GM Frank Wren told David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Mike Minor is the “incumbent” in the competition for the Braves' final rotation spot because of his experience and left-handedness. However, Minor says he would prefer not to go to Triple-A if he fails to earn a rotation spot after pitching well.
“Then there’s no reason I shouldn’t pitch in the big leagues somewhere,” he said. “If they don’t have room for me here, then there’s no reason they shouldn’t trade me or just do something with me.”
Minor, 24, clarified his comments to manager Fredi Gonzalez and some teammates, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman (Twitter links). Minor says the Braves should trade him if he hasn't earned a lasting spot in the Major Leagues by next year.
Minor owns a 4.74 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 123 1/3 innings at the Major League level. The 2009 first rounder made 15 starts for the Braves last year and another 16 at Triple-A. He is currently vying for the fifth spot in the Braves’ rotation, along with prospects Julio Teheran and Randall Delgado.
He’s got a point, but he came off really wrong in that interview. With Gilmatin coming up, I’d consider trading Minor just to avoid any potential distractions, it’s not like he isn’t easily replacable in the short and long-term.
Gilmartin is a fringe major leaguer. Minor has way more upside.
I think you’re underestimating him. He’s a fringe MLer only in a rotation with Hanson/JJ/Beachy/Teheran/Delgado.
I agree. Gilmartin was a completely irresponsible draft pick on the Braves’ part. They need position players in the minor league system but they go and pick a college pitcher with a low upside, the very last thing that they needed.
I guess you don’t agree that good young pitcher’s are the best currency. That “first round draft pick” title can make GM’s perk up.
And I’ve been impressed by Gilmartin’s maturation already in the minors. Gilmartin has time, while Minor doesn’t when compared to Teheran/Delgado. It’s Minor’s to lose, but that’s what he’s stating in the first place.
I agree, I mean he is a decent affordable pitcher with clear potential. I like your idea of avoiding distractions.
I don’t think that he will be a distraction. I can’t imagine that he has a lot of pull in the organization. Besides, I think Teheran, Delgado, Vizcaino, and Beachy make him pretty expendable.
You do realize that any of Teheran, Delgado, Vizcaino and Beachy would be the most valuable player within the Astros system right?
…yes. What is your point?
So, they aren’t just “pretty expendable”, they are valuable. You don’t trade away things that are valuable for no reason.
You misunderstood me. The depth of their pitching is invaluable; however, if you’re not going to use a pitcher like Minor, it makes more sense to trade him for something else valuable. You’re making a lot of assumptions about my comments.
He didn’t say they were “pretty expendable.” He said they made Minor “pretty expendable.” C’mon, man!
There will be a very good reason come mid-season, there will be a hole somewhere in the Braves lineup, most likely SS, quite possibly 3B of LF if Chipper gets hurt.
You do realize that Babe Ruth played for the Yankees, right?
You’re right…and he is the most expendable, if nothing else because he’s a southpaw and a 1st round selection.
This will only be a distraction to him and his pursuit for what he wants: a rotation spot. You don’t hear Teheran making those comments (you might would if you spoke with his interpreter).
Since when did posting a 4.74 ERA in 23 spot starts constitute ‘having earned the right to be there”?
Nice made-up quote bro
Could not agree more
Something a 24 year old with little experience shouldnt be saying
He has a right to say that. Frankly, ATL has already thought that. Minor, in my opinion, has always been the one of the 4 untouchables (Teheran, Delgado, Minor, Vizcaino) that should be traded, if any are traded. He’s shown strikeout ability (13 K vs. CHC) and was a 1st-rd pick which means he has a high ceiling. ATL has a younger, possibly better version of Minor in Sean Gilmartin who was taken in the 1st rd in 2011 as well. And he’s breezing through the minor league levels.
As a Braves fan, I’m thankful he’s said something so now teams can zero in on him during trade talks, if they’re wanting an “untouchable” – hoping he’d be the traded.
Just about every draft guru pegged Gilmartin to go in the supplemental round and called him a safe pick as a back-end starter with low upside.
I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s a “potentially better version of Minor.”
The Braves were criticized for taking Minor as well, who was more of a soft-tosser with solid control. Minor had the same criticism…..
