Look on the Bright Side

As it gets harder and harder for me to watch the Braves, between the physical and mental errors, I thought maybe we could take a look at the one bright spot for this team: the starting pitching. We'll look at the year each pitcher is having as well as his contract status, then finish up with what all this means moving forward.

Derek Lowe

The Braves's so-called ace, he of the 36 years of age and 4 year, $60 million contract, has pitched pretty well overall this year. Through his first 13 starts, he was 7-3 with a solid 3.44 ERA. After getting roughed up in two of his June starts, his ERA jumped to 4.53 and his record fell to 7-6. For the year, most of his relevant statistics are up, though that seems to be a product of those two awful outings. Lowe is one of the hardest workers on the team and as consistent as they come, so I'm not worried about him this year. That big contract, though, signed probably out of panic after this past winter's Smoltz fiasco, is going to come back on the Braves eventually.

Jair Jurrjens

To say the Jurrjens has continued to progress after last year's solid performance would be an understatement. Though the walks are a little high (3.2/9), he has pitched out of his mind this year, sporting a 2.93 ERA and .227 BAA. Given any sort of run support, he would be heading for his first all-star game appearance in a couple of weeks. He is arbirtration eligible until 2013, meaning that he should be pitching for the good guys for years to come.

Javier Vazquez

The Braves got more than they bargained for when the acquired Vazquez this past winter. He leads the league in strikeouts per nine (10.5) and has an ERA almost as outstanding as Jurrjens's (3.05). His walk ratio of 1.9/9 is the best on the staff by a long shot. He also leads the staff in innings pitched at 106.2 and WHIP at 1.059. Simply put, Vazquez has dominated this year and would also be headed to the all-star game with a little run support. At $11.5 million this year and next, his contract is pretty good considering the production.

Kenshin Kawakami

Kawakami certainly gave Braves fans cause for concern early this year after signing a 3 year, $23 million contract. However, he has seemingly settled down, with very respectable, if not downright good, stats since May 5th. In 10 starts, he has posted a 3.18 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 1.245 WHIP, and a .239 BAA. His next start will be skipped to allow him a little more time to recover from the liner of his neck in his last start. Though it was a scary situation, this may actually help him by keeping his workload down a little. I honestly don't know if this recent performance is a sign of things to come or a lucky streak.

Tommy Hanson

After adrenaline got the best of him in his first start, Hanson settled down and has given Braves fan a glimpse of the talent that has had scouts everywhere raving. He has won every game since that first start while posting a .222 BAA and a 2.48 ERA. In his last two starts, he threw 11.1 scoreless innings against the juggernauts of the AL East, the Sox and the Yankees. He even walked only two hitters in his last start, down from the worrisome 5.3/9 he sports thus far. Besides the fastball clocked up to 95 mph and the nasty off speed stuff, I have been impressed with his poise and the confidence that he has showed against some formidable lineups. His performance has already given him a great shot at the Rookie of the Year. Every Braves fan with a pulse has to be excited to watch this kid for plenty years.

Kris Medlen

I am, admittedly, bitter about Medlen's move to the bullpen. After two rough appearances that saw Medlen give up 9 runs over 8.1 innings, he pitched beautifully in his last game: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 9 K. His control was the major issue in those first two starts, but he found it in the last one, throwing 62.6% strikes. His minor league 2.0 BB/9 ratio indicates that the first two starts were probably the product of nerves more than anything. I understand that with the promotion of Hanson, there isn't any room in the rotation for Medlen, but moving him to the bullpen, where he made only 4 appearances in all of June, is not the solution for a young pitcher who has showed a lot of promise. He has to be sent down where he can continue to develop as a starter.

Jo-Jo Reyes

I've got to believe Braves fans have (thankfully) seen the last of Jo-Jo in Atlanta. In 5 starts this season, 19 runs for an ERA of 6.58. Some career numbers over three years with the Braves: 5-15, 6.09 ERA, 1.631 WHIP, 4.5 BB/9.

Tim Hudson

He hasn't pitched yet this year, but I included him because he is relevant to the discussion of the Braves's future. He'll be 33 next year, and he has a mutual option that stands to pay him $12 million next season. He should be back in August in time to make a few appearances.

So how will all of this play out this winter (or perhaps sooner)? Well, there are obviously a few guys that are here to stay. Jurrjens and Hanson should be front liners on this staff for a while. Lowe's contract and age make him all but untradeable. I think I'm OK with this. While I don't love the contract, he does give the Braves an ace with playoff experience and a great clubhouse guy. Plus, he will hopefully take the young guys under his wing. Kawakami is harder to gauge. If his recent performance is the pitcher the Braves signed, he may prove a steal at about $8 mil a year. However, if he is somewhere between how he started and how he has fared lately (which I think is about right), he will be difficult to move with that salary. Even if someone wanted him, I'm not sure it's worth giving up the international interest. Working under the assumption that the Braves will have Kawakami through the terms of his contract, that leaves four of the five starters' roles filled. With Hudson's return in August, the Braves have a big decision to make. Medlen is currently wasting away in the bullpen, while Vazquez has, as I said above, been outstanding this year. That's three pitchers for one spot. I have already made my opinion on this known, any one else have any thoughts?

What Happens When You Listen to Me? This.

As promised, a retro-live blog from last nights Braves-Red Sox game. Shockingly, the Braves scored an entire run. Note that the time stamps are CST:

6:35: First pitch, first beer cracked. I’m nervous about not having McCann, especially playing the Red Sox. At least Cody Ross is a major league player, unlike Corky Miller.

6:39: No Ellsbury is a good sign. Nice pitch from Jurrjens. I’m also still violently hungover. This first beer is a struggle.

6:40: Nice, quick inning from Jurrjens. He keeping the ball down very well, hopefully he remembers that the Braves can’t score more than 2 runs for him.

