Braves Midseason Position Player Report Cards

Well, we are just slightly over the halfway point of the 2012 season and the Atlanta Braves are sporting the 8th best record in baseball after 85 games with a 46-39 record.  There have been some lean years in the 21st century for the Braves, but the past couple of years, with the help of the Braves farm system, have made the Braves slightly inconsistent, but dangerous nonetheless. The term "lean" is relative and totally subjective; because I know there are Cubs fans out there who would love to win more than 75 games, whereas a 75-win season would be seen as a failure in Atlanta. 


Those upstart Nationals in our Nation's capitol are leading the NL East over the 2nd place Braves by 4 games. A lot of baseball is left to be played, and this Braves fan is very curious to see what happens when Nationals "ace"(a 15-7 career record does not constitute ACE in my book)  Stephen Strasberg approaches his "inning limit;" the Nationals front office claims that Strasberg will not pitch more than 170 innings this year. That means that if the pennant race is close in the NL East, and Strasberg hits that inning limit (it will happen in early September) then Davey Johnson will bench their #1 starter...I'll believe that when I see it. That being said, here are the mid-season grades for the Atlanta Braves:


STARTING POSITION PLAYERS:




Catcher ~ Brian McCann GRADE: C-

Knowing that Mac isn't going to be anywhere near Kansas City saddens me.  Brian McCann has been an all-star every year since his rookie year in 2005. except this year; and for good reason.  Mac is having a horrid season by his standards. His batting line (AVG./OBP/SLG) is a paltry .238/.301/.430; all three of these statistics are well below McCann's career averages. The only thing that saved Mac from receiving a D is the fact he has hit 4 homers in his last 4 games, which helped the Braves sweep the hated (and last place) Phillies going into the all-star break.  Hopefully the rest will do McCann well, because the Braves postseason hopes are partly rested on the shoulders of the Braves catcher; without his bat, we will be hard-pressed to make the post-season.

First Base ~ Freddie Freeman GRADE: C+

The runner-up to the Rookie of the Year in 2011 (losing to teammate Craig Kimbrel) is having a ho-hum first half of 2012. His line reads: .264/.318/.451 which are all below his career averages. The first quarter of the season Freeman was on a tear and looked as if he was unstoppable; flash forward two months and he only has 11 homers, but has an adequate 49 RBIs.  Baseball is a game of streaks and superstitions and all it takes are a few balls to start dropping in and Freeman will be back in the groove; look forward to a more productive 2nd half now that Freeman has adjusted to his new goggles instead of his usual contact lenses.

Second Base ~ Dan Uggla GRADE: D

The buffest second baseman in history is mired, yet again, in what seems like a season-long slump.  His batting average is an embarrassing .221 and he has only gone deep a dozen times.  It took a 33 game hit streak to get his .185 average over the Mendoza-line in 2011. Though as I stated for Freddie Freeman, all it takes is a little luck and Uggs can get his average back up to his career average of .256.  Hopefully hitting coach Greg Walker can work some magic with Uggs and get him back to crushing the ball out of the park, as well as raising his slugging percentage up from the current .395 up to his career mark of .475.

A) Shortstop ~ Tyler Pastornicky GRADE: C

"The Rev", as Tyler Pastornicky is known in the Braves clubhouse (Pastor-nicky, Reverend...get it?) played adequately in 45 games this season before losing the starting shortstop job to the slick-fielding Andrelton Simmons. Pastornicky posted a line of .248/.241/.324, had he not been a rookie I probably would have graded him at a D+, but I'm taking into consideration how young he is (22) and how he needs to grow into the role of everyday shortstop.


B) Shortstop ~ Andrelton Simmons GRADE:  A

This young man came into spring training this year and made an instant splash. Tyler Pastornicky during this past offseason was listed and discussed as the heir-apparent to take over everyday shortstop duties; until Braves coaches and manager Fredi Gonzalez got a demonstration of Simmons' glove. This kid has the potential to be a multi-gold glove award winner. As an added bonus, the youngster can hit!  He is currently boasting a line of .296/.336/.452 with 3 dingers and 15 RBIs in 33 games; not too shabby. Bad news on the last day before the all-star break had Simmons break his pinkie finger and land on the 15 day DL. He will be back folks, you can bank on that.

