Raul Mondesi Statistics and History – Baseball-Reference.com
Years with Braves: 2005
Notable Stats: .211 BA, 63 OPS+
Notable Accomplishments: 1994 NL Rookie of the Year.
Versus
Mike Kelly Statistics and History – Baseball-Reference.com
Years with Braves: 1994-1995
Notable Stats: .273 OBP, 33 K/6 BB
Notable Accomplishments: Second pick in 1991 draft, two spots ahead of Dmitri Young and eleven ahead of Manny Ramirez.
Frank, please don’t trade Javy! He may be the most tradable, but that doesn’t mean he should be traded.
Frank should get McGuirk & Co. to demand that Liberty up payroll to $120MM. Probably not how business works, but it would be worth a shot.
I’d like to keep Javy, but he has more value now than he ever will. If we can get bat with some pop, we have to do it
He’d have an awful lot of value anchoring a playoff rotation in 2010, Smitty.
He’s been our best starter all year, and his history shows that this season is no flash in the pan. I still think he has more value to us as a SP than the bat he could be traded for.
Sign Rochey and Gonzo, bring up Heyward, and see if we can’t package 2-3 RPs and prospects for a LF bat.
Examples of things I think we could do with a $95 million payroll in 2010:
A) Re-sign LaRoche; let Soriano and Gonzo walk.
Rotation of Vazquez/Hudson/Jurrjens/Lowe/Hanson
Bullpen of
Kawakami/Moylan/O’Flaherty/Medlen/Logan/Acosta(Campillo?)/Carlyle
Lineup of
McLouth/Diaz(Church)/Chipper/LaRoche/McCann/Escobar/Heyward/Prado
Bench of
Church(Diaz)/Infante/KJ/Canizares(B. Jones?)/Ross
B) Trade Vazquez and Prado to Brewers for Fielder; Re-sign Soriano(Gonzo); let LaRoche and Gonzo(Soriano) walk.
Rotation of
Hudson/Jurrjens/Lowe/Hanson/Kawakami
Bullpen of
Soriano(Gonzo)/Moylan/O’Flaherty/Medlen/Logan/Acosta(Campillo?)/Carlyle
Lineup of
McLouth/Diaz(Church)/Chipper/Fielder/McCann/Escobar/Heyward/KJ
Bench of
Church(Diaz)/Infante/Conrad(Hernandez?)/Canizares(B. Jones?)/Ross
C) Trade Jurrjens, Medlen and Prado to Padres for Gonzalez; Let LaRoche, Soriano, and Gonzo walk; sign or trade for high-leverage reliever making $2 million or less.
Rotation of
Vazquez/Hudson/Lowe/Hanson/Kawakami
Bullpen of
Moylan/[FA Acquisition]/O’FlahertyLogan/Acosta(Campillo?)/Valdez/Carlyle
Lineup of
McLouth/Diaz(Church)/Chipper/Gonzalez/McCann/Escobar/Heyward/KJ
Bench of
Church(Diaz)/Infante/Conrad(Hernandez?)/Canizares(B. Jones?)/Ross
Or something like that. I’m assuming that we’re going to tender contracts to both Church and KJ. I’m assuming Lowe and Kawakami aren’t getting traded. A larger payroll would obviously help, but I don’t know what to expect there.
Thoughts? I think I actually like B the best, despite the fact that it involves trading Vazquez. I just think A’s lineup isn’t strong enough and C’s bullpen is terrible (and involves dealing Jurrjens and Medlen).
5—Love the idea, but that would be very expensive.
Mondesi’s suckage led to Francoeur, so he wins.
I like A better than B, and C I like the least, of course. I would choose a Braun trade over Fielder under B and would resign Rochey. Perhaps I’m too optimistic, but I can see putting together a you-pick-’em package that includes Medlen, Carlyle, Prado, KJ and going after a Markakis (who would be moved to LF) or Cody Ross (who would move McLouth to LF) or even retooling the INF with a Brian Roberts.
Well, I would choose Braun, too, but I don’t think he’s being traded.
You are overly optimistic on Markakis. He’s the organization’s golden boy; there is absolutely no way they are trading him for that bunch of slop.
Cody Ross could be had, I’m sure, but I don’t really see the point.
Fair enough on Markakis, although there have been trade rumours in the past. He did get a big contract, though. Ross is an offensive and defensive upgrade and allows us to move the (in my view) slight CF defensive liability to LF.
In the end, we really improved ourselves over the last half of the season. I think this group has a great shot at the east once we get to start even again in the standings. I’d hate to lose Javy before getting that shot.
