I realize that Mike Hampton has been a huge disappointment for the Braves over the last two-plus seasons. He has continued to disappoint the Braves' faithful with every little injury he has had. However, the Braves may want to consider bringing him back.
At this point, the rotation looks pretty uncertain. James Parr and Charlie Morton are young and inexperienced. They showed flashes of brilliance, but I'm not sure if they are ready for full time work.
Spring Training will show the Braves what they can do. Tim Hudson appears to be done until 2010. Barring a major collapse, Jorge Campillo and Jair Jurjens are the only starters assured of a spot in the rotation for 2009.
It's unclear what the Braves will do in the free-agent market. They would like to pick up two free-agent pitchers, but I'm not sure whom they are targeting.
This brings me back to Mike Hampton. There are a few reasons I would bring back Hampton. First, he would come cheap. There is no way the Braves would give him more than an incentive-laden contract.
Second, he is a solid pitcher when he is healthy. Hampton is very injury prone, but is a competent pitcher. Lastly, the Braves need pitchers to compete in Spring Training. There needs to be healthy competition for the five spots in the rotation.
I'm not sure if the Braves will re-sign Hampton. If they do, they may be getting a steal. If not, another team will give him a chance to rejuvenate a once-promising career. Only time will tell.
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