Christian Petersen - Getty Images
Kind of a misleading headline because I don't have one, but I do know that relief pitcher Cristhian Martinez has been called up to the Atlanta Braves from triple-A Gwinnett. Presumably he will take the roster spot of Medlen, at least until Monday when a decision is made on who will be taking Medlen's spot in the rotation.
This means they are definitely putting Medlen on the disable list. I don't expect Martinez to be in the rotation, but the team might as well call up a fresh bullpen arm they can use while they make a decision on who should start Monday.
This post will be updated when more info about Medlen is made available.
0 recs | 115 comments
Weird, I thought they’d call up Minor…like almost everyone else on here thought.
MBL1 - August 5, 2010 via mobile
I think they will when the night before Medlens next scheduled start. They are just using Martinez as a reliver for 3 or 4 days.
BRaves1 - August 5, 2010
We should have an update on Med’s MRI before game time tonight, I believe it is at 3 or 4 this afternoon
Quilvio Veras - August 5, 2010
the suspense
is killing me
ChitownBravos - August 5, 2010
me too
i have been checking on a bunch of different sites every hour or so…
forgotten_glory - August 5, 2010
Same here I want Minor to make his debut so bad any chance we will see Redman?
BRaves1 - August 5, 2010
Redman? Good God I hope not.
TradeAndruw - August 5, 2010
This makes two of us!
I lol’d
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
You mean RedMOND, i assume.
I think he was actually taken off the 40 man roster earlier this season, so no. But it would be preferable to Mark Reman any day.
J-Turn14 - August 5, 2010
Mark Redman*
my bad.
J-Turn14 - August 5, 2010
40 man roster
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/roster_40man.jsp?c_id=atl
danielduello - August 5, 2010
KK was an adequate 5th starter
Win/loss record aside, he would be a fine replacement. But you really can’t bring in a guy who has only pitched once in 6 weeks during a pennant race. I’m not sure why Bobby didn’t trot KK out there a few times over the past month and a half, but he chose not to. This shows a lack of faith in KK, but more importantly, it means KK would need to work his way back up to 5 innings. We don’t have time for a guy to get 3 or 4 starts in before he can throw 7 innings (KK never really went late in games anyway).
Minor is probably the choice here. He’s left handed. This is important because it will take teams out of a routine. The Mets and Phillies both have big lefty hitters. Could be a useful piece. While KK would be the obvious choice if Bobby had made use of him over the last 6 weeks, I think now you have to go with the hot hand/talent in Minor, and see if he can’t string a few good starts in before teams get a second look at him.
ruxsin - August 5, 2010
Nice post, but does anyone know Minors stuff. I havent had a chance to see him pitch. How hard does he throw?
BRaves1 - August 5, 2010
92-93
eaheckman10 - August 5, 2010
Scouting report from June
http://razzball.com/mike-minor-and-mike-trout-scouting-the-unknown/
x911gt2 - August 5, 2010
thanks guys
BRaves1 - August 5, 2010
You know, KK’s not my kind of starter (I prefer higher K rates and more GBs), but it isn’t like he’s entirely unsuited to be a 5th starter. I do wonder why he’s not getting used more out of the pen, though. Have their been any reports that he’s working on mechanics or something in side sessions with McDowell? That might explain it…
Yakker - August 5, 2010
KK
im gonna just say it right now, if we put KK back in the rotation, we are done. Sports as a whole is about winning. Winning is everything, regardless of how good a guy may be, its all about winning championships. KK is not, i repeat not a winner. I dont care about his “stuff” and how good his pitches are, bottom line he cant produce W’s. Take a chance on Minor, he will mix it up a bit and maybe confuse the phillies going down the stretch. Im so tired of people defending KK. We are on a playoff run here, and a pitcher that cant pitch 5 innings doesnt deserve to be in any rotation on any mlb team.
MarkDuce - August 5, 2010
You have preemptively shown yourself to be impervious to logic.
DuPu - August 5, 2010
This is going to be in someone’s signature soon.
MBL1 - August 5, 2010 via mobile
Whoa
Please don’t associate my comment supporting Minor to in anyway support this nonsense.
ruxsin - August 5, 2010
Look at what KK was doing last year. We didn’t call him the Dragon Slayer for no reason. And Dragon Slayers my friend are always winners.
jbeachbum24 - August 5, 2010
OGT
-C
cthabeerman - August 5, 2010
Um...
Wow…um…Really? What if the Braves traded for Zack Greinke? At one point this season, he was 2-8. If the Royals had offered him to the Braves straight up for DLowe, a pitcher with many more wins at the time (9-5), would you decline the trade?