6:43: McLouth jumps on the first pitch, but it’s a long lineout. Beckett is going to be tough. I usually like for our hitters to see a few more pitches, but you can’t really criticize McLouth.

6:44: I like Prado way more than Kelly. However, much like Kelly, Prado hits an easy grounder to second.

6:46: I really hope the offense shows up tonight. Otherwise I’ll have start making up new rules, like “Grass is green, drink” or drink for every strike. Also, Chipper somehow fouled off a ball, but ultimately grounds out.

6:47: I wish Chipper and Beckett had invited me to join the Sweet Facial Hair Club. The ladies love the ginger nutduster.

6:49: Announcers are talking about the attendance. It’s good that we’re selling out, but I wish the stadium would sell out for the Braves, not their opponent.

6:50: I hate David Ortiz. I’m thrilled he popped up.

6:53: A ball hit to Chipper, THAT HE ACTUALLY CAUGHT! Really though, another good inning by JJ, minus the walk. I wish he got a few more strikeouts, but that’s only so I can drink more.

6:57: Frenchy Mini-Game time!! The guesses, from the 3 of us playing: 6-4-3 double play, fly out left, strike swinging. We almost had a winner, but Frenchy elected to just watch.

7:01: Ross rolls one to third. At least we have one hit.

7:03: How is Nick Green starting for the Red Sox? Being Nick Green, he grounds out.

7:06: We may have added a fourth member. But he is struggling to stand up. Take note of the time. Another strikeout for JJ, he’s pitching well.

7:10: Diory Hernandez double!!! 8 Seconds!!! Good start to the third. Until JJ pops up a bunt attempt. At least McLouth and Prado are coming up. We need to get something going.

7:12: HBP from McLouth, then a nice, borderline illegal slide on Nick Green. He may get hit again later, but it did break up the double play. I like the trade for him more and more every time I see him.

7:16: The Braves have almost scored more runs with 2 outs than with none or one combined. I’d like to call that clutch hitting, but my guess is dumb luck.

7:17: Great pitch by Beckett to strike out Chipper. Typical Braves to get a lead-off double and get nothing out of it.

7:18: Trivia Question! “When was the last time the Braves led the league in being shut out? (Which they currently do)” The guesses: 1990, 1991, 1992. Not really sure why were focused on early 90’s, but my guess was 1990 since we were awful.

7:21: Nice strikeout. Hopefully JJ can stay out of trouble after that leadoff single.

7:24: Great double play. JJ is dealing tonight. On a related note, one of the other players (FlexSteel) just threw in a horseshoe dip. This should be entertaining.

7:25: Trivia Answer: 1988. Nobody wins, so everybody drinks. On a related note, I’m feeling better.

7:28: Great start to the bottom of the 4^th. Two straight singles, sadly Frenchy comes up. Mini-Game time. Our guesses? 6-4-3 double play, strikeout looking, and the rare single.

7:31: Frenchy struck out on an awful pitch? I wish I could bet on things like that. Help me out Vegas.

7:34: The announcers are talking about Beckett’s legs. They forgot to call “no-homo”.

7:36: And a weak tapper by Diory ends the inning. I am not remotely surprised we did not score despite having 2 runners on and no outs.

7:39: I am conflicted about this game. Beckett is on my fantasy team, and I usually try to not start my pitchers against the Braves but forgot to remove him today. I still want the Braves to get about 8 runs off of him, though.

7:40: I hate David Ortiz even more now. That was a bomb.

7:45: Good pitch to get the strikeout. Beckett looks totally disinterested at the plate, like he has no desire to be up to bat. Nice pitch by JJ to notch his 6^th strikeout of the night.

7:49: The announcers are still talking about the All-American Rejects. Please stop talking about them. Inform people they are playing at Turner Field and move on.

7:50: Beckett almost gets trucked by David Ortiz on a pop up by the Braves dugout. Shockingly, JJ is having a good at-bat and making Beckett throw some pitches.

7:52: JJ works Beckett for 9 pitches, so his strikeout is not totally worthless. That also means that at-bat by JJ was better than any at-bat Frenchy has had in the past month.

7:55: Hopefully McLouth tries to take 2^nd here. Veritek isn’t near where he used to be, and it would be a good RBI chance for Chipper. After 3 pitches, he hasn’t moved, and on the 4^th pitch of the at-bat, Chipper grounds out to end the inning. I hate the Braves offense.

7:58: One commercial just took up the entire commercial break. What company dropped that sort of bank? Nashville Auto-Diesel College. Good to know I still have options. Hernandez misses on a tough chopper and Pedroia takes 2^nd on some heads-up baserunning.

8:00: A chant of “Let’s Go Red Sox” can be heard on TV in Turner Field. That is embarrassing for all Braves fans.

8:01: A balk by JJ moves Pedroia to 3^rd with no outs. And J.D. Drew grounds out to 2^nd to bring in Pedroia. Interesting move by having the whole infield in except Prado. Maybe he supposed to be there since Drew pulls it so much, maybe he missed a signal. Either way, the good guys are down 2-0 now.

8:05: JJ gets Jason Bay to fly out just shy of the warning track to end the top of the 6^th. The Braves really need to the offense going to get a win. And so I can continue consuming “the smooth pilsner with all-natural ingredients”.

8:07: National Lampoon’s European Vacation has me more excited than the Braves offense.

8:09: Horrendous swing to strike out by Anderson. If Beckett keeps pitching how he has been, the Braves may get shut out for the ninth time this year.

8:10: Kotchman gets another hit, bringing him to 3/3. Apparently Frenchy’s intro music is Kenny Chesney. Among all of the problems I have with Frenchy’s offensive game, this one is near the top.

