Lowe and Schafer Cruise By the Champs on Opening Day

The Atlanta Braves opened 2009 with a bang, beating up on the World Series Champion Phillies 4-1 in the season opener. Free agent acquisition Derek Lowe threw eight shutout innings, allowing only two baserunners, and rookie center-fielder Jordan Schafer hit his first major-league home run in his first at-bat. A sign of good things to come for Atlanta? I think so.

Now let's get one thing straight, I don't believe this game means we're a better team than Philadelphia. Their lineup is one of the top three in baseball and their bullpen is incredible. Last year they beat up on Atlanta 14-4 in the season series. They didn't blow one save last year, never losing when up after eight. That's almost perfect. And they need to be perfect with a subpar pitching rotation. Cole Hamels was bumped from last night's start due to injury, and while it may be the only start he misses, the Phillies have to rely on him to get them to another division title. Hamels won't face Atlanta in this series, meaning more matchups in Atlanta's favor this week. Jair Jurrjens and Javier Vazquez will pitch Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, against Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer. I don't blame you for not shaking in your boots when hearing Blanton and Moyer's names.

Sport Illustrated picks the New York Mets to win the wild card and then go on to win the World Series this year. And given how often the Mets have underachieved the last couple of seasons, its not a bad pick for them to finally pull it all together for a full season. But again, its a team with plenty of holes in the rotation. The Braves might not have the power of either the Phils or Mets, but we will be able to out-pitch them any day of the week. For once the Braves pitching staff is healthy, durable and, most importantly, deep.

Lowe, Jurrjens, Vazquez, Kenshin Kawakami and Tom Glavine make up the rotation. Tommy Hanson, Kris Medlen, Jorge Campillo, Jojo Reyes, and Charlie Morton will likely get some starts throughout the season as well. And Tim Hudson is on track to return in August. That's eleven pitchers. Eleven pitchers who would make the Mets or Phillies rotation without even trying. Sure it gives us plenty of trading chips should the time come, but it gives us enough depth to not have to worry about anyone getting injured. It gives us enough arms to limit opposing offenses, and give our hitters a chance every game of the year. We may only average four runs a game this year, but if our starters keep the ball on the ground and in the park, we'll have a chance.

The addition of Jordan Schafer had an immediate effect last night as he reached base three times, including a solo home run. Over the entire season, the more important effect will be his defensive presence (and if you saw Brad Lidge's slider humiliate Schafer, you'll know to temper your offensive expectations). Since Andruw Jones left, center field hasn't quite been the same. And with a slow left fielder (either Garrett Anderson or Matt Diaz), the center fielder will have to pick up some of the slack on fly balls and hits in the gap. Schafer can do that. He's a gold-glove caliber player with speed, power and confidence and he's someone we're gonna get used to seeing in center field for years to come.

Another item of note was the performance of Jeff Francoeur. Sporting a new batting stance and less of a football-conditioned body, Frenchie blasted the first pitch he saw into the left field seats. Does it surprise anyone that it was the first pitch he saw? The new stance ought to give Francoeur a better chance at making solid contact at every pitch he flails at. Think of it as a way to exploit his notorious impatience at the plate. If he's going to swing at everything anyway, might as well figure out a way to make it work. So far so good, but let's hope he can keep it up for an entire season. Without consistent run production from Francoeur, the Braves may have serious problems scoring this year.

Last night's victory ought to make Frank Wren look good, ought to help give fans some ammunition to use against the Phillies, and ought to give us hope that last year will not be repeated. The Braves are one step closer to a return to form. Does it get any better?
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Why You Shouldn't Care that Tommy Hanson Was Sent to the Minors

He won the Arizona Fall League MVP. He dominated major league hitters in Spring Training. But Atlanta pitching phenom Tommy Hanson will start 2009 in the minor leagues.

Don't worry though. This is normal.

With a stacked pitching rotation, and no immediate need to rush Hanson into the majors (remember, he's never pitched above AA ball), the Braves made the right call by leaving him off the roster. Lowe, Vazquez, Jurrjens, Kawakami and Glavine is a stout rotation. Campillo, Reyes and Morton are solid, experienced alternates should Glavine miss some starts (also are great trade bait). No the Braves' real problem is whether they will score runs, not whether the pitching will hold up.

For the first time in a while, the Braves have legitimate pitching depth. With Hanson and Kris Medlen dominating the minor leagues, and the 7+ options at starter at the Major League level, Atlanta finally has an opportunity to return to the form of its 90's dynasty. A clear focus on quality, durable pitching makes them an interesting contender for a playoff spot. GM Frank Wren saw the free agent market and realized that even with a subpar offense, we would get nowhere without a deep pitching staff. Last year we were decimated by injuries, seeing four-fifths of our opening day rotation each miss a significant number of games. Wren is determined to not let that happen again. Glavine gets hurt? Campillo fills in. Kawakami goes down too? Okay call up Hanson, then. Glavine's healthy again? Move Campillo back to the bullpen.

You can never have too many quality arms, and the Braves know that better than anyone. So don't worry too much about Tommy Hanson being sent to the minors. He needs time to develop more control while he works his way up the ladder, anyway. Just be thankful that unlike the Dodgers (rushing Clayton Kershaw) and Yankees (rushing Joba, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, etc.), we actually have the major league pitching depth to give our minor league studs some time to develop. When Hanson and Medlen and the others finally do solidify their spot in the rotation, it will be well worth the wait.

And let's not forget, Tim Hudson is due back in late August.
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Braves Hold Spring's Best Record, But is it Meaningful?

The Atlanta Braves made a lot of changes over the offseason, from bringing three new starting pitchers to losing John Smoltz. Fans are going to see a different team take the field this summer, but given their performance this spring - it'll be a damn good team.

