LaStella called up to the Atlanta

[CrimsonCowboy]

Per Mark Bowman

Mark Bowman ‏@mlbbowman 3m
The #Braves have promoted Tommy La Stella to the Majors. A corresponding move has not been announced.

 

[yeezus]

Uggs gone?!?!

 

[Enscheff]

I think TLS gets a look soon, but I'm afraid all those walks will vanish once MLB pitchers realize he can't hurt them with anything other than singles. After all, if a guy isn't a power threat, why not just challenge him and make him earn his way to 1B with a single rather than give him 1B with a walk?

I predict Wren will be burning up the phone lines at the end of July trying to trade for an average MLB second baseman (the same prediction I made 3 months ago when it became clear Wren wasn't going to fix 2B in the offseason).

And yes, BJ is hitting much better lately. He won't come close to earning his contract, but at least he isn't completely useless.

 

[gilesfan]

I think TLS gets a look soon, but I'm afraid all those walks will vanish once MLB pitchers realize he can't hurt them with anything other than singles. After all, if a guy isn't a power threat, why not just challenge him and make him earn his way to 1B with a single rather than give him 1B with a walk?

I predict Wren will be burning up the phone lines at the end of July trying to trade for an average MLB second baseman (the same prediction I made 3 months ago when it became clear Wren wasn't going to fix 2B in the offseason).

And yes, BJ is hitting much better lately. He won't come close to earning his contract, but at least he isn't completely useless.

Eric Sogard part duex

 

[Krovahn]

Hope it doesn't mean Simmons is going on the DL... but, after the goings on yesterday, it might be happening.

 

[gilesfan]

Simmons probably to DL with Pena/TP manning SS.

 

[jpx7]

And MLB has a way of crushing high average guys from the minors.

But he's not just a "high-average guy": he's always posted isoOBPs and BB/K rates as well.

 

[CrimsonCowboy]

Mark Bowman ‏@mlbbowman 2m
Have not yet confirmed the corresponding move, but Uggla will stick w/ the club. La Stella is expected to be in Boston tonight.

Seems to indicate more and more that Simmons will likely head to the DL.

 

[nsacpi]

I think TLS gets a look soon, but I'm afraid all those walks will vanish once MLB pitchers realize he can't hurt them with anything other than singles. After all, if a guy isn't a power threat, why not just challenge him and make him earn his way to 1B with a single rather than give him 1B with a walk?

I predict Wren will be burning up the phone lines at the end of July trying to trade for an average MLB second baseman (the same prediction I made 3 months ago when it became clear Wren wasn't going to fix 2B in the offseason).

And yes, BJ is hitting much better lately. He won't come close to earning his contract, but at least he isn't completely useless.

Singles hurt too. La Stella's walks will not disappear in the majors. They will drop like they usually do. But from 12% to something around 10%. Not to 5%. To cite an example, Mark Lemke had a 9.5% walk rate in his major league career.

 

[Hawk]

The beginning of an era (according to some).

 

[nsacpi]

Mark Bowman ‏@mlbbowman 2m
Have not yet confirmed the corresponding move, but Uggla will stick w/ the club. La Stella is expected to be in Boston tonight.

Seems to indicate more and more that Simmons will likely head to the DL.

Gattis is the other possibility to the DL with the wrist sprain. Since we have Doumit we don't necessarily have to call up a catcher in that situation.

 

[CrimsonCowboy]

Bowman was speculating on his blog that Pastornicky could be headed back to Gwinnett.

 

[gilesfan]

But he's not just a "high-average guy": he's always posted isoOBPs and BB/K rates as well.

No doubt there is some skill in drawing walks. However, when you move up to the majors, more guys can throw strikes when they need to. And with TLS, what is stopping them from throwing strikes? Pitchers aren't fearful of Tommy hitting one in the gap or launching one for a homer so I'm assuming his walk rate will go drastically down. Look at hitters that don't hit for power, their walk rate typically decreases in the major leagues. Sogard, Gardner, etc.

Look at the top guys in the majors in walk rate, none of them have isoSLG less than .130ish. And even someone that did (Butler/Montero ~30th in walk rate, .110 iso) have a track record of power.

So, if TLS hits around .275 with a 10 or 11% walk rate; how good of a player is he? (Still possibly better than Uggla?)

A 10% walk rate with an isoSLG of .110 gives him roughly .275/.325/.385 with below average defense and speed. That's roughly what Sogard hit last year, but he's an above average defender with a little bit of speed and cool glasses.

I'm not saying TLS is terrible by any means, but he's become the board hero and I think it's more to do bc Uggla sucks and not that TLS is a legitimate starting 2B.

 

[gilesfan]

Singles hurt too. La Stella's walks will not disappear in the majors. They will drop like they usually do. But from 12% to something around 10%. Not to 5%. To cite an example, Mark Lemke had a 9.5% walk rate in his major league career.

Lemke was also a plus defender.

 

[PurpleBrave]

So much for June 1st

 

[nsacpi]

No doubt there is some skill in drawing walks. However, when you move up to the majors, more guys can throw strikes when they need to. And with TLS, what is stopping them from throwing strikes? Pitchers aren't fearful of Tommy hitting one in the gap or launching one for a homer so I'm assuming his walk rate will go drastically down. Look at hitters that don't hit for power, their walk rate typically decreases in the major leagues. Sogard, Gardner, etc.

Look at the top guys in the majors in walk rate, none of them have isoSLG less than .130ish. And even someone that did (Butler/Montero ~30th in walk rate, .110 iso) have a track record of power.

So, if TLS hits around .275 with a 10 or 11% walk rate; how good of a player is he? (Still possibly better than Uggla?)

A 10% walk rate with an isoSLG of .110 gives him roughly .275/.325/.385 with below average defense and speed. That's roughly what Sogard hit last year, but he's an above average defender with a little bit of speed and cool glasses.

I'm not saying TLS is terrible by any means, but he's become the board hero and I think it's more to do bc Uggla sucks and not that TLS is a legitimate starting 2B.

I don't think La Stella is going to be an All-Star. I'm expecting an OPS in the .700 to .750 range, with below average defense. Given the extremely low production we've gotten from second, he's likely to help the team quite a bit. He isn't replacing someone like Cano or Utley.

 

[Tapate50]

What option do we have?

Not a damn one

 

[nsacpi]

Our second basemen have hit .165/.253/.250 so far.

In AAA La Stella has hit .293/.384/.350.

He can disappoint and still give us a .100 upgrade in OPS.

 

[sturg33]

Bowman was speculating on his blog that Pastornicky could be headed back to Gwinnett.

That would be my choice

 

[rico43]

Gattis is the other possibility to the DL with the wrist sprain. Since we have Doumit we don't necessarily have to call up a catcher in that situation.

Even though DOB has speculated that it's Simmons to the DL, it sounds like Gattis' injury is a little more severe. Talk about sending Pastor down bothers me -- he's only player on the whole darn team that knows how to bunt.