with a career .311 minor league batting average and some power. He’s not the kind of guy that the Braves generally have looked for. They mostly prefer either their own minor leaguers or to sign established veterans. I think they’ll do what they can to make him a first baseman, and if it doesn’t work out they don’t have much invested in him and can cut bait with a mostly clear conscience.
Even though he never ever walks, he looks about 8,000 times better than LaRoche.
Is there anywhere we can get minor league right/left splits?
I’m sure that they exist, but I’ve never seen them.
I think Diaz is a nice pick up
Cal Ripken Jr. will be in Atlanta at Georgia Tech next Saturday to put on a coaching clinic. Call 800-486-0850 to get signed up!
Assuming Diaz is in the mix to share time in left, is there anyone else on projected opening day roster even capable of playing first? I have no doubt Orr or Betemit COULD play there, but it seems they are more useful in their current bench/backup roles. Sounds like we have a new utility man, folks. With any stick at all, Diaz is a very useful man to have on the roster.
From what I can tell, the roster other than LaRoche features a grand total of 14 games played at first base in the majors; 13 by Todd Pratt (none since 2003) and 1 by Renteria (in 2001). But if Diaz or Johnson for some reason didn’t make the team I expect Thorman or Jurries to.
If you want to consider the source (David O’Brien of the AJC), he had this to say in his blog:
“I have heard, on other hand, that Braves believe LaRoche can hit lefties (always did in minors) and that there?s at least 50-50 chance he?ll go into season as the everyday guy, no platoon. Again, that could change depending what happens between now and opening day.”
So, whatever, I guess nobody really knows for sure, but Mr. O is certainly more closely connected than I am. I’ve said it before…I’d like to see LaRoche get a full time chance. If it doesn’t work out by July, trade him or promote Thorman and let him have a shot. Bench LaRoche at that point. I don’t think it would get to that point….I think LaRoche can do it. As for Diaz, he sounds like the platoon slit with Langerhans to me. I’d give KJ lots of ABs in spring training; assuming he looks good in spring, trade him while he’s young and valuable.
I’d love to see a full time left fielder and first baseman. I know Bobby loves the platoon, but I don’t. I’ll let him know the next time he asks for my input. I’ll keep you posted….
That is, of course,
“platoon split.”
People in this board are down on LaRoche, for a number of reasons, but I don’t see how taking ABs away from him to play Diaz will help this team significantly more than if he played everyday.
Also, and this is off subject, I really wish the Braves had found a way to keep Farnsworth. Game 4 in Houston aside, he was lights out for this team, and if anything, him pitching the 9th backs everybody up an inning to make the ‘pen pretty deep. I would love to see us with an Angels/Astros type bullpen, much more than getting a 1B who’s good for 35 HR/100 RBI as opposed to Adam’s 25/80.
I’m in the camp of getting someone from outside–although I realize that options are limited–so that we don’t lose that extra inning of depth. For some reason, Lidge comes to mind often.
Lidge ain’t going noplace right now. A Qualls for Langerhans or Johnson deal might make sense. The Astros could use another lefty bat and another outfielder (if Berkman is a first baseman now); their corner outfield situation is Preston Wilson, Jason Lane, and a bunch of minor league veterans. And Langerhans and Johnson are both Texans.
Jayson Stark on the Braves’ closer search:
The other possibilities listed in the article are Villareal, Reitsma, and (thankfully a longshot) Brad Baker. No Blaine Boyer, though–I’ll be very interested to see how Boyer’s arm looks in spring training.
Sign Terrence Long to be a bench player and spend some time in left with Langerhans. Thats what we should do
Why? Did you not have enough of Jordan and Mondesi last year? Long is a bad player whom Diaz outplayed last season in KC.
James Jurries plays LF/1B and hits righty. Between the 100K’s per year and carrying strike one on the drug test he’s easy to write off. But he’s been a consistent hitter who could compete with Diaz for the RH bench spot.
If James Jurries, by accounts, is atrocious at first, then I’d hate for him to be in left.
Jurries ran pretty well in college (he hasn’t run much in the minors). As a rule, I’d rather have a clumsy guy who runs okay (say, Ryan Klesko) in the outfield than at first.
Jurries is an odd player in that sense. He played second base all four years at Tulane and played third for awhile in A ball and little in AA and occaisonally filled in at second. Yet hes still supposed to be a poor defensive 1b, but not really a terrible athlete. I saw him play once at AA and he played third and looked mediocre, but still capable.
I should note that that was only one game and im no scout. I’ll take others words that hes not much of a 1b.
Speaking of college baseball, Matt Diaz was a pretty damn beastly hitter at FSU. Racked up the numbers and racked up the accolades.
Also, i got the NCAA baseball PS2 game but havent had a chance to play it yet-im pumped even though im sure it’ll have its growing pains (though the gameplay engine isnt brandnew, its from the MLB MVP games, and is supposed to pretty good.) I just hope the dynasty mode is semi-realistic
The gameplay of the old MVP games are the best around. I’m anxious to see how MVP 06 NCAA is gonna be.
