The Braves are making moves, but the key concern remains
Did someone say Kris Medlen needs to stretch out his arm? (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
You can’t say the Braves aren’t trying. They’ve summoned Jose Constanza and plugged him into the lineup — batting him ninth, for some reason — and they’ve sent Kris Medlen to Gwinnett to brush up on his long-form techniques, and now they’ve demoted Tyler Pastornicky and promoted Andrelton Simmons. And they have, it must be noted, fashioned a two-game winning streak after going more than a week between victories. That said …
All this motion won’t yield the desired results unless the starting pitching gets better. I know I’m belaboring the point, but in baseball starting pitching is the one point that cannot be belabored.
The Braves just completed a six-game homestand; only once in the six games did a starting pitcher last even six innings, and that came on a night when Tim Hudson yielded seven earned runs in 6 2/3 innings against Washington. Last night Hudson couldn’t hold a five-run lead and was gone after 5 2/3, having been touched for five earned runs. And he’s generally considered the best the Braves have.
The Braves’ starting pitchers have compiled an ERA of 4.47, which is second-worst (leading only Colorado) in the National League. Their total of 20 quality starts — a minimum of six innings worked with three earned runs or fewer — is also second-worst, and it’s noteworthy that the teams ranking 1, 2 and 3 in quality starts are fellow NL Easters Philadelphia, Miami and Washington.
And where the Braves go next? To Washington for three games, then to Miami for three. Then comes a 15-game stretch against the American League East, the best of baseball’s six divisions. Kris Medlen better stretch out his arm in a hurry.
By Mark Bradley
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173 comments Add your comment
TomB
May 31st, 2012
4:14 pm
DawgDad, I would argue the answer depends on who gets on base more. Constanza can do a lot with his speed like he proved last year, but the problem last year was he started getting on base less and less the longer he stayed up. You over state Heyward’s power production at the plate. He has six homers so far this year, only 18 his first year, and 14 last year. Hardly big slugger numbers … heck Francoeur hit more homers his first few years as a Brave.
Heisenberg
May 31st, 2012
4:16 pm
Heyward can hit 3rd on my city league softball team (if I played on one). His casual effort in the field would fit right in too. My all time Braves softball team:
C – Lopez
1B – Big Cat
2B – Giles
SS – Chipper
3B – Horner
OF – Klesko
OF – Andruw
OF – Francoeur
OF – Heyward
P – Wickman
DawgDad
May 31st, 2012
4:27 pm
TomB: I’m not overstating ANYTHING. It’s pretty clear to me Heyward has more potential than Constanza, and Jose has a nice minor league career in support of that belief.
Last year, which is widely advertised as a DISASTER for Heyward, he went .227/.319/.389. Constanza was .303/.339/.385. Virtually the same OBP/slugging numbers even with the huge dis-advantage in batting average. Constanza can only DREAM about the kind of season Heyward put up in 2010. There is far more to baseball than batting average.
TomB
May 31st, 2012
4:53 pm
DawgDad, Oh my god man, I was not comparing Heyward to Constanza. I was just saying that if Constanza got on base more than Heyward, then he would help the team more. And, you are way over stating Heyward’s numbers whether you like it or not. You stated he had big sluggers numbers and he absolutely does not. Doesn’t it tell you anything when you are comparing Heyward’s OBP and slugging percentage to a career minor leaguer like Constanza. Man, you made your own case for why Heyward shouldn’t even be in the lineup.
Atticus
May 31st, 2012
4:53 pm
OBP is huge. Too many fans overlook it and focus too much on batting average. Heyward just needs someone to mentor him and someone to trust. It may not be Chippper or these two instructors but you don’t give up on a young kid. He does look overmatched.
cowdogit
May 31st, 2012
4:56 pm
When the braves pitching staff breaks down, I don’t think we should blame McDowell ” Hell blame it on President Bush , he gets blamed for everything else .
