Baseball America Braves Top 10

CJ9 said:
You think Law's opinion comes exclusively from seeing three Riley at bats in the Arizona Fall League? I know people have differing opinions on Law, but of course he's talking to other scouts across the country, too. Come on.
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Assuming he's talking to the huge number of other people you guys think he is, you don't assume he'd mention any improvement in his game at all? Surely the guys at BA aren't the only people that have talked to someone who's mentioned it.

Again, everyone has their favorites (and that's fine) - Law just isn't one of mine. Has nothing to do with him being a "Braves basher", I just think he forms his opinions on everyone based on the scant few times he sees them and is almost entirely unwilling to be flexible. Most "experts" are that way to a point, and are slow to move guys down in their rankings when they have someone high - he just comes off as the least open to change of all of them IMO. Someone's not a "sleeper" or a "find" in his eyes unless HE'S the guy touting him, and he just rubs me the wrong way as a "look at me and my rankings" guy as opposed to "look at these good prospects" guy.

I'm certainly not touting Riley as an uber-prospect yet, but I think it's awfully tough for anyone to argue he didn't have the most impressive season at the most-advanced level of anyone that's not in the Top 3 on that list in 2017. Everyone else on that list is there because of projections - Riley DID deliver some results (whether Keith Law believes in them or not).
 
Any reports on Frieds velocity today? I don't care about his statline because he should be dominating the AFL.
 
thethe said:
Any reports on Frieds velocity today? I don't care about his statline because he should be dominating the AFL.
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I haven't seen anything about today's stuff, but Longenhagen said in a recent chat that Fried's stuff has been about exactly what we've seen from him with the Braves.

He is clearly an MLB pitcher, and he's clearly too good for the hitters in the AFL.
 
Enscheff said:
I haven't seen anything about today's stuff, but Longenhagen said in a recent chat that Fried's stuff has been about exactly what we've seen from him with the Braves.

He is clearly an MLB pitcher, and he's clearly too good for the hitters in the AFL.
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Eric A Longenhagen: Stuff is great — like 92-96 with a plus curveball and average changeup — but still needs to improve command which, at age 23, is still possible but perhaps not very likely. He did miss time recovering from TJ so maybe the command is coming later.
 
Oklahomabrave said:
Eric A Longenhagen: Stuff is great — like 92-96 with a plus curveball and average changeup — but still needs to improve command which, at age 23, is still possible but perhaps not very likely. He did miss time recovering from TJ so maybe the command is coming later.
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Sounds like a great scouting report. That change flashed plus at times last year as well. Can't wait to see him make 30 starts next year.
 
Oklahomabrave said:
Eric A Longenhagen: Stuff is great — like 92-96 with a plus curveball and average changeup — but still needs to improve command which, at age 23, is still possible but perhaps not very likely. He did miss time recovering from TJ so maybe the command is coming later.
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We most certainly didn't see an average change with the Braves, so if he truly made improvements just by taking a trip to the desert that would make him a legit candidate to stick in the rotation.

I have doubts the change improves that quickly, but even if it did, a BB rate over 4 is going to tough to overcome. Doable, but tough.
 
Write this down, take a picture, send it to your grandma....5 years from now Kolby Allard and Max Fried will be headlining the starting rotation and will be studs. They both have good enough stuff but more importantly they have that it factor. Soroko isn't that fair behind.

Too many on here are falling in love with the stuff of Gohara, I have major concerns about him especially long term. Guys like Newcomb and Folty need to make some major changes or they'll be bullpen fodder. Newcomb shouldn't even be here and Folty should be traded while he's got some value. It doesn't appear he is going to take that next step, and that's too bad because I think working with a better pitching coach and getting tuteledge from a veteran could go a long ways in doing that but it's not gonna happen under Chucky.

Keeping Chucky is the worst move of the rebuild (and that's saying something) and is completely baffling considering there are a half dozen guys on the open market this offseason that are top notch pitching gurus.
 
thethe said:
Should it be? Just scouting the Statline gives the ranking merit.

Now add in the vastly improved scouting reports from this year and I think it's about right.
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Is it? BA had Maitian ranked 71st at the ASB and Riley wasn't even ranked. Yes, Riley had a great 2nd half with a near 400 BABIP, but I don't think that's enough to jump Maitian 3 spots on the Braves top 10. So either the writers at BA think Riley made a huge jump up the lists, Maitian crashed, or some combo of both. I think all 3 scenario's are premature.
 
thewupk said:
Is it? BA had Maitian ranked 71st at the ASB and Riley wasn't even ranked. Yes, Riley had a great 2nd half with a near 400 BABIP, but I don't think that's enough to jump Maitian 3 spots on the Braves top 10. So either the writers at BA think Riley made a huge jump up the lists, Maitian crashed, or some combo of both. I think all 3 scenario's are premature.
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I have no idea who is right on what prospect, but didn’t acuna’s stock explode this year too with an extremely high BABIP?
 
msstate7 said:
I have no idea who is right on what prospect, but didn’t acuna’s stock explode this year too with an extremely high BABIP?
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Among other things, yes. Acuna has a history of cranking out high BABIP's in his short pro career so far. Riley had a strong 48 games in AA. Now maybe Riley is the next best thing is about to explode on the prospects lists. I just don't buy the current logic that Riley has now jumped Maitian considered how both were viewed merely 3 months ago.
 
msstate7 said:
I have no idea who is right on what prospect, but didn’t acuna’s stock explode this year too with an extremely high BABIP?
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I think the BABIP numbers for Acuna and Riley in AA have caused some to have inflated views of both. Doesn't mean they aren't good prospects.
 
clvclv said:
Kinda helpful to be a subscriber - when you read the report instead of quoting what you read a year ago, you find that that's apparently not the case. Only because people continue making that statement...

"Riley has embraced the Braves' focus on improving his nutritional habits. He appears slimmer, stronger and quicker than he was when drafted. He also has shortened his swing and improved his bat speed, helping him to more consistently get to his plus power potential and alleviating concerns about his now average hit tool. Riley's biggest improvement has come defensively. He has alleviated fears he would need to move to first base and is now an above-average third baseman. His plus-plus arm is still his calling card, but he also improved his first-step quickness."
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Sounds good to me. BA is my favorite source along with John Sickels. Between Camargo/Ruiz/Riley I think we will find a starter at 3b to bridge the gap to Maitan.
 
nsacpi said:
I think the BABIP numbers for Acuna and Riley in AA have caused some to have inflated views of both. Doesn't mean they aren't good prospects.
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Some (most on this board) aren't capable of thinking with that level of nuance or objectivity.
 
SAL fan
12:08 I know you are no fan of comps, but if Acuña ends up having Adam Jones levels of production, that’s a great outcome, right?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:09 Yes

I think AJones is a pretty good lazy comp for Acuna actually.
 
Enscheff said:
SAL fan

12:08 I know you are no fan of comps, but if Acuña ends up having Adam Jones levels of production, that’s a great outcome, right?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:09 Yes

I think AJones is a pretty good lazy comp for Acuna actually.
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I was thinking more Barry bonds, KGJ, or trout
 
I've always put a Troy Glaus comp on Riley. Glaus walked at a better rate than Riley has put up to date but other things line up well. Average hit tool, big time power, similar K rates, both bigger guys with longer swings.

Glaus would be an absolute best case scenario. It's a long shot he ever gets to that level but it's at least a realistic ceiling.
 
Remember when trading for Gohara was an example of a terrible organizational decision?
 
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