My copy of “Scout’s Honor” arrived in the mail today, along with the “new” Bill James historical abstract and the Hardball Times 2006 Baseball Annual. I must be really stupid, because I recognized JC’s name in there and didn’t realize he wrote for them. I guess I don’t pay attention enough. Sorry about that, JC, I know now. I’ll let you all know what I think.
And Shaughnessy and I have resumed our e-mail battle. His last column made me want to burn something in protest. It’s one thing to be caustic and generally misinformed and offensive, it’s quite another to be taking cheap shots at Peter Gammons. Totally unprofessional.
Does anybody know the opening day for Camp Leo?
CNNSI – shows the Braves signing these 3 guys to a minor league contract. David Kelton, Cesar Crespo, and Michael Ryan – does anyone know anything about these players? I guess it was too important the Braves Website doesnt say anything about them!
David Kelton, if I remember right, used to be a stud 3B prospect for the Cubs. I don’t know what has happened to him since. And isn’t Michael Ryan an old Twins OF?
Kelton is 26 and has been a starting OF for the AAA Iowa Cubs since 2003. He’s posted OPS in the 750-780 range for several years, which isn’t very impressive for a corner OF, and even less so when you consider that Iowa is in the Pacific Coast League, where it obviously belongs. I’d say he’d be indistinguishable from Darren Bragg if we ever get to see him.
Ryan is 28 and is the former Twins OF who went nuts in 2003 to the tune of .393/.441/.794 in 67 PA, but hasn’t done anything in the last two seasons to indicate that he’s worthy of a roster slot. I’d say he’s be indistinguishable from David Kelton if we ever get to see him.
David Kelton was a big prospect for the Cubs. I think he lost his top prospect status because he never showed much improvement at any level. He didn’t have any terrible years but he didn’t improve either. He is only 25 so that is probably why the Braves are looking at him.
Michael Ryan has been up and down between Minnesota and AAA since 2002. When he was young he didn’t have much power but had great plate discipline. As he progressed he developed a good deal of power but it was in exchange for his plate discipline as he began to strike out a lot. Looks like he was Minnesota’s 5th outfielder these last few years. And he is 28.
Crespo is a journeyman utility player with no offensive skills.
I like hearing 18-year old freshmen talk about someone being “totally unprofessional.” Jenny, maybe you should wait until you are a professional (or even have a job) before you start talking about professionalism in others. It must be nice to be 18 and know everything.
So Marc, how old does one need to be before they can truly understand the full meaning of professionalism and all its complexities?
Also, i dont know anything about the Shaunessy column in question, but how exactly should she describe him anyway?
I cant think of too many positve adjectives one could honestly attach to a description of him…even his hair is a bad as him
Yeah Marc, geeze, what the crap is up with your personal attack on Jenny outta nowhere? Is there some history between then two of you? Did she kick your dog or something? (Just an example. Jenny, I know you’d never kick a dog. Well, unless it deserved it.)
I mean its one thing to disagree. I haven’t read the article in question, but if I had (and had I disagreed with Jenny), I’d state my point of view and try to distinguish Jenny’s.
I guess, to you Marc, that personal attacks are professional. Ooops! I’m only 25, and I’ve never had a ‘real’ job, I’m probably not allowed to make that determination.
I’m 34 and a communications doctoral student; am I suitably professional to say that while I didn’t read the column in question, I’ve heard about it and know enough about Shaughnessy to say that he’s thoroughly unprofessional?
Jenny kicks dogs.
And eats babies.
It’s true.
I just kicked a dog while eating a baby sandwich for lunch. So, yes, Joey, it is true!
Marc, I feel the phrase “his unofficial spokesman from ESPN (the inimitable Gammons)” is a cheap, unprofessional shot at Peter Gammons. The sarcastic tone, the insinuation that Gammons is used as a mouthpiece (gee, Dan, sounds like somebody else I know…), why is that necessary? How is it professional for a fellow journalist to go around writing things like that? And about a Hall of Fame journalist with more class than Shaughnessy can dream of? Please tell me how that’s professional and how I am unqualified to realize or state that it’s unprofessional because I’m 18.
Can’t we all just get along? Or would that require the excommunication of Brian Jordan first?
Hey Mikemc, I don’t know if there’s an official time for everybody to report, but I saw this form the AJC:
“Smoltz said he plans to have his first workout at Turner Field with new pitching coach Roger McDowell on Feb. 1.”
Thing is, if you let every hack writer get under you r skin, you’ll never get any sleep. The game long ago passed by guys like Shaughnessy, Gammons, Olney et al. Al they’ve got left is their gossip columns. I can’t remember the last time I looked to a mainstream print journalist for any sort of insight on baseball (or much else for that matter). They’re ossified, and are starting to realize it, which makes them scrap even harder for their last bits of perceived relevance.
I’ve got to where I don’t even bother with those kinds of guys(their rumors are always wrong.) Actually I get all my MLB news/rumors/etc. right here at BravesJournal.