8:11: A 6-4-3 double play! We have a winner in the Frenchy Mini-Game! Sadly, winning the Mini-Game means the Braves ultimately lose.

8:14: David Ortiz pops out. Good.

8:18: After David Ross catches Kotsay trying to steal, I realize there is no rule for a caught stealing. I’ll throw in 5 seconds for a caught stealing.

8:24: Great play by Green to get Hernandez. We have little to no offense and aren’t even getting any luck. And then Beckett strikes out JJ to end the inning. We’ve got a nice pitching duel here, which sucks for me because that means you drink less.

8:29: Only 84 pitches for JJ through 7 innings. Good night for JJ, but gives up a lead off walk to start the 8^th.

8:36: And now the Braves are down 3-0. It would be nice if the Braves could manufacture a run or two.

8:38: JJ in a little bit of trouble here with 2 on and only one out. Hopefully JJ can get Youkilis to ground into a double play.

8:41: Another balk by JJ. Bobby comes out, he may extend his lead for career ejections. Sadly he does not. I’m with Bobby, I didn’t see a balk there, but now there’s no double play.

8:43: And we get a special play. A wild pitch and then a pick off of Youkilis who thought about taking 2^nd after the walk, but got picked off 1^st. Ends with the Sox having 2 outs, but plate their fourth run.

8:47: Grounder to first ends the inning. Braves need a bunch of offense very quickly.

8:50: Good start to the 8^th for the Braves, as long as McLouth didn’t hurt himself. He gets pulled, though. If McLouth is out, the Braves are done. Blanco replaces McLouth after the error by Okajima.

8:55: After a walk by Prado we now have runners on 1^st and 2^nd for Chipper. But instead of the typical good at-bat by Chipper, we get one that resembles a Frenchy at-bat. Awful at-bat for Chipper, hopefully Anderson can get us something out of this.

8:59: Another reminder that we are under .500. And then a strikeout looking by Garret Anderson after he swung at a pitch at his eyes. I hate our offense. Kotchman is 3/3, hopefully he can make it 4/4 and break up this shut out.

9:02: Kotchman strikes out. I am not remotely surprised that, for the second time tonight, the Braves get 2 runners on with no outs and don’t get a single run.

9:04: That’s a good stat to see that Mike G. and Soriano are 2 and 3 in strikeouts by relievers. It would be even better if we could ever get a lead for them to protect.

9:07: Ellsbury is falling over while swinging, but is still fighting off pitches. And now Gonzalez throws the ball juuuuust a bit outside. Finally he strikes him out with a nasty slider.

9:10: Gonzalez is a key player in the Braves Drinking Game. Those strikeouts really help.

9:12: And Gonzalez strikes out the side. Fantastic inning for the Braves Drinking Game. Now all we need is a Mike Gonzalez grand slam to really get this party started. But really getting any runs off of Papelbon (a.k.a. Pap-Smear) will be tough.

9:15: Frenchy Mini-Game! The guesses are strikeout swinging, pop out right (definitely not happening) and a groundout to short. Shockingly, he takes the first pitch, but flies out to short. Nobody wins. Again.

9:16: Cody Ross is now up. Well crap.

9:17: CODY ROSS HOMERUN! A solid 9 second batch, but Kelly Johnson flies out in a pinch hitting appearance.

9:19: I just got a text saying the Braves should convert Ross to a corner outfielder or second. That is actually a great idea. Second isn’t realistic, but Ross cannot be a worse leftfielder than Garrett Anderson. There is no way. And he is a better hitter than Frenchy.

9:20: And now we’re threatening after a Brian McCann pinch hit double.

9:23: But Gregor Blanco strikes out to end the game. I guess it’s good we didn’t get shutout but it still sucks. Man, I really hate our offense.

How to Get Through a Jeff Francoeur At-Bat

While it may be true that they tend to be short, many just one pitch, in fact, watching a Jeff Francoeur or Kelly Johnson at-bat can be a truly painful experience. To help Braves fans everywhere come to grips with these unfortunate displays of baseball, my brother, The Ginger-Beard, has compiled, for all on them internets to see, The Braves Drinking Game. The rules, of course, follow:

Braves Drinking Game - designed to be played with your favorite light beer

Braves on Offense

• Single - Drink 1 second
• Double - 2 seconds
• Triple - 3 seconds
• Homerun - 4 seconds
• Inside-the-Park HR - 6 seconds
• Walk - 1 second
• Hit-By-Pitch - 3 seconds
• Opponent Error - 3 seconds + 1 second per base gained on error

Example: infield groundball thrown away, runner reaches 2^nd, 5 seconds

• Runners Advance on Play - 1 second per base advanced
• Stolen Base - 3 seconds for 2^nd base, 5 seconds for 3^rd base
• RBI - Additional 1 second per RBI. So 2 run HR is 6 seconds
• Jeff Francoeur Walk - 8 seconds
• Jeff Francoeur Mini-game - When Francoeur begins walking to the plate, each player shouts out what he thinks will occur. Players must be as specific as possible (“Ground out to Short” or “Fly Out to Left” or “Strike Out Swinging”). If nobody guesses correctly, all players drink 3 seconds. If somebody guesses correctly, losing players drink 5 seconds.

• Multipliers - Multiply all Hits by these players.

