That was a very nice little rookie season, overshadowed a bit (he received no ROY votes — someone gave one to Scott Olsen, and Matt Cain got four, and both had worse records and ERAs in pitcher’s parks, but no love for Chuckie) because there were so many good rookie pitchers last year. James led the league in winning percentage — just like Jorge Sosa in 2005! — going 11-4 with a 3.78 ERA. His peripherals aren’t quite as good as the ERA, but there’s some room for hope there because he is such an extreme fly-ball pitcher that ordinary measures may not be applicable.
The biggest concern is an extremely high home run rate, 20 allowed in just 119 innings last year. Looking at his home run log, I don’t see any big trends here except that 17 of the 20 came against righthanders. Well, it’s interesting that five of them came with a runner on second and first base open, when you’d think he could afford to be careful. At any event, James needs to keep the homers more in control, though he’s probably always going to allow more than average.
Despite the home runs, he was far more successful against righthanded hitters than lefties, holding the former to a .215/.292/.413 line. Lefthanders hit .297/.381/.484 against him, though he mostly faced only the best lefties… Yes, he is comparable to Sid Fernandez, another lefty who got results without a ton of velocity. However, Fernandez’s strikeout rate was better, and he had the advantage of spenidng most of his career pitching his home games at Shea Stadium.
When I woke up this morning, Peyton Manning was offically a god!
for the Braves to be succesful, we’ll need Chuckie to step up and have a solid year…..he might need to win 15 games for this team to have a chance….either that or Hampton just lights the world on fire and Hudson is Hudson circa 2003.
Look who was at the Maxim Super Bowl Party:
http://www.dispatch.com/sites/dispatch/ticker/superbowl-maxim/15.jpg
In terms of fine peripherals, he may not be, but James is an awful lot like Tom Glavine to me. What has made the difference between Glavine being an above average pitcher and being a Hall of Famer on the way is his ability to control right handed batters. Glavine’s tool was the circle change, which gives him away motion to righthanders.
James is also a great change up pitcher (although I don’t know if his is of the circle variety). I won’t project him to be a Glavine, but he will be a better than league average pitcher for his career. Chuck will start 32 or so, get 200 innings or so, hold ERA at or under 4.00, and go roughly 14 wins – 8 losses.
If Smoltz is close to last year and if Hampton and Hudson get around that same level, then we are in the postseason.
wow…first elvis, now another fat rocker
Interestingly enough, Wikipedia says that during the offseason James works for Lowe’s hardware stores.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_James
That seems unlikely, but if true probably means that he’s not hoping Arthur Blank buys the team.
yeah, my thoughts exactly
I would assume Chuckie worked at Lowe’s during his minor league career. A buddy of mine, drafted by the Rangers last year, works during his offseason to supplement his income.
True on James, he worked for them again this off-season – installing windows.
Those installers make decent money. Of course, he made around $300K last year, so I wouldn’t imagine why he would do it. Maybe exercise?
I bet they take this out of the Braves’ budget.
I just hope people are redy for James to suffer a few growing pains this year. Few starters ever begin their careers without some setbacks as the league adjusts to them, and James is likely to face some challenges this year. i hope the team doesn’t put too much pressure on him to do anything but continue to develop.
My 2007 James prediction (OTTOMH):
31 G, 31 GS, 185 IP, 180 H, 70 BB, 150 K, 35 HR, 4.30 ERA.
Mac,
I still fail to see how people could be terrified by those signs.
now these people are terrified!
http://www.iamfuckingterrified.com/
The best commercial was the Letterman spot with Oprah on the couch
Heh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_James
nice one
Speaking of Super Bowl commercials…here they are.
Paper Rock Scissors was hilarious
Anyone else hate the Snickers commercial? I will offically not buy Snickers now.
he he he Wryn!
Yeah…the paper rock scissors was the best.
i’ll take fist bump over rock, paper scissors
I can’t wait for the Simmons column!!!!!!!!!
WARNING** SEC/Georgia Rant** Keep moving for Braves talk.
Not to beat a dead horse (also and off-topic horse), but you cannot say that David Greene and Shockley were “game managers” that were able to hand the ball off and make the occasional throw. That implies that Greene was the college version of Brad Johnson or Trent Dilfer. I think its worth noting that Greene is the SEC’s all time leading passer. More passing yards than peyton manning, more than grossman, wuerful, and a slew of Kentucky QB’s from couch, to bonner, to the Round Mound of Touchdown that were encouraged to throw the ball between 50-100 times per game. You dont get to be the SEC leader in passing yards by being just a hand-off machine.
