2008 Starting Rotation

by Chipper on Aug 26, 2007 8:14 PM EDT

UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal expects the Marlins to shop the D-Train in the winter. It probably won't happen because we are division rivals, but you can add him to the list as well. Who would you trade for or sign?

Free Agent Starting pitchers
Curt Schilling (41)
Jason Jennings (29)
Koji Uehara (33)
Freddy Garcia (32)
Kenny Rogers (43)
Jon Lieber (38)
Bartolo Colon (35)
Joe Kennedy (29)
Tomo Ohka (32)
John Thomson (34)
Kip Wells (31)
Wade Miller (31)
Livan Hernandez (33)
Randy Wolf (31) - $9MM club option for '08
Paul Byrd (37) - $8MM club option for '08
Jeff Weaver (31)
Tom Glavine (42) - $9MM player option for '08
Kris Benson (33) - $7.5MM club option for '08
Jaret Wright (32)
David Wells (45)
Eric Milton (32)
Kyle Lohse (29)
Matt Clement (33)
Rodrigo Lopez (32)
Josh Fogg (31)
Byung-Hyun Kim (29)
Odalis Perez (31) - $9MM club option for '08
Brett Tomko (35) - $4.5MM mutual option for '08

That's the list of free agents.

My 2008 starting rotation

Smoltz - Old Timer
Hudson - Very effective
Tom Glavine - 1 yr, $5M
Livan Hernandez - 2 yrs $12M
Chuck James - needs to learn a new pitch

This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.

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Comments

Way Off.

I think the money you've set aside for Livan And Tommy could get you either one, but certainly not both. Expect Glavine to get much the same deal he last got with the Mets and Livan will probably get as much. Honestly, I think that the trade market will be a much better place to find a suitable #3 starter and we have plenty of internal options for that 5th slot in the rotation.

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by ejruiz on Aug 26, 2007 10:04 PM EDT reply actions

have a chance

we have a good chance to sign one of these pitchers. Most of them will probally get about the same contract. Know one is really an above the rest starter. I think Glavine is going to retire. Kennedy and Lohse will probally get the biggest contracts. Schilling will go 1 year and an option. Personally I could see us signing Colon cheap.

by jack dein on Aug 26, 2007 10:15 PM EDT reply actions

nice

Colon would make a heck of alot of sense, especially if you could get him cheap.

by surge on Aug 26, 2007 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

also

has anyone heard of any interest in Wickman.

by jack dein on Aug 26, 2007 10:16 PM EDT reply actions

All the Possibilities

Wouldn't be surprised to see Jake Peavy here next year, and Livan would be an excellent pick-up as well, because he gives you, overall, above average pitching and a lot of innings, which is more valuable than people realize.

Who knows? Schuerholz needs to upgrade the rotation, at least in one spot. Fifth starters are never good, so as long as he's, ah, not putting up a six or something, you can plug in pretty much anyone. Except the aforementioned 6+ guys.

That aside, the bullpen should be alright. Soriano and Dotel should be typical, and I'm sure Schuerholz has plenty up his sleeve.

This team can compete next year with a couple of upgrades to the pitching staff. I really think that one of Renteria, Lillibridge or Escobar need to be traded for something good, preferably pitching, and I'm sure there are other deals to be made. The ASB proposed deal of Renteria for Jon Garland with the White Sox would make a ton of sense, but I don't personally trust Garland's shoulder and I'd insist on a full physical. (The Phillies didn't with Freddy Garcia, and you know what that got them.)

There will be many trades, and I expect the Braves to play baseball in October next year.

by Gregory Pratt @ Talking Chop on Aug 26, 2007 10:52 PM EDT reply actions

wow

i hope that isnt out starting rotation in 2008. those are some nice names to have in your rotation if this was 3-5 years ago. those guys are played out and its still 2007. it would be nice for glavine to come back and make up for being a traitor, but that would only work if the Braves could depend on a steady rotation.
and how can anyone say livan is an above average pitcher. sure he eats innings (among various other cuban delites) but the Braves dont need his 4.96 ERA, 1.52 WHIP or 27 long flies given up. dont be fooled by his winning record, Livan is NOT an upgrade from any pitcher the Braves already have with a chance of starting next year. especially not at the price of 2 years at $12M.

i think its pretty clear after looking at that copied and pasted list, that good free agent pitchers are a rare commodity next year. the only valuable upgrade will be trading Renteria to teams like the Giants/As/White Sox or possibly packaging lillibridge with someone. im sure i dont speak alone here when I say that after watching the fiasco that is the Braves back end of the rotation this year, a move to improve must be made and that will only happen through a trade...

by MIZIKE74 on Aug 26, 2007 11:51 PM EDT reply actions

Peavy is not happening

Any type of chance that we had to get peavy we traded away for Teixera, if we were interested in peavy, it would cost us johnson, francouer, mccann, as escobar would not be a good enough centerpiece of a deal to get him. Since it seems that many of you would want to trade away renteria, I could see the giants as a possibility if they make enough moves to think they can compete, only problem is the main piece we would be getting back is noah lowry, but he is pretty much a clone of chuck james.

