You could also just DL one of the bench guys for a BS injury if you needed to bring up a reliever.

Like if Wren went to Schafer and Reed and told them here are your options: you are going to get released/traded OR you can stay but you will spend 15 days on the DL at some point for a fake injury - I think they snap take stay and fake an injury.

Just trying to think outside of the box a bit here. If they can cover 30 DL days with fake injuries, you'll probably get another 30 days at least of legit injuries from someone. Depending on the timing of it all, you could get to Sept. 1 without having to trade/DFA anyone and not carry a short pen all that often.

And FWIW, Wren has no qualms with doing this kind of stuff. He did it with Troy Glaus in 2010 after we traded for Derrek Lee. To make roster space for Lee we were going to have to release Glaus, but instead he just went on the DL with "knee problems" despite being quoted in an article saying he was healthy enough to play.

Pretty certain we did it with Sheets last year too at one point. I think once Medlen was called up after being stretched out.

Listened to Keith Law's podcast and he had on John Coppolella (Assistant GM for Braves). Coppolella sounds super awkward yet comes off incredibly smart. Nice to have him making decisions for us.

Anyways, he STRONGLY HINTED (while saying he couldn't reveal anything really) that one of the current starters will move to the bullpen once Beachy comes back. Or I guess you could take his statements to mean Beachy could move to the bullpen. He said something like "We've looked at it and we'll likely move one of our starters to the bullpen."

He made it very clear that there will NOT be a 6-man rotation (I think we all figured that).

He also made it sound like the decision wouldn't necessarily be merit-based, but based on fit somewhat (as in, a guy that could really solidify the bullpen if he goes from the rotation).

He also went into this long spiel at one point about how the front office makes decisions to win games but also "win for a long time", so they keep a long-horizon scope when making decisions (we've seen this in the past).

Now, given all of that, who goes to the bullpen?

The obvious choice would be Teheran, but I'm not so sure. Look at how much Minor struggled last year, in his first full year, yet maintained his role in the rotation while Medlen (a clearly superior option for the rotation at the time) was the 4th option out of the bullpen.

Teheran hasn't had Minor's troubles, was a MUCH highly touted prospect, and is the only one of the Teheran/Delgado/Vizcaino group that the front office actually refused to deal. They are high on Teheran, and his results this year have been not bad - given his age you could say they've been very good.

I just don't see them sticking him in the bullpen and potentially stunting his development.

So...who goes?

I've got a feeling it will end up being Medlen assuming Beachy joins the rotation. I'm in the stick Beachy in the bullpen then stretch him out around August 1st to join the rotation camp, but I'm not sure the Braves think the same.

Should be another interesting decision.

If the decision was completely merit-based with a long-term scope then I think the actual obvious choice would be Hudson. Just don't see that happening, though.

How much longer til Beachy is ready?

It would be a pretty big mistake to move Medlen to the pen, I think. It just makes much more sense to stick Beachy in the pen to limit his innings, unless the front office feels that he's coming back late enough in the season to make the issues of innings limits etc moot. If they think Beachy would have to shut it down before the end of the season if he joined the rotation I would be shocked if they didn't put him in the pen instead. We obv have precedence for this with Medlen last season.

Now, if Beachy IS joining the rotation, the choice is clear as to who should be moved to the pen imo. Yes, taking Teheran out of the rotation would stunt his development somewhat, but the difference in production between him and Medlen is much too large to consider moving Medlen instead. Medlen has been pretty meh thus far (although still better than Teheran), but there's nothing to indicate his loss of command is anything but a temporary issue. I mean, they'd be taking out a possibly legitimate ace out of the rotation. I love Teheran, but there's no way he should be in the rotation instead of Medlen...or Beachy if he doesn't have an innings limit. Hudson is an interesting idea.

Beachy is just now having his first rehab start tomorrow in Gwinnett. He's going to probably make a minimum of 4 starts so he wouldn't be back until mid-end June or beginning of July so innings wouldn't be a problem for Beachy. I don't think putting Medlen in the bullpen is a smart thing either because he can easily be the best pitcher in the rotation if he just regains his mechanics and command that he's had his whole career. I think Julio will end up being in the bullpen.

Assistant GM said on the podcast that Beachy will be ready by mid-June barring any setbacks.

I wonder who has the best HR rate per AB in 2013 this year with a min of 100 ABs.

Gotta find a way to get Gattis in the everyday starting lineup.

They were discussing this earlier on the radio. I think Gattis was 4th or 5th if I'm remembering correctly. Was multitasking at the time so that might not even be what they were talking about.

Just don't see how Gattis can get in the lineup everyday.

He's more than likely worse offensively (and certainly worse overall when you add in defense and baserunning) than McCann, Upton, Heyward, and Freeman.

Just a shame he doesn't play 2B.

We've got to quit batting Simmons leadoff. I know our options are limited, but just can't take it anymore.

The Bear is in.

Gattis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So fun to watch.

Got jobbed by the umps IMO.

C'mon CK, shut'em down!

Well **** me.

kimbrel looks like ****

It's good at the end. Good win, let's get the second later.

MINOR! You can't stop him, only hope to contain him.

back to looking unstoppable. it's nice to beat up on the bad teams, something it seems like we haven't done over the past few years.

let's get a W on Sunday Night Baseball for the sweep (and 9 straight!).

I wish I was able to watch more of their games live instead of just looking for updates online and in this thread.

I know - arbitrary endpoints, but....

12-1 start, then
10-17, now
8-0. lol

wonder if the whole season's ghana be like this

Just need to hit one of those 12-1 stretches at the end.

3 walks already, need to stop.

Nice balk pick off lol.

Gotta finish with the goods then.

OMUGGLA

+100