On March 30, the Houston Astros announced that they released veteran starting pitcher, Livan Hernandez. Not soon after, the Atlanta Braves quickly called and signed their former nemesis to a big league contract. Atlanta fans recall Hernandez striking out 15 Braves in the 1997 National League Championship Series on his way to the World Series as a member of the Florida (Miami) Marlins. Most fans would also remember that usually when Hernandez pitched against the Braves, he seemed to do well.
The signing of Hernandez will not only make things easier for the Braves by not having to face the Cuban, but he gives the team flexibility in the starting rotation and bullpen. With the struggles of Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran this spring well-documented, Hernandez can step in and pitch when needed, allowing the young stars to fine-tune their talents in the minors.
While the team has announced that the signing of Hernandez will not play a part in who wins the fifth starter spot between Delgado and Teheran, if whoever wins the spot in the rotation struggles in April, he will be their safety valve.
This spring, questions have come from the Atlanta bullpen, with the health of Johny Venters a major concern, the versatility of Hernandez is a valuable asset. The team will rely on several young arms in the bullpen this season and while the team has seen Venters and Craig Kimbrel make a large impact early in their careers, the team can't expect Cory Gearrin or Yohan Flande to do the same. Both relievers have pitched well this spring, but spring success doesn't always translate to the big leagues.
A year ago, Hernandez went 8-13 with a 4.47 ERA while pitching with the Washington Nationals. He won't have a chance to win 10 games or make 30 starts this season, but he will be an important tool in the bullpen for Manager Fredi Gonzalez. Last year, many felt that Gonzalez over-used his young arms in the bullpen, but with Hernandez and his rubber arm, that shouldn't be an issue.
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Hobson Lopes has been a life-long Atlanta Braves fan, thanks to TBS, and can be followed on Twitter @HobsonLopes.
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