Odds and Ends on Ending an Odd Week
By Fred Owens
Bits and pieces for the weekend because the news is weak…
Following up on Bob’s Mike Minor story Dave Shovein over at the Hardball Times thinks Minor’s going to have a good year.
“Minor owns an electric left arm that allowed him to post a 9.5 K/9 in his nine-game stint in Atlanta last season. As of now, he’s considered the favorite to win the fifth starter spot and possesses tremendous upside. Well worth the gamble as a fifth or sixth starter in deep leagues.”
I’d settle for him taking a room in Tom Glavine‘s garage trying to soak up the future Hall of Famer’s knowledge through osmosis and taking lessons every day off on how to get batters out without throwing 95mph all the time or passing 100 pitches in 5 innings. Hanson should be chained to Smoltz as well learning how to be more like him and less like Kevin Millwood.
Numbers game: Word is that Dan Uggla will wear 26 this year. He wore 6 in Florida but that will be retired with Cox’s induction into the Braves Hall of Fame. Brooks Conrad will give up 26 and wear 7. Freddie is wearing staying with 5. Like Ford Prefect I will wear 42. . .
MLB Trade Rumors reports that Rodrigo Lopez is deciding whether to take an offer from the Braves. That the Braves offered him a contract at all boggles the mind. Lopez has a good arm, strikes out about 5 every 9 innings and walks only half that many. In 2010 however, he pitched 200 innings for the DBacks giving up 227 hits, 37 homers and 111 earned runs.
We have the best minor league pitching around now, our pen is set in Atlanta and we have 6 starters seeking 5 jobs with Medlen, Teheran, Martinez, Delgado and more in the wings. I know it’s a minor league contract and costs relatively little but can anyone give me a GOOD reason for even making the offer?