Braves Prospect Mike Minor To Make MLB Debut Monday; Kenshin Kawakami Demoted
by gondeee on Aug 5, 2010 4:15 PM EDT
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After almost 18 hours of speculation since Kris Medlen left Wednesday night's game with an apparent elbow injury, the Braves have announced that Mike Minor will take his spot in the Atlanta rotation. Minor was the Braves first round draft pick last year, the seventh overall pick in the draft.
As part of these moves, deposed started Kenshin Kawakami will be optioned to triple-A Gwinnett to build up arm strength after a month of not pitching. He may be called on if Minor does not perform well. The Braves plan is for KK to make at least four starts at Gwinnett.
It was also announced the Kris Medlen has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The Braves plan to wait a could of weeks to see how the elbow responds before determining if surgery will be needed.
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Kawakami down?
Thought Kawakami couldn’t be sent down according to his contract. Did he have to agree to it?
I’m guessing he probably did agree to it because it was really his only shot at getting back into the rotation. Or at least getting regular work in the bullpen.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
And as for his rustiness...
they have no on to blame but themselves. Using the man just once over a month and a half is shameful.
Oh I agree. I feel bad for the guy. If he were on almost any other team, he would never have left the rotation in the first place. It is nice to have him as insurance, though. If Minor struggles, he should be ready, and if Minor dominates he will come back up in September, but probably just to sit in the bullpen some more…
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
If he's in Gwinnett,...
I hope he gets work tomorrow. I’m happy for Minor, and glad to see the kid get his shot, but they just wasted an average starter for a reason no one other than themselves can figure.
Well I think it is pretty obvious that Bobby just doesn’t trust him for some reason. I’m sure they never expected to need him again, but it happens.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
They’re not stupid enough to have expected no possible injury to a starter the rest of the year. So keeping him relatively fresh in game action should have been a reasonable request considering that slim chance of Medlen, Hanson, Hudson, Lowe, and JJ starting every game the rest of the way.
Maybe they requested that he go down to Gwinnett
So that he could stay stretched out and he refused, so in retaliation they didn’t use him at all out of the bullpen
I believe this is what happened. KK must have pulled a low key Oliver Perez on the Braves.
by romone_braves91 on Aug 5, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Obviously its all speculation
But its the only way I can make any sense out of how this has played out.
WELCOME TO THE BIGS, MIKE!
We finally have our left-handed starter.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
haha, I’m looking forward to it.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
by Scott Coleman on Aug 5, 2010 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Who was our last lefty starter?
Chuck James?
Medlen's future
If it is indeed a full tear for Meds and he needs TJ surgury, would the Braves make him a full time reliever when he returned to help his arm or continue to use him as a starter?
Probably a little of both.
"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
I see a troll under that bridge!
by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Aug 5, 2010 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Well look at Huddy...
If he works hard he could come back a much stronger Starter… But one way or the other I hope to see him back tearing it up soon!
by UpstateNyBravesFan on Aug 5, 2010 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
But Hudson had already proved he could handle a starter's workload before the injury
Medlen has still never gone more than 120.1 innings in a season and he already has a partial tear of the UCL when he got pushed as a starter for an extended period. I think its time to quit with the starting experiment and just take advantage of him out of the pen.
Good point!
When did he start starting? I don’t know much about his time in the minors… Is there a chance that this did stem from being hit the other night?
by UpstateNyBravesFan on Aug 5, 2010 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Split time between relieving and starting in 2008
Before that he was only a reliever
Oh, I don’t care if he comes back a reliever or a starter I just can’t wait till he does!
by UpstateNyBravesFan on Aug 5, 2010 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s not like he can’t get hurt as a reliever too. Starters are more valuable. If a guy can be a good starter, than you should always go that way. He only pitched 107 innings.
I agree on this
plus, with a brand new elbow ligament, he should be fine when he comes back. It is a myth that pitchers come back stronger after TJ, but he should return to what he was already doing.
by Andy Braves Fan on Aug 6, 2010 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
But there is no reason to think he can be a good starter
He’s never handled a full starters workload and broke down this year after dealing with a little over a 1/2 year as a starter (as you said he only pitched 107 innings). He also ins’t even good as a starter, as his 4.31 ERA in the role shows. Yeah, he can still get hurt as a reliever, but its a whole lot less likely since you can manage his workload to a much greater degree.
He also ins’t even good as a starter, as his 4.31 ERA in the role shows.
This statement is utterly false. ERA isn’t great, but this year as a starter it’s 3.86, whip is 1.21, K/BB is 3.88. These are certainly the numbers of a good (above average) starter, unless you’re playing a video game.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
They're fine
But his HR rate as a starter this year is utterly terrible at 1.29 HR/9 (would rank him among 20 worst qualified pitchers) and he gets crushed his second and third times through the order. Sure, he’s been above average in that role this year (I make a distinction between above average and good), but he didn’t even make it through most of a year starting before he went down with an injury. On top of that, he’s far more successful as a reliever than as a starter. There is no reason to risk injury again to put him in a spot he’s not that great at, when we can just use him to his maximum ability with less risk as a reliever going forward.
