Braves Question #7

2011 MLB Season Preview

Biggest questions for the Braves:

7. Can Jair Jurrjens stay healthy?

Jair Jurrjens got a late start to his 2010 campaign and an early finish as well. In between the young right handed pitcher only threw 116 innings after pitching 215 in 2009. When he did pitch, Jair wasn’t the same pitcher that he has been since being traded to the Braves for Edgar Renteria in early 2008. Jurrjens posted his highest ERA since becoming a Brave (4.64) and gave up 13 homeruns after only giving up 15 in all of 2009.

There were questions at the end of last season about Jurrjens toughness when trying to return to the Braves in September to help the team make the playoffs. Bobby Cox was very frustrated with Jurrjens at the end of the season. Fredi Gonzalez won’t have to deal with any baggage left over from last year, but he will have a huge hole in his starting rotation if Jurrjens can’t return to his 2009 form.

2010 was the first time Jurrjens missed considerable time with an injury so there is no reason to think that he can’t be healthy in 2011. My bigger concern is whether he can be the number 2 or number 3 starter for this team. Jurrjens seems to understand pitching very well for a young guy, but there are times when he seems to lose his mental focus, and that is when he makes big mistakes.

The homerun killed Jurrjens in 2010, and they will kill him again if he doesn’t do a better job of getting ahead of hitters early in the count. Much like Braves’ legends Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, Jurrjens tries to paint the corners of the plate and mix up his pitches to keep hitters off balance. However, those corners aren’t what they used to be (mainly thanks to QuestTech, the ball and strike computer developed by MLB because of pitchers like Maddux and Glavine), and when Jurrjens gets behind in the count, he gets burned. Jurrjens did a great job of pitching to contact in 2009, and letting hitters get themselves out. In 2010, it was like he was trying to strike every batter out.

So far during the spring, Jurrjens hasn’t been great. Jurrjens has given up 6 earned runs in only 9 innings pitched.

Physically Jurrjens should be able to bounce back in 2011, but the mental aspect of the game may be more important for him.

Only 17 Days Until Opening Day!