AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > November > 24
Monday, November 24, 2008
Hanson tops off an overwhelming year
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sure, we knew that Tommy Hanson could dominate Single-A and Double-A hitters, after a 2008 season in which the Braves’ top-rated pitching prospect went 11-5 with a 2.41 ERA in 138 innings between Myrtle Beach and Misssissippi.
Dude had 163 strikeouts and 52 walks in 138 innings and led minor league starters with a .175 opponents’ average. Oh, and threw a 14-strikeout no-hitter in Double-A.
But what would the 6-foot-6 right-hander do against prospects of his ilk out in the Arizona Fall League, where many teams send their most promising youngsters, some of whom have already had a cup of coffee in the majors?
Well, Hanson was about as dominant against them as he was against the poor kids down at Myrtle Beach.
I mean, they told me out in Arizona a couple weeks ago that they rarely, if ever, had seen such man-against-boys performances as the ones that Hanson turned in most every start for the Mesa Solar Sox, with a dozen or so scouts sitting in the stands behind home plate armed with radar guns.
Hanson went 5-0 with a 0.63 ERA in seven regular-season AFL starts, then gave up one run and three hits in five innings of Saturday’s championship game before his bullpen blew a lead in Mesa’s loss to the Phoenix Desert Dogs.
Including the title game, Hanson finished 5-0 with a 0.74 ERA and stunning 64 strikeouts in 36-2/3 innings, with only 13 hits, 10 walks and three earned runs allowed.
Please keep in mind he was facing fairly advanced young hitters only a step away from the big leagues, not Class-A and Double-A lineups that might have included three or four hitters with little chance of ever seeing a major league field.
He overwhelmed them to such a degree that Hanson could win the Arizona Fall League MVP award. No pitcher has ever won that honor, I’m told. It’ll be announced in a litte over a week at the Winter Meetings in Vegas.
Everyone who saw him out got a good idea quickly as to why the Braves refused to trade him to San Diego in a Jake Peavy deal, and why they consider Hanson off-limits altogether. Him and big outfielder Jason Heyward might well be the most talented prospects the Braves have developed since Andruw Jones. Seriously.
I think we’ll see Hanson by mid-summer in Atlanta, and it wouldn’t shock me if he makes a strong bid for an opening day rotation spot this spring in big-league camp at Dark Star. But we’ll see.
A lot of that probably depends on what the Braves are able to do this winter, if they’re able to acquire the two proven starters they seek, on top of whether Mike Hampton and/or Tom Glavine and/or John Smoltz returns, though Smoltz might be headed to the bullpen if he’s back.
For now, thought I’d share with you a few parts of my interview with Hanson from last month’s trip out to Arizona, stuff that didn’t get in my story or on the blog previously.
Tommy Hanson on…
The confidence and maturity that Mesa (and Myrtle Beach) manager Rocket Wheeler said he’s seen in him since Hanson first was promoted from Rome to Myrtle in 2007 and got knocked around a bit initially:
“Yeah, exactly. I was a little bit unsure last year [2007]. But after I got hit around a little bit, I just said, forget it, I’m just going to go out and pitch and do what I’ve always done. And it seems to be working out.”
On starting the 2008 season with five no-hit innings with 13 strikeouts in Myrtle’s season opener:
“I didn’t know if I was capable of doing that. That was just one of those days where everything was working out. I never would have guessed I would have done that. But that was just one of those times … pretty much all year this year I’ve been real confident with all my pitches.”
On how far he’s come in one year’s time:
“Well, with all my pitches I feel like I can throw them for strikes when I need to. Last year I wasn’t real consistent, so I’d say when it comes to that, I’ve come a long ways. Now really all I’m working on is my changeup, trying to get that down and just keep doing what I’m doing.”
On the slider he broke out for the first time in a couple of years during his June no-hitter for for Mississippi:
“I was working on it a little before that game, and that was the game where [Mississippi pitching coach Derek] Bothello said, ‘You know what, just throw it whenever you feel like throwing it.’ So that was really the first time they let me have my slider back and let me throw it whenever I wanted to.
“I threw it quite a bit [in that game]. I threw my slider quite a bit growing up; I didn’t really throw a curveball. I just felt a lot more comfortable with my slider at the time. I feel good with curveball now, too, but it just feels like [the slider] is an easier pitch to throw. It’s not a feel pitch, you throw it just like your fastball.”
So that’s been your “out” pitch lately?