If he needs TJ
He’ll be done with his pre-arb years by the time he’s back full strength. At that point, it makes more sense to use him as a starter because he’ll provide more value (assuming he’s still one of the 5 best starters). If his arm falls off again, so be it. It’s important to remember that a club looks at these guys as assets for 6-8 years (if they’re really good), not 12-15; they don’t have much interest in them once they hit FA and aren’t cheap.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
Yeah but he'll be a Super 2 when he enters arbitration
So we’ll still have him for 4 more years. I’ll take 4 years of very good relieving over what could easily be just 2 or so seasons of above average starting. I’ll take Derek Lowe in the rotation and Medlen in the pen over Medlen in the rotation and Lowe in the pen in 2012 (and hopefully we have enough starters where Lowe doesn’t even make it through that year as a SP).
Honestly, I think you’re looking at this the wrong way. You want us to maximize the value we get from Medlen alone. You should be worried about maximizing the value of the whole team. If the drop from Medlen to Lowe (for example) in the pen is greater than the upgrade from Lowe to Medlen in the rotation, than you keep Medlen in the pen. Also, keeping him in the pen will keep his salary lower in arbitration, which is something to keep in mind.
I’m not sure what your point is, but if it’s that KK sucked in the pen, I would certainly point out that with such a SSS, we can’t actually know that. He might have been a better pitcher in high leverage situations – he certainly rose to the level of his competition when facing very good opposing starters. If this is not your point, then please explain.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
And in that small sample size last year...
it’s a huge stretch to say he sucked out of the bullpen, and in fact his numbers were pretty solid.
sorry I misphrased that
My point is that Medlen has career ERA of 4.22 as a starter. This year he has taken a step forward and has been better like you stated, but he hasn’t proven that he can handle the workload of being a full time starter. He broke down this year and will be likely be headed towards surgery. KK has a career ERA of 4.16 as a starter and has proven he can handle the workload. KK hasn’t pitched a lot from the bullpen so we don’t know his full potential. Medlen has pitched from the bullpen and he has been dominant. Medlen is not a significant upgrade over KK.
Yeah, I think we're in agreement
I don’t remember whether I initially liked moving Medlen into the rotation, but I didn’t think KK would be used 1 time in 6 weeks either. KK in the rotation and Meds in the pen is a much better use of our players, assuming BC treats KK like a ghost.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
tearing it up?
very poor choice of words given the circumstances…
by forgotten_glory on Aug 5, 2010 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Congrats Mike Minor
give em hell
If Jason Heyward were to hit a home run off of you, you would have to fight the urge to thank him.
Great to see Minor come up.
As for Medlen, what exactly is a “partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament?” I know TJ surgery is supposed to repair a certain ligament, is this the one?
The only time the Mets win is in the offseason.
If the ligament is damaged enough, yes, he’ll have TJS.
I’ve heard though that sometimes with a lot of rest and rehab, you don’t have to have to have surgery. Maybe if Medlen just rests for a few months and then builds his elbow up over the off-season, he could be back for next year.
I don’t think we see him pitch again in 2010 though.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
by Scott Coleman on Aug 5, 2010 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m just praying that I never hear the name “James Andrews.” Then we KNOW it can’t be good.
The only time the Mets win is in the offseason.
I honestly believe JA belongs in the Hall of Fame.
by !Vive la Francoeur! on Aug 5, 2010 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions
ugh
Meds would have been solid in October.
"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
I see a troll under that bridge!
by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Aug 5, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I hate the rest and rehab route. It works something like 1 out of every 50 times. Usually the guys just ends up screwing around with that for a whole season before ultimately figuring out he has to have the surgery anyway and thus ends up missing 2 seasons instead of 1.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
This x 1000
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
Although I'm sure he's the exception to the rule...
Saito has been pitching with a partially torn UCL for almost two years.
Nah. Even Smoltz said last night that a partial tear wasn’t automatic surgery. He said the worrying starts when it’s a full tear, or a partial that doesn’t respond to rest/rehab.
by J-Freak on Aug 5, 2010 5:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Hey Gondeee,
where are you seeing that Meds has a partial tear? I haven’t seen that anywhere.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
Thank you.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
by Scott Coleman on Aug 5, 2010 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
http://twitter.com/Braves/status/20413336129
"I'm like Yankee fans. I expect perfection from my team. I wish more Braves fans were like me." by AndyInGA on Jul 29, 2010 12:43 PM PDT
by ByrneSupremacy on Aug 5, 2010 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Thank you.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
by Scott Coleman on Aug 5, 2010 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Thank Heyward
For Pitching Depth
Morton hit Heyward with an offspeed pitch. Early indication is that the baseball survived the impact.
Three Things:
1. Congrats to Minor, whether you feel he’s ready or not, he’ll be pitching for our boys on Monday. Let’s support him and root on our new pitcher.
2. Good Luck to Mr. Kawakami…I feel badly for him, as it is apparent that he is done with the team. Here’s to hoping he turns it around and gets a shot, with Atlanta or otherwise.
3. Medlen: Bummer. Get Well Soon. Sadly, this was not how I wanted his innings limited.
whether you feel he’s ready or not, he’ll be pitching for our boys on Monday. Let’s support him and root on our new pitcher.
Exactly. No need to argue about KK and Minor and who should start. The Braves made a move, and now our job as fans is to support Mike.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
by Scott Coleman on Aug 5, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh yes. If all that’s true, that’s some Grade A bullshit.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
by Scott Coleman on Aug 5, 2010 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions
all what is true?
AFTER CAREFUL FIELD OBSERVATION CAN ACCURATELY CLASSIFY ENTIRE TEAM BREWERS MILWAUKEE IN C:/FILE: "WHINY FAGS"
I can't believe they handled KK the way they have. As for Chris I really hope the best for him I've been a fan of his since his rocky start last year and the way he turned it around
Senator, we have another old saying,"Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining." Fletcher
OK I misspelled Kris, go shit and fall back in it!