I mean Greinke was 2-8…He couldn’t win…What? You say that was more a product of the team around him and not his actual pictching skills? What he’s now 5-2 since that time? Interesting.
I am not in any way comparing KK to Greinke…I am merely pointing out that a pitcher CAN perform well and still lose and CAN turn around a season pretty quickly…
As far as innings, do you really think that Minor, a rookie, will be pitching 8 innings per start? Nope. There are legit reasons for wanting Minor over KK…but the wins argument fails every, single time…
Jman781 - August 5, 2010
someone posted earlier this year a question went something like this...................
{Whats the sequence of numbers represent…
2, 0, 1, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 0 , 1, 4, 0, 0 etc….or something like that…….
the answer was KK’s run support for his last 12-15 starts…}
sorry for not being more accurate….too many beers between then and now but you get the jist. He was more than a one win bum when he was exiled(a move that worked nicely ) BUT as for right now (when we need him) i hope he still has his old stuff. and maybe a fourleaf rabbitsfoot in his pocket.
bluelg - August 5, 2010
I am whole heartedly
behind bringing up minor versus using KK. I am not a KK hater. KK, if anything has been inconsistent this year. He has looked great in games, but given virtually no run support. Other games he has looked terrible. Having two inconsistent pitchers in our rotation (see D Lowe) scares me. Second, I like the idea of having a lefty in our rotation for the stretch run. Especially against the Phillies boppers and Adam Dunn and Ike Davis types. And I just think that Minor’s arm is more “starter ready” than KK’s is right now.
medlenisking - August 5, 2010
Did you really just mention Ike Davis in the same breath as Ryan Howard and Adam Dunn?
Yakker - August 5, 2010
lol
as soon as i posted that i was like wow, could have used a better example than Ike Davis…….must have been in the first base mode. I will take my deserved verbal lashings.
medlenisking - August 5, 2010
Thank you...
So very, very much for not defending your post! Hat tip to you. While we’re at it, why not Gaby Sanchez!
Jman781 - August 5, 2010
i have seen
enough of gaby sanchez and dan uggla this year!
medlenisking - August 5, 2010
FWIW, I like Ike Davis.
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
see hanson..
bluelg - August 5, 2010
All valid points. However...
They will be completely and utterly lost on this person. His ignorance is willful.
buzzdeadwax - August 5, 2010
WINNARZ!!!!!
eaheckman10 - August 5, 2010
When you are talking about a pitcher and somewhere in your comment you say “I don’t care how good his pitches are,” it is not likely that your comment is going to be exuding much intelligence.
sleezer1788 - August 5, 2010
as evidenced
by his actual comment.
Andy Braves Fan - August 5, 2010
This warrents it all over again
Andy Braves Fan - August 5, 2010
Mike Minor. Let him pitch in the show!
Probably the team will have KK pitch and Martinez will be another bullpen arm.
Hopefully Meds won’t be out long. :(
Sparhawk - August 5, 2010
Oh, no. I hate to hear this. I didn’t watch last night, so I woke up to this news today. I like Medlen and hope he’s back soon.
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
hey guess what, my braves gonna crush your Giants. BRING IT BABY!
MBL1 - August 5, 2010 via mobile
Pssssshhhh. Might as well call us Sherman, ‘cuz we gon’ burn the place DOWN.
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
OHNOUDIDNT GIIIIIRL
/snaps fingers
MBL1 - August 5, 2010 via mobile
I believe I most certainly did.
This gif is cracking my shit up.
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
SHINY! /drools
MBL1 - August 5, 2010 via mobile
Then you'll love this
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
Nice...
The Braves are bedazzled! Also, makes sense…
Jman781 - August 5, 2010
I like this one!
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
+2 lol
SkipTOoMyL0U_ - August 5, 2010
Honestly, I do, too. I suppose it’d be too much to ask the front office for Glittery Uniform Night. Just once.
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
why don’t you call frank wren?
MBL1 - August 5, 2010 via mobile
Hope you saw Ashley McCann’s jersey on Sunday during Family Day…buh-ling!
Lizziebeth - August 9, 2010
oooooooooh /stares at screen
MBL1 - August 5, 2010 via mobile
aaaaaaaaahhhhh/same
Chief Noc-A-Homa - August 5, 2010
Nice...
The Giants are bedazzled! Makes sense…
Jman781 - August 5, 2010
Get that crap out of here!
FitzFan - August 5, 2010
Oh, now ya dun it… Sherman? That’s Peabody’s boy, right?
carpengui - August 5, 2010
Um…yeah. I’ll have you know this comment made me laugh out loud here at the office. I hope you’re happy. :^)
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
I’m just happy to know there’s somebody old enough to get it!
carpengui - August 5, 2010
I’m 25, but I’m an old soul.
