The Baseball Life of Tom Haley (OOTP11)

[Tyke]

Oh well ... wait till next year! Let's hope the Braves can get it done before Tom's powers decline too much.

[Big Six]

Here are the Atlanta Braves' stats for 2022:

PLAYER                  AB    AVG  HR RBI  SB
C   Edward Shaw         478  .308  26  96  21
1B  Andre Bryant        555  .310  25 111   0
2B  Myron Webster       558  .249  28  85  17
3B  Angel Vazquez       549  .250  11  70  15
SS  Everth Cabrera      292  .298   8  45  22
OF  Jason Heyward       385  .314  24  75   6
OF  Joe Hooper          563  .325   9  70  92
OF  Ralph Hughes        330  .239   2  27  18

OF  Jaime Cuevas        301  .299   7  45   6
IF  Mat Gamel           269  .242   8  43   0
IF  Marcus Reid         209  .206   6  37   3
OF  Jeff Collins        206  .262  11  27   3
C   Emilio Castro       134  .231   3  19   2


PITCHERS                W-L   SV  ERA
SP  Brian Nolan         16-8   0  3.57
SP  Kris Medlen         10-9   0  5.00
SP  Arodys Vizcaino     12-7   0  3.75
SP  Wilking Rodriguez   5-9    0  5.47
SP  Ryan Berry          8-4    0  3.80
SP  Michael Pineda      5-6    0  6.97

RP  Kyle Morris         7-4    0  4.17
RP  Alessio Cirilli     7-4    2  3.73
RP  Tom Haley           4-4   47  4.10
RP  Arthur Cumberbat    4-3    4  4.75
RP  Tyler Clippard      3-2    0  3.67

The Braves dfafted Webster out of Lamar in the supplementary round of the 2017 draft. He'll probably never hit for average, but that power looks legit. He took advantage of the playing time created by injuries to Gamel and Cabrera, and now he's locked up a starting job.

None of the key players on the 2022 Braves are eligible for free agency this year. If Gamel (age 37 in '23), Cabrera (36), and Vazquez (34) don't collapse, and if Medlen (37) and Clippard (38) can hang on, the '23 Braves could look a whole lot like the '22 aggregation. They did play four games better than their Pythagorean projection, however, so I'd say Braves fans should temper their optimism just a bit.

[Big Six]

To: Ty Williams (knuckler_ty49@speedmail.com)
From: Tom Haley (thaley120791@jetmail.ca)

November 30, 2022

Hey Ty,

Thanks for your email the other day. Things have been pretty busy around here lately. I've been enjoying lots of time with Patrick, who is really a lot of fun to play with now that he is a little older.

He loves playing "ball ball," as he calls all sports, and he's always asking me to play. He can throw and catch a Wiffle ball, a small plastic football, and a little plastic basketball, and he can hit a plastic puck with a little hockey stick. He sometimes hits the football with the hockey stick, and he throws with both hands, but it's all good. He's still only 2 1/2, so we have time to work on the fine points.

Trish is even busier than she usually is, because she's getting her lesson plans ready for at least the first three months after Christmas. Her due date is December 26, so the baby SHOULD be born during her vacation...but you can't time these things. She's prepared in case the next member of the Haley family decides to make its appearance sooner.

I know it's getting old, going into the winter without knowing where you'll pitch next year. You'll get a contract offer, though. You had a better year than you did in 2022--you cut a whole run off your ERA, you didn't give up as many homers, your strikeout rate went up--LOTS of good signs. You're defintely a big league pitcher, buddy. There are 30 teams, and one of them is going to realize that.

It looks like I will forever claim the hitting honors between us, since the National League is putting in the DH for next year. You had your chance this year, but you didn't take advantage of it.

Let me know the minute you hear something good. I'll do the same when the baby arrives--if you're not here for the big day yourself. We're hosting Christmas, for obvious reasons, and if the lil' one arrives on schedule, he/she will have a fantastic welcoming committee.

Later,
Tom


Here's Ty's stat line for 2022:

TEAM        LEVEL  G  GS  W  L  SV   ERA    IP   H   ER  HR  BB   SO  WHIP
St. Louis   MLB   40  21  8 11   0  4.47 177.0 174   88  21  84  165  1.46

Ty's ERA was almost exactly league-average, and his FIP was 4.44. In other words, what you saw was what you got.

His strikeout rate looks good, and like a lot of knuckleballers, his walk total remains high. He threw eight wild pitches in 2022, after uncorking 10 in 224 innings the year before.

The Cardinals finished 72-90, last in the NL Central by two games.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Tyke

Oh well ... wait till next year! Let's hope the Braves can get it done before Tom's powers decline too much.

I've just advanced past January 1, 2023, and Tom's ratings actually got a little bit BETTER!