TomB
May 31st, 2012
4:58 pm
Atticus, you are started to sound just like the people reacting to Francoeur. He just needs a mentor or someone to trust…. no, he just needs to produce or go back to the minors until he turns it around. Or, we can trade him for nothing like we did Francoeur.
bvillebaron
May 31st, 2012
5:16 pm
Mark:
Your point about the need for better starting pitching is valid. However, have you or anyone else calculated what the collective ERA of Beachy, Hudson, Hanson and Delgado is. I suspect that the team ERA is inflated due to the lousy performances of Jurrjens and Minor. Hence, the Braves’ decision to make Medlen a starter..
Up until his last outing, Hanson’s ERA was something like 3.02 and Hudson’s ERA before his last 2 outings was 3.12. I realize that those outings count, but I still think they are both good pitchers and will demonstrate that before the year is over. Delgado is simply a work in progress who pitches like the youngster that he is. Unfortunately, there a growing pains associated with that which generally involve inconsistency (i. e. several good innings and then one lousy inning and/or one good start, one mediocre one and one lousy one).
The fact is that this team has gotten nothing out of Jurrjens, nothing out of Minor after a few good opening starts, have O’Flaherty and Venters struggling to regain last year’s form, started the season 0-4 and recently had an 8 game losing streak and are 28-24 (i.e. 28-12 in games other than those 2 losing streaks) and sit a whopping 2 games out of first with 2/3 of the season to go.
I think the addition of Simmons’ defense (you like to quote Keith Law and he rates Simmons’ arm and defense as an 80) alone will significantly help the pithcing staff (ground ball specialsit Hudson in particular).
TomB
May 31st, 2012
6:47 pm
bvillebaron, nice try. Beachy ERA 1.77, Hanson ERA 3.84, Minor ERA 6.98, Hudson ERA 4.50, Delgado ERA 4.58, Jurrjens ERA 9.37. That’s not too good bvillebaron, and the number of quality starts(20), is probably more indicative of how lousy the starting pitching has been. When your starters can’t get into the sixth or seventh inning your team is in trouble. Statistics will probably bear this out, but most teams that are successful in baseball have at least three strong starters that will typically give you sixth, seven strong innings for you most nights. The Braves GM felt so comfortable with his starting pitching that he decided to pay Cleveland 10 million dollars for the services of Derek Lowe. The GM screwed up.
bravesfan
May 31st, 2012
9:19 pm
Although I am certainly hopeful for this season, I think we’ll be sellers – and perhaps cellar dwellers, at the break. Bourne, Uggla and Hudson will make for a nice salary dump, and hopefully we’ll snag real prospects in the process. The pitching is not what it could be and the other teams sense it.
Old Dawg Fan
May 31st, 2012
9:21 pm
I warned my brother in law not to go and waste money watching the Braves play however he did not listen to me. He dropped 5 C notes ($500) to take his family-between gas, one night hotel stay, tickets and food.
He called me half way thru the game-typical Braves-Poor pitching, No offense, Heyward making errors. The last time I went I dropped $300 on the Braves-same outcome-Poor pitching, no offense and terrible defense. I had rather spend $100 for the night to go watch the Chattanooga Lookouts and have a great time with a “semi pro” team that wants to play ball.
fordcobra
June 1st, 2012
3:54 am
Think of a old rubber inner tube, you decide you want to air it up to go to the creek, as you apply the air a leak pops up, so you have this brain storm Mom has a box of bandaids, so you put a bandaid on the hole and continue, another hole appears another bandaid and so on. Would you risk your skin on an old inner tube full of bandaids. Replace the tube.
Rico Carty
June 1st, 2012
9:37 am
Costanza plays, we win.
What’s so hard to figure?
stew
June 1st, 2012
9:45 am
Tommy’s fastball tops out 89-90. He used to hit 97. Most of his effective pitches are curve balls.
Pastornicki never showed anything at short. I never saw him get someone in the hole.