Starting Pitchers - x4

Relief Pitchers - x6

David Ross - x2

Diory Hernandez - x3

Jeff Francoeur - x2

Gregor Blanco - x3

Kelly Johnson - x2

Example: Tim Hudson hits a double, 2x4= 8 seconds

Braves on Defense

• Out - 1 second per out
• Double Play - 3 seconds + seconds per outs
• Runner Thrown Out From OF - Bonus 5 seconds
• Run-down - 1 extra second per throws made
• Strike Out Swinging - 3 seconds
• Strike Out Looking - 5 seconds
• Pitching change - 1 second per inning pitch
• Potential Web-Gem Nominee - 7 seconds

Any Time

• Braves Player Ejected - 3 seconds
• Opposing Player Ejected - 5 seconds
• Bobby Cox Ejected - 10 seconds
• Phillies loss - 5 seconds
• Mets loss - 5 seconds
• Marlins loss - 3 seconds
• Nationals loss - 2 seconds
• Hot Girl in the Stands - 3 seconds
• Tomahawk Chop - When the Chop begins, everybody must start chopping. The last player to begin chopping must finish their beer. If a player goes to the bathroom, they are still playing and must chop.
• Trivia Question - Every player gets 1 unique guess for trivia questions. If the answer contains 3 players, only 1 player must be different to be unique. If any player of the BDG answers trivia question correctly, all others must drink for 8 seconds.
• Obscure Statistic - 3 seconds

Example: Kelly Johnson is hitting .384 with runners on 2^nd and 3^rd and a 2-1 count.

To celebrate the publishing of The Braves Drinking Game, The Ginger-Beard will be chiming in with a live blog of tomorrow's matchup between Josh Beckett and Jair Jurrjens (which I will have to post Saturday). May this game guide Braves fans through Jeff Bennett appearances, balls booted by Chipper, and inexplicable plays by The Cuban Missile for years to come.

6/23/09 - Yankees 0, Braves 4: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

• The Cuban Missile's baserunning. Stole second then advanced on the throwing error and tagged from first on Chipper's deep fly ball. Heads up play, for once.
• Mac continuing to play out of his mind: 3/4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
• Garret Anderson's big double to plate two
• Tommy Hanson not backing down from the vaunted Yankees lineup
• His 3 strikeouts of Posada on those nasty sliders
• The bullpen: 3.2 IP, o H

The Bad

• The call on Hanson's pitch to Jeter in the 4th
• Chipper making another error on the throw from TCM, his 9th already
• Francoeur and KJ: 0/6. How did Kelly see only 8 pitches?

And The Ugly

• Watching Garret Anderson "run" after Jeter's double
• 5 walks issued by Hanson in 5.1 IP. Those are eventually going to catch up to him.

A Week Later, How We Feeling?

After my post last week attempting to convince myself that these Braves are still worth watching, how do I feel now? Well, believe it or not, I think I feel better. Watching Nate McLouth the past few games has been fun, with him stealing bases (!), getting some big hits, and playing pretty good defense. Vazquez finally figured out that if he wants to win a game, he can't give up any runs. The bullpen pitched well. I guess I'm still amped up from the game last night.

Now, the Yankees come to town, with whatever is left of Chien-Ming Wang facing Tommy Hanson tonight. The Yankees, losers of 4 of our their last 6 (to the Marlins and Nationals no less), come to Atlanta not playing their best ball. Despite their 38-31 record, the Yanks are only .500 away from the New Coors Field Yankees Stadium. After them, the Braves will try to make up for blowing the series against the Red Sox in that bizarre game (Bobby, Chipper and O'Flaherty ejected). I'm less optimistic about that matchup than the current Yankees series, what with the Sox throwing Becket, Wakefield, and Penny at the Braves. No Dice-K this time around (or Smoltz!).

Elsewhere in the NL East, the Phillies and Mets look to be in trouble. The Phils, who come to Atlanta for a three game series after the Sox, are in the midst of a six game losing streak, which won't get much easier when they visit Tampa Bay today for three games. Ryan Howard is sick. Raul Ibanez is on the DL. Their pitching remains atrocious. This team looks pretty vulnerable right now. The Mets are also in trouble. They have won only four of their last twelve games. Their best player this year just went on the DL with an injury that could keep him out more than 15 days. And, they too need pitching.

So, like I said last week, this team still has a chance. We play in a weak division without a dominant team and we're right in the hunt for the wild card. Now, this is all the Braves need...

6/17/09 - Braves 3, Reds 4: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

• The Cuban Missile's homer and diving stop in the 4th.
• Francoeur's hustle on his single/triple to center.

The Bad

• Leaving a man on third with no outs.
• Mac: 0/4, 4 LOB
• Kelly Johnson 0/4 again, couldn't bring Francoeur home from third.

And The Ugly

• Leaving men on first and second with no outs.
• Micah Owings's 3-run HR. He kills us.
• 0/9 with RISP.

Why I'm Not Giving Up On These Braves (Yet)

It's been pretty difficult to find something to like about the Braves lately. In their 13 June games, the good guys have mustered a record of 5-8 versus such powerhouses as Baltimore (27-37) and Pittsburgh (30-34). They have averaged only 3.5 runs scored per game and hit a paltry .238 in that span. The Cuban Missile was benched for his boneheaded play. Even Chipper endured a nearly career worst slump. It seems that only Mac has been playing well, and the averages bear that out:

McLouth: .239 (since joining the Braves)

The Cuban Missile: .250

Chipper: .286

Mac: .364

The Player Formerly Known as Garret Anderson: .243

Minor Leaguer 1 (Francoeur): .250

Minor Leaguer 2 (KJ): .160

So what is there to like about this team? Well, they do rank 6th in the NL in ERA and the starters have, for the most part, held up their end of the bargain. Vazquez has continued to dominate and Derek Lowe is pitching well, apart from getting shelled in his last outing, with 10 quality starts in only 14 appearances. Jurrjens has been proving that his early season success was no fluke. At the backend, Gonzalez has looked shaky at times and Soriano was roughed up in his last outing, but I still feel pretty good about them both.

I know this team is flawed. I know we haven't scored runs all year. I know we don't run well. Or field well. Or do the little things. BUT, we aren't the only team with issues, even in our own division. Philadelphia is second to last in the NL in ERA, ahead of only Washington. With the injuries of Brett Myers and Brad Lidge, their pitching looks even more questionable. However, you can give up plenty or runs when you score nearly 5.5 per game. I don't know if they can keep up that pace, but I can't see the pitching getting much better unless they make a move.