His Stuff rating remains at 22/22. His Control, once his Achilles heel, is stead at 16/16. His Movement, however, IMPROVED a point; now it's 17/17.

According to the Baseball News Network, Tom is the best closer in the game. The Braves, incidentally, also have the #3 closer prospect in baseball: 24-year-old Denny Patterson, who spent most of 2022 in AAA.

Tom, therefore, looks like he's still got a lot of gas in his tank.

[Big Six]

BravesNation blog, December 26, 2022

Braves closer Tom Haley and his family received a particularly wonderful Christmas present this year. At 5:04 pm on Christmas Day, Tom's wife Trish gave birth to the couple's second child.

Tom and Trish named their baby son David O'Farrell Haley. He's a healthy seven pounds, eight ounces, and he and Trish are doing just fine. David's big brother, Patrick, is very happy to have a lil' bro.

[Big Six]

BravesNation blog, February 1, 2023


Jaime, we hardly knew ye.

Yesterday, the Braves completed a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, swapping OF Jaime Cuevas for OF Phil O'Toole. Except for the fact that O'Toole, at 29, is three years younger than Cuevas, it looks like a fairly even deal.

Cuevas hits for a higher average and gets on base more often, while O'Toole has more power. Cuevas covers more ground in the outfield, but O'Toole has a rifle arm. Both players are considered to be outstanding teammates, well-liked and respected by the other guys in the clubhouse.

Jaime, you'll recall, came to the Braves last June and ended up playing almost every day while one outfielder or another was on the DL. He was one of the unsung heroes of the '22 division title effort.

Phil smacked 15 homers and hit .283 in his only stint as a semi-regular, with the 2021 Angels. If he can produce at that pace again, we'll be more than happy to see him in a Braves uni. With the DH rule now in place in the National League, he could find himself in the lineup on a regular basis.

[Big Six]

Chop Shop blog, March 11, 2023

I didn't expect the Braves to do much on the free agent market this year. I don't think anyone did. Over the past two weeks, they reached deals with two intriguing players. Neither is a true star, but both could be contributing members of a championship team.

When Doug Tars reached the major leagues, he opened eyes with his power. Very few middle infielders pack that kind of thunder. However, Tars' homers came at a huge cost. He made contact so infrequently that his OPS+ was in the high 90s--in other words, he was a major league-average hitter.

However, Tars can flat-out pick it at second base, making him an extremely valuable player. The Braves signed him to a two-year, $9.7 million contract, which doesn't seem like too much to pay for a player like Tars. He's 30, and should hold his value over the life of his contract.

Yesterday, the Braves added a much-needed lefty to their starting rotation. Tomas Tavira has toiled diligently for some lousy Blue Jays teams over the past eight seasons. His roly-poly, 5'7", 202-pound body and the fact that he doesn't throw 95 MPH heat might cause some to underestimate Tavira's ability. He's a ground-ball machine who should step in and give the Braves a very solid #4 starter.

Tavira is also 30 years old, and the Braves have him under contract for the next three years at just under $3 million per. That's a bargain for 180 innings of decent starting pitching.

[Big Six]

From: Ty Williams (knuckler_ty49@speedmail.com)
To: Tom Haley (thaley120791@jetmail.ca)

March 13, 2023

Hey buddy,

Real quick: Just signed with San Diego. $2.1 million, 1 year. Will be in rotation full time. Off to AZ now.

Later,
Ty


Ty's new team finished the 2022 season in second place in the NL West, with an 86-76 record. The Padres are clearly the best team he's played for since the Braves traded him.

[Big Six]

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 22, 2023

Tars homers 3 times in 17-3 Braves rout

...[Doug] Tars hit his first homer in the second inning, a towering two-run clout to left that gave the Braves an 8-0 lead. He added solo shots in the sixth and eighth frames. Tars also drew two bases-loaded walks, giving him seven RBI on the night.

Rookie Blake Farley stroked five hits in six times up, raising his batting average to .480...

[muted79]

26th December... weren't the Braves away from home 9 months prior? hmmm... just kidding Congrats on the 2nd birth... now bring home some rings!

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by muted79

26th December... weren't the Braves away from home 9 months prior? hmmm... just kidding Congrats on the 2nd birth... now bring home some rings!

You're right! Come to think of it, though...I seem to remember Trish, Patrick, and her parents taking a trip down to Florida over Trish's spring break.

[muted79]

Ah well, can't blame them for wanting to take that trip .

[Big Six]

BravesNation blog, May 14, 2023

Yesterday, the Braves announced that Tom Haley signed another one-year contract extension. He'll earn $11,021,000 for the 2024 season.

