This is the pitchers version of the update. This covers the 17 guys who have toed the rubber for the Atlanta Braves this season.
Derek Lowe (13 starts)
Status: Rotation
Season Grade: C+
Pitching: 3-4 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP over 73 innings. 8 QS.
Batting: 2 for 18 with an RBI, 2 BB, 7 K, and 3 SH.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Lowe has been okay. He’s basically been himself all season. Early on there was some reason to hope that his great ending to last year would carry over into this year and he would have a really good 3rd season with Atlanta. He had a 1.82 ERA over 24.2 innings through his first 4 starts. Unfortunately, he’s had a 5.21 ERA over 48.1 innings in his 9 starts since.
At least Lowe’s off-the-field issues turned out swimmingly. Lowe was originally charged with DUI and reckless driving on April 28th, after cops said he was pulled over for racing and then refused a breathalyzer. About a month later the charges were dismissed for a lack of evidence. Apparently the racing charge was totally groundless and Lowe performed well in his field sobriety test. So that was good.
Lowe is just Lowe. He’s not worth the money the Braves gave him, but he’s basically been what many of us expected him to be. He’s been healthy, he’s eaten innings, and he’s given the team a chance to win most of his starts. Lowe’s numbers aren’t bad, but a 4.07 ERA isn’t quite what it used to be. Lowe certainly is not an ace even if the Braves are paying him like one.
Dodgers Stadium was a perfect place for him to pitch and he just hasn’t been able to achieve the same numbers pitching in Atlanta. He had actually pitched his best games at home in 2009 and 2010, but this season he’s 1-1 with a 4.98 ERA in 6 home starts. Also, Lowe simply isn’t going deep enough into games. He’s completed more than 6 innings in just 2 of his 12 starts, and has yet to go farther than 7.0 innings in any start this season.
But after a horrible finish to 2009 and start to 2010, Lowe has basically been solid for over a year. Since May 12th of last season, Lowe has made 41 starts (including the postseason) and gone 15-15 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 186 K over 240.1 innings. Again, not an ace, but a decent guy to have in the rotation.
Tommy Hanson (13 starts)
Status: Rotation
Season Grade: B+
Pitching: 7-4, 76.1 innings, 75 K, 2.59 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 7 QS.
Batting: 2 for 21, 9 K, 5 SH.
Fielding: 2 errors.
Notes: I’ve been critical of Hanson during most of his young career and perhaps I’m being a bit too hard on him with this grade. He’s got a sub 2.60 ERA, a sub 1.10 WHIP, and he’s averaging almost a K per inning. That seems like A-grade stuff. But I still think Tommy has a ways to go before he can truly be considered an ace. His hits allowed are down this year and his K’s are up. This is obviously a good sign, but he still isn’t pitching deep into games because his pitch count racks up so quickly. He still doesn’t have an “out” pitch that he can get hitters with most of the time for strike 3. At the same time, he hasn’t mastered the art of letting the hitters get themselves out early in counts. Hanson has gone less than 6 innings in 5 of 13 starts this season, and he has yet to pitch into the 8th of any game this season.
And then there’s the annoying first two innings bugaboo, which is a carryover from his first two seasons. Going into last night’s game (Hanson would go 6 scoreless to get his 7th win, 1-0), Tommy’s runs allowed average (all runs allowed/9inn) in the first two innings this season was 4.88. His runs allowed average in all other innings was 2.14. He has got to get past this issue. As we saw once again last night, this Braves team is going to struggle to score runs, so falling behind by a run or two in the 1st or 2nd inning is basically devastating.
On a completely different note, I will say that Hanson seems to have improved a bit as a bunter. Now if only he could figure out a way to keep basestealers from running on him like a kickball pitcher.
Tim Hudson (12 starts)
Status: Rotation
Season Grade: C+
Pitching: 4-5, 1 complete game shutout, 4.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 76 innings, 7 QS.
Batting: 1 for 21 with a run, 2 BB, 9 K, and 3 SH.
Fielding: 2 errors.
Notes: Huddy’s had some moments of greatness this season, but he really hasn’t been himself most of the time. His H/9 is up and his K/9 is slightly down this season. His ERA of 4.14 is unusually high, and he’s also allowed 6 unearned runs. In addition, Huddy has thrown 5 wild pitches and hit 5 batters already this season. He missed a start with a back injury a few weeks ago. Hopefully he’ll be able to stay healthy from here on out because Huddy is still the closest thing the Braves have to an ace starter.
