Who’s Ready For Baseball?

It seems hardly fitting that today is the first Spring Training game for the Braves.  I’m sitting here staring out the window in Atlanta to a very gray day outside and watching my car slowly get covered in snow.  I’ve lived in Atlanta for 9 years and it has snowed maybe 3 times since I’ve been here, but I’m pretty sure this is the 5th significant snow this winter.  That’s all irrelevant for the most part however.

In a couple of hours, the Braves are scheduled to take the field for their opening Grapefruit League game against the Mets.  It’s mid-60s there, slight chance of rain, but nevertheless, it’s time for baseball.

So here’s where we are and what we’ve learned thus far in Spring Training:

Jason Heyward hits bombs. We’ve heard it plenty from every news source covering the Braves (and a number that really aren’t).  Parking lots.  New nets to protect cars.  We get it.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m pumped to see this kid play, but I’m just ready to see how he handles live pitching.  Batting practice is one thing, but I have no doubts that he can bring it at a big league level.

Jair Jurrjens is okay. It’ll be a few days before his pitch counts start to increase again, but all indications are that Jurrjens will be okay in the long run.  I’d much rather the training staff takes their time with him and keeps him healthy down the stretch this season.

Derek Lowe is the opening day starter.  I’m not terribly sure I agree with this, but it’s a showing of confidence from Bobby Cox so I can accept it.  Any situation where Tim Hudson is your number four starter…..I’m okay with it.  I’ve heard a little distaste about that fact, but seriously, step back and look at it.  If this rotation is healthy, it’s stacked.

The games don’t matter. So maybe we haven’t really learned this one in Spring Training, but it’s just a reminder to everyone that the outcome of Spring Training games isn’t the real thing we should be looking at during this time of year.  Keep your eye on individual performances, watch the young guys get the chance to show off a little, and get pumped up for baseball to get started back up at the Ted.

So that’s that, Braves vs. Mets at 1pm today.  Tommy Hanson will throw a couple of innings and I’m looking for another big season out of him.  What are you looking at in Spring Training?  Young guys?  Old guys trying to regain form?  Either way, it’s time for baseball.

Offense Still a Problem for Braves? Nope.

As fall gave way to the holiday season last year, Braves fans had visions of Matt Holliday or Jason Bay dancing in their heads. It quickly became apparent, however, that those star outfielders couldn’t be squeezed into Atlanta’s budget any more than David Wells could fit into his high school uniform. Even Adam LaRoche, who provided such a lift after his return to Atlanta late last season, managed to price himself out of the Braves’ plans with his original asking price (reported to have been 10 million per year).

Other power bats, such as Washington’s Josh Willingham and Florida’s Dan Uggla, were rumored to have been on the Braves’ radar. In the end, however, the winter offensive additions were Troy Glaus, who missed most of last season due to injury, and part-time slugger, Eric Hinske.

Not quite what most Atlanta fans were hoping for, and it’s understandable if you’re a bit underwhelmed. That said, Braves faithful need not lose any winks. The ’10 Bravos will plate plenty of runs to support their outstanding pitching.

How can I be so sure? Because General Manager, Frank Wren, didn’t need to overhaul this lineup over the winter. Many fans have been waiting for the Braves to fix a problem that hasn’t existed since the middle of last season.

From June 28 until the last week of the season (a stretch of 82 games; more than half a season), Atlanta not only posted the best ERA and best record in the NL… they also led the league in runs scored.

It wasn’t a fluke that Atlanta began punishing opposing pitchers when they did. The offensive explosion began when the Braves dumped 3 tons of dead weight from the lineup in favor of highly productive hitters. Jordan Schafer – playing with a fractured wrist, as it turned out – was an automatic out through most of April and May. However, in June, he was replaced with ‘08 all-star Nate McLouth. A horribly slumping Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francoeur gave way to Martin Prado and Matt Diaz, who each hit better than .300 and slugged in the upper .400’s.

Then of course, after filling the gaping potholes in the lineup, notorious late-season masher, Adam LaRoche, returned to Atlanta at the trade deadline in a swap for the light-hitting Casey Kotchman.

When the mid-season renovations were complete, Frank Wren and Co. had overhauled no less than HALF of his lineup. The Braves’ offense was modified more in the middle two months of the season than it was over the entire previous offseason.