Markakis is staying put if for no other reason than that he’s Greek. As for Ross, over whom is he an upgrade? Not McLouth. Not the Diaz or Church platoon. If we’re leaving Heyward in Gwinnett to start the year, that’s one thing, but I don’t expect that to happen. (I know nothing about his defense, so you may be right there.)
I basically agree with you on Vazquez, although I think we’re still a bat short. I’d love to extend his contract and Hudson’s, too. Of course, I’m in the Trade Jurrjens camp, and virtually no one agrees with me there.
Ross is a defensive upgrade over McLouth in CF and plays more games than McLouth. He’s a defensive upgrade over the platoon. Offensively they’re essentially identical, which is an upgrade over ACHE and the platoon. I also agree that Heyward will be brought up early next year, in RF.
Kelly was a disappointment, just another guy who couldn’t hit without an aluminum bat, but I voted for Mondesi who very well could be my most hated Brave ever.
Kelly was a bust, certainly, but I don’t see how anyone could vote for him over Mondesi, other than the massive drafting screwup.
Er, what Randy said.
Trading Fielder or Braun means rebuilding for the Brewers. They’re not going to want any players that make money and won’t help the team in the future in return, they’ll want prospects and young, pre-arb players.
Can’t believe my Pedro joke last thread only had one person who “got” it (or at least only one commenter who did).
I disagree (obviously) with respect to Fielder. He’s only under contract for one more year, and Gamel would fit better at first. And they have a bunch of guys who could play third. If they traded Fielder for Vazquez, there’s a good chance they’d be better in 2010.
If Mondesi hadn’t sucked so much, Francoeur would have gotten extra time in the minors and may have developed a bit more.
I’d take option B from the above, although I’d be interested what we could get for Kawakami.
Fielder has one year of arbitration after his current contract ends next year.
The way he dominates the AL East, the Sox might take a look at KK.
Great point, NickC. I had missed that in all my pining over him for the last few months.
from MLBTR:
from the previous thread and PWHjort,
You could have been purely sarcastic, although I am not aware enough to understand as to why.
The point of putting out Kawakami’s “numbers” is that people of that caliber are being paid way more than his next two years and that if you had 4 starters better than him and a potential #6 of Medlen, then he would not detract, but rather add, to a team looking for a playoff position.
Stu – I agree with you about Jurrjens…. sort of. The Braves should dangle him to see what they could get. If it isn’t a big time right handed hitter (and I ain’t talking about Ryan Ludwick) and 2 or 3 prospects then pass.
Jair is one of THE most valuable commodities in baseball: a proven, top of the rotation starter who is team controlled for several more years. If you’re willing to trade him, it better be for a huge package. Be very, very careful.
I like that Hudson is willing to do a hometown discount.
When talking to the press, all players are willing to take a hometown discount.
Rany gives up on the Royals, and Dayton has slipped into paranoid lunacy. Boy, did we dodge a bullet on that one.
@27
Not really. A lot of guys babble on about the team showing them “respect”.
Heh, just saw Keith Law’s article on Fielder, the Brewers, and rebuilding. I still think the Brewers could contend next year—in fact, be better than they were this year—by replacing Fielder with Vazquez, but if they do decide that they’d rather rebuild than try to go for it in 2010, they obviously wouldn’t be interested in someone like Javy.
Really random thought- with the Royals being really really dumb, if the Braves don’t re-sign Soriano or Gonzo, do you think it would be easy enough to get Soria from the Royals for cheap?
JV just pitched his best game of the year yesterday and now the junior gms’ want to trade him today for a fat firstbaseman. tough league.
Just wrote this on Facebook: ”
The thing about the Royals is that people think they’re dumb. That’s not the problem. The problem is that the Royals are INSANE. Not simply in the “doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result” sense, but just completely out of touch with reality, not sharing the same universe as everyone else. Boy, did the Braves dodge a bullet with the Dayton Moore thing.”
Why has no one buzzed Pedro at the plate?
Are the Mets gutless as well as brainless?
#32. Bit harsh to call Frank Wren a junior GM. He’s done well this year.
Well, this Junior GM has been suggesting that deal for a few months.
Let’s see:
100 divided by 60 minutes = 1.6 points per minute or one touchdown roughly every 4 minutes.
I think between Tebow and Crompton that it can be done.
30,
Fielder is under contract for 2 more seasons (2010 and 2011), but I agree that they could contend next year. I don’t think Gamel is their best bet at 1st, though, I’m still not sold his bat will play there. Not that Gamel is more of a solution at 3rd, his glove isn’t going to play there, but I think if they win now they have to do it with Gallardo, Braun, Fielder, and Escobar. Maybe if the Braves include McLouth it could work. And honestly, I wouldn’t be too disappointed if the Braves traded McLouth in a deal for a true clean-up hitter.
