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?

So Maybe Not DeRosa

One of the options remaining for the Braves to add to the roster that we mentioned yesterday looks like it may not be an option much longer.  Mark DeRosa underwent a phyiscal for the Giants earlier today and that appears to be the only thing standing in the way of the completion of a two-year deal.  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.  The Braves were interested in his versatility and ability to fill in for multiple roles, but DeRosa was looking for a three-year deal that the Braves just weren’t looking to extend.

So with an estimated $6-9 million remaining to spend, what options are still out there for the Braves?  As I talked about yesterday, one of our favorite options is Xavier Nady.  Nady would not only add a little more depth to the outfield (where the Braves often seem to have persistent injury issues) but would serve as a backup first basemen behind Troy Glaus, who the Braves are hoping to have a solid season on his surgically repaired shoulder.  For me personally, this is my top choice as of right now and what’s left on the market.

Another name that has been tossed around for the amount of money the Braves have remaining and the needs they are looking to fill is Dan Uggla.  He would provide that offensive pop that we have been wishing for while holding down the second base role.  If that’s the case however, I’d like to make sure that there is still a constant starting role for Martin Prado, who I feel is a huge asset to the Braves.

We’ll be anxious watching the news over the coming weeks to see what move or moves the Braves still intend to make.  I think they would be willing to take the current squad to Spring Training, but I get the feeling they would like to make a little bit of a change still.  Who knows?  Maybe we’ll still see them move the recently acquired Melky Cabrera for another bit of offensive power.  With DeRosa off the market, what are your next choices to bring to Atlanta?

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.

Troy Glaus: The Bridge to Freddie

Anyone that expects that the pending agreement between the Braves and Troy Glaus signifies a long-term first basemen coming to Atlanta, I wouldn’t hold your breath for too long.  After playing in only 14 games in the 2009 season and only 6 games at first base in his career, Glaus appears to be a one-year option (at an affordable rate of only $2 million mind you) to hold down the spot until Freddie Freeman is ready for the majors in 2011.  This shouldn’t be anything too new to Braves fans however; there was a story in the AJC earlier this week showing that Glaus will be the 12th different opening day first baseman for the Braves in the past 14 years.

Pending a physical in the next week or so, Troy Glaus will become the latest offseason addition to the 2010 lineup for the Braves.  So this begs the question; who is Troy Glaus?  He’s a 6′5″, 240-lb right-handed big man that, before undergoing shoulder surgery this past January, was one of the most reliable bats in Major League Baseball.  Glaus has had 5 seasons with 30 or more home runs (and twice been over 40) as well as 4 seasons with 100+ RBI.  If all goes as planned, he will likely fill the cleanup spot between Chipper Jones and Brian McCann.  This type of offensive threat could drive Chipper to have a little more production that he hasn’t seen since Mark Teixeira was batting behind him.

But this isn’t just a simple answer to the issues the Braves have a first base.  While Glaus batted .270 with 27 home runs and 99 RBI in 2008, he battled multiple ailments in 2009 and only played in a handful of games.  In that time he went 5-for-29 at the plate.  Thankfully, the Braves have the benefit of a full physical before finalizing the deal to bring Glaus to Atlanta.  If healthy, he could provide a little more offensive production, which is definitely on our Christmas wish list for 2010.

The part that scares me however is that he’s not really a first basemen.  Six games over a 12-year career at the position is hardly an experienced first basemen.  So the defensive aspect of this acquisition still leaves a lot to be questioned.  One question answered by this however is that this likely ends any hopes for Adam LaRoche to return to the Braves in 2010.  Despite hitting .385 in 2009 after returning to the Braves, the salary and contract term that would have been required to keep LaRoche around was a little more than the front office was looking to spend.  Once again, Glaus is nothing more than a cheap bridge until Freddie Freeman is ready to head to the majors.

So, until the season starts and we really see what Troy Glaus has got, it’s hard to tell the impact he will have on the team.  Financially, the moves by Frank Wren this week leave the Braves with around $7 million to spend, but will they?  Maybe we’ll see Jason Bay coming to Atlanta.  (Don’t hold your breath on that one, by the way.)  What else is there for the Brave to acquire this offseason?  What else do you want to see?  And more importantly, what does Glaus bring to the team?

