Thoughts on the 2009 Braves

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to make some predictions about the Braves 2009 future. At the time, I thought it was pretty cut and dry. They had improved in the off season but they still were a ways from being able to make a serious run. I still think they have pieces of the puzzle that are missing, but I may have understated my view of the team.

Pitching:
My main concern is depth. If you take away the risk of injury, the Braves do have a good team especially their pitching staff. No one would ever confuse Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens and Javier Vazquez for Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz in their heyday, but the team does have consistency on its side. Both Lowe and Vazquez are noted for their ability to log innings and that could be very important in keeping the bullpen rested and healthy especially since Peter Moylan is returning from Tommy John surgery and it is believed that Mike Gonzalez is finally back at 100%. Tom Glavine’s addition gives the Braves not only experience but a left hander that can nicely round out the back end of the rotation. And with Glavine on the roster, the Braves can send Jo-Jo Reyes to the minors where he can continue to log innings and hopefully find some consistency for himself. Another question mark is the highly touted Tommy Hanson. After watching him pitch in spring training last week he surely met my expectations. He throws nasty stuff, but he is also a kid who can benefit from some more time in the minors. I do however remain hopeful that he will be called up at some point this season to take a spot in the rotation. The only way to be great is to play against great players and you won’t get that in AAA.

Projected Rotation:
Derek Lowe
Jair Jurrjens
Javier Vazquez
Kenshin Kawakami
Tom Glavine

Position Players:
Thanks to the recent signing of Garret Anderson it seems the Braves only have one more position to fill, centerfield. As I have written before, I think Anderson’s acquisition was a better coup than Griffey’s because I believe he has more to offer this team offensively and will platoon nicely with Matt Diaz in left. It also gives the Braves a veteran in the outfield that can help nurture a youngster like Josh Anderson, who looks to have the edge over Jordan Schafer because simply put, Anderson is out of options. Rounding out the outfield is Jeff Francoeur, whom from all accounts seems to be back on track.

The infield remains the same as last year with Casey Kotchman manning first, Kelly Johnson on second, Yunel Escobar at short and Chipper Jones at the hot corner. Brian McCann will be calling the shots behind the plate like he has for more than four seasons.

The major deficit in the Braves line-up is lack of power, that one guy that is a threat to hit a homerun everytime. That is something the Braves maybe able to acquire as the season progresses. The best thing Frank Wren has done has been to remain patient and let the market come to the Braves. Ok, well, that might not be completely true in the case of Derek Lowe, where the Braves were far and away the top bidder, but certainly when you look at Garret Anderson.

Predictions for 2009:
I hate making predictions, mostly because I am almost always wrong. Maybe this could be a good thing for the Braves because as they are currently constructed I see third place being their best bet. I do however think they can run with the big boys in a wide open NL East where just about everyone but the Nationals has a chance.

Their biggest issues will be a lack of depth -which will rear its ugly head when the injury bug comes crawling into the dugout - their ability to win in one run games and their lack of offensive power. Atlanta’s record over the last two seasons in one run games is astoundingly bad; it’s a condition I am not sure the Braves have cured, and without that big time bat to help power them to another win, it could be hard for them to turn it around. Let’s be honest, Ryan Howard, Carlos Delgado on his good days or Mark Teixeira for that matter is not playing first for the Bravos this season.

Plus apparently the Marlins will be a team to compete with, as many baseball insiders are calling them a sleeper ala their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008.

All hope is not lost. With a few shrewd moves and a couple of surprises, the Braves could find themselves back where they should have been the past three years, the playoffs. I just wouldn’t be making any wagers on them just yet.

News&Notes: The Braves have signed 10 players to one year contracts. The list includes Yunel Escobar and Jorge Campillo…Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman are making names for themselves at camp…Chipper Jones and Brian McCann have left camp to participate in the World Baseball Classic…2009 Braves games will air on 96.1 FM this season…Single-game tickets are now onsale!
(Photo: AP)