The Braves are Accumulating Pitchers. Why?

Jeff just told us about today’s signing of Eric Stults, but let me list a few names to chew on for a minute:

This is the entire list of possible candidates for the Atlanta Braves’ 5th starter… as of today.  The first six names are probably the serious candidates (Jeff noted Mark Bowman’s opinion that it’s most likely a 2-horse race between the first two), but you can’t completely rule out anyone – even on that last line.

So is Atlanta trying to find a 5th starter, or are they just trying to assemble the best AAA rotation on the planet?

Or is something else going on?

No Rumors Yet… but…

A few of us here at TomahawkTake have been trying to figure out how this “Gwinnett Pitchers’ Club” makes sense.  There are a few reasonable ideas:

Mike Minor. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Stockpiling once-solid, reliable arms in the hopes that one or more can demonstrate a return to form during March… with hope to join the rotation.

Simple veteran leadership for the kids.  Nice, except that you don’t need that many veterans to do so.

Stockpiling for the trade deadline.

Simple AAA purposes… nothing more.

  • Or maybe John Hart is still keeping his options open for a possible trade of Mike Minor?
  • There have been some good observations made about the pitching situation.

    For example:  Jonny Gomes is still awaiting the announcement of his contract, having completed his physical yesterday.  A corresponding roster move will have to be made to bring him onto the 40-man list, as his contract requires… and because the roster is full.   A trade would perhaps free a spot without having to risk losing a player to DFA waivers.

    Frankly, given the prospects that have been added this Fall/Winter, it’s getting tougher every day to find ways to free slots without losing someone truly valuable, so it’s hard to rule out a trade for roster purposes.

    Also:  Stults, like Minor, is a lefty pitcher.

    Our colleague Ryan Cothran had a few thoughts as well:

    So Why Trade Him?

    More from Tomahawk Take

    There have been a few incidents that have seemed to indicate that Mike might not be fully appreciate his handling or his surroundings in Atlanta, though without firsthand views, it’s truly hard to classify these events as much more than anecdotal stories.

    Mike Minor

    did participate in a Braves’ Habitat for Humanity build day a couple of weeks ago, though he is not included in any of the Caravan appearances underway (the tour ends this Saturday).

    Minor’s pitching for Atlanta has been punctuated with periods of brilliance and periods of struggling with nagging discomforts of various kinds – though nothing either serious or lasting.  If you didn’t know this, then you’d probably look at his stats and say “ho hum – average pitcher, nothing special.”  Yet it’s clear that the talent is there, just waiting for a wholly healthy season to put it all together.

    Minor has 2 more years of control via arbitration, being a Super-2 player.  He’s on the list for an arbitration hearing in early Spring, which would be a first for Atlanta since 2001.  He wants $5.5 million; the Braves countered with $5.1 million, which is exactly the figure suggested by the MLB Trade Rumors site.

    Speculation Wrap

    The Braves could view this time as the prime time to trade Minor.  Not entirely for the purposes of a prospect haul, but because his value may never get any higher.  With this new stockpile of pitchers, and projections of a mediocre team for 2015, it does make sense to consider saving the $5.1 million (he’s not going to win the hearing) and move him – cut ties and move on.

    Stults was signed to a minor league contract… same with Wandy Rodriguez and Wang.  Each pitcher will have to earn his way to the rotation.  Of course if there are two rotation slots to fill, then that task becomes a bit easier, right?

    The delay in posting Jonny Gomes on the roster might just be a red herring to this whole affair… but General Managers do like to keep options open.  And with a ton of interchangeable parts, the Braves seem to have been doing that this off-season… for sure.

    My bet?  I think it’s about a 70% chance that he’s moved before April.

    Either way, Gwinnett could end up with a heckuva staff in 2015.

    Next: Cuban OF Toscano Signed; Constanza DFA'd

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