Morning Chop: Braves 6/5
By Jeff Schafer
Evan Gattis’ Offensive Story-Off The Radar
May 5, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Evan Gattis (24) drives in a run with a sacrifice fly against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
"Evan Gattis has been one of the most interesting stories in baseball in 2013, mostly because of his back story. So far, despite striking out over 3 times as much as he walks (doing so less than 7 percent of the time so far), Gattis has been hitting really well statistically, especially for power (with a higher Isolated Slugging than batting average so far this season). The Braves have had some problems finding a position for Gattis because he is not considered a very good defensive catcher and attempts to put him in the corner outfield have not been very aesthetically pleasing, to say the least. What he does with the bat will determine how Gattis fits into the big leagues, as he will need to force himself into the lineup with the bat, causing the team to live with is defense (or an American League team trading for him and using him as the DH). If the bat only proves to be good or above average, than there is a chance that he will be no more than a right-handed (and thus less valuable) Eric Hinske, used mainly as a pinch hitter.Here is where pitchers have been pitching Gattis, the average locations of all pitches, along with some of the notable results:"
….Check this great article out, it dives into Gattis’ swing in detail
Andrelton Simmons Gives Braves A 5-4 Walk-Off Victory
"After nearly four hours of back-and-forth baseball, Andrelton Simmons sent the weary crowd home with a 10th inning gapper that drove Dan Uggla across the plate to give the Braves a 5-4, 10-inning win.Simmons’ double capped a very interesting 10th inning for Atlanta, as Dan Uggla reached base for the 4th time in the game with a lead-off walk before BJ Upton failed to get a bunt down (what?!), and Reed Johnson was hit by a Mark Melancon pitch. In the end, however, the Braves shortstop finished things off, and in the process, broke the Braves curse on a night in which they left 13 men on base.In a relative “off” night for Mike Minor (he’s been that good), he allowed 4 runs (2 earned), 4 hits, 0 walks, and struck out 6 Pirates over 6 innings. The 2 unearned runs were a result of a Dan Uggla error in the 3rd that allowed Pittsburgh to swipe a 3-0 lead after an Andrew McCutchen double, but even with that mishap, Minor produced solid numbers as usual. It really says a lot about Minor that a “down” outing can produce this type of result, and one of the great positives in this game was that he didn’t issue a walk despite some uneasy circumstances."
MLB Power Rankings Week 9
"1. Oakland AthleticsWhile they might not have the best record in baseball, their past week is the reason they are at the top spot. They have a 35-24 record, and went 3-1 against the Giants, 3-0 against the Red Sox, and are now facing the struggling Brewers. After the Brewers, they go to Chicago to face the White Sox in a four game series.2. St Louis CardinalsIt is the Cardinals who hold the best record in baseball at 38-19. Their week was not as impressive as the A’s, so they land just shy of the top spot at second. They went 3-1 against the Royals and 2-1 against the Giants; both teams who are on the decline. With the Diamondbacks and Reds on the schedule for this week the Cardinals have a chance to prove themselves and bump the A’s out of the top spot.3. Boston Red SoxThe Red Sox are still holding strong to their lead in the AL East. However, the Orioles and Yankees are on their tail at 2.5 games back, and even Tampa Bay is in the chase at three games back. Going 2-1 against New York this past week definitely helped keep their lead, and so should series’ against the Rangers and Angels.4. Atlanta BravesThe Braves just continue to baffle me, staying so consistent at the top despite majorly cooling off. The lead the NL East and are seven games ahead of the Nationals. After struggling and splitting their series with the Blue Jays, the Braves regained their momentum and beat the Nationals 2-1. Facing the Pirates and Dodgers this week ,their dominance isn’t going anywhere anytime soon."