Atlanta Braves Pitching Could Create Options for Trades

Atlanta Braves pitcher

throws a ball during spring training workouts at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

SO… PEREZ?  PLAN B?

Is Williams Perez the ‘next big thing?’  Not terribly likely.  He’s certainly one of the least heralded in that group of pitchers just mentioned… though with development numbers that do stack up very well:

• 2013 (A+):  2.62 ERA in 55 innings
• 2014 (AA):  2.91 ERA in 133 innings
• 2015 (AAA): 1.33 ERA in 27 innings prior to call-up

But there is a caveat with Perez – one mentioned by Mark Bowman in a blog post from today:

"Before yesterday’s start, a Major League scout said that Perez “tips his pitches as much as any pitcher I have ever seen.”  This will be something to monitor as clubs develop a book on him over the next few starts."

If such were the case, the Rays couldn’t take advantage last night… and apparently few in the minor leagues have been able to, either.  Heck – he left Evan Longoria looking silly on one AB last night.  But it’s something to keep in mind.

So why even run Perez out there for ‘a few starts‘ if he’s not your future?  There are a couple of possibilities:

• He probably couldn’t do worse than Stults or Cahill… but then you could say that about others
• Organizational uncertainly on the readiness of Wisler or Banuelos

Or maybe:  is he being showcased for a possible trade?

That would make some sense.  You’re not going to get a large payoff from him, but it would be a way to get decent value for a pitcher that you probably have no place for in the organization after a few more months.  And perhaps the club can salvage part of a trade plan that began to unravel roughly when Trevor Cahill picked up the first baseball while wearing red and blue colors.

In the meantime, you do get Perez out of the bullpen – which has never been his gig – and into a more comfortable pitching situation.  That part worked last night, at least.