“I don’t know. Different days it’s either my curveball or my slider. Just depends. But I’d say the most consistent one is my slider.”
On handling all the attention he’s getting:
“I’m out here just to work on stuff. I’m not going to let that bother me or affect me, what I do each day when I go out there. Every day I come out here I just want to get better, so I can pitch in the major leagues. I mean, what I’m doing out here. I know I’ve got to get better, so that’s what my focus is.”
Has your success this year made you even hungrier to get to the majors?
“Yeah, I just feel closer. Just a couple of little things I want to work on. I feel closer, so I’m ready to just keep working hard and hopefully it happens soon.”
On Braves GM Frank Wren telling him, in person out in Arizona, that he wouldn’t be traded:
“It’s definitely a good feeling, him telling me that. I signed with the Braves, I want to stay with the Braves. So it’s good that they want me to stay here, too. So it’s definitely a good feeling. [Wren] pulled me aside and told me that. It was definitely good to hear.”
What’s been the highlight of the year for him?
“I’d say the no-hitter, but I’d also say winning the league with the team in Missisippi. Because they started out not doing too hot [Hanson was promoted there in May]. I kind of got to watch a team go from, you know, where everybody was down, to the stage everybody was getting confidence, and then everybody was playing well and we ended up winning the league.
“Personal [high point] was throwing that no-hitter, but overall, winning the league was definitely a highlight.”
On his chances of making the big-league club out of spring training:
“I don’t know. That’s kind of up to them. The goal for me is always to pitch in Atlanta; it’s not to pitch at a certain level in the minor leagues. So whenever they think I’m ready, hopefully I’ll be ready and go from there.”
On how nice it was not having to face Mesa catcher Tyler Flowers in the Fall League. Flowers, another Braves prospect, led the league with 12 homers.
[Hanson laughs.]”Definitely. I mean, you saw what Flowers did in batting practice. He has unreal power. He hits the crap out of the ball, and I love him behind the plate. He does a great job behind the plate. It’s like we’re always on the same page, and he’s a huge target back there, too, so it kind of makes it look a little closer.”
Leaving them out there: Don’t know if anyone referred to this stat previously, but I just noticed it in a Peter Gammons file from a week or two back and it brought home a point we’ve made previously.
It wasn’t just that Jeff Francoeur had such a disappointing season, it was the fact that he was left to hit in the middle of the order for so long and left in the lineup day after day after day. The end result was a remarkable number of wasted scoring opportunities.
And here’s the stat and spells it out. Gammons got it from Rob Tracy at the Elias Sports Bureau.
Hitters who came to bat with the most runners on base: 1. Justin Morneau, 558; 2. Garrett Atkins, 515; 3. David Wright, 508; 4. Mark Teixeira; 5. Carlos Beltran, .498; 6. Jeff Francoeur, 494; 7. Ryan Howard, 483; 8. Carlos Delgado, 480.
So I took that stat and went and looked at what all those guys hit with runners on base and how many RBI they finished with in 2008.
The envelope, please:
Morneau: .330 with runners on, 129 RBI.
Atkins: .256, 99 RBI.
Wright: .290, 124 RBI.
Teixeira: .303, 121 RBI.
Beltran: .283, 112 RBI.
Francoeur: .203, 71 RBI.
Howard: .309, 146 RBI.
Delgado: .285, 115 RBI.
Wow. That’s just ugly.
Reiterating, Braves need OF power: It’s been a while (seems like a very long while) since the Braves’ season ended, so this would be a good time to remind everyone that all Braves outfielders - all of them, starters and part-timers and everyone else - combined for a not-at-all-grand total of 27 homers, which was the worst in the majors and less than half of the NL team average (63) for outfield homers.
Ten NL teams had 60 or more, and six NL teams had 73 or more homers from outfielders. And the Braves had … 27. Twenty-seven. The Braves had a majors-low .367 slugging percentage from their outfielders, and only the Nationals (196) and Mariners (199) had fewer RBI from outfielders than the Braves (212).
So while so much attention is focused on the Braves acquiring starting pitching, their other stated offseason priority is a power-hitting outfielder.
My understanding is that all available options not named Manny have been or are still being considered, but the Braves are hoping to either sign or trade for an affordable bat without any long-term commitment. That’s why names like Seattle free agent Raul Ibanez and St. Louis trade-bait Ryan Ludwick keep coming up.