Simmons has yet to prove himself a major league bat. If he defense the way he capable….
Hinske doesn’t deserve to play the field.
Minor needs more time in the minors.
Wilson needs to be replaced by another veteran.
Chris
June 1st, 2012
12:49 pm
These “moves” are shuffling one issue for another. Wren should have gotten off his A$#$#$ this spring and cleaned house to brought in some players who can hit AND pitch. When is the front office of Liberty Media going to make ANOTHER change – and that is HIM…I dont think Fredi G has done that bad of job with the personel he’s had to work with. This issue is we have players on payroll with the exception of a few who are not performing at major league levels and that has got to stop or we’re going to be cellar dwellars this year instead of the chokers of 2011. Im pissed that we’re we’re merely shuffling young kids to the major league level and Wren is not getting heat for sitting pat in the spring and doing NOTHING to improve this team. Very worried about our pitching cause at the end of the day this team does not have the fire power to win 11-8 every night.
Brandon Lee
June 2nd, 2012
9:02 pm
Brandon Beachy Pitched a Hellavu Game, a four-hitter, and the Offense WHIFFS 9 times, ZERO Runs scored… You’ll Never Win many games that way. Beachy Deserved Lots Better ! No Ofense from the Bats or the Mgr.. AGAIN.
Brandon Lee
June 2nd, 2012
9:05 pm
How many times does FG Ever call for Hit & run, Sacrifice Bunt…double Steal??? How Many Times.. When does he EVER… FG is a Disgrace !
Brandon Lee
June 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
It’s Obvious : The Braves Live or Die by the HR… Wow, now that’s Strategy, There’s Real Baseball Savvy from somebody getting Paid as much as Half the Players. Sure, Bad Pitching at times has impacted sorely the Braves outcome, yet when Brandon Beachy Consistently has an ERA of 1.67 and they LOSE 2-ZIP.. That’s is a Lack of Agression on Offense…
js
June 3rd, 2012
9:18 am
Pitching may not be great but , every time Chipper is out of the line up the Braves fall apart . We need to find another big bat and keep Bourne .
fsubrave
June 3rd, 2012
1:54 pm
the incompetence of fredi and frank are evident now….this franchise is pathetic
Steve
June 3rd, 2012
4:18 pm
Saying Simmons arm is better than Pastornicky is splitting hairs. Neither has a plus arm for a true MLB shortstop. I have seen enough of Simmons to know his arm isn’t that strong. Don’t get me wrong, he has a solid arm, but he is no Yunel or Furcal .. not even remotely close. I would rate him in the bottom half of arms for MLB starting SS’s.
As for Tyler. Keeping him up and sending down Wilson would make no sense. Wilson performs his role well enough and is the best defensive SS on the team right now. Tyler would not benefit long-term from staying up here and playing once or twice a week. Far better to have him in Gwinnett.
That same logic should be used for JJ and Minor in my opinion. Let Minor go back down and build some confidence as he is getting hit worse the JJ was when we sent him down. At least if you bring JJ up and he gets it together we can possibly get more in trade for him. Letting Minor flounder in Atlanta is not doing the team nor Minor any good. If you are planning on bringing up Medlen to replace Minor anyway .. go ahead and send Minor down now. It’s not like putting JJ in his spot will cause us to lose more games .. as Minor hasn’t pitched well enough to win a game in over a month.
Joel K. Jones
June 4th, 2012
3:21 pm
Why do we need Pastornicky? He has made too many mistakes to be a first class SS. After watching Sundays game, I would like to delcare that we now have a shortstop. He is about as slick at SS as anyone they have had at Short in a long time. He has an arm like shooting a bullet out of a gun. Maybe use Pastornicky somewhere else, but not at Short.
double
June 4th, 2012
7:20 pm
Errors & Excuses Sure hope they don’t see Moyer is available.Just down their alley.Old,washed-up,another teams reject.