Dec 03 2008
Trade for Vazquez a good start — and good starter — for Braves
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
ATLANTA — It’s not Jake Peavy. It’s not A.J. Burnett. It’s not a name that’s going to fire up the fan base, make the Turner Field turnstiles spin, or cause anybody to start tucking away coin for playoff tickets.
But the trade that sends Javier Vazquez to the Atlanta Braves fills one of three very big holes, three holes this team must address if it hopes to compete in the NL East in 2009.
Hole No. 1, of course, is an ace pitcher. Hole No. 2 is a power-hitting outfielder. Obviously, Vazquez isn’t filling hole No. 2, and he better not be asked to fill hole No. 1.
However, Hole No. 3 – a dependable innings-eating starter who you can count on to make 30-plus starts at the third spot in your rotation – is where the 32-year-old right-hander fits just nicely, thank you very much.
Vazquez is coming off a less-than-stellar season with the White Sox: 12-16, a 4.67 ERA. But his ERA suffered by pitching his home games in U.S. Cellular Field, a hitter’s ballpark, and the fact American League offenses typically feature more-prolific offenses.
Look deeper, and you’ll see why shipping four prospects – including potential standout Tyler Flowers – was worth it.
First of all, Vazquez will climb the bump every fifth day. Look at the number of starts he’s made in his 11-year career: 32, 26, 33, 32, 34, 34, 32, 33, 32, 32, 33. He’s pitched 198-plus innings pitched every year since 2000. He’s a double-digit winner every year since 2000, winning 15 games two years ago for the ChiSox and 16 for the Expos in 2001.
Not a bad guy at all to have at the No. 3 spot in your rotation, behind young stalwart Jair Jurrjens at No. 2 and ahead of Jorge Campillo at No. 4. He’s an aggressive veteran who isn’t afraid to challenge hitters. He’s finished fourth in the AL in strikeouts each of the past three seasons, fanned 241 hitters in 2003 (finishing third in the NL that season) and his 2,015 career punchouts stands ninth among active pitchers and 58th all time.
The Braves could’ve done far, far worse than Vazquez – a guy one season removed from a 15-8, 3.74 ERA in 2007, a guy locked up at $11.5 million a year for 2009 and 2010 – especially when you consider what little they gave up.
Yes, Flowers has the makings of a great player. He wowed scouts in the Arizona Fall League earlier this autumn. But he has just a half-season of experience above Class A, and he is a catcher. In case you haven’t noticed, the Braves have a three-time All Star behind the plate, some guy named Brian McCann who is locked up to a long-term deal. And, Heaven forbid, McCann gets injured, Clint Sammons is a capable backup.
Besides Flowers, the Braves gave up precious little. Brent Lillibridge? Please. All the Lil’Bridge did this season was show he can’t hit major-league pitching (23 strikeouts in 80 big-league ABs) and probably needs at least a full season at Triple-A before he’s ready. Atlanta also threw in two other prospects – third baseman Jon Gilmore and left-hander Santos Rodriguez – are at least three or four years away before factoring into anybody’s major-league plans.
And as a bonus, the Braves got a left-handed reliever in the deal, Boone Logan. While Logan posted a 5.95 ERA in the second half of 2008, he did carry a 1.95 ERA through his first 36 appearances. At 24, he has 144 games of major-league experience and figures to play a role in the Atlanta bullpen.
Vazquez will play a big role in the Braves’ success in 2009. It’s a good step, but remember, it can’t be the only step. The remaking of the Braves’ rotation has started. Now, it’s up to Braves’ management to make sure a second step – either signing Burnett or trading for Peavy – follows.
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Evening Scribe, hope everything with Mrs. Scribe is going better now that she’s had a chance to rest a while. Had the flu one December during finals that turned into pneumonia because, well, instructors just don’t want to hear flu as an excuse to miss a final.
Personally like the Vazquez trade, interested in the Ross signing, I agree that pretty much anything is an upgrade at backup backstop over what we’ve had recently.
David O’Brien mentioned that Brian Cashman is going to make an offer to AJ, so the wild carpet ride for AJ might be beginning a little sooner than what most Braves fans would prefer and might be the impetus for Frank Wren to guarantee the fifth year to get AJ’s autograph on a contract.
Should be an interesting week in Vegas.
Greg: Thanks for the well-wishes for my bride. She’s feeling a lot better and probably will be back at work tomorrow. Both kids are fighting the cold now …
Me? I’m slugging orange juice at every turn! Too busy to be sick, with a very busy day job (but busy is GREAT) and the blogs and the freelance stuff. Two weeks until an 18-day vacation from the day job, but I’ll be blogging every day through the holidays.
I agree with you about Burnett. I think the Braves have made the initial offer to let it be known he is the one they are targeting for the top spot in the rotation. Published reports today state the fifth year would be a team option, but it won’t surprise me if the Braves eventually guarantee it during the negotiations that are about to get hot and heavy.
And from experience, I can tell you any time spent in Vegas is interesting, indeed!
I’ll tell you this: Burnett-Jurrjens-Vazquez-Campillo is a front four this team can go wage battle with in the NL East next season, and I’m quite confident those four can make the Braves serious contenders for the division title. Granted, this team has to add some pop in the outfield, but from the starting pitching standpoint, I’ll take those four up top and go with it.
And Hanson will be here by June, methinks. And Huddy may be back by end of season, and definitely will be ready to go in 2010. This past season was tough on all of us, those of us who are fans, those of us who cover this team. But I see a very, very bright future for the Braves. That warms the heart on a cold December evening, for sure.
Hope you and yours are well. Stop by anytime. Your comments and insight always are insightful and appreciated.
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