The Atlanta Braves have been all about offense these past couple of days in Spring Training. However Fredi Gonzalez gave some attention to pitching as he decided the order of the starting rotation. The big question was Tim Hudson or Kris Medlen. Well, with less then two weeks left before the season opener, here's the Braves starting rotation barring any injuries for the start of the 2013 season.
Yes, if you guessed Hudson would get the start in the season opener, then you won.
Against the Philadelphia Phillies, from Apr. 1-4, manager Gonzalez will have Hudson, Paul Maholm and Kris Medlen on the mound. They will have an off day on Apr. 2. Then, the following week, as the Braves host the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, Mike Minor will get the ball on Apr. 5 without there being any doubts. Then Julio Teheran will make his season debut depending on whether their ace needs an extra day off.
For the Braves, this is a very exciting season, not just for their offense, but their pitching as well.
Teheran could be the best fifth starter in the majors if he continues to put numbers the way he did in Spring Training. So far in five starts, Tejeran possesses the lowest ERA among Braves starters. In 20 innings pitched, he's allowed just seven hits, three earned runs holding opponents to a .104 batting average. The Colombian 22-year-old spent time playing Winter Ball in the Dominican Republic, where Pedro Martinez helped him fix a few things.
Many were expecting Medlen to take over the ace role in Atlanta, but although he was completely lights out in the most important part of the season, the numbers Tim Hudson has put up are pretty incredible and can't be ignored.
The addition of Maholm to the rotation will give Minor a left-handed companion in the rotation as the Braves balanced out their right-handed heavy pitching rotation.
The pitching looks like they should get run support in 2013, which should make it fun to pitch in Atlanta in 2013.