So far the Braves hold the league's best Spring Training record (12-3). Clutch hitting and stellar pitching performances have paced the new-look Braves to this point, seeming to answer questions as to how this team could win ballgames. At the plate, hitters have focused on driving in runs over driving the ball over the fence. Outfielders Matt Diaz, Brandon Jones and Jeff Francoeur are among the team leaders in RBI, alongside first-base phenom Freddie Freeman. With Chipper at the WBC (and injured) along with McCann, it's been a great testament to the depth of this lineup that they've been able to continue winning without their two best players. The pitching helps too.

While Javier Vazquez mows down hitters as part of a strong Puerto Rican ballclub, newcomers Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami have been proving their worth in a Braves uniform. Lowe's sub-three ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 11 innings have earned him a 2-0 record in three starts. Kawakami, at 2-1, has an ERA under two. Flamethrowing phenom Tommy Hanson has made his push for an opening day spot (which he won't get unless Glavine's injured), striking out more than one batter an inning and sporting a solid 3.38ERA. Combined, our starting pitchers have thrown 54 innings, allowing 17 earned runs (that's a 2.83 ERA) while holding a 39:16 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. These are solid numbers, these are numbers to get excited about. And don't worry, Javy's done pretty well in a Puerto Rican uniform too: 2-0, 0.96 ERA, 1ER and 1BB in 9.1 innings.

It all starts with pitching for the Braves, and it always has. We have good enough bats to spark some rallies, score some runs and keep us alive, as long as the starting pitching can keep it close. So far so good. Is it a great indicator for the season? Not completely, as most spring rosters aren't 100% (especially given the number of players off in the WBC), but its good to see our pitchers throwing with a purpose and a passion to make this a winning franchise once again. They all seem excited for the season, to prove their worth and to take on the league's best players in 2009.
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The Braves Can Be Competitive This Year, Barring Setbacks

This afternoon at 1pm, the Atlanta Braves will head to Lakeland, Florida to take on the Detroit Tigers in their Spring Training opener. Sophomore sensation Jair Jurrjens will face his former club as he makes the start.

There are plenty of new faces in the clubhouse after a flurry of activity this offseason. With new acquisitions comes new expectations for a Braves team now three full seasons removed from the playoffs. While the general idea of Frank Wren's moves was to bridge the gap between the present and the highly-talented future, he's managed to shape a club that has a chance to be competitive now - in the National League's toughest division.

Let's rundown what must happen if the Braves have any chance of becoming a winning franchise once more:


Starters Must Eat Innings. New guys Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami were brought in mainly because of their reputation as innings eaters. With little to no injury history for any of them, at least two-hundred innings pitched is a reasonable expectation. Last season as one starter after another fell to injury, the bullpen had to pick up the slack and fill in those middle innings early in the season. By August they had no arms left. This year it'll take four healthy starters (Jurrjens should be a 200+ IP guy too) to keep the fragile bullpen from breaking down.

Relievers Must Stay Healthy. Speaking of the bullpen, the final three innings look rather menacing if Moylan, Soriano then Gonzalez take the mound. But that's a huge "if". Soriano's string of injuries and health problems seems to get more ridiculous and neverending (his upper-respiratory problem this spring doesn't bode well). Moylan is ten months removed from Tommy John surgery, so don't expect him to pitch until May - but even then, he likely won't be 100%. Gonzo says he's in the best shape of his life, and I don't doubt him. He looked great last year, and its safe to assume that the farther removed from his Tommy John operation, the better he will be. All that said, the Braves have an opportunity to line up three dominant-closer-like pitchers at the end of every ballgame. Game over.

Someone Must Drive in Runs. Yunel, Chipper and McCann are going to get on base, there's no doubt. But who's going to drive them in? The biggest knock against the Braves this offseason is who is going to drive in runs (besides the All-Stars)? We lack any true power hitters now, bundling together a group of solid 15-25 HR guys. While driving the ball over the fence may come at a premium, landing one in the gap will be quite common. This is a doubles team. The question becomes whether Francoeur can overcome a terrible 2008 and step up with runners on, whether Garret Anderson can continue being a top-tier run producer in a new lineup, and whether the top of the order can get on base in front of Chipper and McCann. Gone are the days of waiting for the big home-run from Andruw or Tex, its time for the Braves to play small ball, move runners over, and sustain rallies.

Prospects Must Live Up to Potential. Jordan Schafer might come out of Spring as the starting center-fielder, Tommy Hanson might be in the rotation come July, and the future of the lineup rests on the bat of young Jason Heyward. These top prospects and others (see Freddie Freeman, Gorkys Hernandez, Kris Medlen, etc.) have to live up to their potential if the Braves stand any chance at sustaining a winning franchise. All of the new faces this year will serve as the bridge until the young guns can be called up. If they're brought up and disappoint, it's back to the drawing board for the front office.

The Battery Must Work Together. Brian McCann leaves this weekend to start practicing with his USA World Baseball Classic team (along with Chipper Jones). That leaves the three new starting pitchers with two to three weeks of not practicing with their everyday battery-mate. Derek Lowe has spoken out that its a big adjustment for new pitchers and catchers to get on the same page. McCann's decision (and the Braves' decision to let him) to play in the WBC greatly limits his ability to establish a report with his new pitchers. Even worse is the addition of Kawakami, who likely will need to establish an elaborate series of signs and key phrases that both players will understand (unless McCann already knows Japanese). If there's any lack of strong communication between the battery mates going into the regular season, it might lead to setbacks in making the pitchers comfortable.

