Two days before the Braves open their spring training slate of games, Bobby Cox announced his starting rotation and in doing so announced that embattled starting pitcher Derek Lowe will be the team's opening day starter for the regular season. Tommy Hanson begins the first spring training game on Tuesday against the Mets at Port St. Lucie. Tim Hudson starts on Wednesday, Kenshin Kawakami on Thursday, and in a telling sign of who is behind the Braves top-5 starters on their depth chart, Kris Medlen will start on Saturday, filling in for Jair Jurrjens. This is certainly a rebuke against Jo-Jo Reyes.
David O'Brien passes along the full slate of pitchers for the first week of games:
Tuesday: Tommy Hanson, Kris Medlen, Jesse Chavez, Michael Dunn, Chris Resop, James Parr, and Manny Acosta.
Wednesday: Tim Hudson, Jonny Venters, Peter Moylan, Eric O’Flaherty, Steve Marek, Jeff Lyman, and Mariano Gomez.
Thursday: Kenshin Kawakami, Jo-Jo Reyes, Lee Hyde, Erik Cordier, and Juan Abreu.
Friday: Derek Lowe, Takashi Saito, Billy Wagner, Todd Redmond, Mike Minor, Michael Dunn and Jesse Chavez.
Saturday: Kris Medlen, Kyle Cofield, Jose Ortegano, Jonny Venters, Manny Acosta, Chris Resop, and Craig Kimbrel.
A reminder that the first game against for the Braves on Tuesday is televised on the MLB Network.
So Braves fans, your starting rotation for 2010 is Lowe, Jurrjens, Hanson, Hudson, Kawakami. Hanson and Hudson are in nice spots in the rotation where they could rack up a lot of wins this year.
0 recs | 82 comments
braves baseball is back and the hawks win
yep, good day…or night.
hawves - February 28, 2010
Two words
Kiko Calero. Our rotation may be set but the ‘pen isn’t. Go do it FW!
GoBravesNY - February 28, 2010
i thought about him the other day
but 1 of 2 things has to be wrong with him.
1. He’s not healthy
2. He wants way too much money (still)
The guy was money last season. 2 weeks into ST, you would have to assume a healthy, solid reliever would be signed.
I’d take him for really cheap, but I’m guessing every other team in baseball would as well.
Scott Coleman - February 28, 2010
i like it
When Javy was traded, the press reports mentioned something about Lowe being assured he was still a leader on the team, etc. I thought at the time that may be an indication he would be the opening day starter. Even if his ego didn’t need soothing, I really like this. We know he can eat innings and we know he has something to prove. This gives him a chance to do that.
Also, I think it helps take pressure off JJ, Hanson and Hudson.
Very glad to see Medlen appears to be the 6th starter, even though folks made a good argument for Reyes a while back.
Go Braves!
hollerin' brave - February 28, 2010 via mobile
Medlen is so much better than Reyes
all Reyes ever does is give up 8 runs in 5 innings.
nathan rothschild - March 1, 2010
Guess who's baaaaaack?!
Scott Coleman - February 28, 2010
bravos1984 - February 28, 2010
Not I’ll Cost Ya!
BullManUGA - March 1, 2010
Manny Mo
Erihury - March 1, 2010
If you think WE will miss JV...
think about the infielders. With four GB pitchers, they’ll be dead on their feet by the All-Star break.
bravos1984 - February 28, 2010
KK and JJ are ground ball pitchers?
Scott Coleman - February 28, 2010
Closer than they are to being strikeout pitchers.
bravos1984 - February 28, 2010
Just because you’re not a strikeout pitcher doesn’t mean you’re a groundball pitcher.
Scott Coleman - March 1, 2010 via mobile
So what would you say they are?
bravos1984 - March 1, 2010
Alliteration Pitchers.
bwellnjonesco - March 1, 2010
Flyball pitcher definitely describes KK. JJ is somewhat of a hybrid of all three, IMO.
Huddy and Lowe are definite groundball pitchers, and Hanson is a K machine.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
Looking at the stats again...
that sounds right. So I guess that means ALL our defenders will be earning their pay this year.
bravos1984 - March 1, 2010
JJ kinda is
but not KK
drumzalicious - March 1, 2010
At least we have Omar Infante.