One possible destination I could see is renteria going to the cubs for rich hill. Or, since the Tigers are looking for a shortstop so they can move carlos guillen to replace sean casey, they could make a move (even though verlander and bonderman would not be coming to us, and after them the pitching bounty is not worthy of renteria.) And of course the White Sox with Javier Vazquez does make a ton of a sense for both the braves and the sox. I think that we will go after Livan hard, and make a trade for a good number 3 who could become a number 2 or even 1 if smoltz struggles.

by bravessuperbeast on Aug 26, 2007 11:54 PM EDT reply actions

Rich Hill

I would be totally down with getting Rich Hill in a Braves uni, but I don't think it's happening for Renteria.

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by nickfeely8 on Aug 27, 2007 2:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Well

Chipper for one thing Willis is NOT on my wish list! And we will get a #3 starter in the Renteria deal! Then James will be our #4 starter! Paul Byrd OR Hernandez would be a nice pickup for us! No way we can trust that Hampton will be healthy for next year! I dont know IF we would be able to get Byrd OR Hernandez on a 1 year deal, but that would be nice! And some of yall mentioned Colon might be cheap! LOL! Thats a good one! He will get ONE of the Highest paid contracts This offseason! The dude won a AL CY Young a few years ago, believe me that RIGHT there puts us out of our price range! His agent is gonna get him MILLIONS of dollars! No way he comes here! I Would like to have him here though! And somebody mentioned Peavy, that would be interesting, but who do we trade to them? I doubt they would want Renteria UNLESS they move Renteria OR Greene to 2nd base, because they have a Good Young 3rd baseman in Kous(cant spell his whole last name). But it would take AT LEAST Renteria, Reyes AND probably Hanson! Peavy is a Front line starter! He will command alot of money! And Gregory you said you would insist the full physical and crap like that, and then you said the Phillies did not do that with Garcia! Well we DID do that with Gonzalez and he still got hurt! Which was no big surprise to me! The dude missed the FINAL month of the season, but it was no big deal! LOL! But anyway crap happens, injuries happen! Sometimes you have to forget what the doctors say, if they say he is Good to go! You have to sometimes use good ole common sense! Obviously we did NOT do that with Gonzalez!

braves#1

by rockybull on Aug 26, 2007 11:57 PM EDT reply actions

Physicals

Garcia's issues were already there. Gonzalez' sort of happened. Big differences. To be sure, when you make a trade for any pitcher, you run huge risks, but they can be managed and there's a huge difference in getting Mike Sirotka or Freddy Garcia and, say, Mike Gonzalez, who does get hurt.

by Gregory Pratt @ Talking Chop on Aug 27, 2007 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions

bravessuperbeast

Dude you would NOT want to trade Renteria? The ONLY hope for us to compete NEXT year is IF we trade Renteria! We NEED another GOOD Starter! If we dont get that then we are TOAST AGAIN! UNLESS James finally develops another pitch AND if you actually count on Hampton to win comeback player of the year award! Then maybe a guy off the free agent market would be good! But dude have you seen that list? The ONLY descent pitchers that we could afford are Byrd AND Hernandez! I like Renteria as much as the Next guy but it is time for Escobar OR Lillibridge to win the starting SS spot! We can get FAR more for Renteria than we could get for Escobar OR Lillibridge!

braves#1

by rockybull on Aug 27, 2007 12:07 AM EDT reply actions

Wow,

Many comments in short time

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by Chipper on Aug 27, 2007 5:45 AM EDT reply actions

Rockybull

That is right, I would like to keep Renteria in a braves uniform. The reason why? Well, it is obvious now that pitching will be the main reason why we will not make the playoffs. JS and everyone knew this at the deadline, so he tried to get a starter in a trade. One move he tried was Jon Garland for Edgar Renteria. And, from Garland's Stats this year, it is evident he is not worth Renteria. I know that he is a two time 18-game winner, but the offense the White Sox had in 05 and 06 did inflate his value a bit.

When i say I do want to keep renteria, it is out of fear that the braves will trade him for something that is less than equal return just to fill our need at starter during the offseason. This was the case with Jon Garland. However, the market for pitchers who would be a worthy enough bounty for Renteria is very thin. Joe Blanton? Javier Vazquez? Rich Hill? All of these players are a worthy return, but it seems unlikely that their respective teams would want to move for renteria. Since the liklihood of us getting a return that is equal in value to what renteria has to offer, I think that we would give ourselves the best chance to keep renteria and sign a stable veteran or two in the offseason. Please remember, before his last start and injury, Chuck James was turning into a very respectable number 3 in the NL. I say we can find a respectable 4 and even 5 through free agency, while still keeping renteriam and be able to contend.

by bravessuperbeast on Aug 27, 2007 8:29 AM EDT reply actions

Carlos Silva

I have always liked this guy, the reason why is because he eats as many innings as Livan Hernandez does, but you actually know his age and also know that his stuff actually could be good in the NL. There are some sites that hint he may get a four year deal. I say that if we could sign him for 3 or four years at a slightly pricuer cost that the Jason Marquis contract, why not do it. He will be consistiently producing as a 4, with the potential to at times pitch like a two or three. That being said, I am sure someone will get him for 4 years and 40 million so he might be too costly.

by bravessuperbeast on Aug 27, 2007 10:11 AM EDT reply actions