Lowe Opening Day Starter, Not Staff Ace

Paul and Tom over at HotStove.com asked me if Derek Lowe, the newly appointed opening day starter, was the best pitcher on the Braves’ staff. Here is my answer and a link to the article.

The Braves are starting Lowe in the first game of the season to help him regain the confidence that he had to start last season. Through the first few months Lowe was exactly the pitcher they had hoped for but he fell off towards the end of the year. By naming Lowe the opening day starter there is no better way to put the trade fiasco from earlier this offseason in the past. Lowe is definitely not the best pitcher on the staff, but he is very consistent and if naming him the opening day starter makes Derek more comfortable and confident in his own abilities then this is a great decision.

http://www.hotstove.com/2010/03/braves-marlins-bloggers-respond-to-our-questions/

Video Appearance on HotStove.com bit.ly/9jzJ0i

I spoke with the guys over at HotStove.com earlier this afternoon about Bobby Cox’s retirement, Chipper Jones having a bounce back year, Jason Heyward, the Vasquez deal, and a preview of the 2010 season for the Atlanta Braves.

It was a great time and I hope you enjoy it!

Live on HotStove.com at 1:00pm!

I will be chatting with the guys from HotStove.com live at 1:00pm about the Braves. Here is a link to their promotion.

http://www.hotstove.com/2010/03/today-on-hot-stove-tv-braves-blogger-ben-duronio-of-the-bravesologist-and-nationals-writer-mark-zuckerman-of-nats-insider/

Is the Braves’ Rotation the Most Underrated in the Majors?

The guys over at www.HotStove.com asked Is the Braves’ Rotation the Most Underrated in the Majors? Below is my response and a link to the article.

The Braves’ rotation has gotten little love from the mainstream media despite having lead the league in starter’s ERA last season and the fact that they will have Tommy Hanson and Tim Hudson in the rotation to start the year. The Javier Vasquez trade is the main reason for being so under the radar but one thing many do not realize is that Tim Hudson has markedly better career numbers than Vasquez does. Derek Lowe struggled at the end of last season and he should improve, as should Kenshin Kawakami after having a year of major league pitching under his belt. Hudson will have a hard time producing the numbers Vasquez did last year, but a rotation of Tim Hudson, Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, Derek Lowe, and Kenshin Kawakami is one of the deepest in the league without question. The Braves lack an all-star 1-2 punch like many of the other “sexy” picks for the league’s best rotation, but depth makes a rotation and the Braves definitely have under-rated pitching.

http://www.hotstove.com/2010/02/is-the-braves-rotation-the-most-underrated-in-the-majors/