Third Base ~ Chipper Jones GRADE: A+++

The old gray mare still has it. When Chipper is in the lineup the Braves are a completely different team than when he has to rest his 40 year old body or when he has to take a trip to the 15 day DL.  Chipper has been the face of the Braves since my adolescence and I well up when I think of him walking off the field for the last time this fall. This first-ballot hall of famer is boasting a great line of .318/.396/.480 and has added 6 dingers, (including an improbable walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th over Philly) and will be the lynch-pin for the Braves to play in October. Left Field ~ Martin Prado GRADE: A MVPrado is to the Braves as Michael Young is to the Texas Rangers; he can play almost any position...well. Prado has played LF, 3B, 1B, he's a gamer who the Braves inexplicably tried to trade away this past off-season.  Believe me, I was elated when nobody took Prado. He's not too bad with the stick either; his line is .321/.382/.457, all of which are above his career averages.  The reason the Braves tried to fence him away was due to the fact that his production fell off after being unlucky enough to contract a staph infection in his calf.  In my opinion, Prado was one of the snubs of the all-star team this year, as his numbers are far better than Dan Uggla's, yet Uggla is a NL starter for this year's all-star game. Prado is the unsung hero of this organization and it's high-time the powers that be recognized that fact. Center Field ~ Michael Bourn GRADE: A 2012 All-star reserve Michael Bourn is the spark plug that leads to a lot of runs. He is one of the premier lead-off hitters in the Show and for good reason, he boasts an on-base % of .366 and has 25 steals at the break. Also, he is arguably the fastest man in the major leagues and led the majors in larceny last season with 61 steals (only Jose Costanza can give him a run for his money in the speed dept....excuse the terrible pun). Bourn is batting .311 and gives pitchers the heebie-jeebies when he takes his lead from first base. Hes no slouch in the outfield either; having won a pair of gold gloves while with the Houston Astros. Look for much of the same in the second half of this season and if I were Frank Wren, I'd be making promises and give him what he wants. He is the first true lead-off man we have had since Furcal. Right Field ~ Jason Heyward GRADE: A- To say J-Hey has turned his career around after a disastrous sophomore season would be an understatement of epic proportions.  How good Heyward was his rookie season of 2010, was exactly how bad he was last year. He has made adjustments, shortened up his swing and is showing more patience at the plate which has translated in raising his slugging % of .389 to a blistering .497 this season.  Also, J-Hey is becoming more of a terror on the base paths; he had 9 steals in all of 2011, he already has 11 this season which makes pitchers a little more nervous which could lead to a mistake thrown to a hitter. That previous scenario is a domino effect that makes baseball the special game that it truly is; America's pastime, no matter what the meatheads in the NFL say! BENCH PLAYERS/RESERVES: PH/Third Base ~ Juan Francisco GRADE: D Francisco has had 118 at-bats this season and translated that into a .220 batting average; not good when we need production in the form of a pinch hit or when Chipper needs a breather.  Francisco's on base percentage is almost microscopic at .256, again, NOT GOOD. His 38 to 1 strikeout to walk ration is mind-numbing. This translates to being way too aggressive at the plate and swinging at pitches outside of the strike-zone, plain and simple.  If Francisco doesn't pick it up in the 2nd half of the season, don't look forward to him being a Brave in 2013. Shortstop ~ Jack Wilson GRADE: D Jack Wilson was picked up from the Seattle Mariners at the end of the 2011 season almost exclusively for his defensive abilities; much like when Raphael Belliard backed up Jeff Blauser in the early 1990s.  As good as Wilson is with the leather, he is twice as bad with the bat.  So far this season in 69 at-bats he has produced a putrid batting average of .174 and a dismal slugging percentage of .194.  The former Pittsburgh Pirate starter is now in mentor status to work with the younger guys in the organization on how to field properly; much like when catcher Eddie Perez became the Braves bench coach. 3B/1B/PH ~ Eric Hinske GRADE: D- Hinske started off the season gangbusters. In his first 55 at-bats he was hitting .313 and was the most reliable pinch-hitter on the Braves bench. What a difference 2 months make. Hinske has 99 plate appearances and is dangerously close to falling below the Mendoza-line with a .202 batting average.  This huge man has 1 home run in 99 attempts...ONE HOME RUN.  That is just plain awful and I'm afraid if Hinske doesn't drastically improve his hitting, hitting for power and patience at the plate (only 10 walks this year) then he will be placed on waivers, given his outright release or perhaps someone will take him off our hands.  One category that Hinske is leading is the category of best tattoo (see below):    Left Field/Pinch Hitter ~ Matt Diaz GRADE: D While Matt Diaz is unquestionably a wonderful human being (see the Diaz Foundation) his bat has not been so wonderful this year.  While having exactly 100 plate appearances this year and only 23 hits to show for it, its easy to see he is batting a paltry .230.  The days are over when Bobby Cox had all the faith in the world in Matt Diaz, the sad truth is that since the Braves re-acquired Diaz from the Pirates last year, he is a shell of the scrappy player he was for the Braves for the better part of 5 years.  The one positive thing I can say about Matt Diaz is that he can still hit left-handers fairly successfully, but that is not enough to take away the fact that he is not the same "hit em where they ain't, mainly the opposite field" Diaz and the Braves need to move him before the trade deadline for a bench-bat that can provide the kind of consistency the Braves need in order to make a run into October. Catcher ~ David Ross GRADE: A David Ross is the one bright spot on the Braves bench. Not only does he provide valuable days off to Brian McCann, he has provided some pop at the plate. His line is .276/.345/.434 and his defense has been more than reliable; he has thrown out 38% of attempted steals.  Ross provides invaluable experience on the bench and is helping to groom younger players and is seen as the captain of the bench. OVERALL BRAVES POSITION PLAYER GRADE:  B The Braves are one trade away from going from the 8th best record in baseball to being perennial contenders for the NL East crown.  I fully look forward to a Washington National collapse once those youngsters (talking to you Bryce Harper) feel what its like to play a full schedule in the Show. Once Strasberg's inning limit comes to fruition, and the kid, Bryce Harper feels the fatigue of the dog-days of baseball and the marathon into September, expect the Braves to surge and take back what is rightfully theirs: The National League East pennant.

