LIVE: Can Medlen stake his claim in Braves’ rotation?
Kris Medlen makes his second of at least three starts today for Braves, but will he stay in rotation? (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
Hello. It’s hot. (Old journalism training: Don’t bury the lead.)
The Braves close out what has been a successful home stand (7-2) against Houston, and what happens in today’s game against Houston could impact their starting rotation as much as it doesn’t the National League East standings.
Kris Medlen will make his second start after winning 7-1 over Miami last week. In his first start in two years — Tommy John surgery followed by relief work — Medlen allowed only one run and four hits and needed only 57 pitches to get through five innings. (A lengthy rain delay ended his night.)
He is scheduled to make at least one more start next Saturday at New York, but then the Braves will have a decision to make. The rotation currently looks like this: Tim Hudson, Ben Sheets, Paul Maholm, Mike Minor and Medlen. Tommy Hanson, who went on the disabled list July 31 with what’s believed to be a minor back injury, is eligible to be activated a few days after Medlen’s start against the Mets.
So what would the Braves do? Hudson, Sheets and Maholm will stay in the rotation. Presumably, so will Minor, who has strung together some nice starts after problems earlier in the season. That leaves three options: 1) Moving Medlen back to the bullpen, where he has been valuable; 2) Moving Hanson to the bullpen, which seems doubtful given that he has never pitched there in his career; 3) Going to a six-man rotation.
Medlen would be the easiest move, but if the guy looks strong against the Astros and Mets I don’t see how the Braves could do that to him. I may get into this more later in a post-game column, depending on how today’s game goes.
Today’s lineup is fairly standard, with the exception of catcher Brian McCann getting a day off: Michael Bourn (8), Martin Prado (7), Jason Heyward (9), Chipper Jones (5), Freddie Freeman (3), Dan Uggla (4), David Ross (2), Paul Janish (6) and Medlen (1).
That’s it for now. I’ll be here through the game to respond to your questions and vents. The cyber floor is yours. What are your thoughts on Medlen and the rotation?
By Jeff Schultz
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185 comments Add your comment
Steve
August 5th, 2012
3:52 pm
Corky, really? Philly area loves Penn State. Texas LOVES the longhorns. Even Boston follows Boston College pretty closely. LA loves USC.
corkymillerlovesbeer
August 5th, 2012
3:53 pm
nate mclouth is back in majors with orioles…good news is he will be a free agent next year…..i am sure frank wren will sign him instead of bourne
Rick
August 5th, 2012
3:53 pm
Wow nice pitching! Still dont know about Fredi and his use of this pen! He reminds me of Mularkey and his use of the Falcons offense! Predictable!
Steve
August 5th, 2012
3:53 pm
Katherine, yup! Great sports bar. Pretty new as well.
Jeff Schultz
August 5th, 2012
3:59 pm
Bourn really struggling — 0/4 today. Entered game hitting .091 so far in August after .250 July and .324 June.
Steve
August 5th, 2012
4:02 pm
What’s crazy is Bourn will still get $12 – $15 million a year.
katherine
August 5th, 2012
4:02 pm
Yea ive driven by it a few times steve. Its kinda over by the studio movie grill
Bronkelliott
August 5th, 2012
4:02 pm
Bourne is in desperate need of a few days off. He is fading quickly and awful at the plate. Play Johnson for 2 or 3 games and let him get his wheels under him again. In the offseason, the Braves need to evaluate their conditioning programs. Some players cannot play the full schedule and a good bench is so valuable down the stretch. Go Braves and finish this game off in style!
Jeff Schultz
August 5th, 2012
4:05 pm
This just in: Chipper Jones is good. And clutch. Still.
katherine
August 5th, 2012
4:06 pm
Does chipper really have to go?