TheLetter2 - August 5, 2010
good times
award6 - August 5, 2010
I live
in Houston but am a life long Braves fan. I have tickets to the entire series against the astros Monday through Wednesday. I was really hoping to see Medlen pitch, but I would settle for Minor’s major league debut!
medlenisking - August 5, 2010
For all of the : " Why has KK not been used as a reliever"?
My sig may help you understand why…..
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
Last year
7 relief appearances when Huddy came back.
danielduello - August 5, 2010
This
Doesn’t mean he was happy being a reliever. He clearly stated multiple times he came over to be a starting pitcher, not a reliever.
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
But just cause he preferred starting didn't mean he was unwilling to be a reliever...
John Smoltz was adament about preferring a starter’s role to the bullpen, but he still went out there and did his job. And Kawakami, while not near the pitcher of Smoltzie, said as much that he was willing to do whatever job asked of him, but that his preference was to start.
Mr. Sanchez - August 5, 2010
I refuse to be a reliever...
There…I said it.
Jman781 - August 5, 2010
I think this move suggests they’ll let KK take at least one start.
Yakker - August 5, 2010
I agree
BC will have him on a short leash, in the start as well, imo.
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
Exactly. If he can keep them in it for 5, he’s done more than enough.
It’s funny—KK’s component stats really aren’t that different in 2010 from 2009—he’s just not stranding as many runners.
Yakker - August 5, 2010
So now we have two bullpen guys that Bobby won’t use. Makes perfect sense.
10-4 - August 5, 2010
A few questions im hoping maybe 1 of you guys may know..?
Is the kid being bothered by the thumb that was aggrivating his swing before? (by kid i mean to say heyward not meds) his swings as of late have sometimes seemed not as fluid. Now i know he’s human. But i was just curious cause it concerns me alittle?.. Also does anyone know the probability minor would b called up? Id love to see a lefty in the rotation!
SkipTOoMyL0U_ - August 5, 2010
Yes – Heyward is saying – without saying – that the thumb is still an issue. Not as bad as when he was disabled for it, but still not 100%. (Source: Jim Powell from a week or two ago)
carpengui - August 5, 2010
The only thing I've noticed him having a problem with is...
…..that he’s trying to pull outside pitches too often. Of course, that puts more strain on his thumb and wrist. He looked fantastic in the Reds series because he was lining those pitches to left, but seemed to have resorted to trying to pull them in the Mets series. Teams are going to throw him mostly everything away, so he’s going to have to keep making adjustments.
Undocorkscrew - August 5, 2010
Heyward
His thumb will not be completely healed until the off season when he can rest it. The cast he wore was just a short term fix. I am sure his thumb is causing him problems at the plate.
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
Kenshin starts, dammit. This shouldn’t be up for debate.
TonyAlmeyda - August 5, 2010
agreed.
Andy Braves Fan - August 5, 2010
For selfish reasons, I would like to see Minor come up, just because I want to see what he can do. However, I think the best move for the team would be to put KK back in the lineup. I am just worried about rust with him, since he has not been pitching at all lately. I really won’t be disappointed to see either of these guys added to the rotation, though.
sleezer1788 - August 5, 2010
I guess this is how I stand on this:
I want Minor to make the start because it’s always fun to see what a top-prospect can do, but I think we’d probably be better off letting KK do it and keeping Minor in Gwinnett.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2010
This
eaheckman10 - August 5, 2010
but why is the real question?
do you want that for contractual reasons, team chemistry reasons, not rushing Minor reasons? Just wondering since you are an esteemed contributor to this great blog.
I fall on the other side of the fence, I see a guy like Mike Leake make a great impact for the Reds and get excited to see what the kid can do for the Braves.
CharlotteChop - August 5, 2010
2 reasons
1. As for the money, I’d prefer to not start Minor’s arb. clock until we have to. We could be trading away an entire season for 8-10 starts.
2. I’m not sure if it would be rushing him or not, but I’m just not sure Mike’s ready for the big leagues yet. I could be wrong, but I still have the feeling that he might start walking the ballpark again like he was earlier in the year.
IF the Braves were to call-up Minor, I wouldn’t really mind though. Like I said, it’s always fun to see a top-prospect debut. He could be huge for us down the stretch. It would also be nice because we’d break him in against Houston and LA.
I know Kenshin would be facing the same teams, but there’s just as many concerns with him as there are with Minor. He’s barely pitched in two months. I know he throws side-sessions and everything, but that’s nothing compared to live action. Would he be able to throw more than 80 pitches? It’s not like Kenshin was setting the world on fire when he was sent to the ’pen either.
