The Braves have just one win over their last eight games and now face a potential season-ending injury for young ace Brandon Beachy. Here's the latest from the A-T-L…
- If Beachy requires Tommy John surgery, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks the Braves may be forced to acquire another starter, and thus boost payroll or deal a valued prospect to do so. The team could also go with internal options like Kris Medlen or Jair Jurrjens, the latter of whom is scheduled to take Beachy's spot in the rotation.
- The Braves could still look to upgrade the rotation even if Jurrjens pitches well, but manager Fredi Gonzalez tells O'Brien that other teams would lower their trade demands since the Braves wouldn't be as desperate for pitching help.
- Matt Garza's most recent start was watched by Braves' top advance scout Jim Fregosi, according to ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine. "Six or seven other teams" besides Atlanta are also interested in Garza.
- In addition to a starter, Fangraphs' Michael Barr suggests the Braves could augment their lineup by adding Kevin Youkilis, who would add depth at first and third behind the injury-plagued Freddie Freeman and Chipper Jones. I'm not sure I see Atlanta getting in on the Youkilis sweepstakes given his salary and the fact that he'd be an expensive redundancy if Freeman and Jones were to remain healthy and productive.
- From earlier today, the Braves officially released Livan Hernandez.
lil early to give freeman that title
Not really. He said injury-plagued, not injury-prone. Freeman has had issues with his knee, eyes, and hand this year… and we’re not even at the AS break yet.
The eye and hand injuries were freak injuries that rarely happen. He played 157 games last year as a rookie, I think he’s just had some bad luck.
Thus the use of the word “plagued”. “Plagued” makes no predictions about future injuries, simply stating what has happened in the past.
id be fine with garza coming to the braves. seems a good fit. only thing is he may not exactly be the type of clubhouse guy the braves like to have. but i could be wrong. go get him wren
What? Garza is a great teamate, and is always sitting right on the rail cheering his team on when he isn’t pitching.
He spits too much. Next!
GARZA WOULD BE SWEET but what do we have to give up could be interseting to see possible offers I dont see that happening more likely we back on JJ and Medlen for SP help who knows.
NEGATIVE. We haven’t been storing up these “untouchables” (which they’re not now) to go in on Matt Garza and his 4.00+ ERA. I wouldn’t mind having him by if we’re giving up top prospects, I don’t know if 1.5 seasons of Garza really is the way to go.
really would like to get wandy from astros, eats alot of innings and keeps off the DL, with a sub 3.5 era.
I agree with you on that point. I just don’t get all the love on Garza. He is not an ace and he is not as good as Wandy.
Vis a vis Jair Jurrjens, these next few starts may well be his last chance to make an impression, because he hasn’t exactly been that good in the minors (5.27 ERA).
Would rather have wandy than garza, LH, keeps his team in the game and goes deep, makes all his starts and gives up 2-4 runs a game. He stays off the DL, eats alot of innings.
An established starter like Wandy would do wonders; as would a couple of “professional hitter” types – ala the Mike Devereaux/Luis Polonia additions everyone seems to forget about from ’95.
Expecting Chipper to play more than half the games the rest of this season is REALLY optimistic, and Freeman’s injury will nag him the rest of the year. Between Chipper, Freeman, Prado, and Youk, you can make sure everybody gets plenty of action.
Youkilis and Chipper could form the “Oh, my back” club.
PS – I laugh when I recall a conversation on this board a couple weeks ago regarding Youkilis. Expectations of a top prospect in return. Be ready for a 7-12 level prospect. Told you so.
Josh Beckett, Ryan Dempster, Jake Peavy, and Matt Garza are other options. A lot of money involved with all of them, some are currently injured, but if teams send money(specially on Beckett and Peavy) it can happen
I can’t see any interest in Beckett from ATL. He’s a shadow of what he once was, yet still has the ego. Peavy I could see there being interested, but we’d buying high, while Peavy has no playoff experience and injury troubles, not to mention an expensive contract.
Garza I don’t like as much as any of them, but we’d have control unitl 2014 with him, as opposed to seeing Dempster go to free agency. Peavy has an expensive option ($22M/$4M buyout) that not many teams would pick up.
Frankly, I hope we don’t deal for pitching. We need more support at 3B than anything else.