It’s apparent the Braves are planning to move forward with Matt Diaz, in the fold (Frank Wren made a comment the other day about how committed Diaz is and how good a shape he’s getting himself into this offseason), so I’m assuming he’s going to have some LF duties, perhaps even be in a platoon arrangement depending upon which other bad the Braves can acquire this winter.
That would make some sense with either Ludwick (if he’s not a one-season wonder?) or Ibanez. Both had great seasons last year as every-day players, but Ludwick has had an injury-plagued past and has been much more effective against right-handed pitchers, while Ibanez is 36, and has also been much more potent vs. righties in his career.
Both might benefit from a platoon arrangment, or at least a semi-platoon type of deal, which would also assure the Braves a powerful, experienced bat for pinch-hitting, regardless of who was playing LF at the time.
Ibanez has a .293 career average and .949 OPS vs. right-handers, and a .268 average and .734 OPS vs. lefties. Two years ago in 2007, he hit .305 with an .899 OPS vs. righties, and .256 with a .650 OPS vs. lefties (last season the splits were much more even).
Ludwick erupted for a 80 extra-base hits (37 homers) and 113 RBI in his breakout 2008 season, his first healthy season in the majors. He hit .266 with 15 homers and a .929 OPS vs. lefties, and .316 with 22 homers and a .984 OPS vs. righties. The man raked vs. just about everyone.
But in 2007, Ludwick hit just .221 with three homers and a .684 OPS in 122 at-bats vs. lefties, and .298 with 11 homers and a .909 OPS in 181 at-bats vs. righties.
For his career, Ludwick has a .296 average and .893 OPS vs. righties, and .233 average and .797 OPS vs. lefties.
Yes, despite being a right-handed hitter, he’s got a batting average 63 points lower and an OPS nearly 100 points lower against righties than against lefties. So throw out the book on righty-lefty matchups and go with actual results.
While Ludwick might be a gamble if the Braves have to give up a significant player to get him, he’s less a gamble if they have a solid potential platoon partner, or at least partial platoon, if you will. Ludwick has alwas raked against righties.
Enter Diaz.
While not a big power threat against lefties or righties, Diaz usually has produced loads of line-drive hits and a high average, particularly against lefties.
His .309 career average includes a .328 mark with 18 homers and an .869 OPS in 478 at-bats vs. lefties, compared to .288 average with five homers and a .706 OPS in 431 at-bats vs. righties.
In 2007, Diaz’s .338 overall average included a robust .356 with a .964 OPS in 188 at-bats vs. lefties, and .318 with a .756 OPS in 170 at-bats vs. righties.
By the way, Diaz might even have a role if the Braves were to pony up for a big slugger, like Adam Dunn, who could stand to sit against some particularly tough left-handers.
Dunn last season hit .253 with 30 homers and a .951 OPS in 363 at-bats vs. right-handers, and .195 with 10 homers, a .773 OPS and 60 strikeouts in 154 at-bats vs. lefties.
On the other hand, Jermaine Dye, another big bat the Braves have at least discussed, hits both righties and lefties about equally well. Only reason you’d sit him is to rest his old bones from time to time in hopes of keeping him healthy.
Well, that and the fact he’s gotten pretty bad defensively. Of course, pretty bad is relative, considering Dunn is absolutely brutal in the outfield by comparison.
Ibanez might be not only the oldest and cheapest (considering salaries and/or talent Braves would have to give up for Ludwick or other possible trade targets), but in my view, also the best option for the Braves. If the bidding doesn’t get too absurdly high for the veteran Ibanez, he’d probably be a great pickup for the Braves.
Back to L.A. — For the boys in Entourage, that is. For those who watched the season finale last night, that was a great way to wrap up the season, wasn’t it? Loved the scene where Scorcese appeared on the other end of the phone, and suddenly our man’s fortunes completely turned.
No, I didn’t see the 24 movie, but have it on DVR. I’m assuming it’s worth watching for any of us who’ve followed the show, though I gotta admit the previews didn’t look too fresh or thrilling, and I fell asleep after 10 minutes when I tried to watch it last night/this morning well after midnight.
Not excited about that the way I am about upcoming first-season finale of Sons of Anarchy and the much, much anticipated series finale of The Shield. Or, for that matter, as excited as I am to watch my Jayhawks play Washington tonight on ESPN2. Hoops is here.
Not your dad’s Deerhunter: Because for most of us, probably that Deerhunter was the terrific, harrowing 1978 movie — and it was actually three words, The Deer Hunter — starring Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken. I was 15 when it came out, so I couldn’t see it in the theatre. I remember the first time I saw it years later, that Russian roulette scene … wow.