Senator, we have another old saying,"Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining." Fletcher
FIGHT!!@!
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
Maybe its his fault
I have to think the Braves at least gave him the option of going to AAA to stay stretched out and he refused.
Welcome to the show.
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
______________
Nothing is worse than the end of the chip bag.
by MBL1 on Aug 5, 2010 4:25 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
lmao
"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
I see a troll under that bridge!
by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Aug 5, 2010 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions
seriously
I love that little guy.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
by Scott Coleman on Aug 5, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Same here!
Just something about that cute little bugger that makes you like him! Became one of my Braves Faves fast!
by UpstateNyBravesFan on Aug 5, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Me too.
:-(
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
I hope it’s not too bad
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
______________
Nothing is worse than the end of the chip bag.
by MBL1 on Aug 5, 2010 4:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
You know what guys,
I think we’ve found what the trend is going to be under Frank Wren and the Braves:
Veterans get plenty of time to work out their problems, but if they don’t and fall out of favor with the team, they’re toast.
It happened with KK and his time in the ‘pen and AAA.
It happened with McLouth.
And unless Glaus starts hitting, I’m willing to bet any of you that Freeman is called up within a few days to replace the struggling veteran.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
Why not Canizares, though, with the way he’s been raking?
Meds did come up before Hanson.
"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
~
I see a troll under that bridge!
by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Aug 5, 2010 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions
probably because he can’t play defense at all? That’s part of what is killing us with Glaus, his range has really diminished affecting his defensive ability.
I disagree
Glaus has been good at first, especially with it being his first year to play first on a regular basis.
Kawakami: 'I didn't come over here to be a reliever'
Especially if veterans are given time to work things out, I do not see much wrong with cutting losses on certain guys. KK potentially brought a portion of this on himself, and McLouth, well, he just sucks. If speculation that is rampant on KK is true, then he may have learned a very tough lesson.
by CharlotteChop on Aug 5, 2010 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
what speculation? sources please.
Coming soon: winningugly visits Atlanta, takes dump in royhobbs’ Braves hat.
speculation on these threads that only justify KKs treatment due to a refusal of AAA assignment. I didn’t come up with it, but there are plenty of people here arguing it. So i was only saying “if” thats the case…
by CharlotteChop on Aug 5, 2010 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions
KK might be going to Gwinnett
to “showcase” him a bit for a possible trade and/or leaving him on the revocable waiver list. Let some possibly interested teams get a look at him.
the KK situation was poorly handled
He doesn’t pitch for a month so they option him to “build arm strength”
"That's my teammate, man... That's my quarterback"
not the first time the Front Office has drop the ball on player relations. Look at the Tom Glavine situation last year.
by romone_braves91 on Aug 5, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
the FO under Wren has been awful on player relations…
by forgotten_glory on Aug 5, 2010 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Sept. 17, 1999 — Cal Ripken Jr. is delayed in traffic and calls the team’s traveling secretary to assure him that he’d be arriving at the airport within the next 10 minutes. At Wren‘s order, however, the plane takes off without Cal, who arrives at the gate a few minutes later and has to make his own travel arrangements. When Wren is fired after the season, part of the announcement reads: "In the opinion of management, there was no need for such an arbitrary and inflexible decision. In the meeting, Wren defiantly dismissed our concerns, characterized them as ‘silly’ and insisted he would invoke the same takeoff order no matter what the extenuating circumstances. The Orioles management cannot and will not abide having a GM operate in such an unreasonable, authoritarian manner and treat anyone this way, especially someone such as Cal who has done so much for the Orioles and for baseball."
http://rowlandsoffice.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/frank-wren-arrogant-prick/
Wow, that’s pretty bad. Of course, Baltimore has sucked for the better part of a decade and a half.
by CharlotteChop on Aug 5, 2010 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions
wow
i didn’t know that…so it’s always been a problem for him…
by forgotten_glory on Aug 5, 2010 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Of course, the Orioles problems existed before that and long after that, all stemming back to the fact that their management, headlined by their owner, is just horrendous.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
I'd agree cb...
but it can certainly be used to illustrate a pattern of poor player relations out of Wren, especially when dealing with some big time faces of a franchise like Ripken and Glavine.
Right
but remember, this is the same ownership writing this that blamed Frank Wren for signing Belle even though we all know damn well that Angelos wanted that signing. Would it surprise you if Angelos made the order through Wren then threw him under the bus for it?
by Andy Braves Fan on Aug 6, 2010 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions
No, but the...
information is out there that could lead one to believe Wren needs to improve his people skills.
I understand that
but I would take any evidence coming from his time with the Orioles with a grain of salt, especially in official statemnts from the office of Peter Angelos.
by Andy Braves Fan on Aug 6, 2010 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes and no...
Al Davis is a crazy old man who has run his franchise into the ground and anything he says should be taken with a grain of salt. He called Lane Kiffin a liar and a scumbag (in so many words), and people kind of scoffed saying it means nothing more than the insane ramblings of a delusional, rich old man. But as time went on, Kiffin kept acting like a liar and scumbag to the point where, you know, maybe in spite of being quite often wrong and misguided, Al Davis might have been right.
Not saying Wren is as bad as some of these isolated instances make out, or a diseased dick like Kiffin, but his actions after leaving Angelos (Glavine most notably) haven’t exactly been inconsistent with what the crazy old rich guy said.
good point
really doesn’t surprise me all that much.