But the Braves’ newfound offensive muscle was quite possibly the best kept secret in baseball. Many fans and national sports media types continued to talk as though this were still an offensively challenged team. It is a misconception that apparently refuses to die. For reasons I cannot fully get my arms around, fans and baseball talking heads continue to yawn in the general direction of the Atlanta lineup.

My best guess is that the Braves’ offense is underrated because it just isn’t flashy. No blazing speed; no Jose Reyes or Ichiro. No MVP candidates, such as Ryan Howard or Albert Pujols. There is no one here, with the possible exception of Jason Heyward, who will be scoring a Gatorade commercial in the near future. Nothing especially flamboyant… just a lineup full of guys who can hit.

This is a batting order stocked with hitters who, with a couple of exceptions, will likely all hit around .300. Atlanta will get at least 15 – or so – homers from EVERY position on the field, and 4 or 5 starters could launch 25 HR’s. Additionally, several Atlanta hitters could lead the league in doubles.

BOTTOM LINE: This is largely the same lineup that led the NL in runs from June 28th until the games stopped counting in late September. There have been two modifications: LaRoche and Garret Anderson give way to Troy Glaus and (in all likelihood) Jason Heyward. And I think you would be hard pressed to call that a downgrade.

So rest easy Braves nation. Contrary to popular – and ill informed – belief, offense isn’t a problem here. It hasn’t been a problem since last June. And given the strength of this pitching staff… unless Lady Luck is in a particularly bitchy mood this year, there’s a lot of fun to be had at The Ted in ’10.

Tribute To Mets Fans

Very recently, we posted my tribute to the ever lovable Phillies fan. I must tell you that I was truly blown away by the gratitude of Phillies fans, apparently moved that we would take the time to honor them on a Braves blog. Phillies fans never disappoint.

But what about Mets fans? If anything, they’re even MORE deserving a collective toast from Braves faithful and baseball fans everywhere. Their longsuffering loyalty and a devotion that defies all logic is something about which we should all stand in awe. I can think of no fan more deserving of the following homage. Enjoy!

Tribute To Phillies Fans

During a recent conversation (via Twitter) with Phillies fans about the apparent fact – according to them – that Roy Halladay is indeed the second coming of Christ, I was reminded of just how wonderfully spirited Phillies fans can be. While I realize that trading one ace for another (Cliff Lee for Roy Halladay) makes the Phillies completely bulletproof and utterly unbeatable, I’m still clinging to faint hopes that perhaps somehow the Braves can prevent the Phils from going 162-0 this season. As Andy Dufresne once said… “Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

Let’s see, where were we? Oh, yes, Phillies fans.

It is out of my fondest care and affection for these most lovable of all fans that I bring you the following tribute to Phillies fanatics everywhere. Enjoy.

Glavine Returning To Braves

Tom Glavine’s coming back to the Atlanta Braves organization, just not in a Braves uniform.  As we discussed in mid-January, Glavine has been mulling over this possibility for some time and it appears, finally, that he has reached a decision.  With the announcement of his retirement, Glavine will assume the role of special assistant to team president John Schuerholz.

As part of his new role, Glavine will assist the front office on a number of projects both on the baseball and the business end of the team.  Additionally he will be making some appearances in both the television and radio booths for the club mostly with 680 The Fan (a new partner for the Braves this season) and when games are broadcast on Fox Sports South.

Glavine leaves the game with 305 career wins (244 of which came in a Braves uniform) leaving him as the 4th-ranked left-handed pitcher in baseball history.  Additionally, he won the NL Cy Young with the Braves in 1991 and 1998.  I’m glad to have Tommy back with the Braves in some capacity and hopefully we can leave behind the ill-will caused by the fiasco with Glavine being cut from the squad as he neared his return to baseball last season.

Glavine Could Be Back With Braves

Tom Glavine’s final experience as a baseball player with the Braves front office was far from favorable.  A day after pitching 6 scoreless innings in single-A Rome and five days before he was expected to make his season debut in Atlanta, Frank Wren made the decision to release Glavine.  Wren claims it was performance-based, Glavine claimes it was financially-based, and so on and so on.  We all know what happened, but it’s in the past.  Now it looks like there is a chance for a new chapter with Tom Glavine in the Braves organization.

The details of the possible role are far from finalized, but the Braves have presented many options for Tommy.  Some include the opportunity to serve as an announcer or work in the front office in some capacity.  Additionally, there is the opportunity to work with the Braves’ minor league affiliates to assist in player development and coaching.  Though he hasn’t officially announced his retirement from baseball, Glavine realizes it’s not likely he’ll pitch again, and will likely retire once he assumes a new role in the game.

