ajc.com | Braves | Braves sign former Royals closer Hernandez
Roberto Hernandez signed for $600,000 with $400,000 in incentives. Some people think that this is a trigger to move John Smoltz to the rotation, but (a) there’s no room for him right now, (b) John Schuerholz says there are no plans for it, and (c) Hernandez is toast. His last three seasons show a steady decline. Last year he pitched 51 innings and struck out only 39. He admits to being 38 years old and has arm trouble. And he’s the size of a baby elephant. It’s not a bad gamble, but he doesn’t really push the Braves closer to a championship.
This is a gamble and not a terrible one IMHO. If anyone can get something productive out of the second coming of “big fat tub o’ goo” it is Leo. This could turn out to be a very long season for Braves fans.
This will probably only be a problem in April, because by May, Hernandez will have punched a one-way ticket to Albie-land.
Albie-land, that is a multi million dollar amusement park in Kansas isn’t it?
Yes, but they started to build it deep in the Turner Field bullpen last summer. They only stopped construction in the eighth and ninth innings of blowouts.
Roberto Hernandez will make a good set up guy, but I hope they don’t think he can do the job that Smoltz did last season. This guy is a big under-achiever. Albie-land in KC that made me smile ..to damn funny!