Braves Trade Heyward, Walden to Cardinals for Miller and Tyrell Jenkins

[The Chosen One]

Apologies if this has already been posted, just came across it;



Tyrell's arm action that kinda reminds me of Tom Gordon.

Big leg kick reminds me of Huston Street. The arm angle/action reminds me of Gordon. Good call.


I hope you just didn't say Gordon because he's black.

[Hawk]

Bernie Miklasz with a great read.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...88e989205.html

The Braves apparently wanted [Carlos] Martinez as the receiving-end center piece of the Heyward deal. The Cardinals wouldn't do that, and traded Miller instead.

...

The team's internal view -- and this is related to the first point -- is that Martinez has more upside. Now, the Cardinals could be wrong about that. Sure. But Martinez does have better "stuff" and has a larger variety of pitches that he can effectively rely on. It's difficult for me to say the Cardinals are making an error in judgment. This isn't to say that Miller isn't a good pitcher. But at this respective stage of their careers, Martinez simply has more ways to get hitters out.

...

As a rookie starter, Miller threw the four-seam fastball on 71 percent of his pitches. In his first 25 starts last season, Miller threw the four-seamer 70.4 percent of the time. In other words, no real change. Miller's four-seam fastball can be outstanding, but only if he found a way to give hitters something else to worry about. When you throw four-seam fastballs more than 70 percent of the time, hitters will dial in.

But here's the thing ... and it's the reason why Miller could reverse the regression that caused him to stall for much of last season.

Late in the schedule, Miller began to make more frequent use of curve ball and the sinker. The curve was the difference maker.

In his first 25 starts, Miller (according to Brooks Baseball) had a ratio of 71 percent four-seam fastballs to 17 percent curves. But in the final six starts, the ratio became 59 percent four-seamers to 27.6 percent curves. That's a huge change in the mix.

And everything pretty much clicked in his final six regular-season starts. Miller had a 20 percent strikeout rate, a improved swing-miss rate, and a lower walk rate. His ERA was 1.69.

This "new" Shelby had more ways to attack hitters. And more ways to keep them off balance. Six games is an awfully small sample, but the Braves and their fans should draw encouragement from Miller's late-season adjustment. Now he must continue down this track and make more extensive use of that curve and sinker.

[Millwood1Hitter]

Bernie Miklasz with a great read.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...88e989205.html

The Braves apparently wanted [Carlos] Martinez as the receiving-end center piece of the Heyward deal. The Cardinals wouldn't do that, and traded Miller instead.

...

The team's internal view -- and this is related to the first point -- is that Martinez has more upside. Now, the Cardinals could be wrong about that. Sure. But Martinez does have better "stuff" and has a larger variety of pitches that he can effectively rely on. It's difficult for me to say the Cardinals are making an error in judgment. This isn't to say that Miller isn't a good pitcher. But at this respective stage of their careers, Martinez simply has more ways to get hitters out.

...

As a rookie starter, Miller threw the four-seam fastball on 71 percent of his pitches. In his first 25 starts last season, Miller threw the four-seamer 70.4 percent of the time. In other words, no real change. Miller's four-seam fastball can be outstanding, but only if he found a way to give hitters something else to worry about. When you throw four-seam fastballs more than 70 percent of the time, hitters will dial in.

But here's the thing ... and it's the reason why Miller could reverse the regression that caused him to stall for much of last season.

Late in the schedule, Miller began to make more frequent use of curve ball and the sinker. The curve was the difference maker.

In his first 25 starts, Miller (according to Brooks Baseball) had a ratio of 71 percent four-seam fastballs to 17 percent curves. But in the final six starts, the ratio became 59 percent four-seamers to 27.6 percent curves. That's a huge change in the mix.

And everything pretty much clicked in his final six regular-season starts. Miller had a 20 percent strikeout rate, a improved swing-miss rate, and a lower walk rate. His ERA was 1.69.

This "new" Shelby had more ways to attack hitters. And more ways to keep them off balance. Six games is an awfully small sample, but the Braves and their fans should draw encouragement from Miller's late-season adjustment. Now he must continue down this track and make more extensive use of that curve and sinker.

