After looking at Braves starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens’ numbers prior the start of last season, many would have slated him as the team’s No. 2 starter, right below Tim Hudson, after two impressive campaigns in both 2008 and 2009.
In 2008, his first season with the Braves, Jurrjens went 13-10 in 31 starts while posting a 3.68 ERA with 139 strikeouts. He improved his numbers in 2009, going 14-10 with a 2.60 ERA and 152 strikeouts. Entering 2010, Jurrjens was a highly touted starter with a bright future for Atlanta.
But last season did not go how Jurrjens had planned.
While pitching against the Padres in their home opener on April 12, Jurrjens allowed eight earned runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings pitched. His numbers continued to fluctuate throughout the early season, as Jurrjens spent time on the Disabled List in May for a left hamstring strain. He continued an injury plagued season, missing time for his hamstring, a sore shoulder and a jammed thumb.
He ended the season with a 7-6 record and a 4.64 ERA, numbers that improved thanks in part to a strong second half of the season.
In October, Jurrjens underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a minor meniscus tear he suffered in late September that caused him to miss his final three starts of the regular season, a fitting end to a season Jurrjens would surely like to forget.
Now, with the Braves entering 2011 as viable candidates for the NL East crown, Jurrjens is a key to the team’s success. If he can stay healthy and return to his 2008-2009 form, the Braves starting rotation can likely match up well with any other team in the majors, Philadelphia included.
In Jurrjens’ last outing this spring, a start against the New York Mets, he went six strong innings, getting six ground ball outs from the first six Mets he faced. His fastball was regularly hitting 89 mph, topping out just under his 92-93 mph average.
If we’ve learned anything from Jurrjens so far this spring, it’s that he seems to have regained his ability to command the lower half of the strike zone, something that will be key to his success in 2011.
Jurrjens has reported minor discomfort in his shoulders, though nothing like his pain last spring. He attributes 2011’s stiffness to too much weight lifting—something he picked up to increase his arm strength this offseason.
If the Braves plan to be successful in 2011, they’ll need Jurrjens to be a solid No. 4 starter, something he is very capable of and likely to do throughout the season. He has three scheduled starts remaining in spring training, consequently giving him more time to work out the kinks of last season. Look for Jurrjens to go 12-8 this season with an ERA just over three as the Braves win the East.
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