Tag Archives: Craig Kimbrel

Weekly Baseball Card Market Report: Top 10 Highest Priced Modern Cards On The Market

Each week we will take a look at the Top 10 Highest priced active items on Ebay’s auction format from the modern baseball card era.

#1 Stephen Strasburg 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Superfractor 1/1
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#2 Justin Verlander 2005 Bowman Chrome Superfractor 1/1
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#3 Babe Ruth 2005 Playoff Absolute Double Pinstripe Jumbo Jersey /95
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#4 Harry Heilmann 2011 SP Legendary Cuts Autograph /2
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#5 Ryan Braun 2005 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor Autograph /50 Graded BGS 10/10
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#6 Babe Ruth 1999 Upper A Deck Piece Of History Bat Graded BGS 9
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#7 Craig Kimbrel 2011 Topps Chrome Superfractor Autograph 1/1
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#8 David Wright 2009 Topps Triple Threads Jumbo All Star Game Patch 1/1
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#9 Frank Thomas 1990 Topps No Name On Front Graded PSA 6
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#10 Derek Jeter 2008 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection Logoman Patch /5
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2011 Atlanta Braves Top 15 Prospects Post Season Report Card

With the 2011 minor league season complete we check in on the progress of each of the Atlanta Braves preseason Top 15 prospects as ranked by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz The post season grading report was done by the publisher of Top Prospect Alert, not Mr. Schwartz, and reflects only the 2011 season and not future upside or downside of the individual prospect. Our 2012 preseason rankings will be published in the coming months.

#1 Julio Teheran GRADE A-
Teheran went 15-3 with a 2.33ERA for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. He walked 48 and struck out 122 in 144.2 innings of work. Opposing hitters batted .232 against him. He also had two spot starts for Atlanta going 0-1 with a 5.19ERA, walking 4 and striking out 2 in 8.2 innings of big league work.

#2 Freddie Freeman GRADE A
Through September 5th, Freeman was batting .291 with 29 Doubles, 18 Home Runs, and 64 RBI’s as the Atlanta Braves every day first baseman. He is a National League Rookie Of The Year Candidate.

#3 Arodys Vizcaino GRADE A
Vizcaino went a combined 5-5 with a 3.06ERA in 97 innings between Triple-A Gwinnett, Double-A Mississipi, and the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats. He walked 28 while striking out 100 batters on the season. Opposing hitters batted .225 off of Vizcaino. In 11 big league appearances through September 5th, Vizcaino was 1-1 with a 6.00ERA walking 8 and strking out 14 in 12 innings of work.

#4 Mike Minor GRADE B
Minor went 4-5 with a 3.13ERA for Triple-A Gwinnett. He walked 27 and struck out 99 in 100.2 innings. Opposing hitters batted .246 against him. In 11 big league starts with Atlanta through September 5th, Minor was 4-2 with a 4.09ERA over 61.2 innings. He has walked 21 and struck out 59. Opposing hitters in the major leagues are batting .287 against him.

#5 Carlos Perez GRADE C-
Perez went 4-10 with a 4.82ERA for the Low-A Rome Braves. In 125 innings he walked 66 and struck out 109. Opposing hitters batted .278 off Perez this season. His ERA was nearly a run and a half lower in the second half of the season.

#6 Randall Delgado GRADE B
Delgado went a combined 7-7 with a 3.88ERA between Triple-A Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi. In 135 innings of work he walked 57 and struck out 135 batters. Opposing hitters batted .255 against Delgado. In three big league starts through September 5th, Delgado was 0-1 with a 4.20ERA, walking 6 and striking out 10 in 15 innings with Atlanta.

#7 Craig Kimbrel GRADE A+
Kimbrel has been arguably the best closer in the National League in 2011. He recently set the all time single season saves record for a rookie. Through September 5th, Kimbrel is 4-2 with 42 saves and a 1.57ERA. He’s got 113 strikeouts while walking 26 batters in 68.2 innings of work. He is limiting opposing hitters to a .167 batting average. He is a top contender for NL Rookie of the Year.

#8 Matt Lipka GRADE C
Lipka batted .247 with 21 Doubles, 3 Triples, 1 Home Run, and 37 RBI’s for Low-A Rome. He also tallied 28 stolen bases on the season. He struck out just 83 times in 530 at bats.

#9 Brandon Beachy GRADE A
Through September 5th, Beachy is 7-2 with a 3.37ERA in 21 starts for Atlanta. In 120 innings, he has walked 35 while striking out 135. Big league hitters are batting just .233 off of Beachy.

#10 Christian Bethancourt GRADE B-
Bethancourt batted a combined .289 with 16 Doubles, 3 Triples, 5 Home Runs and 53 RBI’s between Low-A Rome and High-A Lynchburg. He also stole nine bases on the year. The .289 batting average is a career high for Bethancourt.

#11 Brett Oberholtzer TRADED TO HOUSTON
Oberholtzer was 9-9 with a 3.74ERA in 127 innings for Double-A Mississippi before the trade. Since joining the Astros he has gone 2-3 with a 5.27 ERA for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. Opponents batted a combined .253 against Oberholtzer on the season.

#12 Andrelton Simmons GRADE B
Simmons batted .311 with 35 Doubles, 6 Triples, 1 Home Run, 52 RBI’s and stole 26 bases for High-A Lynchburg. He struckout just 43 times in 517 at bats. He hit .345 with runners in scoring position on the year.

#13 Paul Clemens TRADED TO HOUSTON
Clemens was 6-5 with a 3.73ERA in 108.2 innings for Double-A Mississippi before being traded in July. After joining the Astros organization Clemens went 2-1 with a 2.35ERA for Corpus Christi before a season ending start for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Redhawks in which he allowed eight earned runs in 4.2 innings. Combined Clemens struck out 125 batters in 144 innings and held opposing hitters to a .239 batting average.

#14 David Filak GRADE D
Filak went a combined 3-11 with a 6.14ERA between Rookie League Danville and Low-A Rome. He walked 52 and struck out 79 in 104 combined innings. Batters hit .304 against Filak.

#15 Edward Salcedo GRADE C+
Salcedo batted .248 with 27 Doubles, 6 Triples, 12 Home Runs, 68 RBI’s and stole 23 bases for Low-A Rome. He struck out 105 times in 508 at bats. Salcedo faltered as the season went on hitting just .229 in the second half of the year.

Craig Kimbrel Quietly Becoming The Best Rookie Closer In Major League History

Atlanta Braves rookie closer Craig Kimbrel quietly tied the major league rookie record for saves on Tuesday night recording his 40th save in a win over the Chicago Cubs. His overall numbers on the year are eye popping as well. He is 3-2 with 40 saves and a 1.70ERA in 63.2 innings in which he has walked 25 and struck out 103 batters. The story looks at Kimbrel’s record setting accomplishments, Braves teammates talk about Kimbrel’s dominance this season and Kimbrel himself talks about not paying attention to his individual accomplishments during the season.

Kimbrel’s run has been something to behold — AJC.com