In 2009, the Braves thought they had their center fielder of the future in the 22-year-old Jordan Schafer. He hit a home run in his first at bat against the Philidelphia Phillies and the future seemed bright, but then something happened. From an onlookers perspective, it looked like he wanted to hit everything out of the ballpark, which led to an uppercut in his swing. That uppercut eventually led to Jordan Schafer’s demise, as he was sent down after striking out in 37% of his at bats.

Schafer was sent down and promptly got injured to end his 2009 campaign. In 2010, Jason Heywad got all the headlines from the Braves outfield, while Jordan Schafer got slapped with a 50-game penalty for using a banned substance. When Schafer returned to play, he struggled to hit above the Mendoza Line (.201) for the Gwinnett Braves. Schafer was once one of the brightest stars in the game, but had absolutely fizzled out in 2010 to a point where many wondered if he would play again.

In 2011, he showed up to the Braves camp and took notes from Chipper Jones (who better?) about what he needed to do to stick in the big leagues. Nate McLouth had struggled mightily since joining the Braves in 2009, so Schafer had an opportunity to get some playing time in centerfield, Schafer had always been a strong defender, he just needed to learn how to use his bat. Chipper told him to use his speed and not worry about hitting the ball out of the ballpark. Schafer went down to Gwinnett and tried to put it to use. He hit .256, but made definite improvements on his strikeout rate, but at the expense of his walk rate. Due to Nate McLouth’s poor performance and injury, Schafer was called up to the big league team.

Schafer struggled at making consistent contact with the Braves and Astros (he was traded for Michael Bourn) in 2010, but was able to help both clubs. He was still striking out at a large rate (21%). I always thought that if Schafer could control his strikeouts and coax some more walks, then he would be an average MLB player.

Unfortunately for the Astros, he never did that with the team. In 2012 his line was .211/.297/.294 with a strikeout rate of 30%. The Astros didn’t see any reason for keeping Schafer, and the released him on waivers, where the Braves picked him up.

Something happened to Schafer in spring training; something that has translated into him having a great first month-and-a-half of the season. Currently, he sports a .298/.431/.468 slash line, with a high strikeout rate of 27%, but a great walk rate of 19%. Granted, his BABIP is at .394 (8% higher than his career norm), so expect some regression from that standpoint. His walk rate is what has been so impressive. At the leadoff position, he is seeing pitches and giving his team a chance to see the pitchers’ repertoire and is sometimes coaxing out a walk.

I don’t expect Jordan Schafer to be an all star at the major league level, but I do think he will make for a great 4th outfielder, who could start for some teams. He will regress, but he will be a valuable player with his bat and defense, despite the regression that is bound to happen.

The cries of a family reunion in the Braves outfield by many has been heard and answered. As of today both B.J. and Justin Upton will hold down the fort along with Jason Heyward after Atlanta and Arizona reached a deal. A deal being praised by most, but not everyone is ready to throw confetti (Raises both hands high!)

The Braves will receive Justin Upton and third baseman Chris Johnson from the Diamondbacks in return for Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, Zeke Spruill, and Nick Ahmed and Brandon Drury. This move marks a departure from Frank Wren and company’s theory that pitching prospects are untouchable by including Delgado and Spruill. You will not find many arguments with that aspect of the deal, but Martin Prado is another story.

Prado is the third top 2012 performer that Atlanta failed to resign, and could prove costly on several levels. First and foremost, Prado was a lock to replace Chipper Jones at third. Johnson will platoon the position with Juan Francisco. Platooning in the outfield can be quite successful, but most championship caliber teams do not subscribe to philosophy at third.

The other team leaders departing from the Braves are Michael Bourn and David Ross. Michael Bourn, may have had a price tag initially out of the budget, but this late in the game, deals are more likely to be had- especially when a player has proven their worth and added dimensions to the game. When evaluating the value of the deal, you must include Bourn’s contributions. Both Uptons have tremendous upsides that could prove worthy, but it remains to be seen if they will perform to a level that is worthy of two All-Stars.

Prado’s loss is even more significant in a year where team leaders Chipper Jones and David Ross are no longer in the clubhouse. Is Brian McCann healthy enough to replace the leadership of Chipper, Prado, Ross, and Bourn? Do not get me wrong, on paper, the Braves lineup is exciting has the potential to do great things, but you better hope and pray the youngsters have grown up a lot in the off season because your stability and maturity of 2012′s older wiser brothers resides elsewhere in 2013.

For more trade details check out David O’Brien’s Braves complete trade for Justin Upton

I will admit I chalked up yesterday’s game versus the Phillies as another loss. Seriously, five runs in the first given up by Paul Maholm, and Cole Hamels dealing? I had about all I could take. I had no explanation other than the Braves look out of gas. Let’s not forget that Fredi Gonzalez choose to bench Brian McCann and Dan Uggla due to their lack of production. A move that Uggla had no problem voicing his displeasure about. Being strongly against leaving early, I decided to seek shelter from the heat and humidity in the 755 Club with friends old and new.