2012 Home Run Derby

Dating back as far as I can remember, the Homerun Derby has been my favorite part of the All-Star festivities. The simple fact is this: Forget about pitcher's duals, forget about diving snags, hell, forget about walk-off base-hits; the single most exciting thing in baseball is the HOMERUN. It has so many nomenclatures to define home runs: Homers, Taters, Longballs, Goin Downtown, and my personal favorite, GOODBYE MR. RAWLINGS!  As per the rules last season, each league has a captain with players whom the captain has personally chosen. Lets take a look at this year's participants that will be competing in the 2012 Homerun Derby, live from Kauffman stadium on Monday, July 9th, televised on ESPN at 5pm PST.

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

Captain: Matt Kemp ~ Dodgers

Lots of questions surround whether or not the injured Matt Kemp, who is the captain of the NL Derby squad, on whether or not he was even going to participate in this years Derby. He says he's participating, so I'll take him at his word. The 2011 Derby held in Arizona was not kind to Kemp; he managed only 2 dingers and was out by the first round. While Kemp certainly isn't the favorite for this year's HR Derby, don't count out the 2nd best player in baseball (only to Texas' Josh Hamilton.)

Carlos Gonzalez ~ Rockies

Gonzalez is a 30/30 threat (30 HRs, 30 Steals) this year, but his selection by Captain Matt Kemp has left a few folks (myself included) scratching their heads. He's one of baseball's best five-tool players, but he isn't cut out for the Home Run Derby's style. That means he's the type of hitter who hits line-drives, rather than the lofty "rain makers" that are more of a requirement for a Homer contest. Look for Gonzo to be out by the end of the first round.

Carlos Beltran ~ Cardinals

Beltran is having a stellar first half and is already approaching his homer total of 2011; despite being the elder statesman of the Derby at 35 years old. Don't forget, Beltran knows Kauffman Stadium VERY well; he played there for 6 years of his career.  This is Beltran's first Derby, and for good reason: He's a line-drive, contact hitter who wasn't built for Derby success. I look for Beltran to make it to the 2nd round of the Derby and then he'll be eliminated.


Andrew McCutchen ~ Pirates



"Cutch" replaces my personal favorite to win, Giancarlo Stanton of the Fish.  Stanton went down with a knee injury, and Andrew McCutchen has taken his spot in the Derby.  Cutch is having the best half-season of his career and is killing the ball.  He's leading the Pittsburgh Pirates in their best season in 20 years, en route to hitting 18 home runs. Look for Cutch to be in the finals with a great performance.


AMERICAN LEAGUE

Captain: Robinson Cano ~ Yankees

As much as it pains me to stay objective in this article (my hatred for the Evil Empire is palpable), I have a hard time not giving Cano the credit he deserves.  He has one of the sweetest swings this baseball fanatic has seen since Griffy Jr. and Cano is the returning champion after edging out Adrian Gonzalez by one homer in the final round of the 2011 Derby in Arizona.  He has 20 home runs on the season, including a season-long 440-foot go-ahead shot to center against the New York Mets which leads me to believe that the AL has the distinct advantage in this contest.

Mark Trumbo ~ Angels

I was surprised when Cano chose Mark Trumbo to help represent the American League. This could be due to the fact that he is kind of a "face in the crowd" when compared to the other superstars that are participating in the Derby.  Because this is Trumbo's first selection to participate in the Derby, look for an early exit; which has nothing to do with his stature (6’4”, 220-pounds) or his ability. The Derby is a different breed of competition that requires a hitter to step away from their normal swing in place for a slight uppercut and a need to "kill" the ball due to the fact that a batting-practice fastball doesnt have the velocity of a "game" fastball.  Some people in the media are picking Trumbo as the "darkhorse," but this fan doesn't believe the hype. Look for a 2nd round exit from Trumbo.

Jose Bautista ~ Blue Jays

"Joey Bats" didn't fair very well in last year's competition (only 4 HRs), but look for a complete 180 degree turnaround this year.  He may not have done particularly well last competition, but you can't ignore the fact that he is tied for the major league lead with 27 home runs in 85 games.  I would not be surprised to see Bautista in the finals, but he is not my overall favorite.

Prince Fielder ~ Tigers

This man-child is my favorite to win this year's HR Derby.  It is almost as if God himself sat in heaven and thought, "I'm going to create a human whose sole purpose will be to crush baseballs into the stands." The 275-pound monster is a former derby champion, and look forward to much of the same in Kansas City. Some of his detracters state that he does not have the stamina to win the derby again, as he is a few years older than the last time he won the contest.  Prince owns the 24th-longest homer in the big leagues this season at 456 feet. Fielder only has 15 homers this season, but look for him to equal, or best that total in the first round.  I fully anticipate the finals to be Prince Fielder vs. Andrew McCutchen.

2012 National League All-Stars

Ah yes, the  83rd mid-summer classic is upon us. It will be played on July 10th at 5:30pm (PST); televised on Fox.  This year's All-Star Game is being held in Kansas city at Kauffman stadium, home of the Royals. As per the rules of playing in an American League park, the designated hitter will be in full effect and will be decided upon by retired NL Manager and future 1st ballot Hall of Famer, Tony LaRussa. In following with the tradition my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, I will be rooting for the Senior Curcuit.

