The Untouchables

"You can get further with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word." -- Al Capone from the 1987 movie "The Untouchables".

You are probably wondering what that quote has to do with anything. When speaking of the current "Untouchables", I am referring to the 4 pitching studs in the Atlanta Braves system: Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado, and Arodys Vizcaino. These guys were the four Braves pitchers that were considered "untouchable" at the trade deadline, and have since received the Untouchables moniker from myself amongst others. The "gun" that the quote is referring are the arms of these four. Not only do these seem like 4 humble, gracious kids, they also have a lethal weapon in their arm that will take them and the Braves a long ways for years to come.

Let's look at the stats:

Mike Minor - 23 years old -- Minor is coming off a game in which he outdueled two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum in a crucial game for both teams. Minor finished the night with 6 IP, 4 H, 9 Ks, and 0 earned runs. In his 9 starts this season with the big-league team, he is 3-2 with a 4.26 era. He is averaging 8.2 K's per 9 innings compared to 3.4 BB's per 9 innings, and has yet to give up a homerun. As has been more evident recently, he is finally getting comfortable in the big leagues, and it is obvious with his mound presence. With AAA Gwinnett (the end of last season, and part of this season), he has 22 starts. He has an 8-6 record with a 2.82 era, while averaging just over 9Ks per 9 innings and just under 3 Walks per 9 innings. Minor is a lefty, something the Braves lack in the rotation.

Julio Teheran -- 20 years old -- Teheran has been the ace of the AAA staff at Gwinnett. He has started 2 games for the big league club, and is 0-1 with a 5.19 era in only 8.2 innings pitched. Not enough of a sample size for Teheran in the majors. The 20-year old has phenomonal minor league stats. Teheran has been in Gwinnett all season, except the two starts with Atlanta. He has compiled a record of 13-2 with an era of 2.14 in 22 starts. He averages 7.7 Ks per 9 innings and 2.8 Walks per 9 innings. Teheran was rated the #5 overall prospect by Baseball America before the season, and is projected to be a staff ace when he finishes developing.

Randall Delgado -- 21 years old -- Delgado is coming off a game in which he took a no-hitter into the 7th inning before giving up a solo HR. He has two starts with Atlanta, going 0-1 with a 3.65 era. Like Teheran, this is a small sample size, so the minor league numbers need to be looked at. Delgado has spent most the year in AA, and only recently was called up to AAA. He has two starts for Gwinnett, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 13 innings. His combined minor league stats this season between AA Mississippi and AAA Gwinnett are as follows: 7-5 with a 3.45 ERA in 23 starts. He has averaged 8.6 Ks per 9 innings and 3.5 Walks per 9 innings. The 21-year old has continued to get better with each level he has moved up, and he has a very high ceiling.

Arodys Vizcaino -- 20 years old -- Vizcaino has been a nice right-handed addition to the Atlanta bullpen that was sorely needed. He has made 4 appearances in the big leagues, going 1-0 while pitching 5.1 scoreless innings. He has shown filthy stuff in each of his appearances. Arodys began the season at A+ ball and has quickly moved from A+ to AA to AAA, and now the MLB club. He mostly started in A+ and AA, but due to the amount of innings pitched, the Braves made him a reliever in AAA and with the Atlanta team. In the minors this season, Vizcaino has pitched 97 innings in 26 games (17 starts). He has a record of 5-5 and an ERA of 3.06 in his combined minor league appearances this season. He has also averaged 9.3 K's and 2.6 Walks per 9 innings. "Vizzy" was obtained from the Yankees in the Javier Vazquez trade, and he has been a gem. Fredi Gonzalez has thrown him into some crucial situations already, and Vizcaino has responded well each time. It is unclear whether the Braves will groom Vizcaino into a late-innings reliever, or continue to groom him as a starting pitcher. Either way, the future is very bright for him.

For further evidence of how good "The Untouchables" are, just take a look at this stat line this week.

Delgado (MLB) --(0-0) 6 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, and 4 Ks
Minor (MLB) -- (1-0) 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, and 9Ks
Vizcaino (MLB) -- (1-0) 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, and  0 Ks

----------------(2-0) 14 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, and 13 K's in a crucial series.

Teheran (AAA) -- (1-0) 7 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 Ks.


"The Untouchables" have put up great stats, and are very young (23, 20, 21, 20). As each of them become more seasoned, they will get even better. The question is what will the Braves do with these young guys next season. All 4 seem to be either major-league ready right now, or extremely close to being ready. An organization cannot sit on this kind of talent in the minors another season while continuing to trot an aging Derek Lowe to the mound, and having a couple of holes in the lineup. So where does that leave them? Here are guys that are under contract and could possibly be in the rotation next year:

Tim Hudson
Jair Jurrjens
Tommy Hanson
Brandon Beachy
Derek Lowe
Kris Medlen
Mike Minor
Julio Teheran
Randall Delgado
Arodys Vizcaino

10 potential starting pitchers. Wow. Below are my predictions for each of them for the 2012 season.

Tim Hudson (Braves Starting Rotation)
Jair Jurrjens (Possible trade bait. Scott Boras client and will want big $ soon. Could trade for a LF bat.)
Tommy Hanson (Braves Starting Rotation)
Brandon Beachy (Braves Starting Rotation. Possible trade if JJ is not traded.)
Derek Lowe (No question in my mind that he will be traded. The Braves will have to eat a lot of his $15 mil salary)
Kris Medlen (Braves long-relief in bullpen)
Mike Minor (Braves Starting Rotation)
Julio Teheran (Braves Starting Rotation IF Jurrjens or Beachy is traded)
Randall Delgado (AAA Gwinnett. He has only had 4 starts above AA. He could benefit from 1 full season at AAA)
Arodys Vizcaino (Braves Bullpen. I believe Vizcaino becomes the 7th inning guy next year forming an incredible trio of Vizzy, Venters, and Kimbrel to close out the 7th, 8th, and 9th.)

If Jurrjens is not traded, then Teheran or Minor may start in AAA. The Braves will not trade away all of their veteran pitching, but they cannot sit on this kind of talent in the minors. Lowe WILL be gone, and if the return is sufficient, Jurrjens will be traded as well. That will leave the Braves with Delgado in the minors in case they need a starter due to injury, and Kris Medlen could be stretched out to make a couple of starts too. Worst case scenario in case of injuries, Vizcaino get sent down to AAA to stretch back out into a SP. The options are there to put together one of the best staffs in baseball, and still trade 2 of the current starters for prospects or a LF bat. Frank Wren deserves some kudos for turning Javier Vasquez into Uggla and Vizcaino, and hanging on to "The Untouchables" at the trade deadline, and still ending up with a difference-maker in Michael Bourn. He has put the Braves in this envious position stockpiling young elite pitching.

With 10 potential starting pitchers under contract for next season, it will be very interesting to see what Frank Wren does with them all. One thing is for sure, the Braves are loaded on the mound for years to come. If the bats hold up, Atlanta could be on the verge of another 90's-like dynasty.