John Thomson signs with the Braves

[sweaver]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=1682408

Two years and $7 mil sounds like a lot to me, for a guy with a bad injury history and a 13-14 record last year. He was 9-5, 3.89 ERA in his last 18 starts with the Rangers, and I guess that's what the Braves are looking at. He's had the misfortune of pitching in big hitter's parks in Colorado and Texas, but his road record the last three years is 13-18, 4.60. I'm not impressed.

[KCBOOMER]

I am thoroughly underwhelmed by this deal. Way too much money. If the piching starved Rangers let him go and can't be that good.

[clemente21]

Thomson is aggravating - he'll have some good performances in a row and then do something like give up 8 ER in 2 2/3 IP and then 5 ER in 5 IP. So then you want to give up on him, and he goes and has 3-4 more good starts.

He signed in the wrong division - not a lot of easy starts in the NL East.

[gyb13]

MTL and NYM will give him enough easy starts...

he's not a bad #4 guy to have

[Rajah]

I am thoroughly underwhelmed by this deal. Way too much money. If the piching starved Rangers let him go and can't be that good.

The rangers didn't let him go. Braves outbid them by half a million bucks, according to the report I read. As a Braves fan, I'm pretty underwhelmed. Of course, If they put the rest of their eggs into one basket named Vlad, I'd be ecstatic about seeing John Thompson every coupla days. He's probably an adequate #4, not to mention insurance for Paul Byrd (who is actually cheaper).

[sweaver]

he's not a bad #4 guy to have
Trouble is, the Braves need a #1. Ortiz and Hampton are shaky as staff leaders also.

The NL East could be one wide-open division this year.

[jzmet]

Perhaps the Braves are thinking about the Leo mazzone factor? Granted, this is too much money for his perfromance, but we know he has talent, age is still in his favor...

of course, as a Mets fan, I hope this deal blows up in their face

[Rajah]

Trouble is, the Braves need a #1. Ortiz and Hampton are shaky as staff leaders also.

The NL East could be one wide-open division this year.

Although I'd rather see Vlad in a Braves uni, they seem determined to get down below Cubs payroll levels, but they need to do something to appease the fans, so I figure Millwood is still going to end up in the Braves rotation. Once again, that makes Thompson's main purpose insurance in case Horacio Ramirez blows up and completely loses the strike zone this year or Byrds arm blows up. I gotta figure that andy pratt is going to be able to make a solid case in spring training for a rotation spot.