The Mets also aren't perfect, either. They rank just behind the Braves in team ERA, but there are rumors that Johan Santana's knee isn't right. After him, their starters are nothing to marvel at, what with them sending Livan Hernandez to the mound every five days. Like us, they have problems in the outfield, though not on the same order. They continue to trot out the ageless Gary Sheffield to pretty decent success (.270/.387/.475), and Carlos Beltran has played out of his mind, but they have a pretty gaping hole in left field, where Daniel Murphy (.234/.318/.347) has been doing his best Jeff Francoeur impression since his torrid start.

While the Braves probably don't have what it takes to win the division, they may be able to overtake one of those teams and get into wild card contention, a race in which they're 3.5 GB. To win it today, they'd have to pass St. Louis, Chicago, Colorado, and San Francisco, in addition to the Marlins and Mets. On that list, only St. Louis and Chicago have much business being there: Colorado is bound to run out of 11 game winning streaks and the Giants's offense is bad, even compared to ours.

So, I'm not giving up on this team. I swear.

Links: Scouring Them Internets So You Don't Have To

• Brief review of the Braves's draft (via Talking Chop)

• On the heels of another attempt to rid ourselves of Francoeur, an exhaustive look at outfielders that could potentially be available.

• The Bearded Icon himself, making his first start in the majors any day now, says he wants to pitch next year, too. That'll really get in the way of his making the PGA tour.

• The lawyer that represnted 23 of the 24 Florida Gators who have been arrested under Urban Meyer has been the subject of a few cases himself. Here's a few lines from a 2000 lawsuit filed by his secretary, Pamela Thigpen:

• Johnson repeatedly told Thigpen: she just wanted to 'get down on his hog and honk it
• He also told her, at least once, to give his client a 'mercy fuck.'
• Johnson also dictated to Thigpen while urinating in the bathroom in his office and left a nude picture of himself for Thigpen to find in his office

Nice. (via Deadspin)

• Sticking with that theme, here's a little something from Kobe's Colorado deposition (again via Deadspin):

I asked her if I could cum in her face and she was like no um, I thought she was cool, you know, I stopped. I stopped pumping and uh, I just, I just stood there ... She wasn't that attractive.

• This website claims it's "no joke." I beg to differ.

• A little late, but here's a review (by a fellow Vandy Alum) of Mike Minor.

6/14/09 - Braves 2, Orioles 11: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

• Cody David Ross filled in for Mac and went 2/2 with 2 solo homers, providing the only offense of the day for the Braves.

The Bad

• After going 0/3 today, Chipper is now 0 for his last 21, just 2 hitless at bats shy of his career high. As usual, he is seeking the advice of his father, not Terry Pendleton. With the offense struggling the last couple of years and more than one hitter seeking outside advice (Francoeur in the offseason), seems like the hitting coach is not doing his job.
• Kris Medlen walked 5 in 4 relief innings, giving up 4 runs in the process.

And The Ugly

• Derek Lowe got rocked: 2.1 IP, 8 H, 7 ER.
• After botching a double play in the first inning and throwing home (about 4 seconds too late) during a rundown inthe second, Bobby Cox benched The Cuban Missile. These boneheaded plays came on the heels of a number of mental errors by the Missle. Hopefully this will get through to him.
• Kelly Johnson, with a hit today, raised his June batting average to .174.
• The offense. In general.

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.

6/9/09 - Pirates 3, Braves 4: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good

• McLouth scoring from second on an infield single in the 2nd.
• Chipper continuing to carry the offense. At this rate, he's bound to blow out his back any day not.
• Francoeur sitting.
• Bunt for a hit by KJ. Why doesn't he (and Schafer, for that matter) do more of this?
• Quality start by Lowe (7 IP, 3 R).
• The Cuban Missile coming through in the clutch again (hitting .411 with RISP, second in the NL) and his throwing play in the 8th after the ball went off Chipper's glove.
• Gonzo and Soriano shutting the door in the 8th and 9th and looking dominant doing it (2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K)

The Bad

• The player formerly known as Garret Anderson. What happened to his bat speed?

And The Ugly

• Couldn't find anything here... Any body got one?

Links: Scouring Them Internets So You Don't Have To

• Elton John says Joe Mauer is the best catcher in the league, something Sir Elton has a keen interest in

• Gotta like it when the team you just made a trade with has to issue a letter to its fans afterwards

• Zack Morris impersonating a real person impersonating Zack Morris (via HotClicks)

• Posnanski, despite writing otherwise, doesn't seem to be a big Francoeur fan...

• Isn't this the man who pitched a perfect game hungover?

• Never watched it before this one, but a pretty good Mayne Street

Your Bearded Draft Preview

Tomorrow night at 6 ET Stephen Strasburg will become a very rich man. That is, of course, unless Scott Boras deems the Nationals unworthy of this particular incarnation of the "once in a lifetime" prospect. As for the Braves, they have the 7th overall pick, their highest since 1991 when they selected Mike Kelly second overall. Kelly went on to hit .241 in 327 major league game, just one example of how difficult the MLB draft is to project.

After the 7th pick, the Braves don't draft again until 87th overall. The Capital Avenue Club says that Wren and Co. have made it known that they plan to select a pitcher with the first pick, only slightly narrowing the field. They lay out four players that might be available at 7: Tyler Matzek (the dream pick), Zack Wheeler (the logical pick), Shelby Miller (the flamethrower), and Alex White (the UNC kid). The CAC is hoping for Matzek, but projecting the Braves to take Wheeler, the local product.