And Eric Hinske. And Conrad. And Glaus can play 3B for Chipper. And Prado can move around. Basically, an awesome bench that give our infield a break or Bobby can move guys around to give one or more guys a break and not hurt the lineup.
KK seems more like a fly-ball pitcher…idk.
award6 - March 1, 2010
He is.
Scott Coleman - March 1, 2010 via mobile
They're professional athletes
I think they can handle some ground balls without getting to tired.
McCann and McWill - March 1, 2010
Garret Anderson is a professional hitter
Bronn - March 1, 2010
GB pitchers
Having too many ground ball pitchers is a good problem to have.
Braves Biceps - February 28, 2010
Especially with Citizens Bank park in the division.
carpengui - March 1, 2010
I’m so glad Tuesday’s game is on TV. We get to see Hanson and then the noobs in Dunn and Chavez, and then Resop thrown in for a little extra flavor. I’m anxious to see how these guys perform as they will make or break the bullpen, IMO.
Bobby Cocks - February 28, 2010
that Heyward kid might be playing too
might be fun to see what he can do.
Scott Coleman - February 28, 2010
I would bet the farm that he’ll see a lot of pitches this Spring.
carpengui - March 1, 2010
It is supposed to rain Tuesday though.
BullManUGA - March 1, 2010
AHHHHH. IM SO FUCKING PUMPED FOR THIS SEASONNN
Expecting Huge years out of:
Hanson
Yunel
Glaus
Hudson
Prado
Chipper
Mac
Down Years from:
Jurrjens (i kills me to say it)
Moylan
Diaz
nick9314 - February 28, 2010
So how much time
Before Jurrjens starts pitching in games? I think he’s started throwing again at this point, right? It’s been 10 days since the MRI results came back.
Bronn - February 28, 2010
Medlen
I have to assume this means If JJ is healthy enough to start the season then Meds will head to Gwinnett (keeping him stretched out as a starter). Am I reading this wrong?
scstrato - March 1, 2010
I think so. At the most, Medlen will go two or three innings in his start, which he’s only getting because of JJ’s shoulder. Bobby used him a lot as a multiple inning guy last year and probably will this year, so I don’t take this as a sign of him being stretched out.
bravesfan91 - March 1, 2010
I doubt it. It’s just a different way for him to get his innings. There’s nothing saying that he’ll keep upping the innings with each start, it could be a situation where he’s just getting his innings at the start of the the game rather than in the middle. I think the Braves see him as a part of their Major League team and I for one would be shocked to see Meds end up in AAA.
cbwilk - March 1, 2010
I could be wrong but that’s not how I’m reading it.
ajones2522 - March 1, 2010
the thing i like the most about this
is that it sounds like the team was open to having J.J. as the Opening Day starter.
drumzalicious - March 1, 2010
That little honor may have gone to D-Lowe, but after the first week the rotation will look be:
JJ
Hanson
Hudson
Lowe
KK
Gotta love that first-week off-day to rearrange the rotation after that first go-around.
J-Freak - March 1, 2010
Actually DLowe will pich again in Game 5 and KK’s first start will come in Game 6.
homerlanding - March 1, 2010
Exactly
Which is why the above is true. The next week will go JJ, Hanson, Huddy, Lowe, KK.
J-Freak - March 1, 2010
Smart
Gives your best pitcher one more start than everyone else and allows Lowe and KK to pitch in tough SF while pushing JJ back to what should be an easier game SD.
homerlanding - March 1, 2010
Too bad Lowe isn’t our best pitcher…
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
or 2nd best…
or 3rd best…
eaheckman10 - March 1, 2010
+1
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
Or sometimes
4th best…
GoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
Or even 5th?
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
haha
even 5th. There are games that both he and Medlen pitch and Meds has a better game
GoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
well
i personally just imagine we are paying Lowe minimum salary and JJ and Hanson 7.5 Mil a piece
drumzalicious - March 1, 2010
Having said all this, none of us think that Lowe is a bad pitcher. He is still a very good pitcher. This just shows how freaking deep (and talented) our rotation is this season. D Lowe would be the best or 2nd best pitcher on most MLB teams.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
Stop talking
you’re beating a dead horse.
:)
GoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
hahahahahahah
+1
Did you see my response to that one?