It seems as if the issues revolving around Glavine’s release last season are one big factor standing in the way of his return to the club.  It’s a situation that wasn’t favorable and, in the eyes of many, wasn’t handled as best as it could have been.  In a situation where he will have to work daily with the same man that decided to release him, Glavine wants to make sure he’s not jumping into a decision he will regret.

Make it official, Tommy.  Announce your retirement to cap off a sure-fire Hall of Fame career and take a new role with the Braves.  It’ll be interesting to see what becomes of the situation, but I hope that Glavine and Wren can work out any animosity and make this a done deal.  I, like many, took exception to Glavine’s departure for the Mets, but I grew up watching him pitch in Atlanta and that’s where I want to see him again.

Braves Ready For Spring Training?

Not long after officially adding Troy Glaus to the 2010 roster, the Braves added Eric Hinske to serve as a pinch hitter and bench player.  The plus side to having Hinske on the roster is that he can serve as a backup to Troy Glaus; allowing for some much-needed off days to reduce the risk of reinjury.  Additionally, he can play the corner outfield and back up Chipper at third, who we all know will miss a few games here and there.  As far as I’m concerned, he’s an improvement over Greg Norton.  Besides, he’s been on a team in the World Series the past three seasons; why would the Braves want to break that streak?

With Hinske signing a one-year, one-million dollar contract earlier this week, it looks like the Braves are pretty much done with new signings for the offseason.  That’s not to say that Frank Wren won’t still come up with some trade (I can think of a few that I wouldn’t mind seeing), but as far as allocating money for new players, we’re pretty much spent.  Look for something to happen with Brandon Jones in the next couple of days; he was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man for Hinske.

As expected, we didn’t see the front office go after a  big-name offensive power, but instead spread the money around on a few different players.  Melky Cabrera for $2 million, Troy Glaus for $4 million and Hinske for another million.  Was this a good use of our available $7 million?  To be determined.  The success of these moves hinges heavily on Glaus managing to stay healthy and Hinske’s ability to produce from the bench.  I’m confident he’ll have a solid year in a backup role.

In other news, Mark McGwire did steroids…..who knew?!

But anyways,  it looks like this is pretty much the squad the Braves will be taking to Florida in 36 days when pitchers and catchers report.  Thoughts on the offseason moves to this point?  I think we’re better off in a couple of spots, worse off in a couple, and there is a ton that is yet to be determined.  It’s getting to be that time of  year when we’re all just itching to see baseball start back up again.  I know I can’t wait.

Do We Really Want This Xavier Nady Character?

“We need more power!”

Thanks, Scotty. We knew that. While we’d all like our offense to go to 11, I’m not sure I’m super thrilled with the options. Mark DeRosa is off the table, Matt Holliday is likely signing with the Cards soon, not many people are thrilled with the idea of Uggla coming in, and Xavier Nady is the other name that gets tossed around a lot. And yes, he’s good for 25 homers and 100 RBIs when he’s healthy.

But he’s had some issues and is just coming off not his first, but his SECOND Tommy John surgery. And yes, he’s just an outfielder – not a pitcher – and is being acquired more for his bat than anything. And yes, he’s probably cheaper than before his second TJ.

But he will still have to make throws. And when will he be back to 100%? How many runs will we give up because people will run on a weak-armed, twice-rebuilt robo elbow in left field?

Sure – we have doctors and if we sign him then I’m sure we think he’s a good deal and good upside and all that. I get that. But I’m just a little bit worried. Just sayin’. That’s TWO Tommy John surgeries, dudes and dudettes. Just not so sure about that.

“Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology…”

Who should we go for instead? What about Johnny Damon or a one year deal for Vladimir Guerrero? Jermaine Dye?

Braves Need Another Bat?

As we inch closer to spring training and out of the offseason (pitchers and catchers report in 53 days for anyone that’s counting), it appears that Frank Wren and crew are winding down on moves that they are planning to make.  If anything else is going to change, I think the Braves couldn’t be hurt by adding a little more offense.  We’ve said it before, but just to reiterate, this team could benefit a lot from added offensive threats.

