Durable Starting Pitcher Still on Market for Braves to Sign

There's an option still out there for the Atlanta Braves to sign, and he brings a certain value that most of their arms haven't had

If the Braves are looking for 30-plus starts, he could be the guy | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Perhaps this whole conversation will likely fall on deaf ears, but we might as well have it again. There's still an option out there for the Atlanta Braves, who made 32 starts and clocked 186 2/3 innings.

He's more affordable than another popular option, such as Lucas Giolito, and was more effective than Max Scherzer and Tyler Anderson. There's also no qualifying offer attached to him. All of that sounds great. Oh, right, we should probably reveal the name. It's Zack Littell.

In a season when plenty of teams, not just the Braves, had arms go down before spring training games had even started, it's baffling that a durable option who could anchor the backend of the rotation could still be a free agent.

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Forget the Braves not showing interest. Nobody seems to be taking a flyer. Last season, he was a trade deadline acquisition. While his ERA and walk rate ticked up in Cincinnati, his WHIP and K/9 both went down.

Littell's walk rate was one of the lowest in the majors last season (98th percentile), and his chase rate was in the 79th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. He doesn't throw hard by today's standards (92 mph), but his fastball's run value is still in the 72nd percentile.

Based on his splits, some adjustments could potentially make him more effective. That fastball and his sweeper were two of his more effective pitches, but they weren't utilized as much as his slider, which hitters had little trouble with.

The Braves would be in a much more comfortable spot if could get these innings into the rotation.

I get it. Money could go to a more high-end starting pitcher. They may not want to block someone with the potential to establish themselves. Other pitchers are out of options, and the Braves may have to forfeit them to make room for another arm who may be equally effective in their eyes.

While he was referring to position players when he said this, allow me to paraphrase a strong point manager Walt Weiss made over the weekend. A month into the season, the team will be different than the one they broke camp with. That's the reality they should be prepared for.

Someone else will ultimately go down or underperform. Pitchers will rotate in and out of the 40-man roster this season. Might as well opt for an option who is significantly less likely to have to hop on the waiver wire or the shuttle to Gwinnett.

There will be opportunities for Bryce Elder and JR Ritchie this season, regardless of whether an arm like Littell signs on. He's probably no worse of an option for a playoff start than Dylan Lee in the World Series or AJ Smith-Shawver in the Wild Card series. He may be better.

Speaking of the postseason, they still need to get there. Last year was as chaotic as it could get, and they still managed to win 76 games. The total number of players used nearly matched their win total (71).

Most teams would have had to settle for 60. The year before, when they had more stability, they won 89. That's what they need: stability. An extra proven veteran arm brings that.