More Injuries for the Braves
by gondeee on Apr 15, 2008 6:26 PM EDT
Email
PrintIt's bad enough that we're uncertain about the immediate future of Tom Glavine and that our closer, Rafael Soriano, is on the disabled list, but now the team has put reliever/interim closer Peter Moylan on the 15-day DL with a right elbow strain. Is Mike Hampton contagious or something?
That's a shit-load of injuries for this early in the season. Already we've had three starting pitchers on the DL -- Hampton (does he count anymore), Smoltz, and James -- and now two relievers -- Soriano and Moylan (not to mention Mike Gonzalez). I remember some years back in the mid-90s when hardly any key player would get injured for an entire year! I guess all that good luck is finally turning on us.
Coming up to replace the Ausi is starter and longman Buddy Carlyle. I guess with Buddy they wanted experience, because they sure didn't pick the hot arm. Buddy had made two starts, had not gone longer than four innings in either of them, and had given up 11 hits in 7.2 innings (and three walks) -- that's a 7.04 ERA. I know it's still early and yada yada yada, but why not give Charlie Morton a shot -- he's only given up five hits in 10.1 innings for a 0.87 ERA. Or even, dare I say it, Jo-Jo Reyes, who hasn't given up a run yet and has 14 strikeouts in nine innings (Jo-Jo must have rediscovered his strikeout pitch).
Oh well, Buddy has spurts of decentness, perhaps we can catch one of those. I don't even think the team knows how they'll fill in the rotation for the near term. For the Florida series we'll trot out Jurrjens, Hudson, and Smoltz, then the team site shows us throwing Bennett in the opener against LA at home on Friday followed by a TBA pitcher. Glavine's turn is Saturday and everyone will have to play the "wait and see" game before we know if he'll be able to pitch in that game.
Between the one-run losses and all the damn injuries I may be a broken man before the All-Star break!
14 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Certainly...
...not what I wanted to see first thing home from work. I felt like Moylan was the one saving grace we had left in our bullpen.
I will say this, however…Campillo looked very sharp during his outing in DC.
Moylan's injury...
... may be serious, guys. He’s going to be visiting Dr. James Andrews. Yes, Dr. Death.
-sdp-
MRI??
If the results of an MRI are “undisclosed” you know that’s bad. Tommy John is an SOB. I dont get it – why is this happening to us?
Trades.
Thankfully we have guys we could trade for relief help. Maybe we can talk to the O’s about George Sherill (Lilibridge?) or the Rays for Dan Wheeler (B. Jones?)? Both guys can close and move to set-up if/when our guys come back. Moylan’s injury is certainly serious, Soriano’s is mysterious (which is usually seriously) and Gonzalez can’t be expected to come back in tip-top shape. If you take the top three relievers out of any bullpen, you’ll end up with a mediocre team right quick. With our rotation churning out largely short outings, we’ll need a strong ‘pen to compete. This start has been heartbreaking…
Ejruiz
Dont you think giving up Lillilibridge straight up for Shierill is a bit lopsided favoring the Orioles? Sherill is a good reliever but I just dont think he is good enough to get a top prospect SS. And same goes for Wheeler. Both are good relievers but not worth a top prospect that has there tools in my opinion.
braves#1
Fair Enough.
It doesn’t have to be straight up, but it would likely be close (especially considering our respective situations at this point in the season). According to Baseball America, Lillibridge isn’t among the top 100 prospects in baseball. Likewise, John Sickels wasn’t all that high on him either. Brandon Jones might be another matter, but he hardly qualifies as a top prospect. The biggest reason why he’s so close to the top of our lists is proximity to the majors more so than anything else. We’d certainly get something solid in addition to Wheeler for him, but nothing truly special. Remember, we’re talking about relievers that can close at the major league level and those don’t come cheaply nowadays.
but
Sherrill is almost 31 years old and he ONLY has 10 career saves. So thats not a big enough sample to give up a young SS that can start and produce for that team now. I like Sherrills career ERA but it would be hard to give up a real good young SS for a guy that is more of a setup man than a Closer, but of course there is NOTHING wrong with getting a good setup man. I think maybe Jones for Sherrill would be better but I dont know though.
And for Wheeler I think Ring, and maybe two top 20 prospects might could get him, but of course the asking price for the Rays players would probably not be enough. So I dont know
Ejruiz I am not tryin to say I am right and you are wrong im just tryin to have a good conversation here so anything I say dont take it the wrong way. I just dont think that relievers that have under 30 saves in there careers should get a top 10 prospect. Yes of course I know the asking price of major league relievers but they are not young relievers. You never know what you will get from relievers year after year sometimes.
braves#1
No Worries, Rockybull.
I don’t mind this discussion at all. The O’s have no use for Jones because they have a young, talented OF set all the way around. You will not find a team willing to give up a proven closer or a young, stud set-up man for anything less than something close to an elite prospect. The Rays fancy themselves contenders in the very near future, so I doubt they’ll give up a quality veteran reliever for anything less than another likely contributor. Maybe two lesser prospects would do, but I’m just not sure about them in the trade market. We’re between a rock and a hard place: we’ve invested heavily in this season and we should take some reasonable risk to salavge it. We’re going nowhere with Acosta as our closer and Boyer as our main set-up man, especially with Bennett playing the part of 6th starter depleting our ‘pen.
yeah I agree.
We invested everything into this season. I personally believe that if we dont win the World Series this year then it will probably be 4 or 5 years from now until we actually have a chance at it again mainly because of the young starters in our minors. The reason I think this is because with Chippers injury past and him gettin older anything can happen, I really really really think we would be foolish to really rely on Smoltz beyond this year. Smoltz is unbelievable and is pitching through pain now and maybe he can get through it this year but he will probably get hurt next year or whenever and he WONT be able to pitch anymore, and he done said he is NOT gonna have surgery again, he said that a few years ago. And Glavine will probably retire at the end of the season and Reyes just is not ready this year or probably next year to be effective enough for us to count on him. We have a great young team in the minors and alot of very good young players in the majors also but I believe if we dont win the World Series this year then probably our best shot at winning a World Series again would be in 4 or 5 years.
Yeah I know I was pessimistic in all that talkin but thats just what I believe, hope I am wrong and would LOVE to be wrong. But its still a long season maybe we can win the World Series this year. Im not giving up on this season so we will just have to wait it out and hopefully get people healthy and the lineup hitting like it is capable of.
braves#1
oh yeah
When I said that Smoltz might get hurt next year, and when I said probably get hurt and not pitch anymore im not sayin he will but it is a big possiblility that he will so nobody try to kill me over that comment because I know Smoltz gives it his MOST EVERY time out.
braves#1
It's just a haymaker...
...cause Moylan had pitched so well. At least with Gonzelez and Soriano they showed a little wear-and-tear.
by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 15, 2008 10:29 PM EDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
