The Braves announced that they signed right-hander Chad Durbin to a Major League contract. The Nationals, had signed the 34-year-old to a minor league deal in February, but he opted out today, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link).
Durbin posted a 5.53 ERA with 7.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and a 40.2% ground ball rate in 68 1/3 innings for the Indians last year. This marks the second time in a week the Braves have bolstered their pitching staff with a veteran addition. They signed Livan Hernandez to a Major League deal hours after the Astros released him last Friday.
hahaha
And we thought Scott Linebrink was bad… oh boy
Sooooo…..Livan now Durbin….I know Linebrink suuuuuuucked and well…Sherrill he belongs in the AL….we must have had no confidence in any of our young arms….if the Nationals did’nt want Durbin wth did we? and if the Astros released Livan why would we jump on his rubber arm?
Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty are both left handed
two questionable major league deals. oh well
Major League deal? HAHAHAHA.
Well, I guess there goes Yohan Flande and his 0.73 spring ERA back to AAA so that the Braves can have at least one garbage….ahem veteran….reliever on staff. They dealt with the stinky Scott Proctor last year and now they go and pay more good money for his clone. And rest assured no matter how bad he is ole’ Fredi will send him out there night after night.
WTH I thought it was the Nats that took Phillies trash. Now the Braves are taking the Nats trash that was the Phillies trash.
Well, recycling is mandatory in most of the United States now – is it not?
I could understand the Livan move because maybe a move to the pen can give him a little more life or what have you. But seriously…. WHY DURBIN?!?!?!?!?!
Yeesh. This lends further ammunition to the widely held view that the Braves are a 4th place club in all likelihood.
Yeesh. Need to use 3 spaces between sentences and repeat myself using different words.
yeeeaaahhhh..about that. The only people I’ve seen predicting a 4th place finish are the fans of other teams. I’ve seen a few instances of them being predicted to win the division but most predictions are for 2nd.
Yeesh. This lends further support to the growing view around baseball that the Braves will finish in 4th place in 2012.
I guess if you can’t be in the Nationals bullpen you can always make it in Atlanta
Because the Nats have a trio like Kimbrel, Venters, and O’Flaherty
Considering the competition between young, quality relievers who actually had great springs I find it puzzling that the Braves have signed two guys to major league contracts who weren’t good enough to make it with other teams. Maybe they know something we don’t? Maybe they are worried about how young their actual good relievers are and wanted to get a greater veteran presence in the bullpen? I can’t help thinking that money would have been better spent on Mike Gonzalez.
Hopefully. I’m gonna be hella disappointed if it was solely for “veteran presence”. Don’t care how old you are or how many years you’ve been in the league. You’re either good or you aren’t, end of story.
Durbin will be the guy that gets thrown into the lopsided wins or losses. Can’t waist great arms in blowouts.
In the past 2 seasons he has been with every NL EAST TEAM..LOL
Except for the Mets and Marlins.
I forget he didnt play 4 new york but i know he diffently played for the marlins!
You know you can click on the player’s link and look stuff like that up before you say you diffently know something…
jeez people cool your jets!! Notice the headline says “Braves sign Chad Durbin” it doesn’t say “Braves sign Chad Durbin for 3 years, will probably knock Kimbrel out of the closer role”. He’ll be the mop-up guy that only comes in if we’re getting destroyed or we’re the ones destroying.
I thought that’s what Livan Hernandez was for.
nah he’s long relief and spot starts
OR he’ll appear in two close games at the beginning of the season while piling up a 13.50 ERA in two innings of work.
livan will be the long guy in case for whatever reason our starter cant go more than 3 innings
sounds like a “mop up role” that was just mentioned….