Legends Must Retire as Braves. Though not directly impacting the wins and losses, the fans of Atlanta deserve to see their local legends retire as Braves. After John Smoltz jumped ship for Boston, its become more apparent that the fanbase needs its heroes to stay in town. Chipper is beginning negotations on a long-term extension that should keep him here until he retires. Tom Glavine signed a one-year deal to return home, for likely his last season. Should 2011 come around and Chipper, Glavine, and Hudson are all gone (through either retirement or free agency), fans are going to need reasons to stick with the team. Player loyalty breeds fan loyalty, and Frank Wren did a good job of repairing the damage caused by Smoltz's departure. Let's hope the front office realized what it means to keep our heroes in a Braves uniform in the future.

I know Braves fans are hesitant to jump back on the wagon, expecting another down season for their hometown team. But things are looking up, and barring a few setbacks, this could be a surprising year for Atlanta. Despite the Phillies, Mets and Marlins standing in our way, its not out of the question to be playing meaningful games come August and Septemeber.
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Braves Sign Anderson, Fill Void in Left Field

After losing out on signing Ken Griffey, the Braves have moved on and brought in veteran LF Garret Anderson. The reported deal is worth $2.5M for one year.

Naturally this is being reported by AJC.com, so you might think, "did we really sign him?" Well don't be too shocked that its likely true. Since Anderson was our second option after Griffey, it makes sense that we'd bring in the life-long Angels lefty on the cheap. Anderson is a three-time all-star, averaging over 20HR and 100RBI in each of his fifteen Major League seasons.

Its probably safe to assume that Anderson would assume the same platoon role planned for Griffey: Matt Diaz will start against lefties while Anderson starts against righties.

This all sounds like a safe way to hold the fort until top prospect Jason Heyward can take the reins. It follows the trend GM Frank Wren appears set to follow: sign veterans on the cheap as a stop-gap until the prospects can take over. I love this trend. You have to assume that enough GMs out there (who don't have $100M to spend every winter) have seen teams like the Dodgers and Yankees sink way too much money into overpaid veterans while sacrificing their farm system for short-term gains. Sure the Braves haven't made the playoffs in three years now, but we're finally developing the top-tier farm system that helped build a dynasty nearly twenty years ago. We've locked in a strong core of Chipper, McCann, and Lowe while prospects Heyward, Tommy Hanson, Jordan Schaefer and Freddie Freeman wait in the wings.

The future is bright for Atlanta, and after struggling early in the offseason it appears that Frank Wren has found his stride. Its time to get excited about Atlanta Braves baseball again.

The first game of Spring Training is this Wednesday.
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AJC got it wrong, Hudson has words!

I really can't help myself, and I know I have written about Griffey a lot this week, but there is more Braves/Griffey news to tell. Rumors have it, that
the recent miss fire by beat write Dave O'Brien in the AJC may have aided Griffey's decision to go to Seatle.

Tim Hudson seems to be of this mind. Yahoo sports is reporting:

... there was clearly some bitterness over the turn of events, some of it directed at media outlets that reported Griffey had decided to play for Atlanta. Pitcher Tim Hudson got into a heated argument in the clubhouse with a newspaper reporter, claiming his story angered Griffey and led him to back out of dealings with the Braves. A team official had to step in and lead Hudson to a back room.

We can only presume, since the Braves have only two beat writers, O'Brien and Bowman, and since only one of them writes for a 'newspaper' then these 'heated words' were directed at Mr. O'Brien.

Dave O'Brien defends himself on his blog (b.t.w. that title is strikingly similar to my last post):

But let’s be clear: What we wrote was a story that said Griffey told a close friend that he had decided to play for the Braves over the Mariners. We wrote it, because that’s what the close friend told our Terry Moore, who goes back a long way with them (Moore is from Cincy, like Griffey).

We did not write that Griffey had agreed to a contract, or that he’d even told the Braves he was going to sign with them. We wrote that Griffey told his good friend that he had decided to play for the Braves.

Now, as for the headline in today’s paper, I knew nothing of it until tonight, when someone at the paper informed me that it said “Griffey to play for Braves.” Folks, I’m in Florida, and I send my stories to the paper, not headlines. I have absolutely no control over headlines in the paper.

...

If we’d written something that was erroneous, if I’d written that Griffey had agreed to terms with the Braves, that’d be one thing. We did not write that, at least I don’t think we did.

Hudson has a right to be upset - we all wanted griffey - but I find it hard to believe that someone would choose to move accross the country (Griffey lives in Orlando) because of one idiot report.

I have read the AJC my entire life, and never can I remember such a failing by the sports desk. I haven't read a formal contraction, correction, or for that matter an apology. Don't apologize to Griffey. The AJC and Dave O'Brien owe an apology to the paper's loyal readers and to Braves fans everywhere for simply screwing up.

That's right, you blew it, so fess up!
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Griffey To Atlanta, Not. He's going to Seatle.

All week long, I have read headlines about Griffey and the Braves. Even one that said he has already picked from our home town paper, the AJC.

NOW! Jerry Crasnick over on espn.com is reporting that Griffey has finally chosen Seatle.

The Braves were hoping to sign Griffey as a platoon partner for Matt Diaz in left field, and Griffey appeared energized by the prospect of playing so close to home and spending spring training in Orlando.

But the Griffey-to-Atlanta momentum hit the skids Tuesday afternoon, when the sentimental lure of Seattle apparently began to tug at him. One person close to Griffey said he had an "agonizing'' 24 hours trying to decide between the Braves and Mariners.

That's right, the long wait is over, we finally know. Griffey will not be a Brave this year, so sad. But with the reporting on this storey being so poor, there is still a chance Crasnick may be wrong, but I really doubt it.