Here is a preview of the lineup for the National League:

POSITION PLAYERS

Infield

C - Buster Posey ~ Giants
As I may personally disagree with this particular choice, its hard to deny Buster a starting spot on this years All-Star roster.  He has a line of .303/.370/.480*; with an OBP of .370, that is incredible for a catcher with durability questions who has caught 480 innings this season already. My choice would have been with either Brian McCann or Yadier Molina, but Posey is a good choice for the starting catcher.

*Denotes: Batting Average/On-Base %/Slugging %


1B - Joey Votto ~ Reds
Votto is one of the more popular players in the National League and for good reason, he's really good.  Votto's line is .350/.471/.559.  Votto's OBP is the highest in the Majors, he leads the NL in slugging percentage and may very well break the major league record for doubles in a season.  He belongs as the starting 1B in the NL.


2B - Dan Uggla ~ Braves
It is my personal pleasure to announce that Dan Uggla will be the starting second baseman for the NL; unfortunately he is the only starter for the Braves.  Ugg's line is .235/.363/.414. One might wonder why someone with a batting average that is as low as .235 and yet he has an OBP of .363. This is due to the fact that Uggs is on pace for a personal best for walks with 51. If Uggs can cut down on his strikeouts (90 already!) he will improve the dismal .235 he is currently batting.


SS - Raphael Furcal ~ Cardinals
In my opinion, Raphael Furcal is the front-runner for NL Comeback Player of the Year.  Once written off as washed up and not nearly the base-stealing threat he once was, Furcal has posted a line of .282/.348/.377 with 9 steals on the year. I was lobbying for the Braves to pursue a 1 year contract with Furcal after the 2011 season, because its obvious he still has some gas left in the tank. The Cards were wise in retaining Furcal for this season, as evidenced by his 3rd All-Star selection.


3B - Pablo Sandoval ~ Giants
Pablo Sandoval has been surging at the plate as of late. Batting .357 during this streak of hitting safely in 7 of his last 10 games. During this current streak, "Panda" (as he is referred to in the clubhouse) ended his 19 game homerless drought with a blast this past Friday night at AT&T Park. Naturally a 3rd spot hitter (in the lineup) Panda has been batting 6th; but there have been talks as of late to his moving back to where he has hit the most homers (38).

Outfield

CF - Matt Kemp ~ Dodgers
This is Kemp's second selection to the All-Star Game. Before Matt Kemp went down with a hamstring injury he was the most dangerous, talented ballplayer in the National League; a true 5-tool baseball player. The five tools are 1) Hitting; 2) Hitting for Power; 3) Can field exeptionally well; 4) Has a GREAT arm; 5) is great at Baserunning.  Kemp is desceptively fast.  Matt Kemp is currently on rehabilitation assignment right now, working the rust off of his picturesque swing. More than likely, LaRussa will use Kemp as the DH, which would be wise.


RF - Carlos Beltran ~ Cardinals
When Carlos Beltran came down to St. Louis from the NY Mets, people knew he carried a big stick, but Cardinal fans were wondering just how big 'a stick he carried. He has 20 HR's and is batting .310 so far this year and has reached base safely in 17 of the 19 games he started in the month of June.


LF - Melky Cabrera ~ Giants
In 2010 when Melky was a Brave, he batted a dismal .255 and was subsequently traded to the Kansas City Royals.  Flash forward a season and a half and here's a man who is batting .350 and leading the Major Leagues with the most hits (109).  This is easily the best half-season in Melky Cabrera's career and he was rewarded with a start at LF in this year's All-Star Game.


PITCHERS

Starting Pitchers


SP - Clayton Kershaw ~ Dodgers
Last year's NL Cy Young Award winner is as dominant as ever this half-season; posting an ERA of  2.74 and a misleading 5-4 win/loss record due to the lack of run support Kershaw has recieved as of late.  Nothing hurts a pitcher's confidence like taking a loss after only giving up one or two earned runs; and that's what has been Clayton Kershaw's 2012 season, with the exception that the 24 year old has learned to shrug off tough losses and press forward.


SP - R.A. Dickey ~ Mets
Dickey has been the feel-good story of the year in the nation's biggest city.  Here is a 37 year-old former position player turned knuckle-baller. And let me tell you, his knuckleball is for real, as evidenced by his success this season.  He is 12-1.  12-1!!! Not even Tim Wakefield achieved this type of success in a the first half of a season.  There is a certain mystique about knuckle-ballers that baffles baseball purists, myself included.  Its hard to imagine not being able to hit a 73 mph (and thats a VERY fast knuckler) out of the park each time it is pitched, but that never happens. The ball dips darts and dives in an almost comically unpredictable manner.  I tip my Braves hat to Dickey for his 12-1 record, his 3 complete games and especially his 2 shutouts. He will likely be the starter for the game, which makes Dickey the 1st knuckler to start the mid-summer classic since Dutch Leonard in 1943.


SP - Lance Lynn ~ Cardinals
Lynn started off the 2012 season completely gangbusters; recording a 10-2 record in his first 13 starts. Lynn has cooled considerably in his las few starts, giving up 17 runs in 15 1/3 innings.