The best high school position player in this year's draft is Donavan Tate, son of former UGA and NFL running back Lars Tate. A 6'3'' outfielder with good power and plus speed, he has committed to playing football at UNC and is represented by Scott Boras. The football scholarship and his choice is representation are a little worrisome, so the guys at Chop-n-Change doubt the Braves will gamble on him. Most of the mock drafts around have the Braves drafting one of these five. Finally, the guys at Talking Chop take a look back at the Braves's 2008 draft, when, as usual, we hoarded high school pitchers early.

- Had to throw this in (via Get The Picture)... Hilarious.

The Sky is Falling

Hanson's line from his first major league start was not too impressive: 6 IP, 6 ER, 5 K, 3 HR. So maybe the Brewers aren't the Toledo Mud Hens. Don't depsair, though; there is a lot to like about Hanson's much antipated debut. First of all, the Brewers are one of the best power hitting clubs in the National League, ranking third in homers with 54 this year (compared to only 38 by the Braves). The homeruns didn't surprise me a ton, anyways. Power pitchers typically give up more homeruns than those that pitch with more finesse. Think Javy Vazquez here. Similiar pitching styles: both strike out a lot of guys, both throw hard, both are fly ball pitchers. In 2008, Vazquez had the 14th highest HR/9 among AL-qualifiers. So the kid is probably going to give up some long balls, but considering he allowed only 5 in 66 IP in Gwinnett, I wouldn't count on 3 per game from here on out.

What can we take awat from this game? Well, for most of us, it was the first time seeing Hanson pitch, and his stuff sure didn't disappoint. In fact, the kid was downright nasty at times, bringing a fastball that averaged about 93.5 mph but topped out at 97, a big, slow curveball that made a lot of professional hitters look bad, and a slider that comes in around the high 80's. He showed all of them off in the bottom of the second when he struck out the side on only 12 pitches. One thing I always like to see from a pitcher is throwing strikes, which Hanson did with 67% of his pitches, slightly better than the league average of 62%. However, Mark Bowman writes that most of those came against his first 9 batters faced, when the threw 24 out of 31 pitches for strikes. After those hitters, only 34 of his 60 pitches came in as strikes. So, I think we saw what the 22 year old is capable of when he retired the first 10 batters he faced, but also some of the inconsistency that is bound to plague any young pitcher, even phenoms. Any opinions on the kids performance?

6/7/09 - Brewers 7, Braves 8: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Good

- 97 mph fastballs from Tommy Hanson

- Hanson striking out the side in the 2nd

- Chipper. Jones. (4/4, 2 HRs, 3B, 5 RBI)

- Everything about the bottom of the 8th

- Mac getting a pinch hit, RBI double on "McCann Bat Day"

- Huge hit from McLouth to tie it in the 8th

- The Cuban Missile's go ahead single (and him not going psycho after the called strike)

- Prado's double play in the 9th

The Bad

- The Cuban Missile making errors (3 in last 2 games)

- The call on Council's triple in the 7th

- Francoeur and KJ (0/8, 6 LOB, the only hitless position players)

And The Ugly

- Jeff Francoeur hitting 0-1 in 69% of his at bats

- 3 HRs from The Phenom

6/6/09: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Good

• Jeff Francoeur drawing a walk
• Peter Moylan's pickoff in the 8th
• Brian McCann hustling out a triple on a popup (better slide than last time)
• Javy Vazquez's continued performance
• 3 SBs in one game (including a double steal)
• 32,000+ in attendance (wonder how many bought tickets because it was supposed to be Hanson?)
• The Braves on MLB.TV + laptop = no need for magazines

The Bad

• KJ continuing to hit leadoff
• Chipper left the game because of "dizziness"
• Seeing Trevor Hoffman without hearing "Enter Sandman" (best intro in baseball)

And The Ugly

• The offense going scoreless in the last 22 innings
• 3 for 28 with RISP during this homestand

The Braves Get More Cowbell

I was going to start off this post by mostly bitching about the Braves's handling of Tom Glavine. However, a few writers much better than myself already did a fine job: DOB and Buster Olney (Glavine part is free). The Bearded Icon himself even weighed in, with appropriate disapproval. So I'll move on to the other moves the Braves made yesterday.

Within just a few minutes of announcing Glavine's release, Tommy Hanson was called up. Everyone is probably already familiar with his stats in Gwinnett thus far, but here they are in case you've missed them: 11 starts, 1.50 ERA, 66.1 IP, 17 BB, 90 K, 0.864 WHIP. Whew. And if you can't do the math, those strikeouts work out to a ridiculous 12.3 K/9. Though the kid has always been a big prospect for the Braves, he really skyrocketed after his performance in the Arizona Fall league last year, which draws some of baseball's best prospects. The stats that led to his becoming the first pitcher to win the MVP in the fall league: 0.63 ERA, .105 BAA, and 49 K's in 28.2 IP (15.4 K/9). Bringing Hanson up moves Medlen to the bullpen. I'd like to see him stay a starter, but there's no where for him to go. Personally, I think the Braves should send him back to Gwinnett where he can pitch regularly. The bullpen could get a little crowded, with Soriano, Gonzalez, O'Flaherty, and Moylan better options late in the game.

As for the McLouth deal, I love it. Charlie Morton didn't show much when called up last year, though he was dominating in Gwinnett (who wasn't?). Gorkys Hernandez is a highly ranked prospect, but he is years from seeing the majors, and he isn't stealing as many bases as he did early in his career (54 in 2007, 20 in 2008, and 10 so far this year). The guys at FanGraphs say that McLouth is one of the most projectable players around: "a quality left-handed bat who draws some walks and has some power." They're not a big fan of his glove, saying he is a serviceable centerfielder, despite his 2008 Gold Glove. What this says to me is that Braves will move him over to left next year (or maybe right this year) when Schafer is ready to come back up. He does have a great contract, owed $15 million through 2011, with a club option for 2012. According to FanGraphs, he should be commanding upwards of $12 million. A pretty good deal, even if he does look like a young, blond Christopher Walken. I've got a fever!

