Should Hale be our 5th Starter in 2015

[nsacpi]

Harang and Santana will hit free agency at the end of the season, so there will be a couple openings in the rotation next year. I would never advocate that a young pitcher simply be handed a job in the rotation in spring training. He should have to compete for it and earn it. I do want to advocate that Hale be given a chance to compete for a spot in the rotation. I think his stuff plays better as a starter. He has four decent to good pitches. No outstanding single pitch. As a starter he can work on all his pitches and stay sharp with all of them. He seems to find his rhythm better as a starter. We have some other young pitchers who can push him next spring: Martin, Schlosser, Thomas, Hursh. But I think at this point Hale has to be at the top of any such list.

[AerchAngel]

Not overpowering but a thinking man's pitcher and there is nothing wrong with that. He can be an innings eater and keep a respect 2.75 to 3.75 era and keeping us in games.

I like him.

[zitothebrave]

I hope not.

We could do worse but I'd rather have someone better. I'm hoping we bring back Medlen or Beachy on the cheap to be the likely 5th man

Julio
Minor
Wood
FA
Medlen/Beachy

Hale leads the cast of men we'll have to use when someone inevitably gets hurt. Hursh would be the only guy I'd consider internally to be the leading man for 5th spot.

[nsacpi]

I think we will bring back Medlen or Beachy on the cheap, but they will be in a similar situation that Floyd was this year. Someone who will not be counted on to be ready on opening day but could step in later if a need arises for another pitcher.

[Heyward]

I think we will bring back Medlen or Beachy on the cheap, but they will be in a similar situation that Floyd was this year. Someone who will not be counted on to be ready on opening day but could step in later if a need arises for another pitcher.

Both of them were hurt early enough where they could/should be ready by Opening Day.

[Heyward]

I hope not.

We could do worse but I'd rather have someone better. I'm hoping we bring back Medlen or Beachy on the cheap to be the likely 5th man

Julio
Minor
Wood
FA
Medlen/Beachy

Hale leads the cast of men we'll have to use when someone inevitably gets hurt. Hursh would be the only guy I'd consider internally to be the leading man for 5th spot.

Same thoughts here.

[nsacpi]

Both of them were hurt early enough where they could/should be ready by Opening Day.

Yes, but it is the second TJ for both. The recovery time for the second one seems to be a bit longer. And there seems to be more variance from player to player on how long it takes. See Venters, Jonny.

[zitothebrave]

I think we will bring back Medlen or Beachy on the cheap, but they will be in a similar situation that Floyd was this year. Someone who will not be counted on to be ready on opening day but could step in later if a need arises for another pitcher.

They had their TJ before the season. Barring a setback in recovery they should be ready for normal ST and thus the regular season.

[cajunrevenge]

Counting on either to come back is a bad idea. Medlen might not get tenderd a contract because I don't think it can be lower than whatvhe for this year.

Hale is a great swing man. He was doing fine in the pen until his last few outings. I don't really blame him for imploding in extra innings, he had pitched 2 scoreless before that third inning. For a good team he should go into the year as the 6th starter. Abteams 6th starter u suallybgets 15-20 starts a year so he will get plenty of chances to start.

[zitothebrave]

First. We can always non-tender Meds then sign him. Second you can take a pay cut. Just not more than 20%. I'd think he'd come back for like 1/2 with IP bonuses so if he's healthy it's a 1/6 type of deal

[thethe]

Why is Hale a bad option again for the fifth starter? I don't get it.

[Heyward]

Why is Hale a bad option again for the fifth starter? I don't get it.

Bad option?

No, but we can do better.

[Jay212033]

Why is Hale a bad option again for the fifth starter? I don't get it.

Me either. People think because he doesn't have a plus pitch he won't be an effective ML starter. He has shown that as a starter he can be very effective. If he's not a starter here I'd like to see him start somewhere else and not put back in the BP.

[Jay212033]

Bad option?

No, but we can do better.

Such as?

[cajunrevenge]

Considerinf his situation Medlen is probably best off taking the highest bid and I don't have confidence that will comw from the Braves. Espcially if they want him to come back as a reliever.

[Heyward]

Such as?

FA, Beachy, Medlen, someone else on the farm.

[Jay212033]

FA, Beachy, Medlen, someone else on the farm.

I really need you to look at Hale's numbers as a starter again. There are not many 5th starters that are going to do better than that.

[Heyward]

I really need you to look at Hale's numbers as a starter again. There are not many 5th starters that are going to do better than that.

Small Sample Size.

[Jay212033]

Small Sample Size.

Still a better sample of any of our mL options and 95% of any of the 5th starter options available via FA. Also he's a much cheaper option.

[atl717]

His peripherals are not good. If we were facing Hale, we would be upset at our team for not lighting him up. He's a good swing man, emergency starter.