More Saltalamacchia rumors

From ajc.com (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The unofficial lingo for it is "blocked" – when a top minor league prospect has a stud playing his position in the major leagues. Even worse is when it's a young stud.

That might make Jarrod Saltalamacchia the most blocked player in baseball. Saltalamacchia, rated by Baseball America as the top prospect in the Braves' organization, is playing behind catcher Brian McCann.

McCann, 23, is the darling of the organization. He's fresh off winning a Silver Slugger award and making his first All-Star appearance in his first full season in the majors. Last month he signed a six-year contract extension worth $26.8 million.

So where does that leave Saltalamacchia? In Mississippi, for one.

"I just take it the same way as everyone else takes it," he said. "I'm proud of Brian. He was always a level above me [in the organization], but in spring training we always got along. We hung out. Even now, the first person I saw when I got to spring training was him. I gave him a big hug and told him congratulations. He's doing a great job."

While McCann got off to another good start for Atlanta, Saltalamacchia has been getting off to a hot start of his own for the Class AA Mississippi Braves. Entering Thursday night's game, he was leading the Southern League in home runs (tied with six), slugging percentage (.754) and on-base plus slugging percentage (1.226). He was second in hitting (.377).

He has been trying to get back on track this season after a disastrous start ruined his first Class AA season a year ago.

His game is the part he can control.

"I'm glad [McCann] is doing well," said Saltalamacchia, a supplemental first-round pick in 2003. "I don't wish anything bad upon anybody. I hope he continues to do well. I know that if I continue to do well, I'm going to have a spot somewhere, whether it's with the Braves or with another ballclub. So I'm not too worried about that at all."

That's just it. A player who's "blocked" becomes the most logical trade material. But being a top prospect, Saltalamacchia is also of supreme value to his own club.

There have been cries among Braves fans to move "Salty" to first base. The organization has resisted.

Braves director of player development Kurt Kemp helped map out some reasons why:

1. It's too soon for him

"We really believe he's a fine catching prospect," Kemp said. "A fine hitting, and power-hitting prospect. I don't think at his age, and the level that he's at, you need to do anything different than help him be the best player that he can be right now."

Saltalamacchia, who turns 22 Wednesday, needed time to rebound from last season. He hit .230 with nine home runs, including a 2-for-39 slump. It was clear he needed at least another year in the minors and a return to Class AA.

The Braves didn't want to complicate that with a position change.

2. It's too soon for the Braves

What if McCann gets hurt? That's how McCann got his call-up from Class AA Mississippi two years ago, when Johnny Estrada was injured.

"We don't all know what the future holds," Kemp said. "I think you can make a decision too early on something like that. Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones have been in their positions on our big-league club for a lot of years, but it doesn't mean when [prospects] get to A ball or AA that we thought, 'Geez, we better move them.'

"If a guy gets to a position where he's ready to help the major league club and the major league staff feels like there can be real positive help with somebody in a different role, then we would surely do that. But I'm just saying I don't think it's anything you have to rush to judgment on."

3. He's too valuable as a catcher

A catcher who can hit, and hit for power, is much more rare than a first baseman who can, and therefore more valuable.

"There are a lot of guys who could go from being a catcher to something else," Kemp said. "There are very few guys that could ever go from something else to being a catcher. So why would you take that away from him when we think he has abilities to be an outstanding player in that realm?"

4. He wants to stay as a catcher

All things being equal, Saltalamacchia would like to stay at his position.

"Ultimately [the organization] makes the decision, so it's whatever they want me to do," he said. "If they want me to move to first, then I'll go to first. If they want me to catch, I'll catch — which right now they told me they want me to catch. I don't know what their plans are. I try not to worry about it."

Of course, all of the above could be trashed if the Braves decide they want Salty's bat in the big leagues sooner rather than later. The first base platoon of Craig Wilson and Scott Thorman was hitting a combined .192 (14-for-73) entering the weekend series in Colorado, which was second-worst in the National League.

Saltalamacchia has played some first base (and third) in high school. But the Braves do not favor midseason crash courses. It's hard enough to make the jump to the big leagues trying to concentrate on hitting.

Or the Braves might decide to trade him. In 2005, they dealt Andy Marte, a top minor league prospect who was "blocked" by Chipper Jones at third base. Marte was traded to the Red Sox in 2005 in the deal that brought Edgar Renteria to Atlanta.

"You always want to get to the big leagues with the team that you grew up with, but I'm not ignorant," Saltalamacchia said. "I see who's in front of me. I know my chances are very slim, so whatever it takes, you know?"

JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA FILE

• Position: Catcher

•Age: 22

•Team: Mississippi (AA) Braves

•Hometown: West Palm Beach, Fla.

•Ranking: Braves' No. 1 prospect by Baseball America and the No. 36 minor league prospect overall by the magazine

•Family: Wife, Ashley; 4-month-old daughter, Sidney

•2007 stats: .377, five doubles, six homers, 13 RBIs in 17 games

•2006: Hit a career-low .230 in 92 games with the Mississippi Braves. Went on the disabled list with a wrist injury July 2. Hit .352 (25-for-71) in 23 games after returning.

•Quotable: "I got in a hole," he said of his 2006 woes. "Once you get in that kind of hole, it's tough to get out. I think I tried a little too hard to get out of the hole and just dug deeper. ... I've been hitting since I was 4 years old. You've just got to go back to the basics sometimes."

I don't know what to think. I personally believe that the Braves should have him switch positions after a year. Either 1st base or the outfield. If they do choose to trade him, it better be darn good. A player or two that can be very good for our team for years to come. Any one year or half year rentals would be absurd.