Hop Aboard the Roller Coaster of Emotion

This Braves season has truly been one of highs and lows. Let's take a look:

4/5 - 4/12: Start out the season winning 5 out of 6 on the road versus the World Series champion Phillies. Rookie phenom Jordan Schafer homers in his first at bat.

4/13 - 4/21: Lose 7 out of our next 8 games, including a 5 game losing streak. Average just 2.6 runs after putting up 6.3 in those first 6 games. However, Francoeur has hit .309 up to this point (4/25) and Schafer, though only hitting at about .270, has on OBP of .400. Sure, he's striking out more than once a game, but who cares?

4/22 - 5/5: After winning 3 in a row, the Braves went 2-7 at home, getting easily outplayed by St. Louis, Houston, and New York. Mac goes on the DL with a bizarre eye problem.

5/6 - 5/13: The Braves then took an NL East trip, traveling to the Mets, Phillies, and Marlins. They win 6 out of 8, but Frenchy's OBP has plummeted to .273 and Schafer is clinging to life above the Mendoze line (.214), with 44 K's in 34 games.

5/15 - 5/24: On this homestand, the team goes 6-3, including a sweep of the AL East-leading Blue Jays. Kawakami has seemingly turned things around after a rough start, pitching an 8 inning, 3 hit gym. To close out the sweep, Jurrjens continues his dominant start, yielding only 2 runs. But, Kelly Johnson is hitting .230 in the leadoff hole, finally prompting a change in the lineup that is immediately abondonded after a game.

5/25 - 5/28: Another 4 game losing streak, as the good guys get outscored 7 to 23 by the Giants and Diamondbacks. Chipper has a nagging toe injury that may land him on the DL.

5/30: 2 runs in the third give the Braves an early lead, and Javier Vazquez continues to blow people away, striking out 8 in 6.1 IP. However, the offense can't get anything else going, and the bullpen finally yields in the 11th. A 3-2 loss.

6/2: Flash to the 7th inning. The Braves are getting no hit by a rookie. They're flailing at everything. Chipper finally gets a hit, then we cut the lead to 2 in the 8th. In the bottom of the 9th, the much-maligned "hometown hero" Francouer blasts a two out homer to tie the game. Soriano mows down a few Cubs in the 11th and 12th, until Chipper drives home the winning run in the bottom of the 12th. Braves win 6-5.

6/3: After recovering from last night's huge win, the Braves have sent Schafer to work his problems out in the minors. But, when things are looking up, news comes across that Tom Glavine, who threw 11 shutout innings in his last two rehab starts in anticipation of being called up for his next appearance, has been cut by the team. I was never in favor of this signing, but it felt like the Braves just strung along a legend then discarded him. I'm pretty down about this.

But wait! We called up Tommy Hanson to make his first major league start on Saturday. The super-prospect is almost the symbol of hope for this franchise. What's that? Nate McLouth? We got some power in the outfield? And he steals some bases? So we gave up Gorkys and Charlie Morton, this outfield could actually produce some runs! McClouth has 7 SB, the entire Braves team has 12. The outfield has hit 10 HRs so far, McClouth 9. I'm excited. I'm pumped up. This team will never slump again, right?

In Frank Wren We Trust: Part 2

Back for more Wren moves. Still using the RJTS.

3/26/08 - Tyler Yates to the Pirates for Todd Redmond

After posting a 5.18 ERA with the Braves in 2007, Yates posted similar ERAs of 4.66 in 2008 and 7.50 so far this year.

Redmond held his own in AA Mississippi in '08, going 13-5 with a 3.52 ERA. However, some other numbers did not bear this success out: 7.2 BB/9, 4.03 K/9, 8.9 WHIP. Every one of these numbers has been even worse this year, even the already high WHIP. All things said and done, Wren got something for a player we didn't want anyways, albeit something seemeingly not worth taking.

No Thumbs

3/29/08 - Claimed Ruben Gotay off waivers from the Mets

In 88 games in 2008, Gotay hit .235/.322/.343. I have nothing else to say.

1 Thumb Down

7/4/08 - Signed Julian Tavarez

Tavarez actually pitched pretty well after signing with the team in mid summer, appearing in relief in 36 games and posting an ERA of 3.89.

1 Thumb Up

7/29/08 - Mark Teixeira to the Angels for Casey Kotchman and Steve Marek

Most Braves fans probably know how Tex (nickname used solely for ease of typing, no affection here) performed in half a year in Anaheim, but in case you forgot, he simply hit .358/.449/.632 with 43 RBIs in 54 games.

After some well documented struggles after changing leagues, Kotchman seems to have found his grove this year. This is about what to expect out of him: hitting .281 with 16 2Bs, 24 RBIs, and 17 Ks to 14 BBs, all while playing gold glove caliber defense at first. Meanwhile, Marek has done nothing to impress in AA last year or this. This deal obviously doesn't look great because Tex is such a great player, both on offense and defense, but his stock was deeply declining last summer, as teams realized they would only be getting a rental. Since the Braves couldn't afford his $180 million contract, this is probably about as much as could be had for the rental. Additionally, Kothcman is still arbitration eligible, a factor that becomes more and more important to the Braves every year.

2 Thumbs Up

8/27/08 - Mark Kotsay to Red Sox for Luis Sumoza

Kotsay played nothing short of terrible for the Sox last fall, hitting .226 in 22 games. Sumoza, a 20 year old outfielder in Rome, isn't doing anything special, though he isn't approaching Schafer/Francoeur numbers either. Wren effectively rid himself of Kotsay and his back for a mediocre prospect.