As for Shockley, with 3 years of playing time he’d be starting right now in the NFL. But, he was a team player and only got one year at the helm. In that one year, he had 25 TD, + 4 rushing TD, and only 5 INt. He finished 3rd in the AP Player of the Year Award behind Vince Young and Reggie Bush. Clearly, much, much more than a game manager.
I’m assuming that the Round Mound of Touchdown is Lorenzen……hahahahahahaa
doubledawg,
I’m with you, except for the bit about Shockley being a starting NFL QB.
Both Greene & Shockley were excellent college QBs. You can’t really denigrate them because their records & team accomplishments speak for themselves.
Remember, you never have to apologize when you win—no matter how it’s done. The Dawgs are not giving back those 2 SEC titles.
DOB’s latest blog entry says that Aybar will be riding the pine unless Chipper is all but dead. Chipper plans to play 150…i’ll hold my breath
the best commercial was by far the K-Fed commercial.
Doubledawg,
Coming from a Tennessee fan, we never thought of Greene or Shockley as game managers. We haven’t feared a UGA running game in 25 years!
Seriously, both were great college QBs htat fit the Georgia system perfectly and even complemented each other. I don’t think either one has the arm to be a big time QB in the NFL though, but strong arms do not make a NFL QB, just ask Heath Shular.
The Twins are believed to be talking about a four-year contract offer worth about $33 million for catcher Joe Mauer, whose .347 average led the major leagues in hitting last season. The fourth year of the guaranteed deal would bind Mauer, who doesn’t turn 24 until April, past his first season of free-agent eligibility. The Twins have offered Mauer $3.3 million in salary arbitration; Mauer has requested $4.5 million. Usually, the Twins and arbitration players agree to a midpoint figure. But this case could be headed for a hearing.
young catchers and bigger salaries, I guess McCann will be looking for something similar in a few years
Rosenthal…
The Braves
There is no team like them in the NFL — or, for that matter, in any other sport.
Their streak of 14 consecutive division titles ended last season with a 79-83 crash. But general manager John Schuerholz finally has fixed the bullpen, and the Braves possess enough minor-league depth, particularly at shortstop, to address any future shortcomings through trades.
This season could mark the end of an era; center fielder Andruw Jones and right-hander John Smoltz are in the final years of their contracts. The Braves’ latest changes include Scott Thorman taking over at first and Kelly Johnson and Martin Prado competing at second. You mean you haven’t heard of them?
While the NL East features three other quality teams — the Mets, Phillies and Marlins — the possibility for a Braves’ revival can not be dismissed.
Of course, if it doesn’t happen, manager Bobby Cox can always pull a Nick Saban, and go coach at Alabama.
Looking for that special way to impress that special woman this Valentine’s Day?
Send her a card!
http://www.theauburner.com/images/vday07_cupcakes.jpg
Perhaps you could send her this one if she’s an LSU fan:
http://www.theauburner.com/images/vday07_interfere.jpg
I suppose that would work, if the woman is livestock.
It has now been 1,542 days since Alabama last beat Auburn in football.
Oops, check that. 1,907. Missed a year.
Irrelevant to the discussion.
It’s February 5th and we’re still going at it. Welcome to Alabama. It’s fun, Mac.
ladies, laddies…you both know women in AL can’t read
Yay,
UConn has a lead. Maybe we won’t blow this one.
Re: Georgia Quarterbacks
If DJ Shockley was actually given an opportunity to compete for a starting NFL job, he could succeed.
The problem I see more often then not in the NFL is the same cruddy Quarterbacks keep getting chance after chance whether it’s Jake Plummer, Drew Bledsoe (who at least used to be good), Jon Kitna, etc. Looks like Grossman will be the next generation of bad QB’s who keep getting chances.
The problem is once someone is slotted into a back-up, the perception is hard to change. Once someone is slotted as a starter (see Jake Plummer), that will always be his perception and he will keep getting chance after chance.
I definitely think more of Shockley’s NFl potential then Greene. And Shock definitely has an arm as astrong as freaking Heath Schuler.
Re: Braves
I found something disturbing on ESPN.com today:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove06/index
If it doesn’t immediately pop over to the Braves, check what they have LISTED as the Braves starting team…Martin Prado as the 2nd Baseman. Maybe I am missing something but he’s like 3rd or 4th on the depth chart, right? Is this further proof that the ‘Worldwide Leader’ still pays no attention to the Braves? Pathetic. Perhaps they haven’t seen the near 20 stories about the Braves teaching Kelly Johnson 2nd Base or forgot the trade we made with the Dodgers?