Tags: First Base, Freddie Freeman, Free Agent Signing, offseason, Troy Glaus
Posted in Roster Moves | 1352No Comments »http://www.bravesblast.com/2009/12/25/troy-glaus-the-bridge-to-freddie/Troy+Glaus%3A+The+Bridge+to+Freddie2009-12-25+22%3A46%3A29Jonathan

Braves Trade Kotchman for Adam LaRoche

Adam LaRoche is coming home. LaRoche, who was just earlier this month traded from the Pirates to the Red Sox, has been swapped straight up for Casey Kotchman, it appears. If you’re wondering how this trade stacks up, it’s about a straight up deal, if that. Casey Kotchman hits for a higher average and has better defense, but LaRoche hits for more power and knocks in more runs. But he strikes out more than twice as much. Yes, seriously.

That said, the Braves want power. They want a little more pop in their lineup and LaRoche gives them that. He has to work on keeping the strikeouts down (he’s whiffed 83 times already this year, compared to Kotchman’s 28). LaRoche does walk a bit more, too.

The bottom line is that the Braves think LaRoche is a better fit and jumped on the opportunity to bring him back home. When he was with us before, he struck out less. He now gets to play with his old buds and hopefully provide some punch to the back of our lineup, which isn’t looking shabby now. Here’s a guestimated lineup, assuming everyone is healthy:

McLouth, Prado/Johnson, Chipper, McCann, Anderson, Escobar, Church/Diaz, LaRoche. Having someone on pace to hit around 20 homeruns is not a bad person to have in the 8 hole – especially if the guys before him are on base enough to give him RBI opportunities. Sure, he’s only hitting .248, but I’m choosing to stay on the positive side of this trade. I’ll leave the negative to someone else.

Kudos to Wren and Cox for going out and making a move that they believe makes this team better. They’ve been right so many times in the past when it looks like a wash – why should now be any different?

Hudson Inching Towards Comeback

If all goes as planned, we could see Tim Hudson back in an Atlanta Braves jersey by mid-August.  Hudson has been sidelined for about a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.  Last night, he took the start in Gwinnett, throwing 4 scoreless innings of 4-hit baseball.  27 of his 41 pitches were thrown for strikes, while he struck out 4 batters and didn’t walk anyone.

If all goes well with his next starts in Triple-A, we should fully expect to see Hudson heading back to Turner Field.  This leaves the question, however, who is the odd-man-out in the rotation?  Lowe, Jurrjens, Vazquez, Hanson, Kawakami and then Hudson would all be looking at starting pitcher spots.  Lowe, Jurrjens and Vazquez all are undeniably safe in their starting jobs.  As far as I see it, Kawakami would be the 6th man when the situation arises, barring a complete breakdown by Tommy Hanson.

It’s not a bad situation to have, with 6 capable starters on a squad.  Any injuries to a starter will be a much less scary prospect if we are carrying an extra starter as a long reliever.  It’s not an easy situation for a lot of starters when it comes to switching to the bullpen, but the front office is going to have to make a choice.  What do you think should happen?  My vote is for Kawakami to head to the bullpen if all stays as it is right now.

Francoeur Parts Ways With Braves

After a couple months of looking to trade Jeff Francoeur, the Braves have finally come to an agreement with a taker.  Ryan Church will be coming to Atlanta in a deal that sends Francoeur and cash to the New York Mets.

After starting his career in Atlanta in 2005, many expected Francoeur to be in Atlanta for quite some time, but in the past two seasons, he has failed to live up to expectations of the fans and the club.  Since the start of the 2008 seasons, he has compiled a .243 average while only slugging .357.

Ryan Church has hit .280 with two home runs so far this season while Francoeur has hit. 250 with five home runs.  Church never has really hit for power, but in 2007, finished up with 15 home runs.  He can consistently hit for average, but we’ll just have to wait and see how this trade works out in the long run.  There’s always the chance that Frank Wren will move Church back out of Atlanta in the not so distant future.

I think fans will be pretty divided on this one.  There will be the group that is happy to see Francoeur go and will say good riddance.  Then there is the group that will cry about it and call for Frank Wren to be fired.  Good decision or not, it will take some time to tell.  Where do you stand on the issue?