@35: I don’t think he was calling Wren a junior GM.
@39. I’m sure he wasn’t, but when the front office are thinking about trading Vazquez now, and were at the trade deadline, it’s hardly a stretch to discuss it on here.
anyone here a plumber? Ive got to replace 75 feet of copper pipe from my house to the street. Apparently Ive used about 2000 gallons of water this month compared to 85 last month. Anyone know what it should cost to do a 75-80 foot water service? I just paid $1200.00, but most of the estimates were around $2100 or so. Just wondering if I got ripped a new one
Make sure it’s not a billing error.
That sounds about right for 75 feet.
Be glad it wasnt the winter, then they really get you.
Mondesi.
That is all.
@28… reading the artical is almost comical. The amount of crappy former Braves players. Moore must be crazy. And what about Cory Aldridge… I didn’t think he was still trying err… playing!
I voted for Mike Kelly. We suffered a lot to get that number two pick and he wasted it.
Despite his time with the Braves, I still remember Mondesi as getting the rockstar treatment here in LA. People loved him – big power, cannon arm, 110% effort. He was basically the player Francoeur was supposed to be.
Rany gives up on the Royals, and Dayton has slipped into paranoid lunacy. Boy, did we dodge a bullet on that one.
I loved this rant but reading the fine print…
Other than that, I’m done for 2009.
He leaves the door open for more punishment next season. More power to him if he hangs in there. If your team ever comes out the other side it’s pretty sweet. I’ll never forget that ‘holy s— we’re actually good this season’ feeling from 1991. People who knew I was a Braves fan congratulated me all year on the team’s success as if I had survived some sort of natural disaster.
#41………not a plumber, but i’m a general contractor(retired). the price sounds fair enough if they really used copper. even on new construction, galvanized pipe or #40 PVC does the job just fine. i used PVC on my house because the roots will get it eventually no matter what pipe is used.
yeah no billing error or anything…just think that anything outside of the house to the street should be the city’s problem to fix, they dont see it that way though. I guess I shouldnt complain about $1200 when the other estimates were around $2K.
barrycuda, they did use copper. I figured I could do the job myself for around $350-400 but the city wouldnt reimburse me for the lost water if I didnt have a receipt from a certified plumber. The joys of being a home owner
Is this one of those “blue pipe” episodes?
At one time there was a class-action suit that allowed you to get it replaced for (nearly) free.
It was a boondoggle of Cochranesque proportions. Third cousins of plumbers were driving BMWs to my house to “survey”.
csg…….the city is responsible up to the meter and the rest is yours. in my experience, copper is used for hot water lines only but i dont know where you are and local codes can vary wildly.
#51 – yeah thats what I just learned, I was hoping that my water problems were on the street side, but wasnt that lucky. Im not sure about codes and everything, but they told me they replaced it with 3/4″ copper pipe
csg,,,,,,,,with any luck, you’ll soon forget the money you spent and your water bill will be back to normal. hell, you’re lucky. my wife says shes sick of splashing her new Charger through the mud and wants about 400 feet of driveway paved.
I must be a baseball fan, because when I saw “Cochranesque” the first thing I thought was Mickey Cochrane.
Wow – The Pats!
csg,
I think you got a good price. Plumbing isn’t that complicated and after you pay one a few times you wonder why you didn’t become a plumber and went to college instead.
@56: True that. My dad does owns an HVAC company and makes a killing. But, I couldn’t do that kind of work.
Hey guys,
I was going through the boxes of my late father’s estate and came across an autograph book. Apparently, my grandfather attended the 1940 World Series and got autographs from:
Schoolboy Rowe
Eddy Roush
Rogers Hornsby
Dick West
How cool is that?
58,
Very.
Did Hornsby add any insults or profanity?
Sadly, no.
I know Sammons played a little at the first of the year, but has he logged an AB or inning caught since his recall in September? Between him and Nunez (0 innings) Cox has really used his September callups!
62 – Too bad. They might have been useful in the AAA playoffs.
Mike Kelly gets my vote, no question about it. He was the second player taken in the 1991 amateur draft (Manny Ramirez was taken eleven picks later) and went bust, big time.
Here in the present……..
Our Braves have the best starting five in the big leagues.
Hudson, Hanson, Jurrjens, Vazquez and Lowe. That’s three aces and a couple of two starters.
They’re definitely gonna win a few more games but it’s a damn shame to see such outstanding pitching in all probability, not make the post season.
P.S. Frank Wren is so far in over his head. This upcoming off season will be his undoing.
