Drafted out of high school as a sandwich pick in 2003, Jarrod showed a little power and good plate discipline in rookie ball in his first campaign. His first year in full-season ball in Rome, he played ordinary-good baseball, enough to show progress but no outstanding skill to make everyone take notice.
His breakout season came in 2005, in Myrtle Beach of all places, where he hit .314/.394/.519 — rather better than Brian McCann had there the season before — and led the team in virtually every offensive category of note. He soared to the top of the Braves’ prospect list, albeit helped by most of the Braves’ top-level prospects being promoted to Atlanta.
2006 was an off-year, caused it seems by an injury. Just as he was turning it around, he got hurt again and missed the rest of the season. He was also hit-unlucky, and kept his walks and most of his power. He played well in spring and in Mississippi to start the season, earning the callup when the Braves needed a catcher.
Minor League Splits only has this season’s data. He’s hit much better lefthanded than righthanded, a fairly typical pattern for a “good” switch hitter. (The bad ones are the ones who hit worse lefthanded, meaning most of their at-bats they suck.) There surely isn’t enough data to say if that’s the case all the time.
It’s questionable if Jarrod can stay behind the plate. He seems to have good instincts and a good arm, but is listed at 6-4 and may be an inch taller, and probably weighs about 235. (He’s listed under 200 but that’s a joke.) Has the longest last name in Major League history. It’s so long that Baseball-Reference’s tables can’t hold it… Married a gym teacher from his high school, but not his gym teacher. That would be wrong.
There is no way he’s 6-4 195…he’s HUGE. I think he can be a very good 1st baseman, what do you guys think?
Something to try when he returns to the minors, preferably in Richmond.
I sense a Saltalamacchia sonnet contest in the works.
Great news from Ryan Wilson of the Fanhouse…
David Pollack held a news conference yesterday saying that he is hoping to make a full recovery and get back on the field…
http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/03/david-pollack-hopes-to-return-to-the-nfl/#comments
I think that’s terrible news, Jay. Great news would be that David’s given up the game and will be taking a job with a rich UGA alum.
Obviously if he’s isn’t cleared I don’t want him stepping foot on the football field. But he’s said if he is cleared he’s playing.
I’ve made my feelings known many times on how I feel about Pollack, if he can play and the risk of injury is slim to none then let him play. But if there is the slightest hint that he isn’t healed then it’s not worth not being able to walk again or worse.
“Absolutely that’s what I want,” Pollack said while signing autographs at the conclusion of the festivities. “If I get cleared to play football, I’m going to play football.
“There is no Plan B,” Pollack continued. “It’s all Plan A right now. If I get detoured from Plan A, then I’ll start thinking about something else.”
“I know there are plenty of other things to do out there,” Pollack said. “But I’m a football player. And I want to play again.”
Man Pollack was a terror. I wish him the best, even if he drove me insane in his college career.
Salty looked great yesterday – nice throw to get Werth, almost homered to center, took his walk. Let’s hope for more of the same!
Salty has been on the radar screen for awhile. His 2004 numbers are very impressive–when one considers his age and league. The Myrtle Beach season, of course, made his stock soar and the way he handled the second half of last year restored it somewhat. The Braves have the happy luxury of two great young catchers just as the Padres had in the mid-1980s. Even better, with Pena and Clint Sammons (who would be at Mississppi if it were not for Salty) the Braves even have young backup catchers. I would hate to see him leave Atlanta, but he will have to play somewhere….I really like the idea of Thor in left…
I like having Salty at first, Thor the lefty LF/1B/PH, with Wilson and Diaz fighting for the righty version of the spot.
McCann behind the plate, gaping void at first, it seems so obvious he should be moved to first base that I don’t understand why it’s not in the works already. I understand that he’s a much more valuable trade chit as a catcher but he looks like one of the guys you would keep to me.
Then again, I would have said the same thing about Andy Marte a few years ago.
I’d be suprised if he goes to Richmond, better off being sent back to Mississippi. AAA ball is a graveyard anymore, there is much more talent at the AA level. I also think it would be smart idea to start grooming for 1b.
What about trading Salty for Baldelli?
I can’t see the Braves doing it if they think they have any chance to re-sign Andruw.
I’d rather bat Langerhans cleanup than do that trade.
I too say keep Salty unless someone makes a ridiculous offer that you can’t pass up for Starting Pitching. Now this is the same thing that I would have said about Marte as well, but there is one difference here. Marte was blocked because we had solid starters at the corners. Salty is not blocked from playing 1B as far as I’m concerned. Right now Thor is playing first because he could potentially be solid. Salty could play first because he could potentially be an All-Star.
Good debut. Until the Braves move him to first, though, I won’t get too attached. Right now, he is trade bait.
Is Salty projected to be a great hitter, or only a great hitter for a catcher? If he moves to 1B, would he be expected to hit enough to be an All-Star? I don’t know his minor league stats or how to project him. If his value is tied to his position, we should trade him for a LF or 1B.
How bout Miguel Cabrera and Scott Olsen for Salty, Diaz, and Wilson?
I mentioned this on the recap post, but nobody seems to be mentioning the fact that we could trade Thorman. I just don’t see him in left (apparently everyone’s already forgotten the Ryan Klesko horror show) and while perhaps not as valuable as Salty, I’m sure he’d get decent return in a trade, especially if he has a good year this year.
They showed Salty’s wife at the game last night, she is smokin hot.
She was also his high school gym teacher….nice…nice…
While Thorman might bring something in return, I don’t think it would be a lot. I think we would get the most value out of Thorman be keeping him and letting him develop.
As far as Salty at first base, he probably won’t be a prolific slugger but he looks tome like a legit .290-.300 hitter with 25-30 home run power. That would be fine at first base.
“Married a gym teacher from his high school, but not his gym teacher. That would be wrong.”
Wryn, that’s a fantastic idea.
Say it ain’t so, don’t trade the guy for scrap
Atlanta’s backstop riches overflow:
Lest mashers wear a New York Yankees cap
Trade talks be damned: just simply answer “no.”
Ah, Baby Braves… so young, so good, so cheap
Like each new callup’s better than the last
And bullpen rocks the other guys to sleep
My hopes are up, my fear of Mets has passed.
As Jarrod works the count his wife’s aglow
Cause she taught sports to pimpled athletes too
Could she be working on his swing? (I know,
Hot women get my mind off track, it’s true)
I love the Braves this year. And this kid’s great.
And we’ll be defending champs in ’08!
AAR Man you are talented.
Smokin Hot? Dang. Jarrod you’ve got the world by the tail dude.
But before we get too excited about Salty:
.220 .333 .179 OBP/SLG/AVG currently of the last guy to raise his stock at Myrtle Beach. Marte is really struggling.
My wife teaches first grade. The kids are learning about multi-syllable words and phonics. Today, she had a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds spelling and pronouncing Saltalamaccia.
I feel proud to have brought my wife to this level of fandom.
I played varsity baseball with Salt, Down here in Royal Palm Beach Florida, hes going to b a stud, Hes a work horse and it was amazing to see him play his 1st game..Hes very mature for his age and he could b starting for alot fo ball clubs now, the braves better not let him go, they’ll regret it