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I want Griffey

I want him. That's right, he should be a brave. No doubt about it.

Well now that you know my opinion on the subject, let me tell you why. I present my arguments fourfold.

Point number one. Ken Griffey Jr. has been in a braves uniform before (as a ball boy). See this picture courtesy of talkingchop.com (and wherever he got it from). Looks pretty good if I say so myself.


Point number two. his father was a Brave. Coming from the New York Yankees in 86 and and again in 88.

Point number three. His father, Ken Griffey Sr., has also played for Cincinati and Seatle. I see a trend. Hey Jr. must be thinking, "if I play for the Braves, next stop must be the Yankees, or worst case Toronto ... and then the Yankees."

Point number four. Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball was the greatest sports video game ever ... so he should play for the Braves.

I rest my case.
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Ten Things to Watch For As Pitchers and Catchers Report

A-Rod cheated when? Tejada lied to who?? Alomar did what???!? Baseball's offseason has taken a turn for the worse and the wacky this week. Luckily for us fans, the offseason is finally over.

This weekend MLB pitchers and catchers will report to spring training camps in Florida and Arizona. That means we've got CC Sabathia headed to Tampa for Yankees Camp, K-Rod to Port St. Lucie for the Mets, and Derek Lowe trucking to Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Yes after a relentless wave of one distressing news item after another, its good to start talking about something that matters - baseball.


So to help get you all excited about the upcoming season, let's run down 10 things to watch for (in no particular order) as batteries around the league begin to suit up:

1) Sabathia and Burnett in Pinstripes
The new-look Yankees rotation heads to Tampa hoping to prove they're worth the monster contracts. A year after injuries decimated their staff, the Yankees pin their playoff hopes on a younger, stronger core, as well as on the health of backstop Jorge Posada. With Abreu and Giambi removed from the middle of the order, the switch-hitting catcher will need to prove he's healthy for long haul.

2) Lowe, Vazquez and Kawakami in Atlanta
Speaking of injury-decimated staffs, the Braves will move on from Smoltz/Hudson/Glavine and start fresh with a trio of durable new arms. There's a chance they could come out of Spring Training with 7 or 8 potential starters, which would provide great relief to the bullpen. Set-up men Rafael Soriano and Peter Moylan are coming off major injuries, and closer Mike Gonzalez is less than two years removed from Tommy John surgery. A healthy bullpen could gloss over the likely lack of run support.

3) Old Closers in New Cities
Free agent departures such as K-Rod (NYM), Kerry Wood (CLE), Trevor Hoffman (MIL), Brian Fuentes (LAA) and Takashi Saito (BOS) means new roles for established set-up men around the league. How Carlos Marmol (CHC), Jonathan Broxton (LAD) and Heath Bell (SD) take to being the closer ought to heavily impact the playoffs hopes of their teams.

4) Jake Peavy Staying in San Diego?
Its been a couple of months since we last heard Jake Peavy's name associated with trade rumors, but as the seasons draws near its becoming more likely that if the Padres are still going to move him - its going to be soon. Possible trade partners Cubs and Braves appear to be set in their rotations now, leaving San Diego GM Kevin Towers with having to search for new suitors. Will Peavy be a Padre on opening day? Its likely. Will the trade talks impact his relationship with the ball club? It remains to be seen.

5) The Young Guns in Miami and Tampa
The two teams down in Florida will travel short distances this week to get to camp, bringing with them a cast of talented young pitchers. Tampa Bay will move David Price into the rotation alongside Kazmir, Shields and Garza. The Rays' front four might just be good enough to hang with any rotation in the league, including those highly paid Yankees. Meanwhile the Marlins' staff may not have the big names or national spotlight, but their front five could help them be the dark horse in the NL East. Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, Andrew Miller, Chris Volstad and Anibal Sanchez are as green as can be, but all appear ready to make their mark in the bigs.

6) Rehab Projects in Boston
Rather than signing massive contracts like the Yankees, the Red Sox signed multiple players to smaller deals, banking on them to return from injury successfully. John Smoltz, Takashi Saito and Brad Penny join the pitching staff, and should they all be healthy by mid-season the Red Sox may as well throw out a six-man rotation and rotate closers between Jonathan Papelbon, Smotlz and Saito and save everyone's arms for the postseason. The best part of the signings is that the Red Sox have great pitching depth without the newcomers, putting little pressure on them to come out of Spring Training looking like spring chickens.

7) Three Cy Young's in San Francisco
The 'freak' Tim Lincecum will show up with his first Cy Young trophy this week. Meanwhile overpaid and over-the-hill Barry Zito will already be polishing his trophy, and newly signed Randy Johnson will lug his four trophies into the locker room. Suddenly the Giants have established winners in the rotation (not to mention young stud Matt Cain), its just too bad they wont be expecting Zito or Johnson to be on the pedestal again. Watch for the Big Unit's health as well as Zito's stuff, as getting a moderately productive season out of either of them is paramount to the Giants success this season.

8) Geovany Soto vs. The Sophomore Slump
The days of the one-year wonder Rookie of the Year are all but gone after a wave of superstars has flooded the league. Geovany Soto had a huge year for the Cubs, but fizzled out by September and limped into the playoffs. In his second season, Soto ought to be stronger and more prepared for the long haul, just as pitchers and scouts will be more prepared on how to attack the young backstop. A slight dropoff in production wouldn't hurt the loaded Cubs lineup too much, but keep an eye on Soto as he's expected to be a top-tier catcher for years to come.

9) Matt Wieters vs. The Hype
Last season the hype was on Soto, this season its on Matt Wieters. Pegged by scouts as a mix between Joe Mauer and Mark Teixeira, Wieters could be the savior for baseball in Baltimore. Fantasy players will be keeping a close eye on him throughout the spring, for sure, ensuring he makes enough of an impact to be a starter on day one. Veteran catcher Gregg Zaun was signed in the offseason, likely as insurance.

