Apr 29 2008
From depleted deck of aces, Hudson must step up
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
ATLANTA – The line says it all – three innings pitched, seven hits, four runs.
Sounds like an outing by one of those plug-and-pitch-and-pray starting pitchers the Atlanta Braves have employed throughout the middle and back end of their rotation the past two seasons.
Nope. Try co-ace Tim Hudson, who mustered that less-than-stellar effort Saturday against the Mets at Shea Stadium. This comes two starts after another non-gem: a three-inning, six-hit, four-run performance against the Marlins.
In and of itself, one of the National League’s better pitchers lasting just three innings twice in a three-start span, not even a month into the season, is cause for concern. But given the state of the Braves’ pitching staff on April 29, it’s reason enough for Braves Nation to panic.
The Braves stand one game under .500 (somehow), and one pitching injury away from putting a help wanted ad in the newspaper. The list of Braves starters who have spent time on the disabled list this season – John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Mike Hampton, Chuck James – would form a pretty good front four for any team.
When healthy, the Braves have the arms to match up with anybody in baseball. But health has not been on their side through the first four weeks of 2008, which increases the pressure on Hudson (3-2, 3.74 ERA in six starts) to perform when he climbs the bump every fifth day. So far, the results have been mixed:
March 30: In the season opener in D.C., Hudson was solid. His location betrayed him in a long first inning, but after giving up two runs he set down the final 19 hitters he faced. His teammates rallied to tie the game in the ninth, taking him off the hook for the loss in a game the Braves dropped on Ryan Zimmerman’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.
April 5: Facing the Mets, Hudson again was victimized by one bad inning, the fifth, when a blown call on an inning-ending double play was correctly reversed. The Mets went on to score in that inning, but the Braves still won as Hudson scattered six hits over six innings.
April 11: Maybe one of his best two or three starts as a Brave, especially considering had the game in Colorado the day before not been snowed out, Hudson would’ve pitch. Suffering from the flu, he likely would not have been as effective as he was a night later in much-warmer D.C. Hudson allowed three hits over eight shutout innings, completely stuffing the Nationals and throwing two-thirds of his 96 pitches for strikes (64). Absolutely, totally in control.
April 16: Here’s where things started to get shaky. Hudson never had command of his breaking ball, and his fastball – which normally tops out in the low 90s – never broke 86 on the radar gun as the Marlins teed off on Hudson for six hits and four runs in three innings. Afterward, Hudson said he wasn’t hurt. Still impacted by the flu, perhaps?
April 21: With the nervous eyes of Braves Nation watching – the blogs and talk shows were full of “Hudson must be injured” talk after his previous start – Hudson calmed the waters, hitting 90-plus on his first three fastballs of the first inning. Throwing his heater around 90 mph consistently all night, Hudson scattered 10 hits over six innings but only allowed Washington one earned run as the Braves cruised.
April 26: Back to Saturday at Shea. What happened? Hudson never had good command. True, he didn’t walk anybody and 41 of his 60 pitches were strikes. But his pitches in the zone had no movement, and the Mets teed off on him. While his velocity was good, location was not. And location in pitching – and in real estate – is everything.
So here we sit, wondering what’s next on the roller-coaster ride that has become Tim Hudson’s season. Were things humming along smoothly for the Braves at this point, Hudson’s ups-and-downs still would be alarming.
But look around. Glavine returns from the disabled list tonight, but is this the first sign of the venerable lefty breaking down? Will Hampton ever toe the slab in a major league game again? James’ shoulder is still barking, and will he ever learn a third pitch? Then there is Smoltz, the co-ace along with Hudson. Smoltz’s performance Sunday – and the tone of his postgame comments – can’t help but make you wonder if the bearded one realizes he’s nearing the end of the line.
The ascent of Tim Hudson from very good to one of the game’s elite has reached a critical juncture. Whether or not the Braves can overcome the rash of injuries that has decimated their pitching corps rest squarely on Hudson’s slender shoulders.
This much is clear: Three-inning stints will not cut it. He’s an ace, maybe the only one the Braves have at this point. Time for him to start pitching like one.
–30–
How many SP’s did the Braves take to camp this year? As I recall, it was around ten. After last year’s debacle, I, along with most Braves fans, thought that we might have been covered this year. This looks like a tremendous misjudgement so far. The injury bug has decimated not only the rotation but the bully too.
JJ has arguably been the Braves most reliable starter. However, I have grave concerns over his ability to pitch more than 150-160 innings this year without injury, if not this year, then next. His track record for injury, plus his innings counts for years previous do not indicate that he’s ready for 200+ innings this year. What are the Braves going to do in August and September when he runs out of gas?
Chrisklob: Yep, you gotta keep your pitchers healthy, and I watched two members of the “depth” get hurt yesterday (Reyes, Carlyle).
With Smoltz now pitching out of the bullpen, the Braves still have a very good rotation, fronted by Hudson, Jurrjens and Glavine. Obviously, it’s got to be the Hudson we’ve seen the past two starts, and Glavine has to stay healthy, and how will Jurrjens hold up to the rigors of making 30 starts? We shall see. Either way, if Hampton doesn’t come back — and honestly, can any of us expect him to pitch here this season? — then you need Jo Jo or Chuck James or Jeff Bennett to step up and take charge of the back two spots of the rotation.
Remember, Chuckie was the No. 3 guy last year. He’s, in my guess, the No. 5 or No. 6 guy now, even without Smoltz and Hampton. The depth still is there, but to me, it hinges on Huddy setting the table every fifth day and pitching like an ace.
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