Section 435 An Atlanta Braves blog. From the upper deck at Turner Field.

Hampton in 2009?

We turn our attention to the future once again. Here’s what Mark Bowman says about Mike Hampton returning for 2009:

No, there likely won’t be many teams knocking on Hampton’s door during the offseason. But if he stays healthy the rest of this season, I could see the Braves offering him an incentive-laden contract. They’ve paid him a lot of money while he was idle the past couple of years. Why not take a small risk and try to at least be compensated for at least a fraction of the assistance their coaches and medical staff have provided him over the past few years?

As I talked about last time, more than anything, losing Hudson for most of next year really changes the outlook for the starting rotation next year. It means we’re not in need of just one proven starter to go along with the  youngsters, but at least two. Could Mike Hampton fill one of those spots? Mark Bowman thinks so, but I disagree.

I will agree with his premise that the best way to sign Hampton for 2009 would be to an incentive-based contract, with milestones for innings pitched and wins moving a nominal salary towards something respectable should he put in a full-time effort.

Yet, I don’t agree with Bowman that there won’t be many teams looking at Hampton when the year is up. Even with Hampton’s injury track record over the last few years, you can’t deny that he still has the potential to be a quality starter. He’s a great competitor, he has a ferocious breaking ball, and he can hit. Absolutely, he’s a risk. But he’s finally made it back to the mound in the majors and completed several starts without injury. If he can make it to the end of the season in a similar fashion and regain some of the dominance that he was showing in the months before he was injured so many years ago, he’ll definitely be someone worth looking at for a number of teams. Don’t underestimate how hard it is to acquire good starting pitching the major leagues.

Sure the number he signs for next year won’t approach what he signed for in 2000. But that will be part of the lure. A former 20 game winner who can still pitch at a bargain price.

Still, I don’t think it will be the dollar signs that will dissuade the Braves from pursuing another year with Hampton. I think the organization has probably succumb to the same kind of Hampton fatigue that the fans have. Not ill will. There certainly haven’t been any reports that Hampton’s situation has been a clubhouse distraction. Just that after learning over and over again that we can’t rely on Hampton, it’s going to be very hard to put ourselves in a position to do just that one more time.

Agree wholeheartedly that there will be plenty of teams willing to take a flyer on Hampton if he can stay healthy the rest of this season. Left-hander, great competitor, still can break off that nasty breaking ball, and yeah, dude can rake. Plenty of teams will offer him an incentive-heavy deal with a small base salary, or offer him a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.

I wouldn’t count on Hampton being a Brave in 2009. But, I know how much he values the organization and the patience and faith they’ve displayed the past three years. All offers similar in nature, if the Braves offer him an invite to camp next spring, I think he may take it and try to make the team. And, as he’s shown, when healthy, he still can pitch. He’s a veteran guy, and with a young rotation (young on experience) as we look toward 2009, it couldn’t hurt to have a veteran lefty in the mix every fifth day …

If he can stay healthy.

Bravos still gotta make a run at a front-line starter in the offseason, be it signing a free-agent or making a big trade. But I won’t be surprised if Hampton finds himself in Lake Buena Vista come mid February.

A point to add to my comment above: I believe Hampton is smart enough to know he’s not going to get a huge deal, be it from the Braves or anybody else. He’s not going to get a two-year, $10 million deal, even if he were to win every start the rest of this season.

But if he can stay healthy and pitch decent these final six weeks, there will be plenty of franchises willing to take a flyer on him.

Bud.
http://braves.today.com

I wouldn’t be completely opposed to Hampton coming back in 2009 under the condition that it is incentive laden, short, and cheaper than the one he’s finishing up now.

There may be a team willing to take him on even with the risk factor. Maybe if he doesn’t demand big bucks a team that has little to lose, not a (whole) lot to spend, and a lot to gain from a comeback year would be a good fit. (Kansas City for example).

I don’t see him asking for less than $10 million for any team he signs with but a lot of Braves fans are going to do a lot of breath holding if we took him on again.

~JB@TheLaunchingPad