Good Julio showed up to bust the streak. After losing six straight, this game was really about a dominant pitching performance by Julio Teheran. He pitched eight innings for the first time this year, giving up two runs and collecting eight strikeouts. The problem for Julio at this point have been the gopher balls. In 82 innings, he has given up 12 home runs. Interestingly, of his last 5 runs given up, they have all come as a result of solo home runs. Eventually he won’€™t be so lucky, and one of them will be a 3-run homer. He’€™s 8th in the NL in WHIP, so if he could keep the ball in the ballpark more often, he could be even better than he is now.
Sadly, this is about the best type of hitting performance you can consistently hope for out of this offense. We pounded out 14 hits, with all but one of our starters getting a hit. Inciarte and Chase d’€™Arnaud each had three hits at the top of the lineup, with Markakis and Teheran each pitching in a couple hits. But with no extra base power, the table-setting 1-2 hitters producing 6 hits doesn’t amount to a whole lot. We’€™re going to hang out with the Cubs for a little while, so manage your expectations. It’€™s Jason Hammel vs. Bud Norris, Jake Arrieta vs. Matt Wisler, and Jon Lester vs. whoever takes Williams Perez’s spot.
The draft is also today! The Braves have 5 of the top 80 picks, with Eric Longenhagen of ESPN & FanGraphs speculating on the Chop Cast that with extra money and a multitude of picks, the Braves are in position to have one of the best drafts in MLB this year. The consistent speculation has been that if Kyle Lewis falls to #3, we would take him, but now there are lots of different names being thrown around. Longenhagen also speculated that Blake Rutherford could fall to #40 (our next pick), and that would make me cry tears of joy.
Before I JC’ed Stu, he mentioned Ian Anderson going #3. Blech, blech, blech.
…Jason Groome? The plot thickens…
Sounds like we are trying to test the old, “you can never have too much pitching” phrase.
At least we’ll have the best flautist in the majors!
could someone please indicate where and when this is watchable?
as JC’d i thought it was tomorrow.
First two rounds of draft are tonight on MLB Network starting at 7.
Rounds 3-10 tomorrow on mlb.com starting at 9:30AM
11-40 Saturday on mlb.com starting at 9AM
@2
Wow
Look out 2020, we may be a WC team!
Thanks, Rob.
I was drafted once. Canada tempted. Because I hate cold weather, I joined the Navy instead. That was a different kind of draft though. I got no signing bonus, but I did get some cute little sailor outfits.
I really, really hate the idea of taking another pitcher at the top of the draft. Yeah, yeah, you don’t draft for need, but c’mon.
Stu, you follow the draft much more closely than I do. Assuming the Braves take Anderson at #3, who are the high-talent questionable-signability guys that they’ll want to throw money at?
@9
I agree, unless we can pull Groome too. That would be something. I just don’t see Groome falling that far.
Anderson would have been a top 10 pick if he didn’t have an oblique injury.
This is another example of why Coppy shouldn’t talk to the press. That guys comes off as a doofus.
10—Well, Groome’s stock seems to be falling, and he’s certainly got a hefty price tag, but I suspect it’s a bit of a pipe dream that he lasts all the way to 40. As I mentioned earlier, I also suspect his recent character-related red flags would ultimately scare off an organization like the Braves.
Possibilities, off the top of my head, include Whitley (P), Benson (OF — GEORGIA-BOY ALERT), Rutherford (OF), Manning (P), Wentz (P), Mendoza (3B)…and anyone who’s expected to go high but drops. Delvin Perez could fall that far, although he was just busted for PEDs and was already viewed as a bit of a problem child, so I kind of doubt that one.
If you want to track the Braves’ draft like me (a crazy person), here is the link to my spreadsheet again: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1auJaHME_enCTHWnMHj7g-dJKCkR-OVmqFSgtUBbTP6E/edit?usp=sharing
The second tab will track the players taken and the signing bonuses they’re given, as that information becomes available.
The bold dollar figure is the total amount they have to spend on the players taken in the top 10 rounds plus any signing-bonus money over $100K that they give to any individual player in rounds 11 through 30.
The green dollar figure (which will change as players start signing) is the current total over-slot amount that they have in the bank, so to speak. The reason that figure is above zero right off the bat is because teams are allowed to spend up to 5% above their total allotted slot amount without incurring future-draft penalties — so, the Braves start out with ~$660K more to spend than the widely-reported bonus pool will show.
@6..
thank you
@ 8
you surely realized this sort of information. newly dropped, is irresistible.
@13…for those for whom this is all simply too much to follow..
Spreadsheet Stu
every other night he’s on CNBC with a pundit or two
Andrew Ross Sorkin
was quite unable to grasp, so Stu rightly does all of the talkin’.
One way to read that: Lewis is still their top choice, but he could go off the board at 1 or 2, and they aren’t as enamored with Ray or Senzel as they are with the possibility of stockpiling high-end prep talent.
Bowman says the Braves are out on Lewis, so replace “Lewis” with “Ray” in my post @17.
My reaction to that, as conveyed on Twitter:
1) “Guess we’ll just have to trust the scouts on Lewis. Hoping different scouts than the ones who bought on Olivera.”
2) “Regardless, I’d be perfectly happy w/ Ray. I like Anderson, too, but “perfectly happy” in that case would hinge on what happens at 40 & 44.”
I’ll say again, I prefer Ray to anyone. I’d be ecstatic if we go that route.
Klaw moved Anderson up to 7 from 13 on his big board today of best available talent FWIW.
Yeah, Ray is excellent, and is a safe bet to be a major-league starter.
Anderson’s good, too; it’s not like he’s Sean Gilmartin. It’s just hard to get too excited about any high-school pitcher, given the Braves’ particular situation and farm system.
I will admit that one of the main reasons I’ve been hoping for Lewis is because I pegged him as a possible fit at #3 several months ago, before anyone was talking about him that high in the draft. Oh well, I guess it’s okay that I don’t get to promote myself as a soothsayer.
No buzz for Mickey Moniak?
@18
I wonder if Lewis being out is because they want someone under slot, and they feel they can get it out of Ray. I hate the idea of reaching for a high school pitcher to stay under slot, unless they know something about the 40 pick.
I would expect Ray to cost at least as much as Lewis will. Neither will command full slot.
Reaching for a high school arm so they can pay him under slot is the most Johns thing the Johns will ever do.
Why would anyone involved in the draft being telling anyone on the outside about their plans?
Take the best available offensive player and pay him what you think he is worth. Idiots abound Turner Field.
@25
I agree. The Braves use to be a tight ship with most stuff.
I assume the info about the deal with Anderson is coming from Anderson’s camp. Regarding Bowman’s info on Lewis…good question. Could be a smokescreen, although I doubt they’d hang him out to dry like that. Maybe they’re aware that fanboys like me were pining for Lewis and wanted to let us down gently before the draft is actually underway and we’re seeing him fall into the Braves’ lap?
New thread, evidently.