The Richmond bullpen will be full of familiar faces. Phil Stockman, who was lights out (33.3 IP, 13 H, 41 K, 0.81 ERA) in Richmond last year; Manny Acosta, who was a serviceable closer (3.63 ERA, 17 SV), and Jonathan Johnson (23 G, 3.48 ERA) were each optioned here this week for more seasoning. A bullpen with Stockman, Acosta, Johnson, Blaine Boyer and Peter Moylan — each having appeared for the R-Braves last year — would be stacked by Triple-A standards. Boyer and Moylan have been tagged as likely R-Braves, but neither has been added to the roster yet.
Archive for March, 2007
Four-Star Bullpen?
March 25, 2007Pena on the move
March 25, 2007The Braves answered the Tony Pena Jr. question, trading the slick shortstop to the Royals for an injury-prone young arm, Erik Cordier, who will miss 2007 for Tommy John surgery. KC’s GM Dayton Moore knew TP well from his tenure in the front office in Atlanta and clearly thinks highly of him. Shortly after the trade, KC’s returning SS, Angel Berroa, was demoted. A great opportunity for Pena.
TP on a roll
March 23, 2007Tony Pena Jr., who took a large step forward in his career last year at Richmond, has been getting a lot of attention this spring both for his play and his contract situation, which forces Atlanta to make a now-or-never decision on him. Pena must make Atlanta’s opening-day roster or be waived. Atlanta’s middle-infield situation is already set, but Pena’s continued impressive play this spring – he’s hitting .342 and recently knocked a three-run HR off Billy Wagner – has made the choice a tough one.
Status of the home of the Braves?
March 22, 2007I’m still nervous. I don’t think we’re out of the woods quite yet. Still waiting on the fate of the Diamond. Will it be a new facility or a refurbished ballpark? There’s absolutely no way that there will be a “new” stadium by the 2008 season, one of the desires of the Braves organization. Couple that with Mayor Wilder’s bizarre (and generally counterproductive) behavior in “courting” the Braves, and there’s still a volatile situation that could send the Braves packing. I guess we’ll see. There’s all sorts of interest in this Boulevard/Hermitage area - from VCU’s desire for a tennis center, to the potential new swim complex and Wilder’s plan to redevelop the whole 60 acre area (moving the Parker Field Maintenance Facility that would ultimately be the site of a new Diamond) – that certainly doesn’t hurt the prospects of an agreement between the municipalities and the Braves. Let’s hope it helps.
How awesome is the new Glen Allen Stadium at RF&P Park in Henrico? Looks beautiful.
Richmond Bound
March 22, 2007The minor-league assignments have begun, and one of the first boldfaced names to land in Richmond is Joey Devine (note: Devine’s assignment was later changed and he started in the year in Double-A Miss.), the righthanded reliever with a 95 mph fastball, righteous slider and astonishingly shaky major league past. Devine gave up grand slams in his first two major league appearances in 2005 — just a few months after being drafted out of N.C. State. He then allowed a game-winning home run to the Astros’ Chris Burke in the 18th inning of Game Four of the NLDS that year — a kinda dicey spot for a rookie — ending the longest game in postseason history and, more importantly, the Bravos’ season. Last year, he allowed seven earned and walked nine in 6.1 innings in Atlanta, though his 10 K’s show major-league hitters weren’t entirely comfortable against him either.
JD’s young, talented and reputed to have the kind of makeup — tough, fearless, etc. — to get past his past. He played at four different levels in ‘06, and the A-Braves are hoping to get him a more settled ‘07. It looks like the R-Braves have got their closer. Of course, if he lives up to his talent and is too good, too impressive in Rich., he might have a spot in Atlanta’s bullpen — where he has already spent some time after all — before we start to get especially confident about ninth-inning leads.
Anthony Lerew is back for another shot in the starting rotation after last year’s gaudy 7.48 ERA. Kevin Barry (4-5, 3.30 ERA in Rich. in ‘06), a recent big-league camp cut, seems sure to return, too.
New R-B Mgr. Dave Brundage says he likes to run. Returning sparkplug outfielder Gregor Blanco might surpass the 31 steals he accumulated last year between Richmond and Miss.
It’s worth noting, too, that farmhand golden boys Jarrod “Salty” Saltalamacchia, who might be the top catching prospect in all the minors, and Brent Lillibridge, an infielder who hit .300+ with 50+ steals in the Pirates’ system, were sent to Double-A Mississippi. They’re both young and there doesn’t seem to be any particular urgency to get them on the big-league roster — Brian McCann and Edgar Renteria, respectively, block their way — but it’s hard not worrying that they’ll take the ole leap straight past Richmond to the majors, or will just make a brief visit, thereby depriving us of perhaps the best part of minor league ball — watching a green prospect mature into a polished, majors-ready player over the slow, unhurried course of a summer.
RBraves 2007
March 21, 2007Oh yeah. Time to drag the Diamond pants out of the closet, dust off the flip flops and revisit some old friends. Looking forward to Superdogs, beer that’s entirely too expensive and following the Richmond Braves. Does it get any better?