Steve
August 5th, 2012
4:07 pm
I can’t believe what Chipper is doing at his age. He will be missed! Will be cool when they retire his number.
katherine
August 5th, 2012
4:11 pm
I started watching the braves because of chipper and smoltzy….Im going to be really sad to see chipper go
TampaGator
August 5th, 2012
4:13 pm
Lived in Chicago for 5 years…….big difference between a Cubs or White Sox fan and a Braves fan in Atlanta….they were different in Milwaulkee. Baseball in Chicago is culture…..in Atlanta….it is something entertaining to do…..unless the Cubs are in town….and then Braves fans get a taste of what it is like to be a BASEBALL FAN. And people in Chicago follow Northwestern and Illinois….and Penn State…and Ohio State….and Michigan….and Michigan State….and go to a lot of college football games….that has nothing to do with anything there. The difference is the culture and the understanding of and the appreciation of the GAME of baseball and the players who have played it and those who are currently playing it. I doubt seriously if most “Braves fans” could name a single starter on the 1982 playoff team other than….maybe….Dale Murphy. Serious Braves fans could…and they are in the minority these days in Atlanta. Now….”Braves fans”….do the wave when something important in the game is going on…..
TampaGator
August 5th, 2012
4:18 pm
Chipper needs to reconsider the retirement thing…..he is too good to retire….even if he plays only 80 or 90 games next year for the Braves. He would be worth 20 mil just for those games…..
Steve
August 5th, 2012
4:19 pm
Good points TampaGator but how do you explain the 90’s when the Braves were averaging 40,000 a night? Even on a Monday they would get a huge crowd. I get it why week night games are never sold out but there is no excuse for empty seats on a Saturday or Sunday with a metro area of 6 million. In breaking news, Uggla is 0 for 4.
Steve
August 5th, 2012
4:21 pm
TampaGator do you know how stupid that would make Chipper look after all of the gifts he is getting from other teams as he has played his last game at their ballpark? Chipper needs to focus on his new divorce.
Mike
August 5th, 2012
4:23 pm
Jeff or anyone that knows…
Who is that woman that yells “LET’S GO (insert name here)” the ENTIRE game? You can pick her up on TV and radio like she’s sitting in the booth. Drives me crazy.
COOPER
August 5th, 2012
4:23 pm
Medlen is a better pitcher than Minor or Delgado. He is as good as Frenchy .Because of his arm injury last year Gonzalez is bring him in slowly. Next start they need to let him go at least 90 pitches . Medlen has fantastic control and I think could be another Maddox if given the chance.
Steve
August 5th, 2012
4:24 pm
Mike, agreed! That kid is ALWAYS there as well. Doesn’t miss a game.
katherine
August 5th, 2012
4:25 pm
Um tampa gator I have been a baseball fan all of my life. Just because we dont paint our faces or scream or yell at the games or make jackasses of ourselves doesnt mean we arent “real” fans. People who say that make me mad. Who are you to judge how others behave or who is a “real” fan?
katherine
August 5th, 2012
4:27 pm
And the fans of those teams that were mentioned arent drawing fans from all over the south either, most of whom cant ever go to a game..but watch faithfully on tv.
Bronkelliott
August 5th, 2012
4:28 pm
Let’s face it folks. This Dan Uggla. Better or worse he is what he is. I don’t see him coming out of this funk. He has developed bad habits at the plate that will not be changed this year. He will have his moments but will not be what the Braves thought he will be. Can’t wait to see Simmons back and move Uggla to the eight spot.
Rick
August 5th, 2012
4:29 pm
Ummm Tampa….not a good post 20 mill? Really? Glad you not the GM! It is time for Chipper to go although he is having an awesome season! And he is indeed one of the Braves great! So glad to have him for this LAST year! Go Chipper and go Braves!
Big Crimson 75
August 5th, 2012
4:31 pm
Good Game today by David Ross.
We are fortunate to have him as a back-up Catcher. Someone on the team has to produce at that position.
Another dud from Uggla.
Nice relief today by Venters.
