Morning Chop: Atlanta Braves’ News 12/19
June 10, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher
Livan Hernandez(61) pitches in the fifth inning of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
Morning Chop: A Summary of Atlanta Braves’ News
Prospects On The Move: Sean Gilmartin
Scouts have rarely wavered in their general assessment of left hander Sean Gilmartin, the Braves prospect traded to the Twins this morning in exchange for catcher Ryan Doumit. He’s a soft tossing lefthander who sits at 87 MPH with three quality, but certainly not overpowering, off-speed pitches. MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo described him as a “middle-of-the rotation” type with limited ceiling and Keith Law has called him a “fourth or fifth starter.” That low ceiling, however comes with a pretty high floor, as Gilmartin, 23, was already failry polished when he was drafted a the end of the first round in 2011 and looked to make the majors quickly. Impressed with his likelihood of at least becoming a back end starter Baseball America ranked him as the third best prospect in the Braves system prior to 2013.
This year’s number, however, painted a brutal picture for a kid who thought he might be in the majors quickly. In his second stint at Triple-A in 2013, the 2011 first round pick got pummelled, pitching to a 5.74 ERA and allowing 1.2 HR/9 over 91.0 innings. He allowed well over a hit per inning, had a WHIP of almost 1.6 and his walk rate – 3.3 BB/9 – is the highest its been in his professional career. Part of the increase in hits and ERA can be attributed to an inordinarily high BABIP – .333 – but his FIP was still an unimpressive 4.61.
Atlanta Braves Do Tremendous Job In Replacing Catcher Brian McCann
One of the biggest worries for the Atlanta Braves was how the organization would replace Brian McCann this offseason. One of the best catchers in the National League has suited up behind home plate consistently since 2005 for Atlanta. The good news for the Braves is that they did a tremendous job in replacing McCann’s production.
Atlanta acquired catcher Ryan Doumit in a trade with the Minnesota Twins in exchange for left-handed pitcher Sean Gilmartin. Even though Atlanta will be required to cover all of Doumit’s $3.5 million salary for 2014, it’s still way cheaper than five-year, $85 million contract McCann signed with the New York Yankees, especially since that deal could reach $100 million with a vesting option.
It’s true that Doumit doesn’t match up with McCann defensively. However, the two are very comparable offensively.
Livan Hernandez bidding adios to ’97 World Series ring, MVP trophy
Only 16 years after sceaming “I love you Miami!,” former Marlins hurler Livan Hernandez is selling his 1997 World Series ring and MVP trophy. The two items are among several belonging to Hernandez that are being auctioned by Lelands.com
Hernandez was a rookie for the Marlins in 1997 when he was named World Series MVP.
The MVP trophy and World Series ring aren’t the only items Hernandez has placed in the auction. Also up for grabs: his 2002 San Francisco Giants N.L. championship ring, 2004 Silver Slugger Award, and the first-pitch baseball he threw from the first Washington Nationals game.
The reserves on both his MVP Trophy and Series ring are $5,000.
JAWS and the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot: Tom Glavine
The following article is part of my ongoing look at the candidates on the BBWAA 2014 Hall of Fame ballot. For a detailed introduction to JAWS, please see here. For the schedule, see here.
Tom Glavine was the epitome of the crafty lefty. Much like his longtime teammate and fellow 2014 ballot newcomer Greg Maddux, he lacked the stuff to just rear back and blow hitters away, instead relying primarily on a mid-to-high-80s fastball and a very good changeup. He made his living on the outside edge of the plate, demonstrating an uncanny ability to expand the strike zone, thus avoiding contact and putting hitters in unfavorable counts.
You had to see it to appreciate it fully, because his raw rate stats — particularly his 5.3 strikeouts and 3.1 walks per nine, not to mention his 3.54 ERA — are certainly unassuming. Which isn’t to suggest that his case is the second coming of Jack Morris, one that lacks a foundation of outstanding run prevention, because he did quite well on that score in the context of the times, and it’s reflected in both his traditional and advanced metrics.
Glavine was a master of sequencing and of minimizing the damage caused by the walks and homers he allowed. Like Maddux, he was exceptionally durable, topping 200 innings 14 times in his 22-year career and 180 innings 19 times in the 20 full seasons of that span; meanwhile, he avoided the disabled list until his age-42 season.