It’s not like he’s having a bad season, he just hasn’t quite been himself so far. Over the 4 previous years, Huddy went 46-27 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. We’ll see if he can regain that form at some point this season. I thought he got a little burned out at the end of last year and I’ve been worried that it could be downhill from here.
Jair Jurrjens (10 starts)
Status: Rotation
Season Grade: A-
Pitching: 7-2, 1 complete game, 72 innings, 1.75 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 10 QS.
Batting: 2 for 22, 1 BB, 8 K, 4 SH.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: The only reason I gave Double-J less than an A-grade was because he missed a couple of starts early on with a sore torso. Since coming off the DL on April 16th, Jurrjens has been the Braves best starter. In my opinion, this has been one of the greatest developments of the season so far, as many people (including me I suppose) were starting to doubt whether JJ was capable of being this good on a consistent basis. Jurrjens has rebounded from a disappointing season last year and is once again giving scouts, stat nerds, and whatever you call the people who make “projections” a big fuck you. Hopefully he can stay healthy the rest of the way.
Brandon Beachy (8 Starts)
Status: On DL with a strained left oblique since 5/14. Could be back late this month.
Season Grade: B-
Pitching: 1-1, 44.1 innings, 46 K, 3.45 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 5 QS.
Batting: 0 for 14, 9 K, 2 SH.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: From one of the best developments of the year, to one of the most disappointing. Beachy won the 5th starters job easily out of spring training, but after a rocky first couple of outings, he was starting to look like much more than a back of the rotation guy. He wasn’t looking like a guy you’d want to skip or anything. 46 K’s in 44.1 innings with a 1.08 WHIP? Forget being a bona fide MLB starter. He was pitching better than anyone in the Braves rotation when he went down with a friggin oblique in mid-May. Will he be able to pick up where he left off whenever he does comeback? Obliques are tricky.
Mike Minor (3 Starts)
Status: AAA.
Season Grade: NA
Pitching: 0-2, 16 innings, 5.06 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, 1 QS.
Batting: 1 for 4, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 SH.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Minor’s been alright when called upon to make a spot start and he seems to have a good attitude about everything this year. He’s done very well at AAA: 9 GS, 3-2, 60.2 IP, 63 K, 2.23 ERA, 1.03 WHIP. At this point I think it’s just a matter of him getting experience and figuring things out at the MLB level. That probably won’t come until next year. In the meantime, he’s a decent guy to call up for a spot start.
Julio Teheran (2 Starts)
Status: AAA.
Season Grade: NA
Pitching: 0-1, 8.2 innings, 5.19 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 0 QS.
Batting: 0 for 3 with a K.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit disappointed with Teheran’s two spot starts. I don’t think he did poorly, and I’m not concerned, I’m just saying that I was hoping for a big splash. I was kind of hoping he’d turn heads, and he really didn’t. He’s the #1 pitching prospect in baseball (the #1 prospect period according to some people), so it’s only natural to hope for a phenomenal result. The important thing is that he’s doing great at the level he was supposed to advance to this season, AAA: 9 GS, 5-1, 55.2 IP, 46 K, 2.26 ERA, 1.18 WHIP. You have to be excited about the guy, even if he probably isn’t going to help us much this season.
Jonny Venters (33 Games)
Status: Stopper/Setup/Alternate Closer/High Leverage Guy/Pimp
Season Grade: A+++++++++++
Pitching: 4-0, 1 SV, 13 HD, 1 BS, 36.2 innings, 37 K, 0.49 ERA, 0.76 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 1 error.
Notes: Jonny Venters is the best relief pitcher the Atlanta Braves have ever had. Period. They’ve never had anyone even remotely similar. He’s dominant; he’s consistent; he’s durable; he’s fearless; he’s unhittable; he can get out any batter at any time in any way. You need a strikeout? Venters can get it. You need a double play ground ball? Venters can deliver. You need the 3-4-5 hitters retired in the 8th? Done. You need him to close? He’s the best option anyway. You need him to go 2 innings tonight? He’ll get them 6 up and 6 down, biatch. Jonny Venters. Team MVP. The best reliever we’ve ever had. No argument.
