Starting Rotation Notes

Our strongest factor in last years turn around was our pitching staff. We were stuck with automatic outs in CF for the first 50 games, RF till Frenchy was traded away, 2B until Kelly went on the DL and Prado took over and LF for the first couple of months while Anderson was playing and trying to recoup his hamstring. So with some actual consistency of the positive kind from those positions, we are looking at a very dangerous club, in the batters box or toeing the slab.

Fun fact, Jo Jo Reyes was our fifth starter last year until Kris Medlen took over in anticipation of Tommy Hanson's arrival. It literally took me a couple of hours to remember who we started with in our rotation at the beginning of the 2009 campaign. This year's opening day has a little bit of a different make up, but still solid to the core.

Derek Lowe-Opening Day pitcher, trying to shake off the .301 batting avg against him last year and his career high ERA. He still won 15 games, but this fan wonders how much was him and how much was he the beneficiary of those few times when our bats would pop. Lowe has been a work horse the majority of his career, thanks in large part to being a closer for many years, and will look to continue in that respect. Either way, he's been great in Spring Training and re-worked his delivery, so much so that Bobby named him the Opening Day Starter for his last season. Prediction: 13-9, 3.95 ERA

Tim Hudson- Huddy, the class clown, he and back up catcher David Ross, has been labeled the staff 'Ace' by Bobby. He's throwing very well and compares his reconstructed elbow with its motion as playing with "a new toy." Still taking it easy on Hudson, he has given us all every indication that he will be very solid for the next 3 years wearing the red, white and blue.
Prediction: 15-9, 3.35 ERA

Jair Jurrjens: The foundation of Braves Nation quaked when it was reported that he was having some shoulder inflammation early in the Spring season. People were calling Bobby to the mat for having him pitch so much last year, but as it turns out, JJ is fine and ready to resume his usual duties of dazzling hitters with his change, 2-seam, slider and curve. This humble pitcher will continue to develop and if he only had a few more runs in a couple of games, would have been a legit Cy Young candidate. Prediction: 15-6, 2.90 ERA

Tommy Hanson: The big kid from out West has been the quiet one this Spring Training. Last spring all anyone could talk about was Tommy this and Tommy that, now it's changed to Heyward this and J-Hey that. Oh how a year of dominance has made people so comfortable with you they just assume you will blow everyone away. I'm one of those people and think Hanson will have a break out year. After coming up in June and dominating, many people were wondering what if those starts that were wasted by Jo Jo Reyes at the start of last season had been pitched by Hanson. Oh how much closer to the playoffs we would have been last year. Prediction: 19-6, 3.45 ERA

Kenshin Kawakami: This Japanese All-Star has had his first full season of major league bats and will hopefully be able to show all his doubters of the stuff that made him a sought after free agent just a year ago for the Braves. No one is asking him to win 20 games, just keep us in them and let the bats do some work. KK had the worst run support for any starter for the first 3 to 4 months last year in the Majors. Tallying 7 wins and 12 losses was peculiar, most noteably because 1 of those wins was a 1-0 duel with Roy 'Doc' Halladay and against Johan Santana, two of his 7 wins. More run support, better understanding of the US strike zone and hitters will help him immensely. Also, having a fellow country man, Saito, in the bullpen will help him feel a little more like he is home and allow him to better acclimate to the life of a MLB'er. Prediction: 12-11 ERA 4.13

Total- 73 wins 41 losses from our starters. Not shabby at all.