(I posted a shorter version of this on Facebook)
I have decided to start following the NFL. I’ve followed (loved) Major League Baseball and college football for years now, and now that I can watch TV regularly and I’m always off on Sundays (thanks, Mr. Cathy!), it’s only logical to start enjoying the most popular league in professional sports. I officially am becoming an NFL Fan Free Agent. Who should I cheer for, and why?
I’m trying to avoid being labeled as a fair weather fan, so being a fan of the Steelers or Patriots would be tough right now, but I’ve also never been one to care what people think. I’m willing to (if possible) go to games and buy team merchandise, so I can be called a legitimate fan, especially since there’s no school to be associated with that I should have attended (that’s for you, Stu). I’m for real on this. I don’t care about geography (except for the going-to-the-games thing), so it can be a west coast team.
What should I do, guys?
Rob,
If you live in the Atlanta area, its not a hard choice- you have to root for the Falcons. They play in a tough division (with the Panthers and the Saints), they have a stellar sophomore quarterback that they just armed with one of the best Tight Ends to ever play the game. They have a coaching staff that has been described as the best in the NFL, and after all that that franchise has been through- Vick, Petrino, their history, it is admirable to see that how they have handled the situation. They care about winning. Plus, they have a committed owner on their hands- Arthur Blank. Seems hard not to root for these guys on Sunday.
Go for the Raiders Rob. The whole point of this thing is to be entertained and with the Raiders there is never a dull moment.
The owner is completely insane. The QB shows up at camp north of three bills. You’ve got the head coach punching out an assistant coach. A scouting department that apparently thinks Darius Hayward-Bay is a better receiver than Michael Crabtree. Pretty much everything is in play at all times.
Behind all that they have a pretty interesting team. The combo of McFadden and Bush in the backfield is nice. Zach Miller is a first rate tight end. And for his many faults, Russell could put it together for a few seasons. They gave a pretty good Chargers team everything they could handle tonight.
Russell made a couple nice tosses, but he was mostly bad tonight. Their defense looked great—until the end, of course. Seymour, BTW, made some big plays. (Gotta love JetBlue. A flight from Vegas & 2 NFL games to watch. Not bad.)
I’m a Falcons fan, so I know that they’re programed to break your heart. They’re like Jets South.
And remember, if the Falcons go at least 9-7 this year, it’ll be the very first time they’ve had consecutive +.500 seasons.
A lot of that, of course, was because of season-ending (or career-ending) injuries to William Andrews, Jamal Anderson & Michael Vick. Nonetheless, they may be a very cool team this year.
Why not root for a Florida team, Rob? You’ve got 3 of ’em. And I hear there’s plenty of Jags tix available this year.
I’m a die hard Vikings fan myself. Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson are taking us to the playoffs baby! and the Williams Wall is back!
GO VIKES!!!!
Rob–Until the last sentence, I was going to say become a long suffering Falcon fan….
I think that you can be a legitimate fan without buying merchandise….
#64. I’m curious as to how a GM who has assembled “the best starting five in the big leagues” is “so far in over his head”.
71, the answer is far too complicated for your little brain.
Cut it with the insults, Coach.
Rob,
The Titans are your team. We’re under the radar every year, but as the only major professional sports team in Nashville, the fan base is incredibly loyal. And we’re usually pretty good.
The AFC South is a tough, competitive division, and the Titans’ coach, Jeff Fisher, is a mini-mullet-wearing PCA man who goes on the field to be with each and every injured player. He’s also a good coach, the longest-tenured in the league. We have one of the most exciting (and best) players in the league in Chris Johnson, and even without Albert Haynesworth, the defense is one of the 5 best in the NFL.
Potential drawbacks: You’d share a rooting interest with an awful lot of UT fans, and Dave & Busters waitresses are out to get the franchise’s all-time greats.
Dykstra selling off his memorabilia had me looking at the auctions on the site where he is doing so…
I’m only halfway considering how severe the beating I would receive from my wife would be if I spent ~$100 on this:
http://sports.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=49094&Lot_No=44111#Photo
Click through and read the authentication note on it… interesting story.
And if won the lottery I’d consider buying this just to smash it in a bitter Braves fan rage:
http://sports.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=716&Lot_No=81998#Photo
What is it with you, Coach? Just how old are you? Are you actually a coach? If so, is this how you interact with your team?
Rob, ever since the day Mike Singletary put one of his players in time-out, I have been a huge 49ers fan.
What insult Mac? You mean the one where this “other blogger” accused me of being drunk and posting drivel….Where the hell were you when he posted that?????
Buck up man, keep it real and fair or I’ll bust your chops, got it!!!