10) Ivan Rodriguez Faces Unemployment
Pudge is a first ballot Hall of Famer and the best catcher to play in our generation (if you take Piazza's defense into account) - so why hasn't anyone signed him? Many may cite he's over the hill or past his prime, but it seems like every new (and young) team he lands with instantly improves. He anchored the Marlins to a World Series title in 2003, and helped the Tigers win a pennant in 2006. My guess is that the Marlins would enjoy a reunion, letting Pudge work with their young arms is far from a bad idea (take note, Tampa Bay).

Also let's not forget that fellow first-ballot Hall of Famers Manny Ramirez and Ken Griffey Jr. have still yet to land anywhere. There are still deals to be made and rosters to be shuffled as the Spring Training schedule draws closer.
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Abreu, Dunn Off the Board as Braves Stand Pat

Two more slugging outfielders have just dropped off the big board, and neither are heading to Atlanta. Bobby Abreu is off to Los Angeles to play with Vlad Guerrero and the Angels, while Adam Dunn will be manning first base on a full-time basis in Washington. Abreu signed a one-year deal worth $5M plus incentives, while the terms of Dunn's two-year deal have yet to be disclosed.

What this means for the Braves is that Matt Diaz better be ready to man left field. Pat Burrell, Bobby Abreu, Adam Dunn, Milton Bradley, Andruw Jones and Rocco Baldelli have all signed with new teams. None of them signed particularly rich (or long-term) contracts. This all leads us to believe that Frank Wren and company are either satisfied with the current personnel (Matt Diaz, Brandon Jones, Josh Anderson, Gregor Blanco, and Jordan Schafer) or were never interested in these hitters to begin with. I can tell you this much, as unattractive as our franchise may have seemed lately, we are definitely more appealing than the Nationals.

So who are the Braves' remaining options? Either sign Garrett Anderson, trade for Nick Swisher or Xavier Nady, or go after a couple guys named Manny and Griffey.
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Braves Finally Make an Offer to Glavine

Reportedly the Atlanta Braves have finally made an offer to Tom Glavine, between one and two million dollars for one year. Glavine has been rehabilitating his arm coming off the first major injury of his career. While many have assumed Glavine's pitched his last innings, he's said many times that after two decades of perfect health he did not want to end his career on an injury. I'm not sure how much he'll be able to contribute next season, should he sign, but he'll have little pressure on him to anchor the staff (he'll likely be the 5th starter). With the sudden departure of Smoltz, nothing would hurt more than to see Glavine join him as ex-Braves likely in their last season. At least one of the big three appears set to retire a Brave. Sounds good to me. And at the very least, it gives us ONE lefty in the rotation, and more arms to strengthen the pitching depth for the season. Its win win, I say.

*In other news, Andruw Jones appears set to sign a one year minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. Rumors had swirled that the Braves had interest in bringing him back (they didn't) and that the Yankees had offered him a minor league deal (they did), but ultimately it looks like he'll be trying to regain his form as a Ranger minor leaguer. Best of luck Andruw.
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Dirty South Pride

Its been quite a year for Atlanta fans... the Braves' demise, the Falcons' rise and the Hawks' surprise (and at least the Thrashers try). But another year come and gone without bringing home a major championship. Sure it'd be fun to live in Boston with the Patriots, Celtics and Red Sox, but we can't all enjoy that kind of well-rounded success. The rest of us have to find other reasons to have pride in our teams. Things like damn good hot dogs or kiss cams or Marta access. But seriously Atlanta fans, when some joker from Boston or Florida starts giving you the business about how irrelevant our teams are... here's six good reasons to laugh in their face:

• Michael Turner
• Roddy White
• Joe Johnson
• Ilya Kovalchuk
• Chipper Jones
• Brian McCann

These are your Atlanta All-Stars. These six players were named the best of the best this year. No Bostonian can come into the dirty south and claim we have no good players or we have no good teams. With two playoff teams and six all-stars, I'd say we're sitting pretty. There's 30+ teams in these leagues, and only one can win the championship each year. And its been a long time since that team was the Yankees, Cowboys, or Lakers. Sports isn't all about the championships. Sure it'd be nice to have a couple more World Series titles and a Super Bowl win, but its hard not to feel proud about our boys when you go into the stadium and see those banners hanging: division champions, conference champions, league champions... or when you turn on the All-Star game or Pro Bowl and see your boys taking the field alongside the game's best players... or when you read preseason discussions about which of your guys could win the Heisman, league MVP, or Rookie of the Year.

We may have down years, but our teams - our players - are never out of the discussion. Matt Ryan was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year, Michael Turner was the league MVP's runner-up, Jonathan Dwyer ACC Player of the Year, Matt Stafford could be the top pick in the draft, Chipper Jones won the NL batting title... times are good in the Dirty South boys and girls, even if we're not hoisting championship trophies like they are in the northeast, that doesn't mean we aren't proud of our players' accomplishments year in and year out. If you keep putting talent on the field, the titles will come.
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New Braves Radio Team Sounds Familiar

Former Braves broadcaster will rejoin the radio team this season alongside Jim Powell, taking over for the great Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren. Sutton was part of the Braves broadcast team for 18 years before moving on to the Washington Nationals. He was released from his current contracts so that he could rejoin Atlanta. After the sudden loss of Skip and the ensuing retirement of Pete, the Braves fanbase took a major hit. Its been hard to imagine listening to Braves radio again without the two of them, but the club did a good job by returning a familiar voice to the booth. Having Sutton call the games will help bring back some of that nostalgia from the 90's dynasty, and its good to have him back.
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Chipper: As Productive at 40 As Right Now

We have more words from Chipper courtesy of beat writer Mark Bowman over at atlantabraves.com.