At this point, I just want a decision to be made. And I’m betting it’s Minor, and not KK, for better or for worse.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2010
All fair points, it’s definitely a tough call. Guess we just found out the answer.
CharlotteChop - August 5, 2010
lol “esteemed”
bpk228480 - August 5, 2010
Anybody have any stats on how Blanco is doing over at KC?
Chief Noc-A-Homa - August 5, 2010
Yep.....
10 PA’s, 1 RBI, .222, .300, .222, 1 SB
Undocorkscrew - August 5, 2010
KK needs a new agent
He gets a promise that he won’t be sent down, and he rots on the bench for 6 weeks. He refuses to be a reliever, so again, he rots on the bench for 6 weeks. Somebody should sit him down and tell him that he could be a real useful swing man, or at least go to AAA and perform there. If he had done that in the first place, nobody would be calling for Minor here. Heck, he might have even become tradeable if he had kept up what he did against KC in the minors.
ruxsin - August 5, 2010
Note: my post assumes KK refused to be a reliever and refused to be sent down
I don’t know if this is true, but people on this post suggested that was why Bobby never used him or sent him down.
ruxsin - August 5, 2010
Wasn’t he used once as a reliever?
lol. once.
Chief Noc-A-Homa - August 5, 2010
Where did you get "he refuses to be a reliever"?
because I’ve never seen anything of the sort and only the opposite. He was a reliever last year, and put up solid numbers in that role. So again, why would you say he refuses to be a reliever?
Mr. Sanchez - August 5, 2010
Minor to start Monday against Astros
KK to Gwinnett after tonight’s game.
Per Bowman tweet.
blairblink - August 5, 2010
? I don't see that at all?
LEastCoastBears - August 5, 2010
hit refresh
ruxsin - August 5, 2010
ok, i just need to refresh it a few times
LEastCoastBears - August 5, 2010
It be the truth
eaheckman10 - August 5, 2010
at least let the man pitch...
thank you.
And I’m guessing we now have the most expensive AAA team in baseball considering there’s about $10-12 m in salary between McLouth and KK.
Mr. Sanchez - August 5, 2010
Ha...
Good, sad, point!
Jman781 - August 5, 2010
If we were going to send KK down eventually, why did we wait until he sat out for almost all of 6 weeks?
ruxsin - August 5, 2010
“Kawakami is being optioned to Gwinnett to build up his strength with hopes he will re-join the rotation later and add depth to staff.”
-Braves Twitter
eaheckman10 - August 5, 2010
Guys and gals
No need to rush and get a FanShot up. TC is all over this one. We don’t need 4 FanShots like we had for the Ross extension lol.
Scott Coleman - August 5, 2010
Crap...
I was going to post three FanShots of my own on the topic! Oh well…
Jman781 - August 5, 2010
I will be at
the game monday. Very excited to see Minor pitch!
medlenisking - August 5, 2010
What time is Medlen's MRI scheduled for?
medlenisking - August 5, 2010
This afternoon
I think around 3 or 4:00, iirc.
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
There we go
http://twitter.com/Braves/status/20413336129
BigG1392 - August 5, 2010
Thank you!
medlenisking - August 5, 2010
I guess only a partial tear is among the best case scenario but it still does not rule out the need for Tommy John surgery. I wonder if Medlen will try to tough it out and come back this year (since this could be a special year).
LEastCoastBears - August 5, 2010
I doubt it
Future is more important than this year. Especially with the core of young players we have.
BigG1392 - August 5, 2010
This
HEYJUDE - August 5, 2010
But we are in a pennant chase now...
with Bobby and Chipper and Wags supposedly having their curtain call, that means we might want to play to win now too. So no, the future is not more important than this year. This year is pretty damn important and if we get going back like we were in May and June, is potentially a year where we can fly a flag, and flags fy forever.
Mr. Sanchez - August 5, 2010
Minor pitching two innings tonight
I guess he is doing that on the road or is he doing two inning of a simulated game?
Here is the tweet in question:
Mike Minor will start for us on Monday (MLB debut). He will pitch two innings tonight in Gwinnett
LEastCoastBears - August 5, 2010
It's on the road
So it’s like a bullpen session before his start I guess
BigG1392 - August 5, 2010
Actually, Bowman’s blog and other posts have said that Minor traveled with the team to Pennsylvania. So I guess it’s 2 inning of AAA action against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
LEastCoastBears - August 5, 2010
put KK on waivers maybe somebody wants him
call up MInor……
d1gram420 - August 5, 2010
Yahoo says Medlen is out for the rest of the season.
TonyAlmeyda - August 5, 2010
ESPN/NBC both reporting
That TJ is likely but they will still take a few weeks before deciding.
Doghnut - August 5, 2010
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