SP - Stephen Strasburg ~ Nationals
The Washington Nationals ace, Strasburg, has posted a 9-3 record with an adequate 2.81 ERA. It will be interesting to see what Davey Johnson does come the end of August when his best pitcher hits his so-called inning limit that the Nationals front office placed upon the 3rd year pitcher after making (so far) a successful comeback from Tommy John surgery.

SP - Gio Gonzalez ~ Nationals
The other half of the Washington Nationals dynamic duo Gio Gonzalez is a serious contender for this season's Cy Young award. He boasts an 11-3 record and a 3.01 ERA.


SP - Wade Miley ~ Diamondbacks
While being a quiet rookie has flown a bit under the radar, Miley's pinpoint control is the reason he was chosen for the 2012 All-Star Game.


SP - Cole Hamels ~ Phillies
The Phillies are the surprise of the National League; and not in a good way. On the cusp of the midway point of the season, the Phillies are 11 games out of 1st place and there is talk of Hamels being a traded by the July 31st deadline. That being said, Hamels is 10-4 with a 3.08 ERA.


SP - Matt Cain ~ Giants
Matt Cain is the ace of the Giant's staff, as witness by his pefect game earlier this season.  He's leading the National League in innings pitched and is enjoying a 2.53 ERA; this is Cain's 3rd All-Star selection.


Relief Pitchers


CL - Craig Kimbrel ~ Braves
"Killa Craig" has converted 23 of 24 save opportunities this season and is boasting a 1.50 ERA. Just to get a litmus test of how good Kimbrel truly is, he is holding left-handed batters to a miniscule .043 batting average; thats just filthy. If this game is tight with the National League leading in the 9th, look for Kimbrel to close it out. This is Kimbrel's 2nd All-Star appearance in as many years.


CL - Aroldis Chapman ~ Reds
Chapman throws harder than anyone in the majors; sorry Verlander, he just does. This guy has the All-time record for fastest pitch recorded: 105mph.  I can't explain how fast that truly is, but batters have been known to remark, "Didn't see the pitch til it was in the catcher's mitt." Look for Chapman to pitch the 8th inning to set-up for Kimbrel if the game is close.


CL - Jonathan Papelbon ~ Phillies
The back end of the bullpen for the NL is riddled with closers.  That's because there are some pretty good closers in the National League. Papelbon has 18 saves which ranks 4th in the NL; he also sports a 3.03 ERA.


CL - Huston Street ~ Padres
Street has bounced back impressively from missing the first month of the season. He is 12 for 12 in save opportunities and is sporting a 1.29 ERA which helped him net his 1st All-Star appearance.


CL - Joel Hanrahan ~ Pirates
The 30 year old Pirates closer has converted 20 of his 22 save opportunities and has a 2.10 ERA to earn his 2nd All-Star appearance.



RESERVES

C - Carlos Ruiz ~ Phillies
Ruiz has been on a tear this year. He boasts a line of .356/.420/.579 and has 11 homers so far this year.

1B - Brian LaHair ~ Cubs
 LaHair plays the game a lot like Michael Young of the Texas Rangers; he can play multiple positions...well.  He primarily plays 1B, but during interleague play he showed everyone he can play RF as well. He's batting .284 with 13 homers on the year.

2B - Jose Altuve ~ Astros
This is Altuve's first full season in the Majors, someone please remind him of that! He is batting .308 with 27 extra-base hits in 72 games; which gives him a slugging % of .450.


SS - Starlin Castro ~ Cubs
Castro is one of the few bright spots for the "Lovable Losers." He has a line of  .298/.319/.432  and 16 steals this season.


SS - Ian Desmond ~ Nationals
Desmond is part of those upstarts for our Nation's capitol. He has a line of .276/.305/.483, which is not too shabby for an everyday shortstop.


3B - David Wright ~ Mets
If Chipper Jones is the most hated Brave in Mets fan's eyes, then David Wright is the most hated Met in Braves fan's eyes. And for good reason; he's good every single year. Wright has the 2nd highest batting average in the NL with .354 and earned his 6th All-Star appearance.

RF - Jay Bruce ~ Reds
The only stat that isn't impressive for Bruce is his batting average (.257) but the other stats are there: 17 Homers and 54 runs-batted-in.


RF - Giancarlo Stanton ~ Marlins
The ballplayer formerly known as "Mike" Stanton has been consistent since his Major League debut. The 22 year old is batting .282 with 19 homers and 50 RBIs.


CF - Andrew McCutchen ~ Pirates
"Cutch" has had a phenomenal 1st half.  He's batting .346 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs with 14 steals.  If he stays this consistent, he will be in the running for MVP at the end of the season.

LF - Carlos Gonzalez ~ Rockies
Gonzalez is making his 1st All-Star appearance, because he is leading the league in runs as well as total bases. Not to mention is line is a smoking hot .337/.394/.604.

LF - Ryan Braun ~ Brewers
The reigning 2011 NL MVP will be making his 5th straight appearance in the mid-summer classic.  With the "false-positive" steroid test behind him, he's having a typical Braun-esque year: .308 22 homers and 55 RBIs.