Concerning Glavine, sometimes front office guys just have this mentality, like “screw everything you’ve ever done for our organization, what have you done lately?”
"That's my teammate, man... That's my quarterback"
by TurnerTheBurner on Aug 6, 2010 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions
pretty crummy huh?
Senator, we have another old saying,"Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining." Fletcher
I have a feeling this is what happened. Like someone said above, it would be stupid for them to just let him sit in the bullpen and never use him, without asking him to go down to stay fresh. If that’s the case, then the blame can at least be partially placed on him, because if he had gone down he would likely be ready right now and would be the one in the rotation Monday. But it’s all speculation really.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
Seems like a reach
Do you really think that he refused to go to AAA a month ago, but now that he has a chance to get back into the rotation, he’s all of a sudden willing to go to AAA?
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
I don’t get what doesn’t make sense about that. It was either go to AAA or have no shot at the rotation. They weren’t going to put him in the rotation after hardly pitching for the last month or so. It was his only shot, which makes it a reasonable idea.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
He doesn't have a chance to get back into the rotation if he doesn't go down
My thinking is he refused the demotion with the thought that if it really came down to it, the Braves would still use him as the replacement. Now that he sees Minor getting the call over him, he wised up and decided this was his only choice.
But then as you said...
that’s pure speculation with no public comments supporting it. Not saying you’re wrong, just that nothing has said anything of the sort, or even been leaked anonymously or implied or anything of that nature. You’d think that might have been thrown out by somebody before it that was what went down.
I personally
don’t feel we should be judging FW or KK on this situation until we get all the facts.
Kawakami: 'I didn't come over here to be a reliever'
How would it help to announce that the Braves asked KK to go down and he refused?
It doesn’t help either side, so I wouldn’t expect it to get leaked. Why else would KK just now be getting sent down despite the fact that Bobby clearly didn’t plan to use him?
ridiculous, unfounded speculation. Anyone who watches Bobby Cox for 3 games knows that he has his go-to guys (Moylan-2008-2009, Venters 2010 for most recent examples) whom he’s gonna call on whether the team is winning by 1 or 10, or losing by 3 or less runs. And then he’s got 1-3 guys that virtually never get used unless the team is losing in a blowout. Since this team is actually good, we haven’t had hardly any of those situations, KK and Chavez/Martinez go unused. Bobby’s a great manager, hall of famer and all that, but his bullpen management skills has never been too good.
Coming soon: winningugly visits Atlanta, takes dump in royhobbs’ Braves hat.
Last time I checked Wren controlled the roster
And I’d think after seeing KK go completely unused he’d have considered sending him down to AAA to stay in shape to start if needed. KK has a clause in his contract that allows him to refuse such an assignment. Suddenly, after never getting sent down, the minute someone else gets the call to start over him he gets sent down. I don’t see anything ridiculous about this speculation. Given how things have played out it perfectly explains everything that’s happened. Yeah, its speculation, but its completely logical and far from ridiculous IMO.
If you don’t think that Bobby has input on roster moves, you’re higher than the International Space Station.
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
Why would Bobby care if KK got sent down if he wasn't going to use him?
If anything I’d think Bobby would have been asking to have KK sent down.
But Chavez was used, and KK wasn't...
that’s what got confusing. There were opportunities to get him more work than we have over the last month and a half, plenty of them. He could easily have gotten a couple of the outings Chavez came on in 7 games since the end of June, KK only 1. He pitched in 9 games since KK’s last start. Now, why couldn’t Kenny have gotten 3 or 4 of those appearances instead of Salary Relief?
That's very true
Blayne Boyer anyone? I fear that Venters shares this future.
by Andy Braves Fan on Aug 6, 2010 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions
On the way up...
Venters started and had a couple 100 inning seasons, including 150+ last year. This year, he has 49 appearances, 55 innings, and is on pace for around 70 in both. That’s well used, but nothing really extreme imo. He’s been used on back to back days 15 times, 3 straight days twice.
Now, we’ll see how he’s used going forward with Bobby having multiple arms he trusts in pressure spots with Moylan, Saito, Farnsworth, and hopefully EOF in the next week or two. I think Venters usage won’t be as bad as it looks now when the year is over. Hopefully when rosters expand in September, and we can add Kimbrel, Hyde, Ortegano, Proctor, and others, he gets a little rest before the post season where we can use him every game without worrying about pitching more than 3 times in a week.
But
starting innings and relief innings, as well as scheduling and workouts, are very different. I’m just saying that Venters seems to get the ball every night, and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. I mentioned Boyer because he is the most recent of memory, but I am pretty sure there are 5 or so examples of guys that Bobby has thrown out there and run their arms to oblivion. Moylan was almost one. I am surprised he is still pitching the way he was used for a while there. It certainly didn’t surprise me when he needed surgery.
by Andy Braves Fan on Aug 6, 2010 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Fair enough...
let’s just hope Venters’ story has a better ending than Boyer’s, and that the influx of arms from Farnsworth to future additions like EOF, Kimbrel, etc let him not be used so many times on back to back nights, or more than 3 times a week.
Yeah, kinda stupid. they don’t pitch him for a month then say he needs to build his arm strength?……
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
______________
Nothing is worse than the end of the chip bag.
by MBL1 on Aug 5, 2010 4:41 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I hope Minor dominates while he’s up. It sucks for Kawakami, though. I was really hoping he’d get another chance at starting again.