And he attributed a good portion of this by finally listening and receiving advice from Wainwright, whom told him that his fastball would only get him so far and would need his secondary stuff after hitter's adjusted and take the next step. And it looks like he did that.

And Adam would be a good mentor, similiar type pitcher, and Wainwright was able to live with just relying on his plus fastball and curveball as a reliever when he first came up as well when he was first put into the rotation, but them had some struggles. Now when you watch Wainwright, you see a complete pitcher that still has his plus fastball and curveball, but as well as good control and mixes in a good changeup and 2 seam fastball that has some cut.

[GovClintonTyree]

And he attributed a good portion of this by finally listening and receiving advice from Wainwright, whom told him that his fastball would only get him so far and would need his secondary stuff after hitter's adjusted and take the next step. And it looks like he did that.

And Adam would be a good mentor, similiar type pitcher, and Wainwright was able to live with just relying on his plus fastball and curveball as a reliever when he first came up as well when he was first put into the rotation, but them had some struggles. Now when you watch Wainwright, you see a complete pitcher that still has his plus fastball and curveball, but as well as good control and mixes in a good changeup and 2 seam fastball that has some cut.

What he doesn't say is that Miller started throwing 15% two-seamers (sink) which also gave the hitters one more thing to think about. And he got that pitch from Justin Masterson.

I think the Cardinals done screwed up.

[GovClintonTyree]

Apologies if this has already been posted, just came across it;



Tyrell's arm action that kinda reminds me of Tom Gordon.

Hawk, thanks for posting this. Jenkins has three of my very favorite things in a pitcher:

1) Tall guy, big leg kick, straight over the top.
2) A 12-6 curveball. Nice one, too.
3) A big ass. Avoids injury, lots of innings.

[GovClintonTyree]

One of America's leading douchenozzles.

[tomahawkchop10]

One of America's leading douchenozzles.

Is that dude for real? I've never heard of him, but would I really want Heyward at 16 mil for 6 years....uh no sh!t. And I doubt we trade Justin and Gattis. I think one will stay(most likely Gattis.)

[keithlaw]

Is that dude for real? I've never heard of him, but would I really want Heyward at 16 mil for 6 years....uh no sh!t. And I doubt we trade Justin and Gattis. I think one will stay(most likely Gattis.)

[tomahawkchop10]

Lol that's Shanks?! Hahaha I've never actually watched one of his videos or looked at his picture and for some reason thought he was fat! Makes so much sense now.

[Carp]

I always envisioned Shanks as some 60 year old version of Jeff Francoeur, but who never actually played baseball since high school or even younger.

Basically something like this:

[tomahawkchop10]

I always envisioned Shanks as some 60 year old version of Jeff Francoeur, but who never actually played baseball since high school or even younger.

Basically something like this:

Haha that's actually exactly what I figured he'd look like lol

[Metaphysicist]

Lol that's Shanks?! Hahaha I've never actually watched one of his videos or looked at his picture and for some reason thought he was fat! Makes so much sense now.

He definitely used to be fat. Good for him for slimming down.

[bravesnumberone]

Check on Shanks on the radio every once in a while. Last time I heard, he was chowing down some David's chicken and friends at Wild Wing cafe.

[cajunrevenge]

I am glad we got Miller instead of Martinez. Shelby was the same caliber prospect as Teheran when they came up and I think he can be just as good as Teheran.

[GovClintonTyree]

I am glad we got Miller instead of Martinez. Shelby was the same caliber prospect as Teheran when they came up and I think he can be just as good as Teheran.

I think he's a horse.

[Knucksie]

I always envisioned Shanks as some 60 year old version of Jeff Francoeur, but who never actually played baseball since high school or even younger.

Doubt very much that Shanks played high school ball. At most, he wrote about it for the school newspaper.

[yeezus]

One of America's leading douchenozzles.

That jacket is terrible.

[COGPK]

I live 8 miles from Coolray Field and can't wait to see this kid pitch.

[GovClintonTyree]

I always envisioned Shanks as some 60 year old version of Jeff Francoeur, but who never actually played baseball since high school or even younger.

Yeah, but he's not as smart as Francoeur.

[sc1767]

That jacket is terrible.

If only more people had paid for his premium content....