Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
Sheff would bring some fire to the team that's for sure. Always liked him and he's right. Big changes need to be made and fresh blood needs to be brought in. Especially heading into a new stadium in 2 years.
jason27nc (09-25-2014)
Does Sheffield have any desire to get into coaching?
jason27nc (09-25-2014)
He thinks Haywood is a good defender.
The interviewer was an idiot. "What's been wrong with the Braves the past couple of years?" Seriously?
And then Sheffield basically implying that Heyward was a bust.
goldfly (09-24-2014), jpx7 (09-23-2014), UNCBlue012 (09-24-2014)
jpx7 (09-23-2014)
The recording cut off too soon. Right after it ended, Sheffield clarified about Heyward that he has all the talent in the world, but unfortunately hates baseball.
Garmel (09-23-2014), Hawk (09-23-2014), jpx7 (09-23-2014), The Chosen One (09-23-2014)
I didn't take Sheff's comments about Heyward as "shots at him", simply calling him out as one of the players the team needed more from if it expected to be relevant. And if he's going to ever come remotely close to reaching the expectations most had for him, he's simply GOT to hit for more power. If there's any chance of a quick fix for the lineup, it likely comes from Jason becoming that 25+ HR guy EVERYONE expected he'd be (much like Freddie).
If you had 2 .350 OBP guys hitting in front of Freddie, Justin, Jason, and Gattis, this team should score plenty of runs. Could that be solved with Peraza leading off followed by a La Stella/Gosselin platoon at 2B or 3B? Maybe.
I think Sheffield's comments were more about the fact that this organization couldn't reasonably expect any more from a pitching staff than what it's gotten over the last two years - the ONLY reason it hasn't been successful is the lack of consistent offense. He's saying pretty much the same thing I heard DeRosa say this afternoon - "there are several guys in that clubhouse that need to take a long look at themselves in the mirror this offseason, and none of them are Pitchers".
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
goldfly (09-24-2014)
Outside of a better OBP....please tell me the big difference between Heyward and a guy like Gerardo Parra? It amazes me how people fail to accept the fact that heyward's been a MASSIVE bust. It doesn't mean he's not a somewhat useful player and can't get better. He's an elite defensive OF no question. He's also just about the only player on the team that plays the game the right way. Always hustles and plays hard. But offensively he's been incredibly mediocre.
I love Heyward's personality and the way he plays the game. I'd love nothing more then to have him break out into a start and it's certainly possible. Just at this point he's closer to a 4th OF then a star.
So if y'all are keeping score at home. There's no debating that Heyward has been a massive disappointment offensively. And it's a fact that Heyward has been a MASSIVE bust!
Now that's one way to try to control a discussion!
The rest of our players must be garbage then because Heyward is the best player on the team. And Gerardo Parra? Seriously? If you can't tell the massive difference between the two then I'm not sure baseball is a game you should be following. Good lord.
Heyward destroys Parra in everything.
wOBA: .345 - .314
wRC+: 117 - 91
ISO: 168 - 122
BB%: 11.1 - 6.7
WAR: 21.5 - 10
Not to mention Jason is an elite base runner. I will take an entire team of Jason Heywards and we would win a lot of championships.
When did an above average offensive player who is elite at base running and defense get labeled a bust? Maybe he should take a little something extra like Mr. Sheffield did...
All you need is Hart and Cox.
jason27nc (09-25-2014), jpx7 (09-24-2014), UNCBlue012 (09-24-2014), zitothebrave (09-23-2014)
Jason Heyward has 5.3 WAR on the year, which is 8th in the NL. Yeah. He's a bust.
BremanFan88 (09-23-2014), jason27nc (09-25-2014), jpx7 (09-24-2014)
I couldn't understand a word he said.
thank you weso1!
Sorry, but those are some pretty empty numbers when you're trying to piece together a lineup to win baseball games. The vast number of those numbers have come with Jason hitting at the top of the lineup. The offense has been more successful when he's been hitting leadoff, and that's been pretty obvious to statheads as well as scoutheads.
"An above average offensive player who is elite at base running and defense" is great as long as you don't build your offense around him. Heyward has as many tools as anyone not named Trout or McCutchen, and projects as that kind of player. The problem is that the organization hasn't defined his role - if he's really that good, put him in the #3 hole and leave him alone. Tough to pitch around him if J-Up and Freddie are hitting behind him.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
Problem is Freddie refuses to be moved from the #3 spot. Heyward should be that guy, we all talked about this when he was called up that he was going to replace Chipper as the #3 hitter.
Freddie should be hitting cleanup. Plain and simple. He is the classic cleanup hitter, whereas J-Hey is the classic #3 hitter.
Forever Fredi
jason27nc (09-25-2014)