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Atlanta Braves Claim LH Pitcher Jesse Biddle…for future

By Alan Carpenter

Mar 13, 2015; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesse Biddle (70) throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2015; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesse Biddle (70) throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Atlanta is Still Hunting Reclamation Pitching Projects, Add Biddle

News this afternoon from Stephen Nesbitt, beat writer covering the Pirates:

Jesse Biddle is 24 years old and was drafted by his hometown Phillies as a 27th overall pick in 2010.  He remained with the organization through 2015, making the AAA level until the aforementioned trade, made just over six weeks ago.

In writing about the trade, reporter Matt Gelb refers to the need for Biddle to revive his career, having once been the #1 pitching prospect for Philadelphia.

The gotcha?  An October 2015 Tommy John surgery.  He’ll change hats once again, but doesn’t have to leave the couch for a while – except for rehab stints.

Biddle has been a starter throughout his minor league career, posting excellent strikeout and ERA numbers… until hitting AA in 2014.  At that point, the K’s went down, the walks started to become more apparent, and the ERA jumped from the 3.00 range to the 5.00 range.  Nonetheless, the Phillies continued to push him through the system – and given their needs, that’s somewhat understandable.

After 125 innings in 2015, his elbow gave out.  He will miss the entire 2016 season rehabbing.

Now the Question – the Roster

The reason Biddle became available was because the Pirates needed him off their 40-man roster to make space for David Freese.  But the Braves have 40-man issues of their own.

As of this pickup, Biddle becomes their 40th roster member (since Paco Rodriguez is on the 60-day DL).  But that might be the case for… oh, maybe about 5 minutes.  Biddle himself is eligible to be added to the 60-day list, and so he won’t count either.

It does make one wonder why the Pirates didn’t simply do that with Biddle themselves… they certainly could have kept him with that simple clerical maneuver.

So the Braves actually now have 3 pitchers who are 60-day eligible:  Rodriguez, Biddle, and Andrew McKirahan.  Thus there are effectively 38 names on their 40-man roster.  So this constitutes a zero-risk move by Atlanta with virtually no downside at all.

Next: Amid Turmoil, Could there be an Opening to Move Swisher?

Biddle should be fully rehabbed and ready to compete for a rotation spot by Spring Training 2017.

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