"I lump myself into the category of being the John Smoltz-type of athlete," Jones said. "When I'm done playing, I'm not going to bulk up to 250 pounds. I work out and do stuff to keep myself in shape year round. I think I'm going to be as productive at 40 as I am now. You're not going to be as spry in the legs as you were when you were 25, but you can still be productive."

This is why Chipper, and Smoltz, are so important to the Braves. They believe in themselves and how they can contribute. I really hope Chip can be that productive at 40 (75 RBI, 22 HR, .364 AVG while hurt most of the year). It may be, as sad as it is, at one point Chipper will have to move on. It will be sad, and a little wierd. Sure was wierd with Smoltz, but let it be known, Chipper "wants to be Brave."

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Heyward Named MLB's #3 Prospect, Hanson #9

ESPN's Keith Law has released his list of the top 100 prospects in baseball today. Baltimore C Matt Wieters and Tampa Bay SP David Price top the list (take note, fantasy junkies). Coming in at number three is no less than Atlanta's own slugging RF Jason Heyward. Many of you probably are saying, Jason who? Well its Jason Heyward, fools! The nineteen year old physical specimen of a man patrolling right field (and formerly center field) down in Myrtle Beach. This beast has a great eye, the best contact rate in the league, and the strength to be a 30HR+ a year candidate. Think Andruw or Frenchie but with eyeballs. Sounds like the kind of player we need in the outfield today.. too bad we'll probably have to wait until late 2010 to get a glimpse of him in the majors. Here's what Mr. Law had to say about the Braves' top prospect:

"The first round of the 2007 draft looks like it's going to turn out a half-dozen stars or well above-average big leaguers, if not more, with Heyward at the top of the list of its high school products. Even at age 17, Heyward was a physical specimen, already 6-4 and well-built with room to add muscle as he gets older. He controls the strike zone well, both laying off pitches out of the zone and working himself into hitters' counts; his contact rate was one of the best in the South Atlantic League this year despite his relative youth. He gets his arms extended well, setting up slightly away from his body, so the ball down or over the outer half is well within his reach. Atlanta has moved him from center to right field; he has a plus arm and above-average range now that he's out of the middle of the field. His upside is just a question of power; he's going to hit for average and be an asset in the field. His swing and body point to 30-plus homers a year, which, coupled with a healthy on-base percentage and defensive value, would make him one of the most valuable players in the game."

And more good news, the Braves' top pitching prospect comes in at #9: Tommy Hanson. We should all know Tommy well by now after his incredible run in the Arizona Fall League.

"Hanson projects as a potential No. 1 starter, with a four-pitch arsenal headlined by a 92-95 mph fastball and a plus curveball with great depth. He's 6-6 and gets good angle on his pitches ... his command and control are both below average, although he can just overpower minor league hitters, which keeps him below the top 10. He's probably less than a year from contributing in the majors."

Furthermore, MiLB.com's Top 100 Prospects also ranks Heyward at #3, with Hanson coming in at #24 and 1B Freddie Freeman at #38. All three have been invited to the Braves spring training camp in Feb/March, along with Jordan Schafer and Kris Medlen. Half of the Braves' top 10 prospects will be playing alongside Chipper and McCann this spring, showing the big shots what they've got while giving us fans a chance to see how bright our future really looks. Be sure to check them out during spring training fools! Read Full Article!

Lefty's got some left

In an encouraging 30-pitch mound session today, Tom Glavine furthered the hopes for a speedy come-back from the first arm surgery of his Hall-of-Fame-bound career. The veteran ranks fouth all-time in wins among major league southpaws with 305. As seasoned as he is, it seems a little maintenance does wonders.

"My arm hasn't felt this good in years," Glavine told Mark Bowman, Braves beat writer for MLB.com. He felt so good that, in addition to throwing fastballs, #47 mixed in a few signature change-ups with both improved velocity and arm strength.

Glavine plans to throw again on Friday before heading back to Birmingham, AL, to meet with Dr. James Andrews in what he hopes to be just a check-up on the way to a full recovery, readying him for the start of the 2009 regular season.

With the Braves' signing of ace Derek Lowe, Japanese hurler Kenshin Kawakami and the veteran Javier Vazquez, with Jair Jurrjens ready to go, it seems the only question left in the pitching rotation is the 5-spot. Whether it's Campillo or Glavine, one thing is certain: Glavine can offer the Braves far more than just innings. Moreso than his arm, his experience and leadership would be a priceless asset to Atlanta and the rest of the rotation. (Let's go, Frank Wren!) Read Full Article!

Andruw Jones: Fat, Sassy, and Jobless

Two days ago, 790 The Zone's morning show had John Smoltz in studio for over an hour. He eloquently talked about switching teams, his career with the Braves, his future living in Atlanta, and how many teams he'd hit Chipper Jones should they have a showdown (2). After he left and did his rounds with the press, the show expected to bring on former Braves center fielder Andruw Jones. He never called in. The crew actually explained that it was typical Andruw, forgeting about the interview. So yesterday comes around and once again they have Andruw lined up, ready to answer questions about his impending release from the Dodgers (which happened last night) and whether he'd be excited to come back to the Braves. What happened next may have still been typical Andruw.