Big Crimson 75
August 5th, 2012
4:34 pm
55 & 0 when leading after 8 Innings.
katherine
August 5th, 2012
4:39 pm
braves win! This “real” fan is happy
Paul
August 5th, 2012
5:08 pm
The “Let’s go” lady is an usher that works in the sections behind home plate. At least she shows some enthusiasm!
Nerdville
August 5th, 2012
5:11 pm
Well, I thought they should have gone 10-0 or no worse than 9-1 against that batch of bad teams. But I’ll give the Braves a B for 8-2. It was a real struggle for over 5 innings until the 40 year old gimpy Chipper Jones finally woke the offense up. You hate to see your offense struggle to score against such a lousy team. So disappointing that no ground was gained against the Nats. The offense is now the main concern for the postseason. Another no hit day from Uggla (anyone surprised?). He needs to wake up or be replaced for this offense to really get going.
archie
August 5th, 2012
5:14 pm
Going back to the 2009 season, that was the year that sent a clear signal that Cox’s time was up. Braves finished out of the pennant/wild card race again, thanks to some incredibly inept personnel decisions. It was the year of Kotchman, Kelly Johnson, Garret Anderson, Jeff Franceour, Greg Norton and reliever Jeff Bennett.
Kotchman was, and is the slowest white man and least powerful 1st baseman in baseball. To this day, he’s failing with the Indians.
Kelly Johnson is a low-average, no impact infielder who approached the ball at 2nd base as if he was playing with a bucket instead of a glove. To this day, he’s failing with the Blue Jays.
Jeff Francoeur had no plate discipline. To this day, he’s failing with the Royals.
Garret Anderson apparently had an endorsement deal with La-Z-Boy. To this day, he’s watching the game from his recliner, as he did with the Braves in left field.
Greg Norton is forever in Braves lore as Cox’s all-time favorite pinch-hitter. Well, let’s say pinch-batter, because he sure as hell didn’t hit.
Jeff Bennett had to punch a door and injure his hand to keep Cox from using him in pressure situations, where he routinely failed.
Throughout the season, Martin Prado and Omar Infante, who could out-field and out-hit all of the position players above, were on the bench…until some of these knuckleheads finally injured themselves or got traded.
By that time it was too late. Any other manager would have been let go for ineptitude, but instead Cox rode out the season, and got his farewell year.
corkymillerlovesbeer
August 5th, 2012
5:26 pm
archie…that was a very funny post
Fansince66
August 5th, 2012
5:32 pm
Both pitchers had good command of the fastball outside at the knees. I think Medlen should have been given the chance to pitch out of the inning. He kinda reminds me of Maddux in the mid ninetys, such great movement of his fastball.
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August 5th, 2012
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[...] Jeff Schultz: LIVE: Can Medlen stake his claim in Braves’ rotation? [...]
Realtycheck
August 5th, 2012
6:31 pm
The way the talkingheads keep talking up Betancourt and Gaddis, I begin to get the feeling that the Braves aren’t going to try too hard resign McCann. Don’t give up on Francisco too quick. Give him a chance to play every day.
Wrecker
August 5th, 2012
6:37 pm
TampaGator, Wow, what idiocy! Have you ever sat with the bleacher people out in Wrigley? I have. They are there more to socialize than to watch the game. Philly had serious attendance problems until they started to win. Also, I think you overestimate the fervor for football in the Midwest compared to in the Southeast.
donsutten
August 6th, 2012
10:59 am
Ah, the problems of having a bunch of good pitchers. We’ll need them all now with the dog days facing us and our memory of last September is still fresh. Looks like everyone is agreeing on Medlen being a better deal out of the pen since he is charged coming out of there. On Prado…hope he is not hurting now and 3rd is where he should be heading.
He is a player and with his drive he helps the entire team. We’re coming together at the right time so everyone please watch Chipper on batting…. you don’t have to kill everything to get a hit…put it where they ain’t!