Are the Waves of Pitching Talent Breaking?

When I wrote about the Braves’ pitching depth last year, I mentioned that the best thing about the Braves’ pitching depth was that it was coming in waves. Almost a year later, it’s time to re-examine the starting rotation and ask whether or not the depth is still there. We’ve already seen some turnover this off-season, and we even expect a little more. Derek Lowe was traded to the Cleveland Indians for salary relief and a relief prospect that may make it to AA. Now, we wait to see if Jair Jurrjens will share Lowe’s fate, but as the off-season wanes, it’s becoming less-likely that he’ll be traded. Although we’re all a little bummed that no hitter or prospects are headed our way, it really isn’t the worst thing in the world. Jurrjens should perform well enough to retain his value, though there’s obviously some injury risk, and there will certainly be trade partners looking for pitching at the deadline. All the while, the Braves retain the added pitching depth. Speaking of that, l...