1 Thumb Up

11/21/08 - Claimed Eric O'Flaherty off waivers from Seattle

An excellent pickup so far for the Braves. While being the only lefty in the bullpen, O'Flaherty has appeared in 24 games with an ERA of 3.12 and a 0.865 WHIP. Filled a big need for the team with some of the hitters in the East and filled it well.

2 Thumbs Up

12/4/08 - Tyler Flowers, Jonathan Gilmore, Brent Lillibridge, and Santos Rodriguez to the White Sox for Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan

After a brilliant performance in the Arizona fall league (eclipsed only by Tommy Hanson's) that saw Flowers hit .385 and lead the league with 10 HRs, his value as a prospect sky-rocketed. Though I doubt he will stick to catching due to his big frame, there will hopefully not be an opening there in Atlanta for quite a few years. He was the gem of this deal from the White Sox perspective. Gilmore is hitting .214 thus far, while Lillibridge's stock has cooled the last few years as he has lost his bat. Rodriguez averaged 14 BB/9 in 2008, but a young kid all the same.

Javier Vazquez has pitched absolutely phenomal in 2009, although his 4-4 record does not show it. He is leading the league in strikeouts and is on pace for about 280 for the year. He's got a solid ERA of 3.58 and a WHIP of 1.15. You know he is going to eat innings up throughout the year, something that the Braves truly lacked last season and stands to help the bullpen immensely. Given some run support, he would be a shoo-in for an allstar spot (sound like any other Braves pitchers?). Logan has pitched decent in Gwinett this year, sporting a 3.13 ERA but a 1.300 WHIP. Clearly the Braves gave up some possibly elite prospects in this deal, but they got an inning eater who strikes guys out and doesn't get hurt. Although his price tag has sparked some rumors that the Braves may be shopping him for a much needed bat, I like this deal a lot since he is a sure thing, whereas none of the prospects are.

4 Thumbs Up

1/13/09 - Signed Kenshin Kawakami to a 3 year deal worth $23 million

Probably still too early to call this one. That price tag is awfully steep, and the "shoulder fatigue" coupled with his early season performance certainly set off alarms for Braves fans. However, over 5 starts in the month of May, Kawakami had an ERA of 3.03 (even though he pitched only 29.2 IP in that stretch). Plus, during that stretch, his WHIP was an unimpresive 1.416. I'm still a little nervous about this one.

2 Thumbs Down (so far)

1/13/09 - Signed Derek Lowe for 4 years, $60 million

Lowe has pitched like the ace he was advertised to be in the offseason when Wren took the plunge on a 4 year deal with a 36 year old pitcher. $15 mil is a lot for a pitcher that old, but the guy has been consistent. Since returning to the NL after a failed stint with Boston, he posted a 3.59 ERA while averaging 212 IP over 4 years. Among the league leaders this year in wins so far. Barring a major injury, I like this move despite the steep price tag.

2 Thumbs Up

2/20/09 - Signed Tom Glavine for 1 year, $1 million (incentives up to $3.5 million)

Wren took another shot on Glavine, again a sentimental move. Talked in Part 1 about his saeason in 2008. Thus far in the minors this year, Glavine, who starts tonight against the Augusta Green Jackets, has an ERA of 3.60 over 10 IP. With a plethora of major pitching talent waiting in the wings (Medlen, Hanson, maybe even Morton), could this move actually make the team worse? I love Tom Glavine, and his experience and knowledge about the game would be invaluable for this team, espcially the young pitchers I just mentioned. That being said, I would like to see him take on a consultant's role rather than a starter's. Of course, he could totally prove me wrong, as I hope he does.

1 Thumb Down

2/22/09 - Signed Garret Anderson for $2.5 million over 1 year

A move made to try to improve the abysmal outfield offense of 2008, Anderson hasn't quite lived up to the expectations. After being hurt early in the year, Anderson has improved his stats to .266/.294/.358. Given his consistency the last few years, those numbers are likely to go up. If they stay where they are, though, it is certainly not an upgrade over Matt Diaz, who is probably a little better defensively. On the other hand, if he can bring them up closer to his career averages, this is as good a way as any to spend $2.5 million.

1 Thumb Up (for now)

4/20/09 - Blaine Boyer to the Cardinals for Brian Barton

Boyer has posted a 5.06 ERA in 13 games so far in St. Louis. The 27 year old Barton is hitting just .241 in Gwinnett. Nothing special here.

No Thumbs

That conlcudes the exhaustive review of Frank Wren's tenure with the Braves. The total tally on the RJTS: 19 Thumbs Up vs. 12 Thumbs Down, with 9 positive moves vs. 7 negative ones. Given the budget constraints, the floundering hometown heroes, the phenoms that transform into dazed rookies, and some of the streakiest players in baseball, I think Wren has done pretty well overall. Feel free to leave me a comment if you disagree on a move or if I left something out.

Links: Scouring Them Internets So You Don't Have To

• Pathetic Phillies Fan

• Sir Charles being Sir Charles. How does he get away with this? Here's hoping he makes good on his goal to become governor of Alabama.

• College Baseball: Big Ten Sucks & a simply incredible performance by Texas relief pitcher (12.1 IP, 0 H, in relief)

• Joe Posnanski and stat guru Bill James discuss super prospect (and Georgia Tech alum) Matt Wieters

• Spent a solid 10 minutes on this website. Did you know that homer by Greg Norton last year was the fastest off the bat for the whole year (tied with Mac)? Me neither. (via Peter King)

• Does anyone else think that this Lamar Odom candy story is bizarre? Should a grown man really be eating this much sugar, especially a professional athlete?

• A Las Vegas high school sophomore makes the cover of SI this week, very reminiscent of Francoeur's "The Natural" cover... hopefully not a bad omen for the kid.