There is one spot left on the National League roster and it's down to Chipper Jones, Michael Bourn and the 19 year old phenom (that hurt to write), Bryce Harper.  My only hope is that Chipper gets the nod and we, as fans, get to see Chipper in his final All-Star game.  Results of the poll will be released this Thursday, July 5th. 

Tommy John and a Second Chance

Mention the name "Tommy John" to anyone who watches Sportcenter and they immediately know that it means that a pitcher had some kind of operation in order to elongate the pitcher's career and "fix" their throwing arm. "Tommy John" surgery is the common name for Ulnar Collateral Replacement Surgery and there are a litany of pitchers, both professional and amateur, have had this procedure. Most people, avid baseball fans included, don't know the specifics of what Tommy John is and what it entails. Let's delve into the history and application of Tommy John Surgery and discuss just a few of baseball's superstars who have had this surgery:



Tommy John Surgery, or UCR surgery, is defined as a surgical graft procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body; often from the forearm, hamstring, hip, knee, or foot of the patient) or from a cadaver doner (see diagram left). The procedure is common among collegiate and professional athletes in several sports, most notably baseball. Basically in non-medical terms, a person blows out or rips the ligament in their elbow and has it replaced by a shiny new one; much like blowing out a tire and putting on a new one.

I chose this particular subject, because the Major League leader in ERA, Brandon Beachy of the Atlanta Braves, tore his UCL and underwent Tommy John last week. The procedure was first performed in 1974 by Dr. Frank Jobe, who today serves as a Special Advisor to the LA Dodgers, and is named after former major league pitcher Tommy John; whose 288 career victories ranks seventh all time among left-handed pitchers.

The necessity of the Tommy John surgery became prevelant due to the wear and tear a pitcher goes thru during the longest season in all of sports; 162 regular season games, plus spring training and the postseason. The UCL can become stretched, frayed, or torn through the repetitive stress of the throwing motion. Anyone who has ever thrown something extremely hard and then felt soreness in the ebow region has placed stress on the UCL; now imagine throwing a baseball thousands upon thousands of times.

Back to the procedures namesake, Tommy John; Thirty-seven baseball seasons have passed since the very first UCL replacement surgery. John was 31 years old with 124 wins and 11 seasons under his belt. He never threw heat like Strasburg or Smoltz, instead he relied on a bottom-out sinker that forced ground balls. But the three pitchers, as well as many others who have undergone UCL reconstruction, have one thing in common: a mechanical flaw in the timing of their deliveries that causes the arm to lag behind the rest of the body, putting extra stress on the shoulder and elbow. The very nature of how a baseball is thrown by a pitcher (overhand, rather than the ergonomically correct underhand) generates enough force on each pitch to rupture the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. To throw a baseball properly, a pitcher must get into the right position at the right time with the right succession of movements, like dominoes falling.

After John's procedure in 1974, he spent the entire 1975 season recovering. At the time when John came back in 1976, he posted a 10-10 win/loss record that, at the time, was considered miraculous. Tommy went on to pitch until 1989 and posted 164 wins during that period. Having personally known Sandy Koufax, who had retired in 1966 at age 30 after a short but brilliant career, that a damaged UCL meant you were done. With this successful surgery, and subsequent recover, it effectively gave all pitchers hope that if the most important ligament in their throwing arms were to give way, their career was not necessarily over.

Despite the inevitable year-long stint on the DL that rehab from the surgery requires, teams and pitchers seem to barely flinch at the diagnosis of a compromised UCL. "It's become an accepted side effect of the job," says George Paletta, the Cardinals' head team physician and orthopedic surgeon. That's because the surgery works; 92 percent of elite pitchers with reconstructed UCLs return to their prior level of competition for at least a year.

The list of Tommy John surgery recipients include: Deion Sanders (strangly NOT a pitcher), Jamie Moyer (the 76 year old who was demoted to the minors by the Rockies a few weeks ago), John Smoltz, Stephen Strausberg, Kerry Wood, Eric Gagne, Tim Hudson and a whole laundry list that reaches into the hundreds. Soon to be added to the list of successful UCL replacement surgeries will be Brandon Beachy of the Atlanta Braves (God willing).

God-given genetic superiority and freakish athletic ability often help those with less-than-ideal pitching mechanics make it to the majors, which is why you will find shockingly few exemplars of pitching mechanics on Tuesday Night Baseball. "Everyone knows smoking is bad for you, yet people still smoke," says Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild. "It's the same with pitching. I've seen guys who don't have great mechanics pitch for a long time. The body adjusts."

Until it doesn't, then a consultation and ultimately "Tommy John Surgery" courtesy of Dr. James Andrews (doctor to the athletes et al.)

Here is a top 10 list of pitchers who have had successful Tommy John surgeries courtesy of Sports Illustrated:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1103/mlb-tommy-john-surgery/content.1.html

More Bad news for The Bombers

Baseball's arduous schedule can certainly take a toll on even the most physically conditioned players.  By the All-Star break you start to get a good idea of what teams are the ones to watch for in the second half of the season and which ones have playoff potential.  In the past 3 seasons there have been at least 2 division leaders that either lost first place by October or completely missed the playoffs.  In a season riddled with injuries and with the All-Star break rapidly approaching, you have to wonder what consequences the last two injuries will cause for the Yankees.