Braves Trade For All-Star McLouth

The Braves traded for All-Star centerfielder Nate McLouth today, sending three prospects to the Pirates. McLouth will provide a much needed solid power bat in the middle of the lineup, adding punch to the outfield as well as speed. The Braves part with Gorkys Hernandez (came from the Tigers with Jurrjens), Charlie Morton, and pitcher Jeff Locke.

McLouth is hitting .256 this year. Last year he finished with a .276 average, 26 home runs, 94 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases. He’ll provide some protection for Chipper and McCann – which is something they need to remain productive.

With this activity today, the Braves appear to be making a move to make a run this season – and they’re not afraid of committing early. We’re only 4 games back in the NL East and have the pitching to take us a long way – even without Hudson coming back later this year. It’s good to see the Braves make the moves necessary to get some more offense ready to go. I’m impressed – this isn’t something we’re used to seeing the Braves do. What are your thoughts? Is McLouth the answer or do we need to make additional moves?

One thing is certain in my mind – Jeff Francoeur’s on the hotseat. We’ve got a LOT of outfield talent coming up and if he doesn’t produce, he’s not around forever.

Braves Call Up Hanson

Tommy Hanson is coming to Atlanta. He’ll make his first start for the Atlanta Braves this Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Hanson has been tearing it up in Gwinnett for the AAA ballclub with a 1.50 ERA and 90 strikeouts.

Hanson will take the rotation slot previously held by Kris Medlen – who has been moved to the bullpen. It’s about time for us to see what Hanson can do – he’s the most hyped prospect the Braves have had in years. Frank Wren said it was time to call up Hanson when they determined they’d rather have him starting than Tom Glavine, who was released earlier today.

Looking forward to seeing Hanson? Will he flop or be the real deal?

Braves Release Tom Glavine

Sources cloes to Major League Baseball report that the Braves have released pitcher Tom Glavine, who, just days ago, was reportedly healthy and ready to return to pitch for the Braves.  Glavine was set to be paid $1 million when added to the active roster and another $1.25 million each for 30 and 90 days on the active roster.

After returning to Atlanta last season, Glavine had shoulder and elbow surgeries and has been attempting to regain the ability to pitch at the major league level.  After throwing eleven scoreless innings in his latest two rehab starts, Glavine indicated that he was ready to head back to Atlanta.

Glavine, 43, has 305-career wins and spent the first sixteen seasons of his major-league career with the Braves.  Since returning to the Braves in 2008, he made only 13 starts before being sidelined by injuries.  His return in the 2009 season was set back in April by some recurring injuries however.  Glavine has stated that he is not ready to retire and was fully looking forward to pitching in Atlanta this season.  It’s not yet clear what options he will pursue.

I wonder what this signifies for the Braves?  Are there bigger plans in the works? Or is it just time for Tommy to hang it up?  More on this as we find out.

Tags: Braves Release Glavine, Braves Release Tom Glavine, Glavine Released, Tom Glavine
Posted in Roster Moves | 12228 Comments »http://www.bravesblast.com/2009/06/03/braves-release-tom-glavine/Braves+Release+Tom+Glavine2009-06-03+21%3A59%3A04Jonathan

Schafer Demoted, Blanco Called Up

The Braves sent the struggling Jordan Schafer to the minors today, calling up Gregor Blanco to take his place as the Braves’ center fielder. Schafer is hitting just .204 with 63 strikeouts in 167 at-bats – considerably slowed after a hot start. That’s a lot of striking out this year. The Braves tried to give Schafer a chance, but it’s been almost a month since his last game with more than one hit.

Gregor Blanco will start tonight against the Cubs. He’s hitting .384 in the past two weeks in Gwinnett. The Braves need more offensive production and hope that Blanco can provide some pop and a spark for the team. Jonathan is thrilled – he’s a huge Blanco fan and will enjoy watching him play tonight. Drop by the front row of 435 if you’re at the ballpark to find Jonathan and chat if you want.

Schafer still has potential as an outfielder in the big leagues – he just needs some more seasoning. We’ll see if he can turn it around in Gwinnett hitting off lesser pitchers.

What are your thoughts on the move? Good or bad for Schafer? Should we have traded Josh Anderson in hindsight?