About Sports ( basetball )

Monday Morning Manager: No Beachy, not peachy

Sunday June 17, 2012

The National League East seems to be there for the taking for the Atlanta Braves. They were my preseason pick, and they certainly still have a shot.

The Braves certainly have to think that their luck is going to change with a pitching rotation that's been snake-bitten. Veteran ace Tim Hudson missed the first month, but he's back and throwing reasonably well. Tommy Hanson has had quality starts in seven of his last eight appearances. But Jair Jurrjens was terrible to start the season and was sent to the minors, and Mike Minor hasn't been much better.

The reason the Braves have stayed within shouting distance of the first-place Nationals is Brandon Beachy, who wasthe best pitcher in the National League through 2 1/2 months. But he's got a sore elbow, and will have an MRI on Monday to see how bad it is. It could be a bone spur, it could be a torn ligament. Best case, he's back in a couple weeks. Worst case, we won't see him until 2014 and he'll have Tommy John surgery.

"I'm just waiting," Beachy said to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Hope for the best."

Without Beachy long-term in Atlanta, the Nationals are a clear favorite in the NL East.

A look at who's hot and who's not in the weekly Monday Morning Manager:

WHO'S HOT

Austin Jackson, Tigers: You have to admire a leadoff hitter who can drive in 10 runs in seven days, as Jackson did last week. He's becoming an All-Star candidate at .323 with seven homers.

Ryan Braun, Brewers: The whispers are certain to follow Braun for a while after his controversial offseason, but it's worth noting that he's having another MVP-caliber season, and is presumably testing clean. He hit .458 with five homers last week.

R.A. Dickey, Mets: With Beachy hurt, the title of best pitcher in the NL so far almost certainly falls to Dickey, whose knuckleball is fluttering past people at a pace not seen since Tim Wakefield was in his prime. Dickey is now 10-1 with a  2.20 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP, which is startlingly low for a knuckleball pitcher. Maybe this will start another knuckler renaissance.

WHO'S NOT

Cameron Maybin, Padres: When he signed a long-term deal with the Padres before the season -- he's locked up through 2016 for $25 million -- it raised some eyebrows. Maybin was once a big-time prospect, but he has a lifetime OBP of .313, and it's .290 this season. He was 1 for 18 last week.

Livan Hernandez, Braves (now a free agent): It looks like it might be the end of the line for the 1997 World Series MVP, who was cut last week. He allowed five earned runs in 1 2/3 innings and walked five in his final appearance in Atlanta.

Hideki Matsui, Rays: "Godzilla" isn't having a reign of terror so far in Tampa Bay. He hit a home run in his first game, but is hitting .150 in 40 at-bats.

TOP 5

1. New York Yankees (40-25, last week No. 5)

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (42-25, last week No. 1)

3. Texas Rangers (40-27, last week No. 3)

4. Washington Nationals (38-26, last week No. 4)

5. Cincinnati Reds (38-27, last week NR)

BOTTOM 5

26. Houston Astros (27-39, last week NR)

27. Minnesota Twins (26-39, last week No. 27)

28. Colorado Rockies (25-40, last week NR)

29. San Diego Padres (24-43,  last week No. 29)

30. Chicago Cubs (22-44, last week No. 30)