ATLANTA — Barring one bad start against a hot Detroit Tigers offense, Mike Minor has been unrelenting this season — consistent from start No. 1 to his last outing against the Mets in New York. He leads all Braves starters in wins above replacement (WAR, 1.2), strikeout-to-walk ratio and nearly every other statistical category one could think of.
With a 6-2 record, he's not only been dominant at times, but he's been successful (the two are not always mutually inclusive, just ask Cliff Lee) — he's well on his way to his first All-Star appearance this season.
So, the question is proposed: Is he the Braves de facto ace? Has he already surpassed Kris Medlen or Tim Hudson in this regard? This question does not exactly have an answer until Brandon Beachy returns to full strength, but it's worth asking of one of the better pitching staffs in the National League.
The Chopcast team — Zach Dillard, Cory McCartney and Jay Clemons — weighs in on these questions and more on what is the first (finalized) episode in over a week. Here are the highlights:
-- As is normally the case following an interleague series, the issue of the DH came up in Toronto, specifically with how well the 2013 Braves are built for such a lineup. Evan Gattis and Brian McCann, right on cue, both hit the ball well as designated hitters (three home runs, four RBI) in Toronto. So just how much better would the Braves be with the rule in the NL?
-- Is Gattis ever going to slow down?
-- Is there cause for concern on how long the Braves are spending on tweaking B.J. Upton's swing? How does Jordan Schafer's performance fit into that equation?
-- If the Braves played a one-game playoff tomorrow with every starting pitcher on full rest, who does Fredi Gonzalez throw out?
-- Does Jay have any clue who Beyonce is?