The birth of Jason Heyward was God’s punishment for the sins of the people in New York and Philly.
Aren’t ya glad we didn’t trade Minor now?
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
______________
Nothing is worse than the end of the chip bag.
by MBL1 on Aug 5, 2010 4:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Possibly. Depends on what we might have gotten in a hypothetical trade. If he does great that’s awesome, but all he really needs to do is be a 5th starter, which Todd Redmond, or even Scott Diamond or Brandon Beachy, could have done reasonably well. You don’t have to set the world on fire to be a decent 5th starter. Of course, I think Minor is going to be a good bit better than a decent 5th starter, but still, it is superfluous.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
Mike Minor verse Astros on monday.
Fortunately we’re going agaisn’t the astros. Not a tough team. Good team for his first game.
Is it too much to hope he strikes out like 15 guys, just to say he outdid Strasburg’s debut. It’s completely unrealistic, but if it happened it would make my month.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
oh my gosh, are you reading my mind? I was just about to type that haha.
I really hope he outdoes Mr. Hype.
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
______________
Nothing is worse than the end of the chip bag.
by MBL1 on Aug 5, 2010 4:58 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Problem is
it isn’t Strasburg’s fault. I can’t stand to read Jayson Stark anymore (not that I had a particularly high tolerance of him before) because he appointed Strasburg king of all baseball before he threw his first pitch. It was disguisting to read/watch.
by Andy Braves Fan on Aug 6, 2010 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Where is Pacgnosis now?
He called my claim Minor over KK made no sense. Apparently, the Braves thought the same thing. (Had to get that one off my chest).
Well, just because you and the Braves FO both agree on the same silly decision, that doesn’t make it the correct decision. Does it?
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
That's not the point.
The point was that pacgnosis made it seem like it was a “no doubter,” a “forgone conclusion” that KK will get the nod over Minor. I don’t mind a little debate or a “you are wrong” but to got out on a limb and say that it will not happen for obvious reason is another thing. I just wanted to point out that nothing is certain. Can’t tell if this is a right decision or not until Minor makes the start on Monday.
by romone_braves91 on Aug 5, 2010 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions
He wasn't the only one who thought it was obvious KK should get the gig...
unfortunately, they let him rot for so long in the bullpen he can became useless, which led to him not getting action, more rotting, and even less use. It was a downward spiral.
But the point still remains, we paid him a sizeable sum, and he pitched as good or better than the ast majority of guys in a similar position (meaning 4th/5th starter). There is no reason to think he still couldn’t be a good 4th/5th starter if for whatever reason he hadn’t spent the last month getting splinters in his butt next to Eddie Perez.
I am a KK fan
I always thought the man got a raw deal when he got banished to the pen. It was a no win situation when JJ returned to the rotation back in June. I think the FO is doing what is best for the team over loyalty. To be honest (coming out of left field), I think Front Office is the reason why Bobby Cox decided that this year is his last.
by romone_braves91 on Aug 5, 2010 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions
that wouldnt surprise me...
i seem to recall there being reports of a feud between wren and bobby…
by forgotten_glory on Aug 5, 2010 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I think it would be a foregone conclusion had KK been actually pitching for the past months. Minor making his debut right now is a mistake more than it is Minor pitching himself into the role, I believe. The proper move is to give the ball to KK, but he doesn’t have the arm right now.
Twitter: @Ben_Duronio
Since KK can not go, who would you want in place of Minor to take the starting role? I think if you look at his fellow rookie peers (Leake and Strasburg), making the jump to the majors is not that big of a mistake. Minor might surprise you.
by romone_braves91 on Aug 5, 2010 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions
How the hell is it silly?!?!
You sound real stupid right now, evidently the Braves know what they are doing which is why you are not on the payroll!
by Jay212033 on Aug 5, 2010 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Why do I sound stupid? Because I disagree?
Nevermind. I’ll just take youre word for it. You definitely know a thing or two about sounding stupid.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
You work for the Braves right........
Oh wait NO your an armchair GM just like everyone else on this board so to say the move is silly is just plain stupid!
Listen, you moron
In 2009, you bitched incessantly about the Minor pick. Do you understand how retarded you sound by calling out someone for disagreeing with the Braves FO on a personnel decision?
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
HaHa
And I wasn’t the only one. Computer tough talk gotta love it lol!
"Computer tough talk"
I shouldn’t have resorted to personal insults; however, my point remains. It sounds ridiculous when someone criticizes someone else for something they do themselves on a regular basis.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
Don't even lie on me
That was the only time I question the Braves decision making and that’s because I had watched Minor several times before we drafted him and he’s not the same guy now that the Braves drafted.
Hmmm...
So it’s okay for you to disagree with the Braves FO because you “scouted” Minor, but everyone else get’s the tired “If you know so much, why doesn’t the team pay you” line if they disagree with the way the FO handles players. Interesting.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
don't worry about it
it’s no use arguing with a wall
i’ve learned that some people are either moronic or willfully ignorant. you just have to accept it and move on.
You are calling him stupid
and he is calling you a moron. Start arguing like 12 year old kids.
Kawakami: 'I didn't come over here to be a reliever'
I didn't call HIM stupid
I called what he said stupid but whatever i’ve seen far worse than that and by moderators at that.
But Jay started it!!!
This is SO UNFAIR!!!!!!
/storms off and slams the door to Mom’s basement…
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
Congrats to Minor
Hate to hear the news on Medz though loved watching him and his awesome change up. Smoltz said last night that a pitcher could still pitch with a partial tear so hopefully this doesn’t require surgery.
