Braves Will Be Even Better In 2014

[AUTiger7222]

ehhhhh

Your use of superlatives is wrong.

Last year the Braves and nationals rotations were virtually identical, slight advantage to the Nats on Ks and BB slight advantage to the Braves on IP and HR. Both teams shed their worst starter, the Nats getting Fister and the Braves using Beachy/Wood/Floyd.

The Nats have the advantage with top end talent, Strasburg, Zimmerman, Fister and Gio are a fearsome 1-4. But their 5 is looking mighty shaky and their depth if there is injury is not too good. Braves meanwhile have no weak spots and great depth. Minor, Medlen, Julio, Beachy/Wood/Foyd gives you 5 guys who can all be low to mid 3 ERA guys. Nothing bad about that.

I would agree that the Nats rotation is better. But it's not far superior than the Braves.

[NinersSBChamps]

For all the talk about BJ and Uggla can't possibly be as bad as 2013, there is reason to believe other guys decline as well. I think CJ can be a .300 hitter again, but surely he can drop closer to his career norm. Upton wasn't the same player after the calender turned to May, who is to say he wont hit closer to what he did the majority of last season.

[AUTiger7222]

Its not a knock on us, who have a great staff. The Nats have the best staff in baseball.

But, if you are ranking the starters, what would your order be? (I will just put Steamer projections in parenthesis as a guide)

My ranking (in order) would be:

Strasburg (2.90)
Fister (3.09)
Gio (3.37)
Zimmermann (3.54)
Minor (3.82)
Teheran (3.98)
Medlen (3.47)
Wood (3.42)
Nats 5th -3.75-4
Beachy (3.97)
Floyd (3.59)

Strasburg is highly overrated. Dude has what? 1 complete game in his career? Dude is a better version of Tommy Hanson IMO. Guy with great stuff but not good enough control to pitch consistently deep enough into games. Most times he's right around 100 pitches in the 5th or 6th inning.

[AUTiger7222]

I'm a bit of a contrarian in terms of the pecking order of the Braves pitchers. Among Braves and Gnats starters, my order would be:

1. Strasburg
2. Medlen
3. Wood
4. Zimmermann
5. Fister
6. Beachy
7. Teheran
8. Minor
9. Gio
10. Detwiler

I know the many Mike Minor fans around here will be aghast. I think he is a good pitcher, but not necessarily better than the other four in our rotation. Gnats fans will similarly wonder if I've lost my marbles about Gio. Just remember my ranking is what I think they'll do in 2014. Using FIP as the measuring rod.

Here's my ranking of the starters.

1. Jordan Zimmermann
2. Mike Minor
3. Kris Medlen
4. Stephen Strasburg
5. Doug Fister
6. Brandon Beachy
7. Gio Gonzalez
8. Julio Teheran
9. Alex Wood
10. Ross Detwiler

[Dalyn]

The Braves will most certainly miss Hudson. There is nothing wrong with saying that. If nothing changes, we are going to have Garcia as our #5. Ugh. Just close your eyes and think about it. Wood will be in YOUR bullpen for a bit, too, after that.

[AUTiger7222]

The Braves will most certainly miss Hudson. There is nothing wrong with saying that. If nothing changes, we are going to have Garcia as our #5. Ugh. Just close your eyes and think about it. Wood will be in YOUR bullpen for a bit, too, after that.

The Braves lost Hudson and immediately went on a 14 game winning streak. The Braves posted a great record last year after Hudson got hurt and he's being replaced by Brandon Beachy. The same guy that was leading he NL in ERA when he got hurt in 2012.

[Dalyn]

The Braves lost Hudson and immediately went on a 14 game winning streak. The Braves posted a great record last year after Hudson got hurt and he's being replaced by Brandon Beachy. The same guy that was leading he NL in ERA when he got hurt in 2012.

Beachy is one of my favorites, but there is no proof he is even ready for the rotation. It sucks we are in a position where we can't treat him like Medlen, which turned out really well. Saying the Braves won't miss Hudson, when we basically didn't replace him, is just silly.