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
yep
totally pwned the guy, and they tried to push it off on ESPN. classic
GoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
glad you did too...
thought I might actually have to sign up on that site to respond
Doghnut - March 1, 2010
I also saw you pwned
that one guy who thought that pacgnosis “copied and pasted” his write-up on the NL East SP’s.
alligatorimpersonator - March 1, 2010
I was refraining myself from making a “we have smarter bloggers” comment on that one.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
what about the “fight” you had over at AA about the All NL-East team, JJ, and “AAA”. That had me on the floor
GoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
That is still going on here too. I have no idea what that guy is smoking to say that JJ is not a top 10 pitcher in the NLE. It isn’t like our division is loaded with top tier talent – which JJ obviously is.
I also like the fact that he is saying “AAA” but he really means major leagues, and it is somehow my fault that I misinterpreted what he was trying to say.
Oh well. I am glad he is a Mets fan.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
What are you doing wasting time on all these different blogs? I thought you had a wife; you should maybe, I don’t know, spend some time with her or something. She must be lonely by now.
cbwilk - March 1, 2010
owned
royhobbs - March 1, 2010
Like someone said in another thread – it’s a slow day at work.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
It would be funny if
Your wife were at home or her job doing absolutely nothing but hanging out on blogs for whatever her interests are, or Gawker, Perez Hilton, the Superficial or other women-loving blogs.
royhobbs - March 1, 2010
Sexist.
cbwilk - March 2, 2010
Or...
It allows you to throw your most durable pitcher twice
Doghnut - March 1, 2010
That has to be the case. I can’t think of any other reason – other than some ego-stroking.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
which i also mentioned
It’s like we have ESPN with each other!
Doghnut - March 1, 2010
I think you mean Bulimia – ‘cause we can read each other’s minds.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
no. It was a reference to Mean Girls. I think. Now why
we have a reference to mean girlsI picked up that reference, I don’t knowGoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
I got the reference…sadly. I was trying to make a better one.
: )
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
wow. we need better shit to do right now
GoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
I am going home.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
Actually it wasnt
I’ve heard that joke several times.
Doghnut - March 1, 2010
crap. well, that’s where it started, I think
GoBravesNY - March 1, 2010
The Braves still have Manny Acosta? Wtf.
Richard R - March 1, 2010
Manny might
be the most worthless player we’ve had since Mike Hampton or maybe FUGA
Erihury - March 1, 2010
Aw, come on. He has been bad, but he is young and is still learning. FUGA or Frenchy are by far the most worthless players that we have had in recent memory. At least with Hampton, we weren’t really paying him (hat tip to Fla and Col and insurance). We were actually paying FUGA and Frenchy for their suckiness.
Manny is a straight filthy pitcher who just hasn’t been able to put it together yet.
We tend to forget that for nearly every game he has been horrible, there is another game where he has been awesome.
justincredubil02 - March 1, 2010
Manny Acosta is turning 29 on May 1st and is entering his 11th professional season. There’s nothing young about the guy.
cbwilk - March 2, 2010
Well, I learn something new every day…I thought he was a “young” fireballer for some reason. Maybe because he pitches like one…
justincredubil02 - March 2, 2010
Acutally he might be in his 12th or 13th season, because I’m fairly sure he played a year or 2 in the DSL that doesn’t seem to be on his stats.
cbwilk - March 2, 2010
As long as this isn’t the rotation for Round 1 of the the Playoffs, i’m good.
10-4 - March 1, 2010
According to DOB's twitter (which I oddly seem to check all the time now)
Most of the regulars will be making the trip to Port St. Lucie (Esco, Prado, BMac, McLouth, etc.) along with Heyward, Freeman and CJ. Hanson is starting, if you didnt know already. Link below:
Scott Coleman - March 1, 2010
wtf?
uhhh…here it is:
http://twitter.com/ajcbraves
Scott Coleman - March 1, 2010
haha
you made your sig the link…weird
Doghnut - March 1, 2010
ya and all i did was use the little “link” icon on the comment box. i have no idea what happened.
Scott Coleman - March 1, 2010
It's kind of funny
It implies that it’s Minaya’s fault that the Braves have 12 televised games now.
royhobbs - March 1, 2010
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