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View Full Version : MINORS FINAL 5/21: Elmer Reyes can HIT!



rico43
05-21-2014, 03:44 AM
Day one of my overview of the M-Braves while in Chattanooga. Wednesday, they picked up nine hits in the first three innings en route to a 9-3 win. Williams Perez allowed only two hits over six innings, but walked three and did not get his usual array of ground balls.
The story of the night was Elmer Reyes, who had three hits, three RBIs and upped his league-leading batting average to .360. Coming into the night at .349, he had a 20-point lead over the No. 2 guy. His three hits were to three different fields, his double to deep center, and he dropped two balls barely foul off the right field line. Also made a nifty throw from short; his arm is plenty strong to play there.
Props to Aussie catcher Matt Kennelly, who had two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored. While he has the skinniest legs I've ever seen on a catcher, he's hitting a legit .329.
Another positive impression was from the unheralded Emerson Landoni. He also had three hits and showed some slick moves at second base. He was a steal of a pickup last year. Every starter had at least one hit, including Perez.
Not so hot were once-promising outfielder prospect David Rohm. He went 1-for-5 but struck out three times (.244) and has still not homered in 2014 (135 at-bats). Joe Leonard, now a Class AA sub after spend last year struggling in AAA, was a late replacement at first. His bad judgement on a bases-loaded double play ball cost the Braves the shutout.
Struggling were the Braves' two indy reliever pickups, Eric Berger and Brandon Cunniff. Obviously just trying to throw strikes with the big lead, the Lookouts took advantage.

The M-Braves are 14-5 in May.

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CLASS AAA

Gwinnett, idle.

CLASS AA

Mississippi 9, Chattanooga 3

14 total hits.
WP: W. Perez (3-3) 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K. (1.67)
Cunniff 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.
Reyes 3-5, 2B, 3 RBIs.
Landoni 3-4, 2 R.
M. Jones 1-5, 2B, 2 R.
Kennelly 2-4, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBIs.

ADVANCED CLASS A

Game One
Lynchburg 3, Potomac 2 (7)

WP: J. Miller (2-4) 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 WP.
Wilson (Save, 4) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.
Skinner 2-3, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI. (OF assist, out at plate)
E. Garcia 1-3, RBI.

Game Two
Potomac 3, Lynchburg 2 (7)

LP: Parsons (3-2) 5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
Skinner 2-3. Another OF assist, at 3rd.
Elander 2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI.
Castro 2-4, 2 R.

CLASS A

Rome, idle.

50PoundHead
05-22-2014, 06:20 AM
Reyes' development at the plate is a bit surprising, although he was solid last year in Lynchburg. Curious to see if his performance continues. If it does, he's probably our best tradeable commodity (I assume we'd hold onto Lucas Sims and Jose Peraza under almost every circumstance).

Mississippi has had a really strong May. Kubitza's bat has awakened and there's a pretty good patchwork of guys on the team.

Did Perez scuffle a bit last night on the mound? I followed the game periodically and it looked like had thrown more balls than strikes through the 4th inning. Those numbers improved, but it says something if he can still keep the opponent off the scoreboard while having control issues.

zitothebrave
05-22-2014, 06:27 AM
If the Braves consider trading Sims Imma punch someone. Kid is so raw and talented you have to love it. Even if he busts that's a ship that it's better to go down with. Peraza I'm willing to part with in the right package. We have Tron, we have 2B options, and I don't know if Peraza can hit enough to play 3B. So odds are he'd be an improvement over TLS because of defense, and maybe he finds his offensive stroke to be more than just an average hitter, but if someone is willing to give us something we really need and properly values Peraza then yes I do it.

rico43
05-22-2014, 06:57 AM
Reyes' development at the plate is a bit surprising, although he was solid last year in Lynchburg. Curious to see if his performance continues. If it does, he's probably our best tradeable commodity (I assume we'd hold onto Lucas Sims and Jose Peraza under almost every circumstance).

Mississippi has had a really strong May. Kubitza's bat has awakened and there's a pretty good patchwork of guys on the team.

Did Perez scuffle a bit last night on the mound? I followed the game periodically and it looked like had thrown more balls than strikes through the 4th inning. Those numbers improved, but it says something if he can still keep the opponent off the scoreboard while having control issues.

No one hit him hard at all. First hit allowed was leading off 4th inning, so he was already ahead 6-0. He might be one of those guys savvy enough to alter his approach with the big lead, because he did not look very energized at all out there. But maybe that's just his style.

50PoundHead
05-22-2014, 08:32 AM
No one hit him hard at all. First hit allowed was leading off 4th inning, so he was already ahead 6-0. He might be one of those guys savvy enough to alter his approach with the big lead, because he did not look very energized at all out there. But maybe that's just his style.

Judging from the height/weight stats on Williams Perez, I envision "Body by Bartolo." Apt comparison in lumpiness factor?

zito, I think the thing on Peraza is he's really young and we don't really know what we have yet except for his speed and contact skills. I know some on this board think he can magically become a 3B, but, like you, I am a skeptic in that department. The thing I find odd about how the Braves are handling Peraza is that they usually leave their SS prospects at SS until the absolutely have to move them. Pastornicky was already in the process of being moved to 2B in the Jays' system when the Braves obtained him and the Braves immediately put him back at SS and kept him there through Gwinnett. Braves did the same thing with Betemit even after it was apparent that he wasn't a big league SS.

rico43
05-22-2014, 10:12 AM
Judging from the height/weight stats on Williams Perez, I envision "Body by Bartolo." Apt comparison in lumpiness factor?



http://i.ebayimg.com/t/2013-Rome-Braves-Williams-Perez-Rookie-RC-Atlanta-Braves-Minor-/00/s/NTI0WDM2Mw==/z/VYIAAOxyA4FR6CUC/$%28KGrHqJHJEEFH,m18oO2BR6CUCYgKQ~~60_35.JPG

50PoundHead
05-22-2014, 02:04 PM
He's hardly svelte, but Bartolo's pants would look like a circus tent on Perez.