Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
There is good news around the Atlanta Braves right now and there is bad news. The good news multiplies if you include how well the team has been playing over the last week but the news I am talking about is the readily approaching return of Brandon Beachy to the Braves starting rotation. Beachy was one of the most dominant starts in the major leagues last year before he went down with elbow surgery but he is well on his way back and looking good so far. Oh, right I said something about bad news. The bad news is the same as the good news. Beachy is returning so that means someone currently in the starting rotation has to go.
Before you ask why someone has to go, check on Beachy’s stats. The man had a 2.00 ERA and a WHIP below one along with averaging almost 8 strikeouts per nine innings. No he is going back to the starting rotation without question. The question is who is leaving the rotation. Let’s look before we say Julio Teheran is definitely the guy. Here are the options listed with basic stats so far this season.
Tim Hudson: 4 – 3, 5.12 ERA, 1.31 WHIP
Mike Minor: 5 – 2, 2.78 ERA, 0.96 WHIP
Paul Maholm: 5 – 4, 3.84 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
Kris Medlen: 1 – 5, 3.02 ERA, 1.32 WHIP
Julio Teheran: 3 – 1, 3.99 ERA, 1.35 WHIP
Okay so there you have it. The obvious choice is… wait there is no obvious choice. Minor is in so just scratch him off the out list right now. He’s been the best most consistent pitcher all season. Medlen has struggled with base runners but everyone knows what potential he has when his motion and release point gets straightened out. Scratch him off as well. Well that makes it even muddier doesn’t it?
Hudson has the worst ERA and has slumped most of late but has tenure on his side. Maholm had a wonderful start to the season and has a lower WHIP than the other two. Still the loss column would make him the odd man out. Teheran has the worst WHIP but has only one loss for the season. The reason he only has one loss? The Braves seem to freakishly be able to win the games he starts. That is far from a bad thing. Hmm… who will it be?
Logic still says it should probably be Teheran but think of how great he has been lately and clearly he is improving with each start. Medlen didn’t start being dominant until the latter part of last season. The same could prove true of Teheran. Plus what if tossing him to the Pen or back to the minors messes him up? Then you have to spend that much more time rebuilding him.
Hudson might struggle more than the other two but you have to think he would be a great plus in the post-season and down the stretch. I think in the end it will be Teheran though he could make Maholm supporters sweat a little if he continues to win games before Beachy’s return. The only other possibility is a trade. Hudson is in the final year of his contract and the Braves likely won’t resign him for obvious reasons of having too much young pitching. He could bring something of value on the trade market though I don’t believe he has been mentioned in trade rumors. Probably it will be Teheran. He could work on things in the bullpen and carry it over to full time starting status next year. That all assumes no one gets hurt of course. If someone does then all of this is meaningless.
David Miller is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.