Andy Pettitte took a one-hopper off of Casey Kotchman's bat in the fifth inning of yesterday's game that will effectively take him out of the rotation for at least four weeks.  The Yankees also announced that club ace Sabathia will be placed on the 15-day DL after suffering a left groin strain during his pitching outing Sunday at Mets Citi Field.

These are the types of injuries that can do some serious damage to a team.  Pettitte rejoined the Yanks on May 13th, 2012 and his impact on the rotation has been a welcomed addition.  Pettitte has started 9 games this season and currently holds a 3-3 record; however, the 3 no-decisions for Pettitte have resulted in New York victories.  He has also posted the lowest ERA (3.22) and WHIP (1.09) among the starting rotation, amassing a commendable 59 strikeouts during his stint.

Now comes decision time for Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman.  The likely candidate on his way to Yankee Stadium is Triple-A RHP Adam Warren.  Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Warren pitched a complete game shutout on June 3rd against the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore affiliate) string out 6 during his outing.  He is set to make his first major league start on Friday against the White Sox.

The July schedule for the Yankees will bring a tremendous test with the recent injuries to the team.  They will face off this weekend against AL Central leading Chicago White Sox and will have 15 games in July against division rivals that will certainly challenge the current 5 game lead.

"We've just got to weather the storm," Pettitte said. "Nobody's going to feel sorry for you with injuries and stuff like that. We've got a lot of good stuff going on here. We've got plenty of guys who can step in and do the job, so it's time to put my pom-poms on and be a cheerleader now for six weeks or so."

Guest Column: MLB Editorial

Editors Note: I am blessed to have people around me who know baseball a lot better than I do. As I learn to address and write about the game I would like to give a special thanks to Ryan Crouch and the writer of this article J.F. Trochez. Enjoy the guest column and I am excited to see more from Mr. Trochez. If you have something to say about baseball or something else that I may not cover, please contact me at editor@jaketabor.com

-Jake

At the beginning of every (MLB) baseball season I jump and rejoice in excitement for the start of a new season. It is a new opportunity to enjoy all that is baseball: pitching milestones, batting accomplishments, amazing infield work, wicked base running, home run and base-hit klepto outfielders, trade rumors, walk-off wins, umpire/manager shouting matches, bloopers, gaffes, injuries, farm system behemoth's making it to the show, foreign acquisitions, blown saves, grand slams and the many other factors that make baseball great.

 With all these facets it is no doubt you have to be a truly dedicated fan to keep track of the 2,431 regular season games that will shape the outcome of the playoffs.

Two-thousand-four-hundred-and-thirty-one!  Are you kidding me!? Certainly a monstrosity of a number in comparison to the 256 regular season NFL games or even the 684 Division I-A NCAA football games.*  Yeah, it's really not that easy being a die-hard baseball fan.  Let's say, for instance, that you focus on your division of baseball (typically 5 teams).  That means that as an avid fan you're tracking 405 games per season that decide the outcome of a post-season berth.

Let's talk stats.  Another bargaining chip that really scares people from being fans of baseball and probably the biggest reason that most people don't like the game is the fact that there are stats for everything, seriously, EVERYTHING!

A true fan will be able to read a stat chart and be able to decipher the true value of that player based on AVG, OPS, SLG, OBP, ERA, WHIP, FPCT and so on and so on....

Don't get me wrong... I am in no way, shape or form calling anyone less of a fan because of your particular taste of sport.  My main gripe is with the folks that don't have a respect for sportsmanship.  I must admit, I have been guilty of criticizing sports that I do not understand; to this day I have no idea what a "wicked googly" is in cricket, nor do I have any interest in finding out.

Bottom line being I do not like hearing from other "sports fans" how long a baseball season is or how boring a baseball game is.  There is a plain and simple solution to this: If you hear others talking about baseball and your only opinion is a negative one then just keep your mouth closed.  However, if you really feel as if you need to contribute to the conversation take the necessary time and learn about the sport and you will enjoy it a whole lot more.  I will now share with you a universal truth that will help you the rest of your life: boring or lame to you can be interesting and exciting to someone else - thus, don't call it boring!

I have made a concerted effort to learn more about college football over the course of the last two years and feel as if I can enjoy watching a game from time to time, as well as be able to contribute to a relevant conversation when the opportunity calls for it.  Even though it's not my sport of choice, I can now have an off-season alternative in that sad and depressing time (for baseball fans) between the end of the World Series and Spring Training.

As for the longevity of the Season?  Take a second look before you talk trash.  Football pre-season starts in August and post-season ends in February -- 6 months; NBA and NHL seasons both begin in October with the post-season ending in June -- 9 months!  The MLB pre-season begins in March and post-season wraps up in October -- 8 months.  Exactly, it's not as bad as you thought.

Fans of BLC, know this: it's okay for some of us to like football and it is okay for some of us to like baseball (and anything else).  But please, oh please, zip your yapper and quit running your mouth about something that doesn't interest you and I promise to do the same.