I’m going to trust a team with some of the scouting we have. We have a rotation – one of the best in MLB mind you – where the highest round a starter was taken is Tim Hudson (6th rd), and that wasn’t by us (OAK). Tommy Hanson was taken in the 22nd round and everyone else: Beachy, Jurrjens, Delgado, Teheran have all been signed as amateur free agents.
Why isn’t it fair to say he’s potentially better? “Potentially” is a safe word, mind you.
Now, please know that Gilmartin really hasn’t had much pro experience, but that he’s had in 3 low levels show what he showed in college, which is much better location than Minor. Minor has always shown strikeout rates, but his BB/9 is 2-3x higher than Gilmartin’s at different levels. It’s hard to really compare the two, because they haven’t appeared much playing against the same competition, but I keep reading that Gilmartin is rapidly advancing through the system in part because of his work ethics, his approach, command, and most of all, his development of his secondary pitches. Gilmartin has all of that and he’s 2.5 years younger than Minor.
Minor may turn out to be a better pitcher, not in my opinion, but I really don’t hold much credence to necessarily where a player is drafted, and definitely not where they were supposed to be drafted, supplemental first round or not.
And his trade value just took a hit…
Exactly what I was thinking.
Exactly what I was thinking.
double…
I actually like the comment. I don’t think it came off as he was wanting it, but he should be earning a roster spot this year after coming out of college he should need less time to get into the big leagues. I’m sure this is going to get blown way out of proportion to come up with a story somewhere, but I like the kid’s’ moxie.
Shut up Mr. Spooneybarger.
Ahh the typical pro-sports “I say one thing, but I must ‘clarify’ my comments to mean the exact opposite” crap.
Chalk another one up for the “I ignored media training day” collection.
He’s the only lefty starter we have MLB ready right now, and so far he’s pitched pretty damn good in limited time. He struck out 9 against the Giants, 8 against the Jays, 7 against the Dodgers and avg’s 8.4 K/9. He’s got good stuff, runners don’t steal off him, and he should come into ST this year an above avg starter (#3 or #4 on most other teams). Not to mention he’s CHEAP and LEFT FREAKING HANDED!!! I’m not saying he’s the second coming of Tom Glavine, although he’s got a good slider and COULD have a devastating changup if he improves his arm speed off his fastball. Maybe we go with a 6-man rotation to start the season and wait for JJ & Hanson to go down, THEN bring up Teheran and let Delgado get some work in the pen as a Long man/spot starter.
Just my 2 cents…
I don’t like the idea of using starting prospects out of the bullpen. I’d rather see Delgado in triple-A, to be honest.
Fredi has already said that Delgado/Teheran won’t be in the bullpen, even if we need a 6th starter. Our AAA team is 30 mins from the park, so we could easily deactivate someone temporarily for a spot start and call them up for that night, then send them back down. They do that quite frequently since relocating to Gwinnett.
I read that they were considering using both of them out of the bullpen. I trust what you’re saying, but when did you read it? Either way, that seems to make sense to me, and I would expect that from an organization that clearly knows how to develop pitching.
Yes, I read the same thing you did, but recently (earlier this week), Fredi was asked about using Teheran/Delgado out of the bullpen and he said that was no longer an option. Like I said previously, with the location of our AAA team, there are more options than just having a starter in the bullpen. With Hudson missing April most likely, we might have 6 starters, lightly using them to get MLB experience.
All in all, I would really expect that if you see Jurrjens/Minor/Teheran pitching well, and Hudson comes back without many problems, that by the AS Break either Jurrjens is traded (if the right package is available) or Minor. That’s my hope, at least.
Thanks. As a foot note, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Delgado get moved. He is all over the place on the prospect lists, and doesn’t seem like the most graceful pitcher, mechanically speaking. I remember reading some comments from Wren about Delgado, and I was wondering if it were possible that he was trying to drive up his stock.
Not to repeat myself, but I seriously think Delgado is behind Teheran in terms of most untouchable. David Ross said yesterday that out of all the pitchers he’s caught so far, Delgado looks the best. He keeps building his pitches and remember that he’s looked the best of all of them consistently, though Teheran has had the least playing time.
Frankly, I haven’t seen anything appalling at his delivery. He’s not tipping his pitches, that’s all I’m worried about — and not following in the Tommy Hanson jerky motion of pre-2012. Delgado is still quite young and I can’t wait to see what becomes of him.
