Nov 09 2008
Rumbling and ramblings as Braves Nation waits on Peavy
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
ATLANTA — A few random thoughts surrounding the Atlanta Braves on this Sunday evening in November, a day during which the Falcons won again, the Thrashers pushed their winning streak to five and the Hawks sought to improve to 5-0:
OK, I know a few days ago I wrote the Braves should be willing to give up top pitching prospect Tommy Hanson if that was the lynchpin of the Jake Peavy deal. After all, you’re talking about a kid who’s never pitched past Double-A, stacked up against one of the bigs’ best pitchers.
But maybe I should change my opinion about that subject, and not just because my opinion is in the vast minority of those I’ve read.
Hanson, most likely, isn’t going anywhere. The 22-year-old fireballer struck out 11 hitters in five innings Thursday in the Arizona Fall League. That’s 30 punchouts in 18 2/3 innings for Hanson, who sports a 3-0 record and a sick-looking (to the opposing lineup, at least) 0.48 ERA.
The Padres keep asking about him, but while I’d probably give it more thought than most anybody else, the bottom line is Frank Wren is not going to trade this guy. He might not start the season in Atlanta, but I think Hanson’s here to stay by midseason at the very latest.
One of Hanson’s teammates in the AFL is making an impact. Stephen Marak, acquired from the Angels in the Mark Teixeira trade, is 1-0 with two saves this fall, having allowed eight hits and no runs with no walks and five strikeouts in nine innings.
Keep an eye on the right-hander, who could push for a spot in the Braves’ bullpen next spring.
Scott Olsen turns 25 years old in January, throws left-handed and has won 31 games in a major-league career that started in late 2005.
Wouldn’t be a bad pitcher to acquire, and the Braves reportedly are looking into what it might take to pry Olsen away from the Marlins. He went 8-11 for the Fish in 2008 with a 4.20 ERA. Not a big power pitcher, Olsen has made 31-plus starts in each of his three full major-league seasons – 31 in 2006, 33 in 2007 and again in 2008.
Interesting. If the Braves indeed were to trade for Olsen, I still think they have to sign somebody for the No. 2 spot – all of this assumes Peavy is sitting at No. 1.
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