Braves Release Livan Hernandez

Veteran righthander Livan Hernandez, who was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves last week, has now been unconditionally released, according to the team’s transactions page.

In the above link regarding the DFA, it was noted that Hernandez wants to keep pitching:

Hernandez, who signed with the Braves after being released by the Astros in March, does not plan to retire. He had never previously worked as a reliever before signing with Atlanta.

Hernandez wasn’t great in his 19 relief appearances for the Braves, posting a 4.94 ERA and 1.548 WHIP in 31 innings, in which he allowed 40 hits. He wasn’t great last year as a starter for the Nationals, either; his 86 ERA+ was decidedly below average.

Yet, there are teams out there pretty desperate for starting pitching (hello, Blue Jays?), and so it seems likely that Livan Hernandez, who is (at least) 37 years old and who was a teammate of Andre Dawson when he made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 1996, will find work somewhere.

The Subtle Magic Of Livan Hernandez

Livan Hernandez has been designated for assignment, because he is not very good. He would be much worse, though, were it not for this one thing he's able to do.

Livan Hernandez Designated For Assignment

In January of this year, Livan Hernandez signed a contract with the Houston Astros. In March of this year, Livan Hernandez was dumped by the Houston Astros, and added by the Atlanta Braves. In June of this year -- today! -- Livan Hernandez has been dumped by the Atlanta Braves. Rough year for Livan Hernandez, or, popular year for Livan Hernandez.

Livan Hernandez has been designated for assignment and Kris Medlen has been recalled from Gwinnett. Medlen will be in uniform tonight.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 15, 2012

Hernandez had been working as a long man in the bullpen, and in his most recent go, he retired five batters and allowed five runs. In his previous appearance, he retired nine batters and allowed four runs. For the season, his ERA stands at 4.94 and he's got nearly five times as many strikeouts as unintentional walks, but Livan Hernandez is Livan Hernandez forever and always, and now the Braves are going younger.

Hernandez is 37, and he'll probably get another job on account of an agreement he has with the commissioner's office stating that Hernandez is never to be unemployed for more than six months at a time. He has an age, but he's ageless, and someone will probably fall for his veteranness and loopy curveball. But you know what really sucks? Packing. Right now, Livan Hernandez has to pack.

Talking Chop: Livan Hernandez, Not Terrible

I think the instinctive response to the name "Livan Hernandez" is a little unfair to Livan Hernandez. He's 37, yes, and he's fat, and he doesn't get strikeouts, and he throws all slow-like, but he's actually still somewhat effective. He has a 98 ERA+ over the last two seasons. He has a 90 ERA+ over the last three seasons, and an 84 ERA+ over the last four seasons, but we care more about recency, and Livan isn't a disaster.

Which is why Talking Chop is okay with his signing with the Atlanta Braves:

My personal opinion is that I like the move. It's a very Braves move for a long-admired player and adversary who has always been a fighter on the mound, even if his current repertoire of pitches is Slow And Slower. Call Neikro and sit him down with Livan, maybe he could begin a second career that stretches into his 40s. At least if we have to watch our fifth starter get blown up, I'd rather it be Livan than Delgado or Teheran before they're ready. The Braves are trying to win now, so they don't have the luxury of letting the kids take their lumps to begin the season ... they tried that last year at the end of the season, and it didn't work so well.

Interestingly, it looked like the Braves were signing Livan because they weren't sold on Julio Teheran or Randall Delgado for the fifth slot yet. That might not be the case:

#Braves signed Livan Hernandez to major league contract, will use as long reliever/spot starter. Doesn't affect 5th starter battle.

— David O'Brien (@ajcbraves) March 30, 2012

Livan Hernandez might not be going into the rotation after all. He might just be signing as depth. But for depth, you could do worse than Livan Hernandez, and if he's no longer needed once Tim Hudson is healthy and some of the younger guys establish themselves, he's not a hard guy to drop. If Livan can handle the indignity of being cut by the Astros, he can handle being cut by the Braves.

Livan Hernandez Reportedly Signing With Braves

Friday morning, the pitching-starved Houston Astros released Livan Hernandez.

Friday afternoon, the pitching-rich Atlanta Braves ... well, here's what they're saying on the Internet:

#braves are signing livan

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) March 30, 2012

Yeah. The Atlanta Braves, who entered the off-season with what seemed too many starting pitchers, have reportedly signed, or are close to signing, 37-year-old Livan Hernandez, who washed out with the Houston Astros.

Just to review, last season the Braves won 89 games and the Astros lost 106. Also, the Astros have moved one of their best starting pitchers from last season to the bullpen this season. Yet still they couldn't find room in their rotation for Livan Hernandez.

While the Braves, it seems, can.

So how did this happen? The Braves came into spring training with four slots in their rotation essentially set: Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, Brandon Beachy, and Mike Minor. It would have been all five slots, but Tim Hudson's recovering from back surgery and is expected to miss the first month or so of the regular season.

But fear not, Braves fans! The club's loaded with excellent pitching prospects, with Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran both wonderful candidates to fill that fifth slot for as long as necessary.

Something funny happened on the way to the rotation, though: Delgado and Teheran have combined to give up 32 runs in 30 innings this spring. They've also walked a bunch of guys. Granted, Jurrjens has pitched just about as poorly as Delgado and Teheran. But he's got more experience, so he's getting the benefit of the doubt. Relatively speaking, anyway.

You can call it panic if you like, but there's really only so much damage that Livan Hernandez can do. Once Hudson's back in action, Hernandez will be the Braves' eight-best starting pitcher (at best), and one might assume that Nos. 6 and 7 will eventually get whatever chances they deserve.

In the meantime, we're lucky enough to see Livan Hernandez throw a few more of those big looping curveballs ...

Houston Astros Release Livan Hernandez

Livan Hernandez and the Houston Astros parted ways on Friday.

Livan Hernandez Joining The Astros

The Houston Astros are reportedly signing rubber-armed veteran Livan Hernandez to a minor league contract.