 J.F. Trochez

 *Notes:

114 Division I-A NCAA football teams - Average 12 Game season

32 NFL Teams - 16 Game season

30 MLB Teams - 162 Game season plus All-Star Game that determines World Series home field advantage

Why We Call Him "Frediot"

Say the word "Frediot" to any Braves fan and they will know who you speak of and exactly why. Fredi Gonzalez was named the successor to Bobby Cox "unofficially," when the Florida Marlins deemed Hanley Ramirez to be more of an asset to the franchise than Fredi Gonzalez in 2010.  Almost immediately the media, and those inside the Braves franchise, said that Gonzalez was the front-runner to replace a legend. 

Fredi then inherited a team that had been skippered by a living legend, and the most beloved manager in not just Atlanta Braves history, but the whole history of the franchise; dating back to when they were known as the Boston Red Caps in the 1910s, in Bobby Cox.  The Braves managerial choice seemed like a Cinderella fit...up until September of 2011. 

September 2011 saw the 2nd worse collapse in baseball history; bested (or worsted, if that's a word) by only the Boston Red Sox in ineptitude.  Had the Red Sox not collapsed last year, the Braves would have been the perennial whipping-boy of the baseball media; but the baseball Gods are fickle and saw fit to force the Sox into a tailspin of epic proportions.  Last season left this Braves fan in a 6 month depression that was thought to be dormant; until this past week. 

The Braves were supposed to be the favorites for the NL wild card, but I wonder if that is even possible with a Skipper as inept as "Frediot" Gonzalez.  There has already been talk this year of Frediot being on "double-secret probation," and if at any time it seems as though things are slipping away from him that he will be fired and subsequently replaced; "ANY TIME' is NOW. Fredi is a lesson in mismanagement; one only needs to look at his handling of the bullpen in 2011 to get a litmus test on Frediot's managerial acumen. 

The Braves have/had the best bullpen in not only the NL, but the Major Leagues as a whole.  One colossal collapse, and an unreliable 'pen (with the exception of 2011 Rookie of the Year Craig Kimbrel) later, coupled with a plethora of questionable managerial decisions, equals the Braves naming someone, ANYONE "interim manager."  Lets examine just 1 of the examples of "Frediocy:"

On June 13th, the Braves were playing the Evil Empire, err, I mean the Yankees. Things were going well, the Braves were handling the Yanks 4-0 late with Mike Minor throwing a gem of a game.  Flash forward to a pitching change due to a base hit by Derek Jeter. ONE BASE HIT AND HE SWITCHED PITCHERS.  Atlanta was leading 4-0 going into the top of the 8th inning, and Mike Minor was still on the mound after shutting-out New York and pitching his best game of the season. After giving up a hit, Minor was immediately pulled from the game and Jonny Venter’s was brought in in relief. Venters, who has struggled with consistency (a gross understatement) throughout the year, gave up two quick hits to load the bases to bring up A-Rod; who incedently was #2 on the list of career grand slams, behind only Lou Gehrig.  Notice the grammar in the previous sentence, paying close attention to the word "WAS." My dad and I watched this happening in real-time, but it seemed like slow-motion. Here's a recap of our experience:

Me: WHY THE F@#$ IS VENTERS IN THIS GAME???
Dad: Because the Lord obviously hates us, son. Either that or Fredi is the Devil. Either way here comes a grand slam.
Me: Please no...
TV; "WAY BACK, AND ITS A GRAND SLAM FOR A-ROD, WHO IS NOW TIED WITH LOU GEHRIG ON THE ALL-TIME GRAND SLAM LIST..."
Me: (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted)
Dad: Told you, been around this game too long, son.

After another Venters hit, Cory Gearrin came into the game and immediately gave up a 2-Run shot to Nick Swisher that gave the Yankees a 6-4 lead, which would hold for the final score. Lets recap: Braves up 4-0 in the top of the 8th, 1 hit given up by the starter, Mike Minor; replaced by a terrible Jonny Venters, 2 more hits, bases loaded, A-rod comes up, its now 4-4.  One more hit, then Frediot finally replaces Venters with the equally inept Cory Gearrin, HR Nick Swisher; 6-4 Yanks.  Jonny Venters obviously shoulders a lot of blame for giving up four hits, including a Grand Slam, without ever recording an out. Cory Gearrin deserves blame for giving up the 2-Run homer to Swisher. But they wouldn't even have been in the game had it not been for Frediot replacing a starting pitcher who's only crime was giving up a hit to Derek Jeter (who is chasing Pete Rose's all-time hit record) and Fredi managed, once again, to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. 

Not many managers would still have a job after their club completely collapsed to miss the playoffs in the last month of the season.  The Red Sox, who did the same thing at the same time as Atlanta, not only fired their manager without hesitation, they let go of their "Prodigy" GM Theo Epstein to the Cubs. Let us not forget that Epstein built 2 different World Series Champions and Terry Francona helmed both squads to the title within 7 years and was considered one of the best managers in the game. Fredi Gonzalez was never even on the hot seat for his gross negligence and terrible decision-making, and he’s never led a club to the  playoffs in 5 full seasons of managing (4 with the Marlins).  This leads me to believe that the problem goes way deeper than just Frediot, Frank Wren (Atlanta GM) has some 'splainin to do.

I certainly hope the Braves right this ship and get back to their winning ways, but how big of a cushion can a team give the Washington Nationals (the upstarts who are leading the NL East) before Braves internal management says "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, FREDIOT."