Also, I know this may seem rather nitpicky but why is ESPN listing Kyle Davies, who may not even make the rotation (though he certainly has a good chance to win a slot) as the Fourth starter. I know Hampton is coming off major injuries but unless Hampton has a 50 spring ERA, he’s in the rotation along wiuth Hudson, Smoltz and James…the only question mark is Davies, our clubhouse leader for 5th starter – at best.
Shockley’s arm is very strong, but it’s not Heath Shuler-strong. Fortunately for D.J., his brain is much stronger than Heath’s.
So I guess he’s overqualified to be in Congress, then? (Nonpartisan one-liner exempt from no-politics rule.)
KJ is pencilled in at second, but if he flops in spring Prado will probably get the job, since he’s basically inoffensive — one of those guys who is somewhat below-average at everything with no real strengths but no colossal weaknesses.
Sorry Stu, but Heath (now my congressman) has an excellent brain. It was the damaged back that did in his NFL career.
Well UConn won again…big win against Syracuse…so that makes Monday a good day. 🙂
If I remember correctly from last year (in a ChopTalk article, I believe), Chuckie’s manager at Lowes is a friend’s father. He started working there while he was playing in the minors and needed a job in the offseason, and, when asked if he would stop now that he was in the big leagues, he said he wouldn’t because he can’t stand not having anything to do, or something like that. He basically hinted that the idea of not working there over the winter had not crossed his mind. I loved the story because it showed him as a down-to-earth guy who does what he does because he loves doing it.
A quote from Mark Bowman on the Braves’ MLB site that cracked me up:
“The evolution of Macay McBride and Tyler Yates were a result of McDowell’s dedication and patience — two necessary qualities his predecessor didn’t always show.
Had Leo Mazzone been handed this pitching staff and faced the same obstacles, I’m apt to believe last year might have been a disaster on the pitching front in Atlanta.”
You mean last year was NOT a disaster on the pitching front? That’s news to me. If the development of Yates and McBride (potential, but not great improvement last year) are McDowell’s greatest accomplishments, he’s in trouble.
McBride was worse (fewer strikeouts, more walks, two homers after none his first time up) last season than he was in 2005; he was just luckier. (He wasn’t really lucky, but he was really unlucky the year before.) I am prepared to give McDowell all the credit for Kali.
Isn’t that kind of like giving Lovie Smith all of the credit for the development of Rex Grossman?
Yates wasn’t that bad.
I thought you were going to say that Grossman wasn’t that bad.
I think that quote from the Bowman article was taken out of context. Consider the paragraph before it:
“With his introduction into the Major League Baseball coaching fraternity last year, McDowell successfully completed a hazing process that was cruel and at times seemingly unfair. Injuries and questionable roster construction left him with a rotation that had just two pitchers who made at least 20 starts and a bullpen less experienced than some that existed in the International League.”
When you put that before the two paragraphs that td quoted, it makes much more sense. When you think about the fact that the staff was decimated by injuries and the composition of the bullpen was suspect to say the least, McDowell did a darn good job, especially with it being the first year on the job.
Would Mazzone have done any better? I dunno. We can’t know, but to say that McDowell did a bad job with what he had last year is large unfair. It’s also unfair to say that McDowell did a bad job because he was preceded by a legend.
I think 3 years must pass before we can tell whether or not McDowell is a good major league pitching coach. At that time, we will know who the real Davies, James, Harrison, Yates, McBride, Boyer, Moylan and other new additions to the team are, and how much credit (good or bad) McDowell deserves for each player’s success. Until then, grading a pitching coach on his first year when he wasn’t given much outside of Smoltz, James, and a half season of Wickman to work with.
Oh, and don’t take my word for it, read the article yourself:
Mailbag: Is McDowell making progress?
Whoops…
“Until then, grading a pitching coach … and a half season of Wickman to work with is very unfair.”
Sorry.
I may have taken the Bowman quote slightly out of context, but not much. He also said that IF his staff led the league in ERA this year and they had 3 starters with 15 wins, he wouldn’t prove as much this year as he did last year. He also touted RM’s accomplishments with Yates and McBride (and James) later in the article. I just don’t think you can point to Yates and McBride as major accomplishments at this point, and that was the gist of my comments.
I agree with you Rob. I think the jury is out on McDowell. I just thought Bowman got a little too giddy about his accomplishments. Whether it was McDowell’s fault or not, I still think the pitching was a disaster last year.
Sorry karl, it was Heath’s inability to read defenses that doomed his NFL career.
Mac, I knew I couldn’t get away with saying it, but I set you up pretty nicely.