House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves Need A Lefty And Offense

By Fred Owens

Mar 30, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Eric O'Flaherty pitches during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game against the New York Yankees at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Eric O'Flaherty pitches during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game against the New York Yankees at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Mar 18, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher John Gant (67) throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher John Gant (67) throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

The Quest For Relief

This Braves off-season it seemed like every day saw a new relief pitcher signing as the front office knee jerked into putting a bandage on a cut while watching an artery – the offense – go comatose. Here’s the list as provided by MLBTR’s transaction Tracker with their current status. I was unable to find any data on some of them thus the ?? after their name,

off season pitching acquisition
off season pitching acquisition /

At the same time uninjured, veteran LHRP were on the market but ignored or passed over.  Matt Thornton for example went unsigned until March 3 when the Padres gave him a minor league deal with up to $1.9M if he made the team which he has since done. Last season Thornton threw 60 relief innings for the Nationals posting a 2.18 ERA, 3.52 FIP, 1.065 WHIP and 187 ERA+.  He also offered superb splits with LHH slashing .198/.205/.279/.484 in 88 PA and RHH a misery .229/.333/.357/690 in 83 PA.

Cesar Ramos was signed by Texas January 1st, Neal Cotts and Fernando Abad signed late and this week Brad Hand was put on waivers and claimed by the Padres. None of these are perfect options of course, there aren’t many of those. The Braves have options within the organization as well, here are the top two levels as of 4/9/16 – as noted below Chris Withrow was called up this morning

ML pitching 4-9-16
ML pitching 4-9-16 /

Last season Matt Marksberry made the jump from high A to AAA and then to Atlanta. Used correctly – as a LOOGY  -Marksberry was very good, holding LHH to a .170/.267/.264/.531 line striking out 14 and walking 7 in 60PA. Asked to face RHH he was bad yet Fredi Gonzalez continued to setting him up to fail, a trademark of his bullpen use since taking the helm in Atlanta.

Ian Krol was less than impressive in the spring but was once a top 100 prospect (2011) so perhaps he can be turned around. The Braves thought enough of Brady Feigl to jump him from high a to Gwinnett so maybe when he comes of the seven-day DL he’s an option.  Hunter Cervenka at Mississippi who had a couple of looks in the spring but in the end was sent to Mississippi. Few teams have multiple lefties in the pen so the idea would be to choose your match up well. On Friday Gonzalez didn’t; sadly that’s not new.

The back of the bullpen will be fine with Arodys Vizcaino and Jason Grilli – once he shakes off the rust – handling the last six outs and Jim Johnson or Alexi Ogando – who has looked good so far – in the seventh. There’s depth in the minors in the form of Chris Withrow, the potential return of Shae Simmons, Jason Hursh, Danny Burawa and others to get to the seventh.  The offense is however is trouble and the defense isn’t as sound as it should be.

Next: Defense?

Home/Braves News