Category: Player Analysis 2011

Speed guy makes good. Bourn was drafted by the Phillies out of the University of Houston in 2003, in the fourth round, and had a minor league career you’d expect with his talent base — decent average, walks, a lot of stolen bases, some doubles and triples power. He had a cup of coffee in … Continue reading “Michael Bourn”

Disturbing. Hicks probably won’t cost the Braves anything, as the offensive difference between Diory Hernandez‘s zero and his less-than-zero should be pretty minor as long as AAG stays healthy. It’s rather what Hicks represents — that the current incarnation of the Braves brain trust, or Fredi Gonzalez alone, likes punchless gloves rather that guys who … Continue reading “Brandon Hicks”

An odd assortment of strengths and weaknesses. I’d rather have that than a bench player who’s mediocre at everything. Young’s from Temple, Texas (like Lance Berkman). He played three years at New Mexico before the Braves signed him as an undrafted free agent. Young is listed at 5-8 and may be shorter than that, and … Continue reading “Matt Young”

The primary beneficiary of Joe Mather playing himself off the team. Conrad got by far the most major league playing time of his career last year, mostly as a pinch-hitter. He played in 103 games, entering 58 of them as a pinch-hitter and starting just 26 (mostly late in the year). Unfortunately, he showed why … Continue reading “Brooks Conrad”

Just pitched so damned well that the Braves put him in the rotation over Mike Minor, even though Minor also pitched well. So I look pretty stupid. Beachy is from Indiana and went to a small college there. That part of the country is still pretty underscouted compared to the South and West, but it … Continue reading “Brandon Beachy”

I don’t normally profile the manager, but normally the manager has been the same guy every year. Hence, the new guy: Fredi Gonzalez was born in Cuba in 1964, but grew up in Miami. He was a 16th-round draft pick of the Yankees in 1984, a catcher; he played six seasons, mostly in A-ball, and … Continue reading “Fredi Gonzalez”

If anything happens to Brian McCann or David Ross, it would seem that J. C. Boscan has replaced Clint Sammons (no longer in the organization) as the guy they’ll call up. Nothing better happen to them. Boscan, proof that not every player who comes out of Venezuela is good, can’t hit; his minor league career … Continue reading “Other playing possibilities”

The last spot on the roster will, presumably, go to somebody who can play centerfield. I suppose it’s possible that the Braves would go into the season with nobody on the roster to back up Nate McLouth except Joe Mather, but this would be a strange thing to do since (a) McLouth isn’t any good, … Continue reading “The Great Backup Centerfielder Debate”

I kept putting this off, but it really looks like the Braves, barring some NRI playing out of his head in spring training, really are going to go into the season with this guy as the backup shortstop and only real backup infielder. Hurrah. Hernandez has had 103 career major league plate appearances (83 in … Continue reading “Diory Hernandez”

In the starting rotation, there are two pitchers who might go if something goes wrong with one of the top five, though unless someone gets hurt or Mike Minor is really bad, I don’t think anyone has much of a chance of pitching himself onto the roster. The incumbent option is Brandon Beachy, who came … Continue reading “Other Pitching Possibilities”