If the Braves make a move for more offense however, it’s not going to be one of the big name moves that I have seen and heard many Braves fans tossing around over the past couple of weeks.  We won’t be seeing Adam Dunn or Adrian Gonzales or Jason Bay coming to Atlanta this offseason.  The contracts would be prohibitive and the Braves have already gotten things in the works for an everyday first basemen in Troy Glaus.  All bets are off as to what happens should Glaus fail his physical.

The Braves have an estimated $6-7 million left to spend after the completion of the Glaus acqusition, so don’t expect any of those names I just mentioned.  Instead, there are a couple of options that would still fit the need the Braves have and that we here at BravesBlast would like to see.

Mark DeRosa would be a big pickup for the Braves in that he could play many positions and fill in any gaps that would come up from injuries and needed rest.  He’s the kind of guy that would likely see action most days, just in multiple roles.  DeRosa, who played in Atlanta from 1998-2004, is a career .275 hitter and has hit 44 home runs and has 165 RBI across the past two seasons.  If anything, the big appeal to DeRosa is his versatility.

Another option for the Braves (that I was explicitly informed by Kent that he would like to see happen) is to acquire Xavier Nady, who was not offered arbitration by the Yankees earlier this month.  Nady, in addition to adding depth in the outfield and some more pop in the lineup, provides a backup for Glaus at first base.  Hopefully we won’t need him for that reasoning in particular, but it’s good to know the option exists.

What other options exist for the Braves to add another offensive threat?  If the Braves make another move this offseason is yet to be seen, but if they do, we’d love to see either DeRosa or Nady making their way to Atlanta.

One More Wish: Bring Back Chipper!

To start things off, no, you didn’t miss some big, revolutionary news that the Braves got rid of Chipper Jones.  When I was sitting down to write our Christmas wish list the other day, I talked to Colin on the phone for awhile about what he wanted to see on the list and he mentioned Chipper Jones and….well, I just forgot to put it on the list.  So when I woke up at 3 in the morning today and realized that, I figured I would write about today.  So, no, Chipper hasn’t gone anywhere, we just want to see pre-2009 Chipper again!

So heading into the 2009 season, we made a wish that Chipper Jones would stay healthy for once and be a constant contributer to the team after playing in less than 135 games in the previous 4 seasons (with the lows being 109 and 110 games in 2005 and 2006).  Well Chipper played in more games in 2009 than he had since 2003 at 143.  But that’s about where the benefit to the team stopped in comparison to 2008.

Now, granted, comparing to 2008 may not be the most fair thing to do seen as how Chipper had a career year, batting .364 with a .470 OBP and slugging .574.  There was a decline in power with him only hitting 22 home runs, but he continued to prove that he is one of the best situational hitters in the game.

The 2009 season however provided few of the highlights that we saw in 2008 however.  By the time the season ended, Chipper, a career .307 hitter, managed only a .264 batting average and hit less than 20 home runs for the first time in his 15 full seasons in the big leagues.  On top of that, he had his fewest number of RBI in his career as well, with 71.  We have always said that we would rather see a semi-healthy Chipper Jones playing for the Braves than many other players, but one more wish for this season is to see a little bit of a rebound of his offensive potential.

Chipper’s under contract through 2012, but I’m still not convinced that he will continue to play after this season if he has another sub-par (by his standards) year.  He’s a key piece in our Christmas wish to give Bobby one more shot at the playoffs and we want to see Chipper Jones performance to bounce back a little closer to his career average numbers.  At the age of 38 just after the 2010 season begins, there aren’t many more seasons left for Chipper, so this is the year to give it one more run for Chipper and Bobby.

BravesBlast 2009 Christmas Wish List

Well it’s that time of the year.  The BravesBlast crew is putting together our Christmas wish list for this offseason and 2010.  While 2009 provided a lot of highlights and improvements over the year before, there are still a lot of improvements and changes needed.  So we’ll take a minute from the normal Christmas desires for Playstations and electronics and power tools to talk about one of the things we miss the most this time of year.

5.  Add another setup man. The bullpen for the Braves is going to look a little different come 2010.  Gone are the days of Soriano and Gonzo splitting time in the 8th and 9th innings.  If all goes as planned, the 2010 season will see a lot of Takashi Saito working the 8th and Billy Wagner working closing duty.  If Wagner can come back successfully from his Tommy John surgery and return to his dominant closer form, the Braves will be a lot better off than they have been.  What we’d like to see however is one more quality setup man to help bridge the gap to the 8th/9th duo.  Bobby’s known for utilizing the bullpen a good bit (no thanks to the lack of quality starting pitching we saw before the 2009 season), but it can never hurt to have quality relievers to bail out your starters if need be.