Geez, hoping to find some interesting chat on here and all I get is more of Coach’s crap.
EDIT: And some useful insights as to the going rate for plumbing services!
coach,a wise man like you should know that fairness is an abstract concept that rarely evinces itself in the real world and people whining about it cause most of the trouble. grow up and get over it.
72,
Typical. Make a definitive, off-base statement; then get snooty when someone asks you to back up your point.
You are going to bust his chops. On the internet. How hurtful, I don’t think that he will ever recover.
This is the internet. He may not even have chops. All you really need is fingers.
Rob,
I’m with Stu. You’ll love rooting for the Titans. They’re a hard-nosed team and Jeff Fisher is awesome. Plus, those Oilers/AFL Legacy uniforms are sweet. I think they’ll wear them 3 more times this year (in addition to the preseason Hall of Fame game).
Sooooo…
How about those Braves? Only 6.5 out of something or another. Although, I have no hope. But still…just sayin’.
Tweets by injuryexpert
…and every season after.
As much as I want to keep Vazquez, you better believe Frank Wren is going to dangle him and see what he can rip away from some other organization in return. It’s the wise thing to do. Maybe he can really make some other organization bend over and take it.
Hampton’s career is done. There’s no way he’s can come back from ANOTHER major reconstructive shoulder surgery.
Going to see Roy Halladay in The Bronx tonight, will have Braves/Mets on the radio.
Do I believe? No.
But if I paid attention all thru the Andres Thomas Era, I can keep a flame going til October—or a match.
Is anyone else a bit disappointed that Heyward hasn’t been called up?
@ 91 – No! He’s had some nagging injuries lately and hasn’t exactly torn it up over the last month. I think he’s 4 for 11 in AAA, but they’re all singles. Give him time, wait till June of next year if necessary.
insults to the man running the blog is growing tiresome. i’m the one who posted the “drunk drivel” after you said we need to go after orlando hudson after you already said that we needed power at 2nd base and should go get dan uggla. i said it was drunken drivel because you go through idea like boxes of crayons.
the reason for the insult (which was in childish retaliation, admittedly) was due to insults being cast out by you on about every other post. i will work on holding my tongue, but it’s very hard for me…
91,
To do what?
No problem with keeping Heyward on the farm.
@91 not in the least.
Rob,
The Green Bay Packers.
Great History
Classy organization with a true fan first outlook.
Underdogs because of their small market.
Being from the South you’d wonder how I used to rabidly follow the Pack. Maybe it was the tremendous legacy but when I started they were being QBed by Scott Hunter and Jerry Tagge and John Brokington (ironically a Buckeye) and MacArthor Lane were the offense. Then I lost interest in the entire NFL.
Anyway there’s a recommendation from a guy that has too many kids to watch the NFL thoroughly anymore.
#72.
You can always tell when someone has no argument as they have to resort to insults. Consider me suitably chastised.
Rob, I’ve been an NFL fan, and no kidding an AFL fan for 50+ years. Even though I live in a college football hotbed (Nebraska) I’m an avid NFL fan. Loved the Bears (Sayers, Butkus) and the Chiefs (Dawson, Buck Buchanun, Bobby Bell) growing up. I still root for these teams, but I’ll admit it. Since ’92 I have been an out and out Fantasy Football junkie. Since I have Drew Brees in all three of my leagues this year, I am a HUGE Saints fan. I love fantasy sports, and I’d like to have a chance to personally throttle Bob Costas for always denouncing them,like there’s been a reason to follow the Cleveland Indians season since May 1, other than checking how Sin-Choo is doing. Get in a fantasy league, I’ll guarnatee you, you’ll look at the NFL differently. It does hurt, to actually root against your team, though.
BTW, I’m currently in first place in my 12-team baseball league. I have McCann, LaRoche, Chipper, Yesco, Hudson, Hanson, and Soriano on my 25 man team.
Ken Rosenthal has some words that don’t assuage the feelings of the “pro Bobby Cox” crowd.
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/10072818/You-can-blame-Cox-for-Atlanta's-shortcomings
If only Ken had his facts right in the story…
Yeah, he didn’t have Infante to plug in for Chipper for the majority of the year. That doesn’t invalidate his argument though.
2010 schedule is up. i’m sure most of yall have seen it…
we open at home with the cubs, then go west right away, to san francisco and then to san diego’s opening day.
inteleague opponents are chicago and minnesota away, detroit, tampa bay and kansas city home. we finish with a fla, phi homestand….
Game thread/new poll.
#101
Makes it look like he’s not really paying attention.
And Russell Martin plays for the Dodgers.
ryan c, don’t ever reply to me again. EVER.