Anyway, we’re talking about Deerhunter, the Atlanta band that’s had a hardcore following among the punk/alt-rock crowd for years, but now is reaching a far bigger audience with its latest CD, Microcastle. Not raw and punk like the stuff that built them a following around Atlanta, but more listenable, in my opinion. Sure to get them a bigger audience, which they deserve.
For some frame of reference for this new CD, the frequent comparisons I’ve seen are to Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. While those are accurate, I like the refence a Braves/MIB blogger made a few days ago, comparing this CD to Velvet Underground. The more melodic tunes by VU, that is.
I also hear some straight-ahead early rock n’ roll influence, buried beneath the various noises and feedback. Great stuff. Fine album…..
Speaking of fine albums, I can’t believe how much Kings of Leon’s Only By The Night has grown on me. Realize I must have let their pedestrian performance on SNL, before I’d ever heard the album, affect my initial reaction upon listening to the entire album the first time. Because now I find myself playing the damn thing every couple of days. Tunes that lodge in the brain. Love it. Will definitely be on my best-of list at year’s end.
Meanwhile, anyone heard Guns n’ Roses (or should we just say Axl Rose’s?) Chinese Democracy that hits the stores (or store; I think they’re only selling it at Best Buy) this week. I know it’s been available for download, but I haven’t heard it. If you have, let us know what you think.
And finally — damn, we sure rambled didn’t we — a tune: When FSU safety Myron Rolle won a prestigious Rhodes scholarship this weekend, it reminded me that one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Kris Kristofferson, was also a Rhodes Scholar. Here’s one of his many great tunes, this one with a spoken-word intro that gets better the older and croakier Kristofferson gets.
”TO BEAT THE DEVIL” by Kris Kristofferson
A couple of years back, I come across a great and wasted friend of mine in the hallway of a recording studio; and while he was reciting some poetry to me that he’d written, I saw that he was about a step away from dyin’ and I couldn’t help but wonder why. And the lines of this song occurred to me. I’m happy to say he’s no longer wasted and he’s got him a good woman. And I’d like to dedicate this to John and June, who helped show me how to beat the devil.
It was winter time in Nashville, down on music city row.
And I was lookin’ for a place to get myself out of the cold.
To warm the frozen feelin’ that was eatin’ at my soul.
Keep the chilly wind off my guitar.
My thirsty wanted whisky; my hungry needed beans.
But it’d been of month of paydays since I’d heard that eagle scream.
So with a stomach full of empty and a pocket full of dreams,
I left my pride and stepped inside a bar.
Actually, I guess you’d could call it a Tavern:
Cigarette smoke to the ceiling and sawdust on the floor;
Friendly shadows.
I saw that there was just one old man sittin’ at the bar.
And in the mirror I could see him checkin’ me and my guitar.
An’ he turned and said: “Come up here boy, and show us what you are.”
I said: “I’m dry.” He bought me a beer.
He nodded at my guitar and said: “It’s a tough life, ain’t it?”
I just looked at him. He said: “You ain’t makin’ any money, are you?”
I said: “You’ve been readin’ my mail.”
He just smiled and said: “Let me see that guitar.
“I’ve got something you oughta hear.”
Then he laid it on me:
“If you waste your time a-talkin’ to the people who don’t listen,
“To the things that you are sayin’, who do you think’s gonna hear.
“And if you should die explainin’ how the things that they complain about,
“Are things they could be changin’, who do you think’s gonna care?”
There were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind,
Who were crucified for what they tried to show.
And their voices have been scattered by the swirling winds of time.
‘Cos the truth remains that no-one wants to know.
Well, the old man was a stranger, but I’d heard his song before,
Back when failure had me locked out on the wrong side of the door.
When no-one stood behind me but my shadow on the floor,
And lonesome was more than a state of mind.
You see, the devil haunts a hungry man,
If you don’t wanna join him, you got to beat him.
I ain’t sayin’ I beat the devil, but I drank his beer for nothing.
Then I stole his song.
And you still can hear me singin’ to the people who don’t listen,
To the things that I am sayin’, prayin’ someone’s gonna hear.
And I guess I’ll die explaining how the things that they complain about,
Are things they could be changin’, hopin’ someone’s gonna care.
I was born a lonely singer, and I’m bound to die the same,
But I’ve got to feed the hunger in my soul.
And if I never have a nickle, I won’t ever die ashamed.
‘Cause I don’t believe that no-one wants to know.
Services »
