What has happened to Braves’ starting pitching?
Derek Lowe has been feeling the heat lately. (Jason Getz/AJC)
So now that the euphoria over the Braves’ acquisition of Michael Bourn has somewhat subsided and we’re back to watching a team that teases you one week and then gets slapped around by the Washington Nationals the next, here’s a question:
What the heck happened to the starting pitching?
Derek Lowe is a mess — an even bigger mess than he was before. In his last five starts (1-4), Lowe has allowed 23 runs (22 earned), 42 hits and nine walks in 26.1 innings, which computes to an earned run average of 7.86. (The Braves were certainly open to moving Lowe at the trade deadline but nobody would touch his annual $15 million salary, nor even a significant part of it.)
Jair Jurrjens, 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA before the All-Star break, is 0-1 with a 6.26 ERA in four starts since.
And this may be the worst of all: In the first half (92 games), Braves starters were 39-25 with a 3.23 ERA and allowed opponents a batting average of .236. In the second half (19 games), starters are 5-8 with a 5.19 ERA and opponents are hitting .281.
One stat that seam heads like to pay attention to is “OPS” (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage). Opponents’ OPS against Braves starters in the first half was .643. In the second half, it’s .831.
I’m not a huge numbers guy. But this stinks.
(One addendum: I don’t want to throw Tim Hudson under the bus. He is actually 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA since the All-Star break after going 8-6 with a 3.57 in the first half.)
For as much as the Braves look to have World Series potential on paper, they’re not going anywhere — maybe not even to the postseason — with this kind of pitching.
Unlike the team’s offensive problems for much of this season, the pitching woes can’t partially be attributed to injury problems (at least nothing that has been reported). They’re all healthy.
There’s a lot to like about the Braves’ lineup. But if they need to start winning games 9-7, they’re in trouble.
By Jeff Schultz
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195 comments Add your comment
jerry
August 3rd, 2011
2:12 pm
A fork is not big enough to hold all the Braves that are done. I’m talking shishkabob, Chipper, Lowe, Nate, KK, and Gonzales on hold. Add Proctor for garnish.
kick some tail....
August 3rd, 2011
2:17 pm
freddi needs to kick some tail and call out the pitchers! it seems like all the sudden the braves start hitting and the pitchers are taking a vacation. get your rears in gear fellas…..it’s what you get paid for!!
JEB
August 3rd, 2011
2:17 pm
Check out the Giants!
With the pitching staff they have
and they have lost 5 games in a row
and 6 out of the last 10.
Doesn’t look like we are
the only ones with problems.
Sonny Clusters
August 3rd, 2011
2:19 pm
We was noticing how hot Constanza is and was wondering if Fredi is going to mess him up with bunt signs? Giving away the out is okay if the runner that moves over isn’t stranded because the next two batters are trying to hit home runs. Oh yeah, Lowe was toast yesterday and Fredi is the only one that didn’t notice. Those last two runs were unnecessary and hard to overcome. This team needs McCann back and that other guy who is too sore to play right now. When we was sore playing ball we’d rub some liniment on and keep playing.
UGA 1999
August 3rd, 2011
2:19 pm
Remove Lowe send him to AAA or to the bullpen and bring up Tehran!
Jon
August 3rd, 2011
2:20 pm
@UGA 1999 , what ever happened to the “other big trade” you insisted the Falcons would make? I believe you said “all of you who don’t believe me have no clue who I am!”
UGA 1999
August 3rd, 2011
2:24 pm
Jon…the fact is that there was a deal on the table with Asomugha that he accepted (but did not sign) on Thursday night. The deal was extended at the same time that the Ray Edwards deal was signed. Philly was no where in the mix until late Friday.
UGA 1999
August 3rd, 2011
2:24 pm
BTW….we are not done making deals yet.
Jon
August 3rd, 2011
2:29 pm
I hope you’re right.
UGA 1999
August 3rd, 2011
2:30 pm
Jon….the Falcons are not scared to make deals unlike the Braves.
Jon
August 3rd, 2011
2:36 pm
I agree with you on that issue. There’s no doubt which ownership and management takes an ultra-conservative approach to spending and improving their team (Braves) – UNFORTUNATELY.
Delbert D.
August 3rd, 2011
2:37 pm
Lowe to long relief, bring up a prospect to start.
Mitchell
August 3rd, 2011
2:38 pm
kick some tail….
August 3rd, 2011
2:17 pm
freddi needs to kick some tail and call out the pitchers! it seems like all the sudden the braves start hitting and the pitchers are taking a vacation. get your rears in gear fellas…..it’s what you get paid for!!
What? All of a sudden the Braves have started hitting? Since when?
Actually, you’re right.
They have started hitting. They just haven’t started scoring.
