to him this Winter if he continues to struggle from whatever pitching role he is given for the rest of the season? As it stands now, we would have Hudson, Minor, Medlen, Maholm, (Sheets maybe), Delgado will be knocking on the door for a spot again, Teheran may or may not be pitching for a position in the Spring and then there is Tommy Hanson. With his screwed up delivery keeping him injured, inconsistent and base runners running wild on the bases, what do we do with him. Long relief doesn't make sense with what he will command in arbitration. Do we dare non-tender him???? He can't have much if any trade value....can he?? Sort of a stumping scenario of what to do with him.

Teheren is staying in the Minors. He hasn't done much this year to prove he's ready. I also think Sheets is going to sign with another team. I just don't the Braves have the resources to sign him to a multi-year deal, which he'll be looking for. That leaves Hudson, Minor, and Maholm as definites for the rotation next year. I could easily see the Braves trading Hanson and going with Delgado and Medlen, until Beachy comes back; and whoever between Delgado and Medlen are pitching worse will go into the bullpen when Beachy's ready. Then again I could see the Braves keeping Hanson until Beachy comes back and trading him at the trade deadline next season.

That's my guess.

I think you're right about Sheets. He's a heck of a pitcher and a good team player. But he's pitching well above his paygrade right now. He'll get a big contract for next season and beyond from a team who can afford to take a risk on a guy who can go down injured halfway through his contract. We just dont have the payroll to shoulder that potential burden. He deserves more money but we cant take the risk on it.

I think it will be:

1. Tim Hudson
2. Mike Minor
3. Kris Medlen
4. Paul Maholm
5. Tommy Hanson/Randall Delgado

I hope we can trade Hanson some time next year. The interesting thing to me is if Beachy comes back the middle of next season, who goes to the pen/AAA. I think Delgado deserves a spot in the rotation by then. I also think Medlen deserves a rotation spot at this point. The interesting thing to me is if Beachy comes back, it will probably be within a month of the trade deadline, so we may be able to trade some SP'ing with Beachy back in the rotation.

As much as I love Hudson, he's had a few off days this year. I think he may just be getting old. He clearly knows how to pitch, but I think if he keeps going another 3 years that by the 2014 season he's gonna be the next Derek Lowe. I dont think he's gonna have numbers as good next season as he's had this season, and I think this season is part of his decline. He's just a good pitcher so he can still pitch well, but Im starting to worry that age is catching up with him at this point.

Has Tim Hudson mentioned anything about retiring?

Has Tim Hudson mentioned anything about retiring?

Has Tim Hudson mentioned anything about retiring?

'just don't the Braves have the resources to sign him to a multi-year deal, which he'll be looking for'

Theyll have the resources after this season..just a matter if they wanna give it to him or not, over 40mil comes off this year.

Two quick answers come to mind:

1.Non-tender / trade JJ & Hanson & $6 mill is freed to sign Sheets - he's worth that, risk & all, throwing in incentives.

2. Keep Delgado for whoever the SP-er is that goes down next year since one per year will

Hudson, Maholm, & Medlen are SP-ers who should remain as well as Minor who is at last slowly seeming to get what ML-pitching is about. Beachy wil return midway 2013 if his scheule holds, and after another year Hudson may/may not call it a career. Delgado's role will be to step in for whoever has an injury and / or when Hudson retires. If we lose 2 SP-ers in the next 2 years, my logic says we need to add 2 so why spend $ & prospects when we have all that should be needed in-house. Bottom line, keep Sheets if he will stay for what would come off the books with JJ & TH.

I really think Sheets will stay, seems like a loyal player.

Umm...funny. We are now talking about Hanson under-performing.

I think that goes without saying. Yeah, they'll have the resources, but it's pretty obvious they don't and won't need his services over re-tooling the offense at season's end.

How much do you expect him to demand?

Between $5-10 m. per year for 3 years, if I had to guess.

I would be shocked if any team is willing to offer him a multi-year contract after making just 15 starts and given his age and injury history.

That's assuming he doesn't struggle down the stretch/get injured.

I'm saying that's what he'll want and while he might have to take a 2-year deal, maybe a 1 and 1, he'll get that dollar amount. Even for one year that's too much considering arby raises and resigning Bourn.

Plus throw in that Teheren will fight for a rotation spot and the Braves will have 7 pitchers, not including Sheets, fighting for Rotation spots next season.

If (that's a huge if) he stays healthy and doesn't completely fall off a cliff for the remaining of the season I would have absolutely no problem giving him a one year deal in the 5-7M range......even if we had to include a mutual option for a second year.

We've seen this year how important it's to have depth in the pitching department. And it would give us some flexibility to trade one of Minor/Delgado/Medlen/Teheran to help fill some holes offensively.

I'm assuming he'll stay healthy for the rest of the year. The fact that you would gladly give him that means that it isn't unreasonable to think that a team would give him 2 years, maybe 2 with an option year. To me, that's a little to steep for the Braves.