Doesn’t matter if you’re left or right-handed if you pitch at a clip of 4.74.
Having said that, looking at his 2011 stats, he does look like a starter on the rise, with the 8.4K/9, 4.14 ERA and a FIP of 3.39 (indicating he had some level of “bad luck” in his ERA being 4.14).
However, 4.14 still isn’t setting the world on fire and you don’t get to tell your organization how they should run their business when you’ve had one slightly above replacement season (1.4 WAR) and when you’ve only been a professional for 3 total seasons (including minors).
1.4 WAR is not slightly above replacement in 15 starts. It’s a good deal above average, and way above replacement.
-C
Fair enough. Didn’t apparently look closely enough at his innings/starts.
Regardless, you don’t get to dictate terms to your franchise when you’ve accumulated 120 innings of big-league pitching experience at a 4.74 ERA.
That’s with very few consistent starts. It’s tough to build on performances when you’re spot starting, which is why Teheran’s MLB numbers so far should be taken with a grain of salt.
Don’t forget about the 12 Cubs in 2010.
Buccos will take him, they will give ya Jeff Locke and Gorkys Hernandez for him, deal?
We already gave you back Nate McLouth with Frank Wren’s wrong number attached. You can keep Charlie Morton out of pity. Let us know when you’ve burned Andrew McCutchen’s bridge.
Banish him (trade) to the Orioles for this kind of insolence! That will fix his wagon!
I’d take him haha
Minor and 3 PTBNL for Adam Jones and JJ Hardy!
Hardy has been with Twins for some time now. Get back in the loop.
I’m glad to hear that he wasn’t demanding a trade right now and that he simply misspoke. He’s just defending himself in my opinion
Paging Frank Wren….Paging Frank Wren…Alex Anthopoulos on Line 1 for you
And Dayton Moore on line 2…
They have Bruce friggin’ Chen, what do they need with Mike Minor?! Bruce. Chen. Baby!
Ok, you can have Minor for Brett Lawrie.
click
LOL!!!! Funny.
(on hold) – Song: TLC’s “Never Gonna Get It”
Dude, it’s En Vogue, and it’s “My Lovin'”. Get your early-to-mid nineties female R&B groups straight, please.
I’m proud I got that wrong.
hmmm how would you guys like to have marco scu…
dammit
The man does have a point. He has worked out and has had some really good pitching performaces. In his last 10 starts he is has like a 3.51 ERA. I can understand if this is frustration and he does kind of have a point. He wants to play in the Majors and in another quote he said he is getting older and older. He does not really have anything else to prove in AAA
Hmmmm…Wil Myers sounds about right.
Yeah, right. We’ve been down that road and KC left us hanging dry…much like COL and Wheeler.
Why is he worrying and why is this a big deal? A) He’s been told if he pitches like he did last year, he essentially has first dibs at a rotation spot for the youngsters. Beyond that Teheran made a similar statement last year that didn’t get near this publicity. This really should be a non-issue, Minor will have a spot unless he blabs his way out of it.
What did Teheran say?
Sounds like he feels rather entitled, given his middling results so far. He’s 24 and has established himself in the majors. He should have little to say.
Minor was a 1.4 WAR pitcher last year and projects to be about a 2 WAR pitcher this year. He will definitely be held back if Braves use one of his optional assignments.
Traditionally, Braves seem to “hurry up” their best pitching prospects to the majors to see exactly what they have on hand. In my opinion, either Minor (optional assignment) or Jurrjens (trade) will be a casualty when it is done with Teheran & Vizcaino.
If we deal him I’d go hard for Arenado not an OF.
what about a trade with oakland minor and prado for seth smith and others
Haha, I love you.
Minor will start the season in the 5 spot but won’t make it past the trade deadline. Teheran, Delgado, Vizcaino and Medlen for that matter, are just too good to keep at AAA (or in the ‘pen). The Braves are planning to trade Minor and they’ll be showcasing him in the 5 spot of the rotation for all to see.
The only way Minor isn’t traded is if he is absolutely tearing it up, having an All-Star caliber season. Even then, I’m not sure Wren wouldn’t take the advantage of the increased value.