Listening to the interview, I was forced to imagine a very particular setting in which Andruw was talking. Its midtown Atlanta. Andruw, shirtless and on his back, had passed out on the floor of his favorite gentleman's club. The dancers, ready to head home to their children at 4am, left their used towels piled on Andruw's gelatinous belly. You know, for warmth. As the juices and diseases began to form wonderful new viruses and bacteria that won't be uncovered for decades, 10am rolls around and his phone rings, across the room, still in his coat pocket. Crawling to the VIP booth in the corner, Andruw leaves a trail of diseased towels in his wake. He answers the phone, and its the producer for 790's Mayhem in the AM. "Time for that interview, Andruw!" Interview? Me? Okay sure, he thinks. Clearly not remembering his commitment. Once on air... Andruw seems to go in and out, vaguely remembering not only that he's being interviewed, but that he can speak the English language.

Listen for yourself. HERE.
And ask yourself, is this mess of a player really worth bringing back? Even for the bare minimum salary? You tell me.


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With a New Rotation, Smoltz's Departure All the More Puzzling

Last week John Smoltz signed with the Boston Red Sox. He held a press conference yesterday, where he was introduced to the Red Sox Nation. He donned a Red Sox cap and jersey. He also attended a Celtics game, where he was announced as the newest Red Sox pitcher.

John Smoltz. Red Sox. Sounds verrrrry strange. Seeing him in that cap. Horribly strange. Horrific even. Drives a man to do strange things, seeing that image. Thinking about it. About him taking the mound in Boston, mowing down A-Rod and Tex in the heat of a playoff race. Something just.. gut-wrenching about it. Imagine its the last day of the season, and a Red Sox win means a playoff berth. Better yet it knocks the Yankees out of contention. Smoltz takes the hill, shuts down the opposition. Blows them away. The everlasting image of the Red Sox' season is Smoltz burying a slider low and in on Jeter to put the Yankees away. Say he wins a playoff game or two, maybe even throws a complete game and gives the catcher a bear hug at the end. How does that make you feel? That John Smoltz's image could be a part of Red Sox history. That's our man, our leader becoming an integral part of some other club's history! Think about Dave Roberts, who spent part of one season in Boston, but stole the base that led to the greatest comeback in baseball history. What if its the same for Smoltz? Can you live with that? I don't think I can. But I can tell you who has no problem with that - John Smoltz.


John Smoltz is the most competitive player in baseball. Maybe in all of sports (save for his buddy Tiger Woods). This offseason the Braves basically showed that they thought Smoltz couldn't get hitters out anymore. He's going to be 42 and he's finished. Many players might agree and say something like "well its been a great run, and its time I stepped away." Not Smoltzie. Never him. He hears "it can't be done" and all he thinks is "I'll show you it can." All Smoltz asked for was a chance to prove himself. For coaches and trainers to watch him throw, watch his movements, his range of motion, and judge right there how well his recovery his going. Judge whether he can get hitters out this season. The Braves appear to have not given him that chance. Their position during the end of the season did not change in the offseason. Smoltz was not going to become that ace starter they needed him to be. The Red Sox just need a veteran arm, a competitor and a performer down the stretch - and they signed the best one in baseball history.

After a week of moves rebuilding the broken Braves rotation, can Frank Wren really look back and agree that this was the right choice? Low-balling Smoltz with ridiculous incentives that would never vest? Their original plan was to rebuild first, figure out Smoltz and Glavine second. While they were waiting around for the rebuilding, they ignored Smoltz. He didn't want to wait around on anyone's doorstep hoping it might open come February or March. With all of the work he was putting into his rehab, it was important for him to know whether it was worth it. He's upset. He's upset in the lack of faith. This is John Smoltz. We know him. We know what he's going to do when faced with a challenge. He's publicly stated many times that his shoulder feels better than its ever felt. He can do push ups for the first time in over three years! Its more stable, its more useful, and its going to be ready for a major league workload, whether its in April or in August.

So why the split? Business, right? We offered less money, we require a significant contribution given the state of our roster, and we can't rely on a 42-year old pitcher coming off major surgeries. So we pass. The Red Sox have a loaded roster, a lot of money to spend, and nothing but time to let Smoltz regain his form. They want him ready for September - the playoff race. So they sign him. Ultimately it comes down to what gives Smoltz the best chance to not only recover adequately, but to contribute to a winning ball club, and have one more chance at a title run. The Braves offer none of those things. The front office believes we need him in April, and we have no guarantee that we'll make any kind of a playoff run. Should we be out of it in July or August, we'd probably end up trading him to Boston anyway. So which is better? Letting him go out like this, or by trading him in his final season? Which would make you more upset? Any way you slice it, Smoltz was not ending this season in a Braves uniform. He would not be ending his career as a Brave. End of story.

A lot of Braves fans, myself included, had the immediate reaction to write off Frank Wren, to write off the Braves franchise. "They won't be getting a dime from me until Frank Wren is fired!" Its understandable at first. But now, only a week later, that's become a ridiculous statement. Wren clearly is trying hard to put the best ball club together. Going into this week, who was the best free agent pitcher on the market? Derek Lowe. Now a Brave. Not to mention adding Kenshin Kawakami to go along with Javier Vazquez, acquired earlier this offseason. The Braves rotation has shaped up nicely, easily able to compete with the staffs in Philly and New York. But let's think about this. Were these moves so quickly made because of the reaction to Smoltz's departure? Or were they planned out, and we were going to get Kenshin and Lowe anyway? Well weren't we? Wasn't Wren's plan to get 2-3 pitchers and a power bat? Its hard to say if one influenced the other, but looking back.. with the money we still have, and a complete rotation now in place.. why wouldn't we offer Smoltz whatever it would take? We don't need him to start April 1st in the rotation. We have 5 pitchers already. We don't need him close on day one either, we have Gonzo. The state of the Braves pitching staff today bears great similarity to that of the Red Sox. We don't need Smoltz on day one or day thirty, we just need him in the clubhouse. We need him to rehab that arm and give us whatever production he can possibly give, whenever that may be.