I'm not sure why the Braves have never signed Haley to a multi-year deal. Has Tom been offered deals that he hasn't accepted, preferring to sign up each year for a single season? Have the Braves feared that his dominating stuff will suddenly disappear, leaving them with an obligation to pay an elite closer's salary to a pitcher who's no longer an elite closer?

Or, is the Braves' front office making a mistake that will one day cause Tom to say "You know, I'm tired of being treated like an unproven player. I'm a gazillion-time All-Star, and I'd like to have some security. If you won't give me that security, I'll find a team who will."

In my more optimistic moods, I tell myself that Tom Haley has never worn any other major league uniform, and that he intends to keep it that way. In my darker, more fearful moments, I feel like urging people to take advantage of every opportunity they get to watch Tom blow 101 MPH heat past hapless opponents en route to another save.

You might only have another year-plus to enjoy that sight, Braves fans.



The Braves are currently in second place, three games behind the red-hot Florida Marlins. Tom has a 1-1 record, three saves, and a neat 1.80 ERA. He's struck out 13 batters in 10 innings, walking only two.

[Big Six]

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 19, 2023

Braves complete sweep of Padres with 8-1 win

Last night, the Atlanta Braves managed to do something no other National League club has done so far this season: figure out how to score runs against Ty Williams.

Williams, whom the Braves traded to Toronto four years ago, bounced from the Jays to the Cardinals and now to the Padres. Like many pitchers who make the knuckleball their signature pitch, Williams has had to learn how to harness his unpredictable delivery, a process that can take a while. At age 29, Williams appears to have solved that problem.

Williams was 3-0 with an ERA below 3.00 until last night, and it looked for a while like Ty was on his way to another gem. That was before the Braves opened up the game with six runs in the sixth inning on the way to an 8-1 victory.

The Braves opened their half of sixth with a quick run, courtesy of back-to-back doubles by Jason Heyward and Emilio Castro. Andre Bryant walked and Myron Webster scratched out an infield hit, loading the bases. Williams then hit Doug Tars with a flutterball that forced in another run. Angel Vazquez came up and lined a Williams knuckler over the left field wall for a grand slam homer that routed the pitcher from the game.

"Like all pitchers, sometimes I'm going to have games when I can't command my pitches like I want to," said Williams. "If a pitcher keeps getting behind major league hitters, he's going to pay. That's what happened to me tonight."

Williams allowed seven hits, struck out four batters and walked four...

[TheKenoshaKid]

Originally Posted by Big Six

From: Ty Williams (knuckler_ty49@speedmail.com)
To: Tom Haley (thaley120791@jetmail.ca)

March 13, 2023

Hey buddy,

Real quick: Just signed with San Diego. $2.1 million, 1 year. Will be in rotation full time. Off to AZ now.

Later,
Ty


Ty's new team finished the 2022 season in second place in the NL West, with an 86-76 record. The Padres are clearly the best team he's played for since the Braves traded him.

When I first read that, I mixed up the "to" and "from"

I was like wait wait WHAT now?!

[Big Six]

Tom Haley's Closing Time blog, June 19, 2023


There's an old saying: a team can never have enough pitching.

As we try to figure out a formula that will enable us to catch the Marlins, we confirmed the wisdom of that saying last week by trading for RHP Ezra Wells. We sent Andre Bryant and cash to the Pirates for Wells, who brings a 3-3 record and a 5.00 ERA with him.

Ezra has had some good years with the Bucs. He went 14-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 2019. He suffered some rotten luck last year, as the Pirates scored just over two runs a game for him and he finished 9-15 with a 4.26 ERA. We don't need Ezra to step in and be our ace; if he can pick up the slack while Kris Medlen's elbow strain heals, we'll be happy.

We've called up a young first baseman named John Lang from Gwinnett (AAA). Lang is huge--6'6", 255 pounds--and, not surprisingly, he's said to have the potential to hit for some serious power.

I hope John's ready to drive in some runs, because we'll have to make do without Jason Heyward for about three weeks. He sprained his ankle making a catch against the Tigers last night.

Sometimes an injury opens up an opportunity for another player to demonstrate his talent. That's what has happened to Emilio Castro, our young catcher. When Edward Shaw hurt his back, Castro became the regular catcher, and now he's hitting .346-7-30. In other words, he's mashing like Edward usually does.

We'll see if Lang, or one of our young outfielders, makes the best of his opportunity to shine.

I'm thrilled with the way I've been pitching lately. I earned my 11th save the other night against the Pirates, but I'm even more proud of the fact that I've allowed only two home runs this year, and my ERA is down to 1.50...

[Big Six]

USA Today Sports Weekly, July 16, 2023

...The Atlanta Braves will be represented by four players. Perennial All-Star OF Jason Heyward (.310/.424/.541, 10 HR, 50 RBI) was voted in by the fans. Sophomore sensation C Emilio Castro (.329/.451/.578, 13 HR, 49 RBI) will be a reserve. Starter Brian Nolan (7-3, 3.33) and closer Tom Haley (2-2, 20 SV, 1.60 ERA) will join the National League staff...