Now on the other hand if Minor comes out and gives up 5+ runs in his 1st outting please don’t jump off the kids bandwagon. Hanson gave up 6 in his first outting so lets all just remain supportive of our youngsters.
I agree with what you said, but Hanson gave up 6 to a good offense. If Minor gives up 6 to the Astros, it will worry me a little bit more than Hanson giving up 6 to Milwaukee.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
It really doesn't matter
These are still ML hitters, the Astros are hot right now, they play in a bandbox of a stadium and his first start is coming on the road unlike Hanson.
The Astros may be “hot” right now, but they’re not a very good team.
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
______________
Nothing is worse than the end of the chip bag.
by MBL1 on Aug 5, 2010 5:08 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Exactly. They won 7 in a row, but 5 of those were to the Cubs and Brewers who are also not very good teams. They took a series from the Cardinals, which is surprising and slightly impressive, but if Minor gives up a bunch of runs to them, it will still be disappointing. I don’t expect him to shut them out, because they are still major league hitters, but he should be able to put up a decent start against them.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
Still overlooking
That he’s starting IN HOUSTON in that bandbox stadium. Hanson started at home with the crowd behind him, in more of a pitchers park. Plus this will be the guys 1st ML start so if you are disappointed if he gives up 6 runs in his 1st start then please stop watching baseball.
Oh, so you will be happy if he gives up 6 runs? I’m pretty sure most Braves fans will be disappointed to see any starter, regardless of age or experience, give up 6 runs in a start. That doesn’t mean we are going to be calling for his head, but why do we have to like it?
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
No
But I wouldn’t be disappointed with a kid in his 1st start in that stadium.
I don’t really understand this. Why would you tell us to “quit watching baseball” if we get disappointed by this? I don’t think I can watch a team I am passionate about and not either be happy about a performance or disappointed by one; especially in a player’s debut. If Heyward had gone 0-4 with 3 k’s in his debut, I would have been disappointed. That doesn’t make me any less of a fan.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
Dude if rookies disappoint you
After a bad start or outting your going to be in for a world of hurt!
Ok, I guess I am just a shitty fan then. I never said I would be disappointed in the player. I said I would be disappointed with the performance. If I watch the game expecting Minor to have a solid start, and he tosses 3 innings of 6-run ball, I’m going to be disappointed, and I think you will be hard-pressed to find people who aren’t.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
And just to solidify my point, Milwaukee was 3rd in the NL in runs scored last year. Houston is 15th in the NL in runs scored this year. Milwaukee hit 182 home runs last year, Houston has only hit 74 this year. So, yes, I think it is pretty understandable that I would be a little bit more worried about Minor giving up 6 runs to Houston than I was about Hanson giving up 6 to Milwaukee.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
That's not solidifying jack!
Even the worst teams in the league play better at home and in that crap stadium being disappointed with a kid in his 1st start IF he gives up 6 runs is really pointless.
Clearly you have trouble with reading comprehension. I just said I wouldn’t be disappointed with him. I said I would be disappointed with the performance. And, since you clearly don’t understand anything I say, I am done.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
by sleezer1788 on Aug 5, 2010 6:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Clearly
You can’t read because what I have been talking about is the kids performance. If he gives up 6 runs that’s dealing with performance right it has nothing to do with him as a person. So your reading comp. is crap basically.
Whoosh!!
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
by sleezer1788 on Aug 5, 2010 6:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
And no one ever said
You have to like it! After Hanson’s start nobody was here talking about how they were “disappointed” after his 1st start. Most were here talking about how good his stuff was or how they liked his poise.
I was disappointed, as were almost all my friends
Jay- you are not very good at arguments, and you are completely wrong in this one
A real fan would 100% be disappointed, we are in a playoff race and are counting on him to at least keep us in the game. If we didn’t care and were not disappointed then we should quit watching baseball.. the complete opposite of what you said haha
GSO
So I guess being a rookie doesn’t mean anything to you. So do you Venters or Wagner closing the Game 7 of the WS?
Hanson was a rookie when he gave up 6 to Milwaukee. I’m not quite sure what you are trying to get at with this. I’m comparing Hanson’s debut to Minor’s.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
I thought you were talking about this year
by Braves24 on Aug 6, 2010 8:22 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
If they judge Minor off the 4 starts they say he will get for sure, he might end up doing all right. He will get the Astros and Cubs, which are both pretty crappy offenses. The Dodgers might be tough, but that’s not guaranteed. The toughest will be pitching in Colorado. That one might get him.
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
I’m so bummed out about My Little Pony (I’ve been calling him that since last year, and I really don’t plan on ever stopping). I was so excited when he was called up last year, and he was one of my favorite Braves from that moment on. He seems like such a great, enthusiastic guy and I hate for the Braves to be without that for even a few months. Nevermind them being without his pitching. Hopefully the partial tear isn’t too serious and he can get better soon!
Regardless, I’m stoked for Minor’s call up and having a lefty in the rotation again. I hope his debut goes spectacularly on Monday!
Depending on what’s needed for his rehab, I imagine Medlen will stay with the team for awhile. Hanson needs his friend around to occasionally remind him about his mechanics and the rest of the team can benefit from his energy.
by LEastCoastBears on Aug 5, 2010 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
From the beginning of the season I wanted Medlen to start over Lowe. He was in my top 5 favorite Braves player.
by romone_braves91 on Aug 5, 2010 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
A potential nice problem to have
is what to do with KK after he shows to be quite effective in AAA meanwhile Minor give no reason to be taken out of the rotation.
