Why the Braves Should Trade Javy Vazquez

So he struck out 12 in 8 innings today with no walks. So what? Anyone could do that, right? Look, I know Vazquez has been great this year, leading the NL in strikeouts with 105, sporting a 3.31 ERA, a WHIP of 1.03, and a .225 BAA. Did I say great? I meant dominant. So why on Earth should the Braves try to deal him? His contract's not horrible ($11.5 mil this year and next), he is only 32 years old, and he's durable, averaging 215 IP a year since 2000. Everything you want in a starter.

Growing up a fan of the Braves in the 90's, I believe that starting pitching wins championships (even if they are only divisonal). Most of the rotation has looked great this year, with Lowe, Jurrjens, and Vazquez pitching phenomenal. After them, the Braves roll out Kawakami, who has begun to turn things around little, and Hanson, who showed plenty of promise in his first big league start. Braves starters rank 9th in the NL with an ERA of 4.45. While that may not be great, that stat is skewed somewhat by the 19 ER Jo-Jo Reyes gave up in 26 IP as a starter and Medlen's first two outings. With the recent callup of Tommy Hanson forcing Medlen into the long relief role, I think his talent is being wasted. Long relief is where pitchers go to die, not where you put a rookie who struck out 9 in 6 innings in his third start. He came on a few nights ago in extras and proved that it was no fluke.

Besides Medlen, the Braves also expect to get Tim Hudson back in August. He and the Braves have a mutual option for 2010 worth $12 mil, about the same as Vazquez's. Assuming he can return to his old form (more and more common with major arm surgery these days), the Braves will have enough quality pitchers for a mean 7 man rotation. Yet, despite all this pitching, the Braves are a game below .500 and 6 back in the East. How? Well, as we saw yesterday and today, the offense is often anemic, averaging 4.3 runs per game. The McLouth trade is bound to help, but no one after the fourth spot strikes fear into any pitcher's heart. The Braves need a bat, and dealing Vazquez could get them one.

Given this plethora of pitching, the Braves are in possession of an extremely valuable commodity in Vazquez. All those stats I listed in the beginning are precisely why Vazquez would make for good trade bait. If the team can get a bat for Vazquez, Medlen can move back into the rotation where he belongs, at least until Hudson is ready to go. If we don't deal a pitcher, someone is going to lose his place come August. Who will it be? Well, Lowe and Jurrjens have been lights out. Kawakami then? Not with that contract. Hanson? Not sending him down or to the bullpen. The Braves should shop him now and hope they can get another player like McLouth, a young guy, with a grea contract, who plays the game the right way. (Braw Hawpe? Please, Rockies. Pretty please?)

If you made it this far... your reward is Danny DeVito. Drunk. At 8 AM.