The winningest pitcher in the National League who didn't make the All-Star team is San Diego's Ty Williams, who enters the break with a 9-7 record. Williams' 4.56 ERA is almost a full run higher than any NL All-Star hurler, however...


The American League defeated the National League in the 2023 All-Star Game, played at Dolphin Stadium on July 18.

Tom worked a scoreless ninth inning for the National League, allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out two.

Heyward started the game in RF and went 0-3.

Castro entered the game in the fifth inning, singling and walking in two plate appearances.

Nolan had a rough evening, allowing a hit, three walks, and two runs--both earned--in 2/3 inning.

The Braves remain in second place, nine back of the Marlins. However, they lead the wild card race by two games over the Pirates.

[Big Six]

Baseball News, July 20, 2023


Success in close games is one thing that separates good teams from great teams. A great bullpen specialist is a big part of that success. Today, Tom Haley of Atlanta solidified his position as one of the great relievers in the game by recording the 300th save of his career.

Haley reached the milestone in the Braves’ 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants at Turner Field. The 31-year-old righthander worked an inning, giving up no runs and a hit.

Haley is in his tenth season with Atlanta, and has appeared in 620 games for the Braves. Only three pitchers—Phil Niekro, Warren Spahn, and John Smoltz—have pitched in more games for the franchise. All three are members of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Only two active pitchers have recorded more career saves than Haley: Jose Escamilla of the Rangers and Chad Smith of the Yankees.

[Big Six]

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 12, 2023

White: "I made the right decision"
Multi-sport athlete doesn't regret choosing Stanford, baseball


Like many fortunate high school seniors, Jonah White had more than one attractive option to choose from when it came time to decide what he'd be doing next year.

White's choices were, however, more intriguing than most.

At The Lovett School, White starred as a quarterback in football, a point guard in basketball, and a pitcher in baseball. He led Lovett's football team to a 11-2 record and a region championship as a senior, throwing for just under 2000 yards and 19 touchdowns. On the basketball court, he averaged 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, and he went 11-2 with a 1.50 ERA on the mound during baseball season. He was an All-Region pick in all three sports, and earned All-State recognition in baseball.

White was recruited by FCS schools, including Furman, Elon, Bucknell, and William & Mary, as a quarterback. Several Division II schools were interested in him as a basketball player. "I thought about playing both baseball and football in college," White says. "Four or five FCS football schools were very eager to let me play both sports, and because I've always enjoyed playing more than one sport, I very nearly went with that option."

Baseball, however, is White's best sport, and the one that provided him with the most attractive options. "I got offers from a lot of great programs," he says. "I chose Stanford because of their great baseball tradition, and because they're such a fantastic school academically."

Academics are important to White, who earned a 3.9 GPA in high school and broke 1400 on his math/verbal SAT. "I never really considered going pro in baseball right away. I've always known I wanted to go to college. My mom and dad are really supportive of my decision," White says.

"Professional baseball will be around when I'm through with school. I made the right decision."


I've added an NCAA feeder league with 64 schools, including most of the big-time baseball programs in the nation and a handful of schools I'm interested in for one reason or another. We'll therefore be able to follow Jonah White's career as a member of the Cardinal, and if he does end up playing pro ball, we'll keep up with him then, too.

[Big Six]

From: The Haley Family (fivehaleys@jetmail.ca)
To: Tom Haley (thaley120791@jetmail.ca)

September 18, 2023

Dear Tom,

Thanks for the email you sent us yesterday, Son. I know you're disappointed to see the Marlins clinch the division championship. You're actually no farther behind them than you were yesterday, but seeing that magic number drop to zero does make things more "official" somehow.

Now you have to focus on keeping ahead of the Pirates and Phillies so you can earn the wild card bid. Think of it this way. If you make the playoffs, everything starts fresh. You have three series to win, and any of the eight teams left playing can make it happen.

You're nearly at full strength now, roster-wise. Cumberbat is the only guy who's injured, right? He hasn't pitched as much, or as well, this season as he had in the past, and with Denny Patterson throwing like he has been, you guys are still getting really good work from your setup men, even without Arthur.

It's a shame Shaw is grumbling so much. You did mention to me once that he's got a bit of an attitude, and that some of the guys think he's lazy. Does Shaw really expect Bill Nesling to bench Emilio Castro, when Castro is hitting well over .300 and getting on base 45 percent of the time?

Keep focused, Son, and show your teammates how a professional handles the pressure of a playoff fight. All of us back in Lindsay are behind you.

Love,
Dad and Mom