Either way the starters are still having to do more than their fair share of the work.
They are simply not getting the support that should be coming their way after all this time.
TheAntiMe
August 3rd, 2011
2:40 pm
Dr. Phil hit the nail on the head….. Lowe was another of Wren’s disasters, that includes Kawakami, McLouth, and the Texas give away.
Sorry, Peter, but the so-called Texas give away was on John Schuerholz not Frank Wren. Also, when compared to Wren’s disasters, as you call them, his good moves more than make up for those such as Jurrjens for Renteria, Uggla – who leads the Braves in homers and just hit another three run bomb – for a utility infielder and middle reliever, as well as adding the best leadoff hitter in MLB for next to nothing, Frank Wren has proven to be one of the better GMs around.
Wreckbuzz
August 3rd, 2011
2:42 pm
From where I sit at least one starter is pulling his weight…Brandon Beachy has only given up one run in his last 18 innings. He’s got a shutout thru 5 innings today.
Sam
August 3rd, 2011
2:43 pm
Please get rid of Lowe before he pitches again. Stop the madness! Mike Minor? Anybody!
Wreckbuzz
August 3rd, 2011
2:47 pm
Almost all the trades that Frank Wren has made have been good ones.
1) Edgar Renteria for Jair Jurrjens & Gorkys Hernandez
2) Omar Infante & Mike Dunn for Dan Uggla
3) Jordan Schafer & 3 prospects for Michael Bourn
4) Yunel Escobar & Jo Jo Reyes for Alex Gonzalez & Tyler Pastornicky
I know Escobar is ultimately better than Gonzo, but getting a good defensive SS with some power for two years and a prospect SS who is now hitting over .300 and promoted to AAA who could be the starter next season is a good deal for a guy who wasn’t fitting in.
Uggla is showing his value now, Bourn is showing it already and JJ was a steal.
Native to the ATL
August 3rd, 2011
2:49 pm
HELLO…..we need a right fielder. As mauch grief as we gave Frenchy, it seems hypocritical not be on Heyward. This guy sucks and is full of excuses. Even Chipper had to call this t u r d out.
Native to the ATL
August 3rd, 2011
2:50 pm
much*
chief pitchanono
August 3rd, 2011
2:51 pm
Yeah i’m concerned about Lowe, these numbers are alarming even for him. Jurgen’s I think is fine probably just a few bad starts comeing close together. It happens to all of them even jurgens. Same with Hanson he’s been less than great since the break, but again just part of the season. So Far Hudson and Beachy have been real good lately and hopefully, Hanson, and Jurgens will be joining them soon. Back to Lowe, Roger has gotta take him back to film school and make some adjustments. He has historically been a second half, postseason kinda guy and I believe he can do it again, but right now he’s gotta make some adjustments and quickly. Go Braves!!
Just The Facts
August 3rd, 2011
3:00 pm
Hey Jeffy – Pipe down with the negative press. It’s a long haul. If he gets on a roll like he did last fall you’ll be tooting his horn. Hopefully we’ll get hot as a team at the right time (end of the year) for the first time in a while. You say you are not a numbers guy but you sure like sprinkling them throughtout your article to beat the guy down. Good thing we don’t keep numbers on how often you write something entertaining or positive….your numbers wouldn’t look too good either. Maybe you are in a “writer’s slump” or just jealous you ain’t pulling down the income D-Lowe is. You drive me nuts with the constant negativity.
Casey Stinkle
August 3rd, 2011
3:05 pm
Hey, its very hot out there, and this bone head manager is leaving his starters in there too long. (See Beachy today)
Casey Stinkle
August 3rd, 2011
3:07 pm
Sorry to wreck your buzz, buzz. No more shutout.
Larry
August 3rd, 2011
3:08 pm
Wreckbuzz
August 3rd, 2011
2:42 pm
From where I sit at least one starter is pulling his weight…Brandon Beachy has only given up one run in his last 18 innings. He’s got a shutout thru 5 innings today.
You were saying…?
Casey Stinkle
August 3rd, 2011
3:38 pm
Am I the only one who doesn’t feel too good about this game?
doctorpl
August 3rd, 2011
3:40 pm
Those people on here who think Chipper will walk away from $14M due him for 2012 are dreaming. Sure he has a lot of pride, but it’s $14M and I don’t see him leaving it on the table.
TheAntiMe
August 3rd, 2011
3:48 pm
By the way, Jeff, your colleague, Mr. Ledbetter is showing you up again. He just got another exclusive interview. You need to catch up.
Whopper Dawg
August 3rd, 2011
3:53 pm
Wait a minute, weren’t you just asking if we could catch the Phillies??
Maybe the more pertinent questions is can we finish a nose up in the WC race?
