With Minor Out, Are Braves In An Arm Trouble Epidemic?

Yesterday afternoon the Atlanta Braves organization stated that LHP Mike Minor will miss the entire 2015 season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder.  Minor has not been himself since the 2013 season when he was nearly named an All-Star for the 96-win Atlanta Braves.  Mike was at one time one of the National League’s best left-handed pitchers.  He helped build a Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team into a national powerhouse.  Now Minor adds his name to an alarming list of Braves pitchers who have experienced arm trouble these last few seasons.

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Seriously, what’s happening to our pitching staff?  Unilaterally Braves pitchers have dropped like flies since 2011.  Eric O’Flaherty twice.  Jonny Venters thrice.  Kris Medlen twice.  Brandon Beachy twice.  Tim Hudson.  Tommy Hanson.  Gavin Floyd.  Now Mike Minor.  I feel like I’m missing somebody.  Are the Atlanta Braves the Portland Trail Blazers of the MLB, perpetually plagued by injuries to key contributors?  It sure seems like it.

No, I’m not a Bill James-like sabermetrician, but something is causing Braves pitchers to succumb to season/career-ending injuries this often.  Is it Fredi Gonzalez? Was it Frank Wren? Is it Roger McDowell?  Is it just the era in which baseball is now played?  While I know that correlation doesn’t necessarily prove causation, there is some reason for the Atlanta Braves organization to go through pitchers like Larry King goes through wives.

Now, I know that the Braves as an organization aren’t leading in the analytics department as scouting is still very much the fabric of what makes up the Braves’ Way.  It could be worse, we could have the Marlins or Phillies’ front offices and get to deal with Jeffrey Loria or Ruben Amaro, Jr.  But the Braves organization can’t keep driving its pitchers into the ground like this.  The organization should have learned from how poorly they managed Steve Avery in the 90’s.  As a former pitcher myself who has experienced arm trouble, it’s sad to see a guy with great stuff not be able to throw anymore.

This trend of Braves pitchers ending up on the 60-Day DL is painful to witness.  I’m open to discussing this arm trouble epidemic with anyone in Braves Country or anybody who just loves the game of baseball.  Please leave your comments below if you believe that you have any insight to what is plaguing our pitching staff.