Craig Kimbrel (31 Games)
Status: Closer
Season Grade: B+
Pitching: 1-2, 18 SV, 4 BS, 30.0 innings, 44 K, 2.70 ERA, 1.23 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Sometimes Kimbrel reminds me of Mitch Williams. Obviously, that’s the bad news. The good news is that he’s been pretty damn good for a guy closing games in his first full season in the big leagues. 18 of 22 in save chances isn’t super but it’s solid. It’s never easy for CK but he’s got dominant stuff, and if he ever completely harnesses it he’s going to be lights out. Lights frickin out fella.
Eric O’Flaherty (30 Games)
Status: Setup
Season Grade: A-
Pitching: 1-2, 10 HD, 2 BS, 28.1 innings, 26 K, 1.59 ERA, 1.16 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: EOF has been huge for the Bravos this season, taking over the 7th inning duties and starting the endgame process that continues with JV and then finishes with CK. He’s consistent and tough on righties and lefties. He can get you a double play ball or a strikeout. I’m not sure if he can keep up this pace without breaking down, but so far he’s been our best reliever this side of Jonny V.
Scott Linebrink (25 Games)
Status: Middle Relief
Season Grade: C
Pitching: 1-1, 2 HD, 1 BS, 21.1 innings, 4.22 ERA, 1.26 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 1 error.
Notes: Linebrink was a disappointment early on but he’s been much better lately, and at this point he’s not exactly the worst guy to have buried in your bullpen in case you need him.
George Sherrill (23 Games)
Status: Lefty Specialist
Season Grade: C+
Pitching: 1-1, 15 innings, 19 K, 2.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Like Linebrink, Sherrill looked really shaky early on but has found a niche and excelled lately. He’s basically our lefty specialist but he’s also a solid guy to bring on for an inning when we’re behind late, or tied up in extras.
Cristhian Martinez (15 Games)
Status: Long Relief
Season Grade: A
Pitching: 0-2, 29 innings, 3.10 ERA, 1.00 WHIP.
Batting: 1 for 3 with a double, 2 RBI, and a K.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Cristhian has been the longman/mopup guy and has been excellent. Hard to complain. True, he did give up a couple of walkoff runs, but when you’re the guy left on the mound for those situations you are going to take some L’s (especially if your manager inexplicably directs you to pitch to Matt Kemp with first base open and the winning run on 2nd in extra innings on the road).
Cory Gearrin (13 Games)
Status: Middle Relief
Season Grade: B-
Pitching: 1-1, 2 HD, 1 BS, 15 innings, 19 K, 3.60 ERA, 1.06 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Gearrin’s had a couple of rough outings, but for the most part he’s been impressive. He’s a sidearmer, but unlike Peter Moylan, Gearrin is not merely tough on righties. He also seems to have better control of his submarine pitch, while still being able to make hitters look ridiculous at times. He began the year at AAA: 9 G, 1-1, 13.1 IP, 3.30 ERA, 1.43 WHIP.
Scott Proctor (9 Games)
Status: Middle Relief
Season Grade: A
Pitching: 1-0, 1 HD, 1 BS, 7.1 innings, 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Just being able to get back healthy and back in the bigs has been a pretty major accomplishment for Proctor. On top of that, he’s been very solid so far, emerging at a very key time when the Braves needed another dependable arm. He was rolling at AAA before being recalled: 14 G, 1-0, 3 SV, 17 IP, 24 K, 1.06 ERA, 0.88 WHIP.
Peter Moylan (7 Games)
Status: On 60-Day DL with lower back surgery since 4/15. Could be back in late July.
Season Grade: NA
Pitching: 1-0, 1 HD, 4.1 innings, 6 K, 4.15 ERA, 2.30 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Mate was on his way to making about 111 appearances before his back went to pieces. Hopefully he’ll be back in the 2nd half. What a great teammate this guy is. The “get out of the jam” guy can be very hatable, because he’s often going to fail miserably, but it’s impossible not to love Mate.
Jairo Asencio (4 Games)
Status: AAA
Season Grade: NA
Pitching: 0-0, 1 BS, 7.2 innings, 4.70 ERA, 1.43 WHIP.
Batting: NA.
Fielding: 0 errors.
Notes: Asencio’s been alright when called upon. He had the unlucky and unfortunate outing in San Fran, but other than that he’s been solid. He’s dealing at AAA: 16 G, 1-1, 6 SV, 18.2 IP, 22 K, 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP.
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