Email a copy of 'Extension Candidate: Kris Medlen' to a friend
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By Mark Polishuk | at
Email a copy of 'Extension Candidate: Kris Medlen' to a friend
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thekidfromyesterday
Do it Braves before it’s to late
Kent Kimes
Hanson is headed for off-season shoulder surgery.
Michael Gallemore
I don’t believe Tommy Hanson will be in Atlanta too much longer. It is imperative to lock Medlen up.
EcurbTheMighty
3/$10 would be rather nice. He doesn’t have the pure stuff of a top of the rotation guy, but as the old cliche’ goes, ‘He knows how to pitch’. Met him before at a game in Washington, he stayed after the game to sign autographs in an opponents stadium. Classy guy.
Justin A
Hanson should be given a bus-ticket instead of an offer. He’s been junk this year and is probably injured.
EcurbTheMighty
Hanson has good stuff, but that delivery of his is just inviting shoulder and elbow problems.
fireboss
Hanson’s avg velocity has consistently decreased over the last 2 years, he no longer has a FB batters whiff at, the difference between change and FB was about 6-7 MPH last time I checked. He has not out pitch save that curve and his control is not good enough to pitch the way Medlen does. The Braves do have an option on Maholm who I understand is a back of the rotation guy but as a lefty who eats innings could be useful. A Medlen, Hudson, Minor, Maholm, Delgado/Teheran rotation is pretty good and at some point after the ASG Beachy will return. Trading Hanson for depth makes tons of sense for the Braves and for Hanson A new start with a different pitching coach would be good for him and the Braves really need to rebuild their depth chart. Besides as a Boras client he isn’t destined to be in ATL long anyway.
Justin A
Could not have said it better myself.
Colin Christopher
He’s been one of the better pitchers in baseball from 2009-11, yet you’re ready to ship him out of town after one sub-par season? A season in which he went 12-9 with 151 Ks in 163 innings? You’ve got a right to your opinion, but as a Braves fan I have to say that I’m glad Frank Wren has a clearer view of the big picture than it seems you do.
fireboss
It’s not one bad season. He hasn’t fooled hitters lately . Opponent batting averages are up and slugging is over .500 on his FB, over 400 on his change, curve slugging shot from 189 to 506 from last year to this and last year was up on 10. IN 2010 his FB averaged 93.8, last year 91.8 and this year 90.41. he’s lost horizontal movement too but worst is that he’s getting way too much plate with hittable pitches. In 2009 he gave up 10 homers in 401 AB, in 2010 only 15 in 725 AB but in 2010 17 in 452 and this year 22 in 532. He’s never been a good second half pitcher 32-14 first half 12-17 second, So it’s not just this year and we have others as good waiting. He’s great trade bait though. We shall see what happens
EcurbTheMighty
He pitches like a power guy, which until the injuries started flaring up, he was. But watching a good number of his starts this year, you can’t live up in the zone with a 91 MPH fastball.
notsureifsrs
he’s so bad and not going to get better but he’s great trade bait huh
fireboss
Yes he has value, not as much as in 2010 but he isn’t a non-tender candidate yet. He was once rated highly, is controllable for 3 years and won’t be expensive so teams seeking major league ready pitchers will take a chance on his pedigree and hope they can make the adjustments needed to improve his numbers. From the Braves perspective he’s slipped from a top to a bottom of the rotation guy numbers wise and until his Washington start refused to believe he wasn’t pitching well. They have Teheran and Delgado waiting – Delgado was as good as him this year only lack of run support kept him from winning more games – and Beachy coming back. If you keep Hanson you have no room for them unless you want to trade one or let Maholm or Hudson go. Huddy is staying unless he wants to retire and he shows no signs of that. Maholm isn’t a star but he’s inexpensive, a lefty and a steady innings eating back of the rotation guy. He’s not going to bring 3 top prospects back but as shallow as the
everyday player pool is in our system even a couple of mid level guys
would help.
Dave Regan
Dude, he’s basically lobbing the ball up there now and getting murdered. I’m not sure they could get a whole lot for him right now actually.
c
I’ve long believed that this offseason will be the year of extensions for the Braves as they lock down current players rather than shop for new ones…actually, I thought last year would have been, but the end of the season and the poor performances of several players (Heyward, Prado, et al.) probably delayed that a season.
Medlen’s the surprise candidate of the bunch, and good for him. I hope they can get him and a few other deals hammered out.
-C
SethHood422
Someone explain to me how Hanson in are 2013 rotation is a gimme? He is a weak link at best right now. Terribly inconsistent and lacking in confidence.
utahjazzfanforever
This isn’t just about “The Braves have enough pitchers”. Medlen is currently their *BEST* pitcher. Period. Of course he hasn’t shown over a long period that he can keep this up but given the unreal dominance he has had you can expect that he will pitch somewhere between brilliant like he has and what he has done previously as a starter which is pretty darn good. Can you imagine what this pitching staff is going to look like next year? Look at all the options they will have and mid-season they get their best pitcher of the first half of 2012 back.
Does this team really truly need to bring back $9 million Hudson? Granted he is their “ace” at the moment and the veteran of this club. Love the guy but the Braves could use that money to buy a $20 million 3rd baseman or left fielder or invest in two $15 million players. They will have a ton of money to spend in the off season. There isn’t a problem with pitching now. It’s hitting. They need more power and they need better hitting (BAs are way down). With Chipper gone that’s going to leave a huge hole.
Medlen
Maholm
Minor
Hanson
Delgado
Teheran (come on, if he can’t join the rotation next year there is something seriously wrong)
Sheets (he could go down but if they can even get 1/2 a season out of him he can pitch until Beachy is ready)
Beachy (mid-season)
That’s 8 pitchers. What are they going to do with Hudson? Seriously?
And this doesn’t even count any of their minor league talent which might be ready like Gilmartin.
utahjazzfanforever
The point is that they should lock Medlen up. I think he is going to be a pretty special pitcher.