4.  More offensive threats. It’s not a big secret that the Braves lack a big-name offensive threat since the departure of Mark Teixeira.  Let’s put some numbers behind it.  Last season, the Braves hit 149 home runs, ranking 22nd out of the 30 teams in the majors.  First place?  244.  And while the Braves may have the 5th best team batting average in the National League, they have only the 10th best slugging percentage; that equates to the 22nd ranked slugging percentage in all of baseball.  Offense isn’t just hitting however.  The Braves often lack the ability to be aggressive on the base path.  2009 saw all of 58 stolen bases for the Braves; next to last in baseball.  Having a little more power in the lineup however would open up a lot more opportunities for the team.

3.  Solidify the outfield. I’ve had issues with the outfield for the Braves for awhile now.  I still agree with the decision to move Francoeur just not necessarily what we got in exchange.  I’m happy to have McLouth around until we can bring up some of our prospects (which, by the way, we have a very stout outfield in the making if we can keep out prospects around).  I’m still not thrilled about the addition of Melky Cabrera, but I’m happy with some of the other pieces we got out of that trade.  So what’s the answer?  I say try to track down another power-hitting outfielder that can help with that previous item on my wish list.

2.  Find the next Bobby Cox. I know it’s not on the mind much yet, but this is Bobby’s last season managing the Braves and, while the focus needs to be on the season at hand, the future is important as well.  So the question is, who is the best option to fill the shoes of one of the most revered managers in the game?  To be honest, my answer to that question right now is that I just don’t know.  In the end, it needs to be someone that can maintain a positive clubhouse attitude……and get thrown out of games as well as Bobby (though that may just be a personal preference).

1.  Going all the way for Bobby. With it having been decided that 2010 is Bobby’s last year at the helm of the Braves, it’s only right that we send him out with the best season possible.  The ideal situation obviously is to get out there and take it all the way, but let’s start by focusing on what needs to happen in Atlanta.  We need playoff baseball back.  After so many years of getting used to having a few guaranteed October games, things have cooled off a little.  Let’s get Bobby back to the playoffs one last time!

So there you have it.  That’s what we’re looking for out of the organization as Christmas presents to us and the rest of the Braves family.  What’s on your wish list for the Braves?

Happy Holidays Everyone!

…And That Hurts A Lot

Well, after last night, the Rockies’ magic number is at 1 and anything short of a complete fold by Colorado and winning out by the Braves (which is entirely possible against the Nats) marks the end of the postseason run for 2009.

Last night’s loss hurts….a lot.  Yes, being the doubter that I am at times, I had pretty much written off the game and the season heading into the 8th, down by 5.  Two runs in the 8th and two runs in the ninth and I found myself in that hopeful spot that, by now, I should know better than to do with the Braves.  Two outs, down by 1, bases loaded………I’m sure everyone knows the rest of the story by now.  So I’m just not going to make myself angry with it again.  I’ll leave it to braves.com to tell that story if you haven’t already heard it.

So let me just put this out there that, out of anyone on the team, I’m probably the most okay with the fact that this happened to MattyD.  Diaz consistently goes out on the field and puts everything he has into the game.  He never complains about playing in platoon situations; he just does his job and does it well.  Yes, he made a mistake.  He pretty much made the most decisively costly mistake at the most important time in the season, but, you know what, he has a lot more desire to win than most of the guys on the roster.

I’m not going to deny it.  When the game ended last night, I launched into a profanity-laden tirade around my house (maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t make it out to the game for once) that I’m just waiting to hear from at least one of my neighbors today about how they don’t think they should have their children living in the same neighborhood as me.  But it’s okay, Matty, I still appreciate your value to the team.  Rue and I sat down and discussed this over lunch today.  Had Kelly Johnson been the one ending our hopes for the playoffs last night, there’s a good chance that I would have made it to the stadium before he left for a little face-to-face discussion.

There’s still a slight chance, Braves fans, but either way, let’s try to enjoy our last series of the season.  Get out to the Ted and cheer on the Braves and get ready for a season of sending Bobby Cox off in style next year.  We’ll be here in the offseason helping recap the season and getting ready for 2010.