[keithlaw]

Huddy only gave us a 97 ERA+ over 131 IP last year. We may miss him but its not like he was an indispensable part of the rotation. Keep in mind Garcia has averaged a 98 ERA+ and 111 IP over the last 3 seasons

[Heyward]

Strasburg is highly overrated. Dude has what? 1 complete game in his career? Dude is a better version of Tommy Hanson IMO. Guy with great stuff but not good enough control to pitch consistently deep enough into games. Most times he's right around 100 pitches in the 5th or 6th inning.

lol

[zitothebrave]

We will miss McCann. No doubt in my mind. But we're hoping that the Braves players who played poorly will bounce back and hoping that no one has an unforseen collapse. We're certainly losing something going from McCann to Gattis, though potentially we're gaining elsewhere. So it's a wait and see.

[gilesfan]

He said the Braves would miss Hudson and Maholm. I pointed out stats that say the Braves WILL NOT miss Hudson and Maholm.

He said the Braves would miss McCann. I pointed out stats that say the Braves WILL NOT miss McCann.

See what I did there? I made a counter point to his opinions and I had stats to back up my opinions. That's why you call it cherry picking and I call it poking a hole in his balloon.

The stats you used were cherry picked. You may believe you used stats to back up your point, but you used an opminion and herry picked stats to justify that opinion.

[gilesfan]

Strasburg is highly overrated. Dude has what? 1 complete game in his career? Dude is a better version of Tommy Hanson IMO. Guy with great stuff but not good enough control to pitch consistently deep enough into games. Most times he's right around 100 pitches in the 5th or 6th inning.

Is this guy another Heyward or what?

[AUTiger7222]

Beachy is one of my favorites, but there is no proof he is even ready for the rotation. It sucks we are in a position where we can't treat him like Medlen, which turned out really well. Saying the Braves won't miss Hudson, when we basically didn't replace him, is just silly.

We'll just have to disagree on that.

[AUTiger7222]

lol

Is that all you've got?

[AUTiger7222]

The stats you used were cherry pic
ked. You may believe you used stats to back up your point, but you used an opminion and herry picked stats to justify that opinion.

So what if I did? He didn't use any stats to make his opinions on. The Braves are not 10 games worst in 2014 than they were in 2013 and the Nationals aren't 10 games better in 2014 than they were in 2013. The Braves will win the NL East in 2014 and will win it by at least 5 games over the Nationals. I'll make that claim right now and stand by it. Call me in September if I'm wrong.

[AUTiger7222]

Is this guy another Heyward or what?

I think Strasburg could be a great pitcher but right now he's not because of what I mentioned about him not pitching deep enough into games on a consistent basis. The best starting pitcher on either team is easily Jordan Zimmermann. I think Mike Minor is the best starting pitcher on the Braves.

[Heyward]

I think Strasburg could be a great pitcher but right now he's not because of what I mentioned about him not pitching deep enough into games on a consistent basis. The best starting pitcher on either team is easily Jordan Zimmermann. I think Mike Minor is the best starting pitcher on the Braves.

EASILY?

LMAOOOOOOOO.

[Heyward]

Is that all you've got?

Nope.

Comparing him to Hanson is some serious trolling.

He's a borderline ace to this point, another big year, he's probably one.

[AUTiger7222]

EASILY?

LMAOOOOOOOO.

I would take Jordan Zimmermann over Stephen Strasburg anyday. Stasburg strikes out more guys but also walks more guys. Zimmermann pitches deeper into games on a more consistent basis. Zimmermann also has a lower HR to FB ratio. Zimmermann is a complete stud. Better than Stasburg.

[AUTiger7222]

Nope.

Comparing him to Hanson is some serious trolling.

He's a borderline ace to this point, another big year, he's probably one.

I guess you forgot how good Hanson was before he started having shoulder issues.