As we attempted to solve the Braves problems to no avail, the crowd got smaller and smaller. All the sudden there seemed to be a bright spot, Peter Moylan had made his way back to Turner Field. 11 months removed from shoulder surgery, many fans did not realize the Aussie had been called up. Seeing Moylan on the mound seemed to be our reward for having waited it out, but not so fast my friend!

Let’s fast forward to the bottom of the ninth, two outs, bases loaded, and Martin Prado up to bat. (Well, maybe I should mention Dan Uggla was to pinch hit, but was pulled when Jonathan Pappelbon entered the game in favor of Lyle Overbay. Overbay was called out on strikes, but I digress.) As he has done all year Prado delivered with a bases loaded double that set the table for none other the @RealCJ10 Chipper Jones to get the GW #mammo. For those of you who do not follow him on Twitter, Chipper hit a game winning three run homer.

There are very few times I am able to show emotion at the ballpark, but last night standing in left field in a spot honoring the achievement of the great Hank Aaron, I jumped up and down like a little kid. It was something I a cannot adequately describe, but it was one of those times that I just felt something special was about to happen, and it did. As @RealCJ10 put it, Shame on fans that left game-kudos to those that stayed! Never kno when somethin cool gonna happen, like GW #mammo!Yessir!

Marc Ryan. Leslie Koerdt, and the Opening Drive went on a Tour of Atlanta with Atlanta Journal Constitution Braves Beat David O’Brien about a six-man rotation and what happens after, Michael Bourn’s contract, and how a person could have a splinter in their hand for six years. Listen to DOB had to say.

Four days shy of two years since his last pitch in Major League Baseball, Ben Sheets gave the Braves just what they what they needed- six innings of shutdown ball. Sheets was on a pitch count of 80-100, and left the game at 88 pitches, 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, and 5 strike outs. With a little help from his new friends, Sheets was given six runs in the bottom of the fifth before Juan Francisco pinch hit for his spot in the order in the sixth.

Atlanta got production from the old faithfuls in Bourn, Prado, Jones, Heyward, and Freeman and a key walk from newbie Paul Janish. In true Braves fashion the majority of runs were scored with two outs. Those runs came just in time considering Kris Medlen gave up a run in the top of the seventh.

While the outing was impressive, it was not the Ben Sheets one would recognize. The right hander with high 90s overpowering pitches was reinvented as a low 90s fastballs and lots of breaking stuff. There is something to be said for an athlete’s talent and intestinal fortitude to be able to depart from what made you successful the first time around, make it back, and most important to the Braves, win. It is only one outing, but it is a great start for Sheets and the Braves second half with a sweep of the Mets.

National League All Star manager Tony Larussa has taken a name of the final ballot by naming Chipper Jones Matt Kemp’s replacement. This announcement comes with two days left to vote for the last roster spot. Which means you have plenty of time to #VoteBourn!

I am really tired of being told “this time it counts” when obviously, the only thing that counts is page views on MLB’s website. If it really counted there would not be so many true All-Stars are left out of the game. No, I am not speaking of Bryce Harper’s so called snub. (I cannot look at the teenager as being snubbed when all three Braves outfielders Martin Prado, Jason Heyward, and Michael Bourn, and Chipper for that matter, have better numbers than he does.) I am speaking of the » Continue reading “MLB All-Star Game Or Homecoming Court?”

WEATHER FORECAST
105F 4:05; 106F HIGH *UPDATED TEMP 3:28PM, **HOTTEST BRAVES HOME GAME IN HISTORY

BRAVES LINEUP
1. Michael Bourn CF
2. Martin Prado LF
3. Jason Heyward RF
4. Freddie Freeman 1B
5. Dan Uggla 2B
6. Brian McCann C
7. Andrelton Simmons SS
8. Juan Francisco 3B
9. Mike Minor P

NATIONALS LINEUP
1. Danny Espinosa 2B
2. Bryce Harper CF
3. Ryan Zimmerman 3B
4. Michael Morse RF
5. Adam LaRoche 1B
6. Ian Desmond SS
7. Tyler Moore LF
8. Jesus Flores C
9. Stephen Strasburg P

You would think a lead off triple is a good way to put 20 scoreless innings away and move on to winning ways. You, like many others, would be wrong. You are probably on target when it all fell apart though. That’s right, the dreaded 5th inning is where it all blew up for Mike Minor giving up three runs. The Yankees did not stop there, scoring one run in each of their at bats to follow.

A team coming off the aforementioned 20 scoreless innings cannot afford to relinquish a lead. The Braves struggles at the plate are far to similar to that of 2011, excluding Dan Uggla, whose patience is shown through the number of walks he has this season. What is not similar is the amount of pitching at Atlanta’s disposal. The bullpen is not as reliable, most notably Johhny Venters. Eric O’Flaherty has been injured, Livan Hernadez designated for assignment, and Kris Medlen sent down to stretch out for a starting role. Needless to say, Medlen will not be filling that spot just yet.

Although, a starter spot has opened with news that could be devastating if the Braves stay on the recent course. Brandon Beachy, who left Saturday’s game versus Baltimore with an elbow injury, showed a partial tear of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament on an MRI performed today. Beachy will see the team doctor Tuesday and Dr. James Andrews Wednesday. Injuries of this nature often require Tommy John surgery and one year of rehab.