Haha, somehow I doubt the two were very close. A bit of a language barrier there. They would need to send their conversations through two different translators. (And I don’t say this to be mean, but this comment was just a bit funny).
"Chase Utley can't polish Martin's shoes right now" Joe Simpson
One of my favorite moments from last season was when Esco went out to the mound while KK was pitching. And they like… had a conversation. By themselves. It was so wtf and hilarious. I believe Joe Simpson said something like “I’d love to have a sound byte of that conversation!”
I don't get all the Kawakami griping
He got replaced by a better starter. Once in the bullpen, he had many better arms ahead of him. His stuff just doesn’t translate well to the pen. On any give night, Moylan, Venters, Saito, Wagner, Eric O…they all have better bullpen “stuff”. There’s not a ton of work needed for a soft tossing righty who walks people.
That out of the way, I hope Minor comes out and mows the ‘Stros down. Couldn’t ask for a better offense to debut against. I consider him striking out 10 to be a real possibility.
Lastly, YOU’RE MY BOY, MEDS! You will come back stronger, and give us a big boost for the stretch run next season!
60% of the time, it works every time
Sure those were all better options then KK
but why use Jesse Chavez over him, KK had better stats as a starter then Jesse Chavez had as a reliever. If KK would had gotten those innings he might have been able to start now.
He would have least gotten some work in
So his condition would probably be a bit better then now and if he did good enough he may have gotten so more work in. He could have gain some value for a potential trade but I have a hard time believing he atleast wouldn’t be an improvment over Chavez.
Which is why I think he was being punished for refusing to be demoted
Of course it made more sense to use KK instead of Chavez but it didn’t happen, so I think there’s something to it. And pitching a few random innings instead of Chavez wouldn’t have him ready to start right now anyway, so I don’t think it really matters.
Yes you may be right about him being punished
but for a team to do that feels kinda stupid and so far it haven’t seemed like the best idea. Now none except the front office have all the fact in this situation but I don’t feel they handled this situation well, sure maybe KK was stubborn about not wanting to be demoted to get stretched out but at the same time maybe no one told him that was the reason for wanting to demote him, it’s not the most common reason for a demotion. We don’t know what was said but I feel the organisation could have handled it much better.
But we don't know what happened
And I think its safe to assume the team explained why they wanted to demote them. These are business people, I don’t think they’d just say hey we want to demote you, but we’re not telling you why. I’m sure if it happened there was a meeting with Wren, Cox, and KK where the situation was explained.
Safe to assume?
If you feel that way fine but I can’t assume it happend without anything to prove it so for me it could have gone any way. I’m not saying that KK is %100 free of guilt or that Cox or Wren are at fault, KK could have been stubborn and refused demotion even though Wren & Cox gave great reason for it or it could have go down some either way. If you also add in translation issues into it all it gives even more possibilitys. Even if they are business people that don’t mean they always make the right decisions and if we look at the situation in hindsight their decision don’t seem to have worked out so well. I just can’t agree with your statement that it safe to assume it happend one way. Also since we are starting to argue about how we believe something happend I think our discussion won’t get resolved until more light is shedded upon the situation.
You can't be serious
You really think if they asked KK to go to AAA they wouldn’t even bother telling him why? I’m not saying you should assume they asked him (maybe they did, maybe they didn’t), but there is no way in hell they asked him about it without explaining the reasoning. How would that even work?
Frank Wren: Hey KK, random thought, you want to go to AAA
KK: No, why?
FW: Never mind, it’s not important. Don’t worry about it.
I believe it could have happend that way
or it could have happend some other way, sure I believe they gave reasons for his demotion but we have no idea what those reasons was, it’s not sure getting stretched out AAA was the reason for wanting to demote him. I’m not saying one party is more at a fault then the other and I have said that this situation may have been completely brought on by KK stubborness or pride but you or I at this moment don’t know which words was exchanged so it kinda becomes a pointless discussion.
First
KK can hit the low 90’s, which is about ML average. If throwing in the ’pen, its a reasonable bet he could add 1-2 mph.
And actually, his cutter and curveball would have translated very well to the bullpen.
He was a good starter who got screwed by his offense. He got a raw deal.
by Andy Braves Fan on Aug 6, 2010 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Hopefully no surgery is needed..
But it dosent look very good as of now, Hopefully his body will react well to the injury. Other than that i asked earlier what were the chance of them calling up minor,and well pretty good i guess lol. Good luck kid, hopefully you’ll carry on your success to the bigs as i think you can. No one might be as polished coming up since heyward,and even with him i think minor has had more experience playing for team USA which will benefit him as well.
Ruben Amaro,Jr..Is Frank Wrens Paper Boy..
Looks like I called it exactly right.
Hockey is my oxygen, football is my food, and baseball is my water. I'd say basketball is my shelter, but I'd rather not lie.
This
You definitely need to be promoted to “Author” or “Moderator” on this site. TC will be much more awesome.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
Agreed, and duly noted.
Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
heh heh.
My armchair manager skills are coming to roost.
Hockey is my oxygen, football is my food, and baseball is my water. I'd say basketball is my shelter, but I'd rather not lie.
by truheelzfan44 on Aug 5, 2010 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Seems like everybody is missing the main point.
By media accounts, We knew last night what Meds injury was.