How stupid would the Beltran trade seem now? Young starting pitching for a two moth rental to finish out of the playoffs?
JRob
August 3rd, 2011
4:04 pm
Good teams don’t trade away the faces of their franchise. Ask the Yanks.
Dude was an all star last month.
A Hit...
August 3rd, 2011
4:06 pm
Why AROD?
Born2Buzz
August 3rd, 2011
5:05 pm
Jeff, weren’t we saying the same thing about Lowe last year at this time, then he was unhittable the last month-1/2 of the season.
Check that for me would ya.
Still, pretty sad to lose the last 2 to the Nats. Fortunately Freddie G has been trained by Bobby and will not panic…I hope. Still a long way to go folks. Thank goodness none of you are in the Braves management.
JASon
August 3rd, 2011
5:08 pm
If we’ve learned anything this season, its that if you have 3 unstoppable relief pitchers in your bullpen, it doesn’t serve to help you when you are playing from behind. I just question why it takes that much talent just to hold a lead. Why can’t sherril be the 7th inning guy and O’Flaherty be the rally stopper? Or even mix and match when you use o’flaherty and venters? With the current philosophy, the braves are basically conceding every game that they get down a run or two.
Let NONE in
August 3rd, 2011
5:10 pm
They say it is the best rotation in the league.
GoAwayLowe
August 3rd, 2011
5:14 pm
People, didn’t Mr Bradley say in his article that no one would take Lowe? So why are we beating a dead horse. The man does not have what it takes anymore, but the Braves are stuck with him. There is no way we are going to the NLS, and I have strong doubts they will even make the wild card. They are not consistant, and continue to suck game after game after game after……
Let NONE in
August 3rd, 2011
5:15 pm
Jeff: Unrelated, I heard on the radio Grimes’ g/f wants to kick your arse. Tell her to get in line behind D-Wad and Bruce Levinson.
1eyedJack
August 3rd, 2011
5:32 pm
Jeff, next time you get near Derrick Lowe…see if he smells like a Bud Lite.
1eyedJack
August 3rd, 2011
5:34 pm
I already know the ol’ Chipster smells like jackass linamint.
UGAFAN13
August 3rd, 2011
5:49 pm
Lowe and his crappy performances are rubbing off on the rest of the staff. He should be sent to AA.
Packer Ed
August 3rd, 2011
5:53 pm
Mr. Wren, will you please bring up Mike Minor to the Boig Leagues and send Lowe to the minors?
mowreck
August 3rd, 2011
6:19 pm
Maybe they miss Jordan Shaffer.
benchwarmer
August 3rd, 2011
6:26 pm
Lowe in the bullpen might make sense but you just can’t put a $15 million guy out there can ya? Look for the starters to work regular turns until the call up date unless someone is bombing every turn. I think pitching will be a strength one way or the other going down the stretch.
benchwarmer
August 3rd, 2011
6:29 pm
Bud Lite doesn’t smell,unless water smells. Not enough of anything in it to create a smell or a flavor. That goes for most of the mass market American mades.
AlanFalcon
August 3rd, 2011
6:30 pm
The first of the season until now all the Braves pitchers heard how great they were, I believe they forgot that a solid effort was necessary to carry that handle through the season, instead they have tried to live off of potential, it never works, the bad part about the present is that Freddie and Roger can’t seem to get into their heads, I am a big believer, produce or sit down. I would rather see the young guys come up and learn what it takes to be sucessful than what the preesent staff is doing.
Bob
August 3rd, 2011
6:30 pm
It doesn’t take much to realize that Lowe is tired, done, prone to spot four or five runs, and finished this year as a starter. Maybe they can use him for middle relief. I think JJ and Hansen are trying to pitch too cute, knowing that we’ll only score a run or two…they can change this thinking and become more effective.
Ed
August 3rd, 2011
6:45 pm
Please check the record with Chipper in and with Chipper out. The Braves were doing well until he got hurt and since have floundered.
And please quit saying nonsense like trade Lowe and unload his contract. That would be impossible.
Old Youngman
August 3rd, 2011
9:20 pm
Chipper needs to start playing. Braves need him.
Hillbilly D
August 3rd, 2011
9:25 pm
What has happened to Braves’ starting pitching?
They’re sturggling a little bit. It happens.
Hillbilly D
August 3rd, 2011
9:25 pm
That should say “struggling”.
Lewis Grizzard
August 3rd, 2011
9:29 pm
What happened to the world class reporters at the AJC??? This is more like TMZ.
aj
August 3rd, 2011
9:30 pm
Well, the back half of the Braves’ bullpen should
be well rested.. No way of catching the Phillies.
Wild card may be a challenge if they continue to
lose to bottom teams.