So looking back, Mr. Wren, don't your proposed incentives to Mr. Smoltz seem a bit outrageous? Sure he could make $10M next year under our plan too.. if he throws 200 innings, if he starts 30 games, and if he's a front-line starter the entire season. But if all along you're saying that we need to rebuild our rotation first before worrying about Smoltz.. isn't that just admitting that he was never in the plans to be our #1 starter? Weren't we admitting that should Smoltz be on the roster in 2009, that it would be as a reliever or a midseason back-end of the rotation guy? Wasn't that the assumption all along? Why all of a sudden switch gears and tell John that if he's not ready to give us 200 innings this year, then he's not ready to be a Brave this year. Why low-ball him in guaranteed money and expect him to not be offended? Why all of these shenanigans? Either tell him its time to part ways, or be aggressive and keep him here. That kind of offer says, "We'll take you if no one else will. But we really don't care."

You might argue how that's a significant investment in an older pitcher who might give you nothing this season. And maybe it is. But if you have money to spend (and every team has $5M to spend. every team.), don't you always try to invest it in what gives your team the best chance to win? Does John Smoltz in the clubhouse not give you that? Does John Smoltz mentoring young pitchers like Jurrjens and Hanson not give you that edge? Does the idea of going to the ballpark to see Smoltz one last time not excite the fans? Bottom line - regardless of whether Smoltz throws 200 innings or 2 innings, your team is better with him on the roster. Boston knows that. And we damn well should know that after 21 years.

I wish John all the best, and hope he has a smooth recovery. And I'll say it right now - nothing would give me more pleasure than seeing him pitch again in a big game. That's what he was meant to do, and that's what I'll miss about him as a Brave. So good luck Smoltzie, I know I'll be cheering for ya.

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McCann Runs ... very slowly

The new Chop Talk Q&A is out over at atlantabraves.com. This weeks interview is Brian McCann. He is a pretty light tempered guy and it comes across in the interview. You can usually find him on the bench laughing it up with friends Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francouer. I even once got an opportunity to go down to field level for a warm up and meet McCann. He came up to me and said, "Hi. I'm Brian," and smiled something fierce, and you could tell instantly that he was a real nice fella. But, his running speed really leaves something to be desired.

This off season, coming off his second Silver Slugger in three years for catchers, McCann is determined to be healthy, so he can win many more in the future. He told Dave O'Brian about his recent loss of 20 pounds. Good job Mac, I have been battling to do the same myself. It ain't easy. One thing that did strike me was this comment:

McCann: I'm lifting weights like I did last year, with my brother Brad and Mark DeRosa. But I run three days a week on the treadmill. I usually run about 20 to 25 minutes, so it's probably about two miles. It gets my heart rate up and burns a lot of extra calories. I figure it can't hurt, since the more weight I take off, the less stress it puts on my knees. I'm only 24 years old, so I think I'm starting this early enough that it will impact my career.

Huh? He runs 20-25 minutes and goes about 2 miles. That would be 10+ minute miles. That is really, really slow. For example, not to brag, but I average 3 miles in about 25+ minutes, and I don't consider that very fast. Now, I know Mac's a catcher, as was I, and that we are blessed with 'catcher speed,' but come on, if a fat ass like me can run 8 minute miles, then he should be able to as well. Either Mac is not a much of a distance runner, or he isn't very good at math.
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Lowe Agrees to Deal with Braves

Now that Smoltz has left, GM Frank Wren is attempting to be more aggressive in the rebuilding of the Braves roster. Starting with the rotation, Wren has already signed (well agreed to terms with) Japanese veteran Kenshin Kawakami to a three-year deal, and expect more official news on that in the coming week. Today he extended a 4-year/$60M offer to free agent pitcher Derek Lowe, who appears to have agreed to its terms. You know Lowe, the guy who won Game 4 of the 2004 World Series (aka Boston's curse-reverser). Lowe spent he past four season with the Dodgers, winning over 15 games once (16 in 2006) and pitching less than 200 innings only once (199.1 in 2007). The Braves' offer out-bid the Mets' offer of $36M over three years. Lowe and his agent had been hoping for that fourth year, which is a bit iffy given Lowe's age (35), but as a sinker-ball pitcher (and not a power pitcher), Lowe is the kind of guy who may be able to pitch well into his 40s. In any case it seems like the Braves are counting on it. Afraid that Lowe may pull a Furcal on us, they are not reporting anything official until he signs the contract, but all signs show that the Braves have a new ace in town. Time to go update my MLB08 rosters!

Projected starting rotation for 2009:
Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens, Kenshin Kawakami, Jorge Campillo

In other Braves news...

• IF Omar Infante avoided arbitration and signed a two-year deal to stay with the team. Infante played all over the infield and outfield last season, proving to be a great asset off the bench. He was acquired from the Cubs before last season along with RP Will Ohman.
• SP Tom Glavine appears to have pushed back his first mound session to the end of week, choosing to play long toss first to strength that left arm. Glavine has not thrown off a mound since having surgery on his elbow and shoulder, but he assures everyone that there is no reason to be concerned.
• AJC beat writer Dave O'Brien reports that the Braves' interest in free agent LF slugger Adam Dunn has increased over recent weeks. Dunn, probably the best remaining free agent outfielder not named Manny, is a perennial 40HR, 100RBI, 100BB hitter.. who strikes out over 180 times too. And is a terrible fielder. Although being able to pencil in those numbers would be a great relief for an outfield that hit only 28HR last year. A two-year deal would be likely, I should think.
  

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