Yeah, you just keep doing what you were doing earlier. Not lately. You've not done well lately. But before that, you did great. Be more like that. That'd be great. Thanks.What a steal Jair Jurrjens has been. How does that trade look now? He's 11-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 165.1 IP with 120 K and 59 BB. He has been much more than anyone expected, and I bet he'll be the opening-day starter unless the Braves sign a Sheets/Sabathia/Dempster this offseason. You really can't say enough about how he's done this season, and I'm glad he'll be around for the next 5 years.
Jorge Campillo is another example of the Braves pulling guys out of thin air. He's 7-7 with a 3.69 ERA in 139.2 IP with 99 K and 32 BB. His nasty changeups have flumuxed players all season, and until lately, he's enjoyed a great deal of success. As long as the Braves can pencil him in that 4 spot, Campillo should continue to move along, albeit without quite as much success as this season.
Who to put next, Morton or Reyes? I guess Morton'll go next. He's 4-8 with an ugly 6.43 ERA in 72.2 IP with 48 K and 32 BB. He's been extremely enigmatic this season. He either pitches great by going 6 or 7 innings, or he comes out after 1.1 IP. He doesn't make any sense. Honestly, the amount of good starts gives me some confidence in him, not to be the ace but a decent pitcher. The problem with him is his mental toughness. When he realizes he doesn't have his best stuff, he seems to give up. Great pitchers (Smoltz and Glavine should be helping him) deal with it and compete. Morton hasn't learned that yet. At 24, he's still young and has talent. Remember, Maddux's first season's ERA was 5.61, Smoltz's was 5.48, and Glavine's was 4.56. Like quaterbacks in football, starting pitchers need time to learn, but if he has trouble next year, it won't indicate good things.
As for Reyes, he's only 23, so the future is still ahead for him. He can have Edinson Volquez to thank for my somewhat optimism (Volquez had a lot of problems as well before he turned 24). However, he hasn't been very good this year after having some extended time last year. Yet, he is a run better, and his strikeouts and walks are going in the right directions. Like Morton, he needs to develop some mental toughness to fight a bit harder. If he does, he really can be successful. He's had good flashes as well. He just needs to get a better mindset. Maybe he can, maybe he can't, but don't be surprised if Reyes and Morton end up being decent 3 and 4 guys in their careers. Still, I wouldn't count on much for next year. It would be good for them to duke it out for the fifth spot next season.
James Parr is one of the guys I told you to pay attention to, but I don't think anyone expected his six-inning scoreless debut tonight. Granted, it was against the Nationals, but they'd been playing well lately. Regardless, he has officially entered the radar, and I'll watch him the rest of the month to see how he fares. Who knows, maybe he'll be the fifth starter next year. His numbers in the minors have been impressive as he's given up fewer hits than innings pitched. God let him be good. PLEASE.
After Parr, one has to go all the way to Mississippi to find another worthy starting pitcher, and his name is Tommy Hanson. After posting a whopping 0.90 ERA in his 7 High-A starts, he moved up to Mississippi and posted a 3.03 ERA. Include his 163 K and 52 BB in 138 IP, and Hanson is on the fast-track to the majors. He'll probably start the year in AAA, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him as the fifth starter next season. He's a big guy, and hopefully, he'll be like Millwood was when he came up.
Also in AA is Todd Redmond. He's famous for being the guy involved in the Tyler Yates trade earlier this season. What'd he do? He went 13-5 with a 3.52 ERA in 166.1 IP with 133 K and 33 BB. Pretty impressive. He's always had good control, but this might be his best year with the strikeout pitch. He'll be 24 next season, but he'll start out in AAA so he's not too old (actually, he'll be 23 for the first two months). He continues to add depth to the farm system, and he shouldn't be taken too lightly.
Another guy the Braves have been high on is Kris Medlen. He's been starting for the past half a season, and he's done well. He has 120 K in 120 IP with only 27 BB, so he seems to be another James Parr, which doesn't seem too bad at the moment (at the moment, I know. Get off my back). He'll be 23 next season, so add him to the list of young pitchers in the organization. He could also start off in AAA next season, but he'd be the one to lose out if a veteran (Rodrigo Lopez) is placed down there.
In Myrtle Beach, the Braves seem loaded, and as I alluded to yesterday, both the offense and pitching has done well. Therefore, I don't think the park has too much do with either's success. One man is Kyle Cofield who has a 3.26 ERA along with 80 K and 66 BB in 116 IP, so he's a bit too wild, although effective. Another is Scott Diamond who has a 2.89 ERA along with 123 K and 39 BB in 152.2 IP this season, so he seems to be better than Coefield (and he's a lefty). Next is Ryne Reynoso who has a 3.36 ERA with 105 K and 37 BB in 131.1 IP. The most exciting seems to be Cole Rohrbough, who was promoted after not being all that good in Rome, as he's pitched well in Myrtle Beach. He has 104 K in 90 IP with 39 BB, so he's wilder than he should be.
In Rome, Jeff Locke and Steve Evarts were the big names, but Evarts is injured and Locke has underperformed to an extent. Evarts did very well before getting hurt, but the injury (of which I cannot find, but it has to be fairly serious if he's been out all season) will stunt his development. Luckily, he'll only be 21. Locke still had 113 K in 139 IP, but his 4.06 ERA was a bit high. Still, I expect him in Myrtle Beach to start next year. As for Evarts, they might put him up their, but my guess is that he'll stay for at least a few months in Rome.
After looking at all these pitchers, it doesn't seem as though the cupboard is bare. However, what the group lacks is pizazz. There really isn't a "great" arm in the group other than Hanson. Hanson seems to be the saving grace at this point. Rohrbough, Evarts, and Locke (all left-handed) seem to be the bright arms, but they are a couple years away at this point (Rohrbough might be able to start off in AA, but I doubt it). Maybe one can stand out and move quickly. Still, if the Braves want to contend, they'll have to add at least two pitchers of the high-to-quite-highish quality.
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