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Atlanta Braves Q & A with Tomahawk Take’s Jeff Schafer

By Wayne Cavadi

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The Atlanta Braves have been one of the busiest team’s since the day new General Manager John Hart’s first day in office. The main goal, it seems, has been to get younger and revamp their once heralded farm system. To say that they have kept us busy here at Grading on the Curve is an understatement.

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The Braves have had some hits, but some of their Major League ready prospects turned out to be not so ready. I decided, especially on the heels of the Christian Bethancourt demotion and the recent MLB Draft, that maybe some extra expertise could be useful. I had a few questions that needed to be answered, and Jeff Schafer, editor of the Braves’ site Tomahawk Take, gladly complied (and we thank you for taking the time to do so!)

So, without any further ado, here are:

THOUGHTS ON THE BRAVES YOUNGSTERS THUS FAR

Wayne Cavadi: Let’s start with the Bethancourt demotion. Defense was always his way to the Majors, but did you expect his offense to be so behind? How long do you think he will be down?

Jeff Schafer: I actually proposed this question a few weeks ago: should the Braves send Christian Bethancourt back down to Triple-A Gwinnett instead of having him sit on the bench? Especially the way AJ Pierzynski started off the season so hot. Bethancourt was sitting on the bench, not hitting well and not really catching well either. The Braves finally made this decision and Bethancourt is back to the minors.

I really like this move. Bethancourt looked to have lost all confidence in his abilities to play the catcher position – not calling a great game, missing signs, having passed balls – and he wasn’t hitting well either. We all knew he wasn’t the best hitter, but his catching skills would blow us away. With these errors, John Hart and the front office decided to send him back to Gwinnett to regain his confidence.

We knew he would be around a .250 – .270 hitter – which would have been great, but he was hitting .210 or below. His hitting wasn’t the reason he was sent back down to the minors, it was his lack of catching a good game. I also blame it on not playing regularly and getting consistent at-bats.

How long he’ll be down with Gwinnett? That’s a tough question, but if Pierzynski continues swinging well and stays healthy, Bethancourt could stay in the minors the rest of the season.

WC: Does grabbing Austin Riley [the Braves 41st overall pick] hurt more now that the Braves passed on top catching prospect Chris Betts [selected 11 picks later by the Tampa Bay Rays]?

JS: No, from all reports so far the Atlanta Braves drafted Austin Riley to be a pitcher. He already throws 95 mph with his fastball and will continue to grow. Really looking forward to watching him prosper.

WC: John Hart loves pitchers as evidenced in the offseason moves and his first draft with the Braves. That being said, what are your thoughts on Manny Banuelos and Matt Wisler at Triple-A: when will they be ready to make an impact?

JS: Many fans have been yelling for the Braves to call up Banuelos and Wisler to the Majors after every game. I think both are very close, but I think the Braves are playing it safe with them. These guys are starting pitchers and the Braves needs right now are bullpen help. I don’t think there’s a huge need for starting pitching right now in Atlanta. But I do see both of these guys up before 2015 ends.

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WC: Jose Peraza has played some centerfield, most likely due to the hot start of Jace Peterson. Has Peterson made Peraza expendable and what do you see for the future of the Braves top prospect?

JS: Jace Peterson has been very solid for the Braves both defensively and offensively. He has definitely developed a few question marks for the front office on what to do with Peraza, though I don’t think this hurts Peraza in Atlanta in the long term.

Mar 7, 2015; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Jose Peraza (70) throws to first against the New York Mets during the spring training baseball game at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

And to be honest, this could help Peraza. He really struggled this Spring Training when people were already slotting him into the second base job and all the pressure was on him. He still needs some time to develop into the player he will be and staying in Gwinnett for 2015 will be great for him. Cameron Maybin has a very good contract so it’s been rumored that Peraza could possibly play left field and this will help his value even more. The issue with this is that if the Braves had Maybin, Peterson and Peraza in the lineup, they wouldn’t have much power….not always a bad thing, but it would put more pressure on Freddie Freeman to hit the homers. I don’t think the Braves get rid of Peraza, but I don’t expect to see him until 2016 in Atlanta.

WC: Is there a Braves’ prospect you would really like to see make his big league debut that isn’t really expected to this season?

JS: Right now, Braves fans are screaming for bullpen help. We have a few pitchers in the minors who can help, but the Braves are being slow with these guys as well. David Carpenter, Ryan Weber and Ryan Kelly could all help the Braves (I hope) and a few young arms I’m looking forward to seeing in Atlanta.

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