So, whatever the specifics shown by the MRI, the injury is certainly not as bad as it could have been
AND it is possible that major surgery (which by definition would be career-threatening) will not be necessary
- which is GREAT NEWS given the bad circumstances.
Kawakami
If he was going to be sent to the minors, why wasn’t it done in late June so we could have him as an option now as opposed to a month from now.
I understand the Japanese player angle, but he is going down anyways so I just don’t get it.
Innings Limit
You have to assume Minor will be on some type of innings limit. He may get shut down after four starts when Kawakami is ready. He pitched 124.2 innings between college and pro ball last year and he is already at 132.2 innings this year. I doubt that Minor pitches the rest of the season. If he made 10 more starts and averaged 6 innings, he’d be at 192.2. I don’t expect him to pitch the rest of the next two months.
Twitter: @Ben_Duronio
by BenDuronio on Aug 5, 2010 5:46 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Boooo...
I’m going to see Gwinett play my local area team tonight.. Lehigh Valley Piggies.. I thought i was going to see Minor pitch :(
Which is worse??
The handling of KK, or the handling of Medlen??
Take a quick glance at Medlen’s season game log. It’s all over the place. They say that KK needs four starts to get stretched enough to take on a starting role…when did Medlen ever get four starts to ramp up?? Granted, you can spot start here and there and he was considered a long reliever, but still. Wasn’t KK considered a long reliever once he hit the bullpen as well??
Take a second look at his log after the All-Star break. Tossing in relief, filling in late in games, etc. He missed a start shortly after the break, if I remember correctly. But then he pitches 1 inning in extras and comes back to pitch 6 innings three days later.
Add in the fact that he’s thrown almost 90% of his last season’s inning total in three months this season (he had 14 innings in April in the relief role).
This smells horribly of mismanagement, all around.
-C
And the two things are clearly related. Bobby doesn’t trust KK and thus use Medlen that much more (when Medlen’s turn was skipped). I for one kind of liked how they didn’t treat Kris Medlen with a kid’s glove, but that might have led to the injury (or the injury could have been just a freaky thing).
by LEastCoastBears on Aug 5, 2010 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think usage led to the injury. It’s possible, but unlikely. It’s not like Dusty Baker is managing.
To be clear...
It obviously wasn’t malicious, and not incredibly neglectful.
Medlen’s performance made it very convenient for everyone to turn a blind eye to the fact that his workload was being upped considerably and perhaps not in the most stable of fashions.
Eventually, tho, you do have to police yourself and understand that something like this could happen as a result of throwing as many innings as he did in the span he threw them.
Was he mismanaged?? I think so. He was needed initially, no doubt about it, but they probably should have known better than to keep him up and running at his pace when JJ came back and they stuck KK on the bench.
Now that I’ve had a little time to cool off the vitriol a bit, I don’t necessarily blame anyone for it, as I might have come across believing before.
Medlen was the proverbial cookie jar, and Bobby and Frank managed to get caught with their hand in it one too many times.
Let’s hope this 15-day DL stint is exactly that, and that Medlen returns to the long reliever role as soon as he’s ready to get back on the mound.
-C
-C
Im excited to see Minor.
I dislike how Kawakami is being handled he deserves better, I would like to see him do well on another team someday. Medlen should of been handled more carefully it sucks to see him injured.
Since the next monday, our rotation will be: TH, TH, JJ, MM, DL
Who doesnto belong to the group? LOL
This is exactly why we need to get rid of Lowe! lolol
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
______________
Nothing is worse than the end of the chip bag.
by MBL1 on Aug 5, 2010 6:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
KK and MM
Within the past hour on the pregame show, I’ve heard both FW and Bobby say that they were sending KK down to get him on the same throwing program as MM….which makes what BenDuronio posted above sound just about right…
Good job Minor
Every since we drafted him, a lot of people have underestimated him and his talents. All he has done is proving them wrong. Keep up the good work. I hope KK is just getting is arm stretched out because he was willing to go to the pen to help out the team. He understood and accepted his role. Now, he has another opportunity to show what he can do. Remember, last year he had a bad first month after that he pitched great.
Just got back from the AAA gm
Freeman went 3-4.. 2 Run Hr. Sac Fly RBI, Single that loaded the bases.. he might have got another at bat not sure bc i left in the top 8th.. Braves were winning 6-1 :).. IronPigs are horrible haha
This is one of those times when I hate being right. I predicted that Minor would make the MLB squad this season – I just didn’t want it to happen this way.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Aug 6, 2010 2:45 AM EDT reply actions
If I were KK, I would be on the first train out of town. There are plenty of teams that can use his services.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Aug 6, 2010 2:45 AM EDT reply actions
So let's see if I'm following the speculation in this thread correctly ...
Either the Braves let a solid pitcher rot on the bench for no good reason OR they tried to demote a solid pitcher to AAA, got in a snit when he used the contractual option they chose to give him to refuse, and then let him rot on the bench for a month (effectively giving themselves a 24 man roster) as some form of punishment?
Which one of these is supposed to be a good thing?
Monday...
I’m pretty stoked. I have tickets to Mondays game in Houston. Pretty excited to see his debute first hand!!!
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- Roy Oswalt doesn’t need to save the Rangers, he only needs to provide insurance and depth
- James Loney: Umpires should call pitches from behind mound — and be robots with replay
- Magglio Ordonez set to retire after 15 seasons
- Barry Bonds thinks it will be ‘very sad’ if he doesn’t get into the Hall on his first try
- Chris Johnson’s glove webbing had a Spidey sense at Coors Field — for one play, at least
