Atlanta Braves Thread

franky will swing at everything. didnt take long for the rest of the league to get a book on him. he needs to be more disciplined at the plate......end of story.

 

I had hoped that the Braves could get the 2nd part of the season rolling by sweeping the Nats, but instead they lose two of three. I am now officially depressed.

 

mark tex traded to angels. throw in the towel

 

I wish I could say that I'm optimistic about the future of the Braves but they have more holes to fill on the Major League roster than at any time since the early 80's. Even if both Smoltz and Glavine return next year, they are ancient. Chipper is fragile and aging and the outfield is a mess. I know they're not going to spend a lot on free agents so the next couple years might be rough.

 

C: Brian McCann - signed through 2013
1B: Casey Kotchman - signed through 2011
2B: Kelly Johnson - signed through 2011
3B: ???
SS: Yunel Escobar - signed through 2013
LF: Brandon Jones? (eventually Jason Heyward in '10 or '11)
CF: Jordan Schafer / Gorkys Hernandez?
RF: Jeff Francoeur - signed through 2011

SP: Jair Jurrjens - signed through 2013
SP: Jorge Campillo - signed through 2013
SP: Jo-Jo Reyes - signed through 2013
SP: Chuck James / Charlie Morton
SP: Cole Rohrbough / Tommy Hanson / Jeff Locke

CL: Rafael Soriano / Mike Gonzalez


So third base is a big question mark once Chipper is ready to hang it up. I don't think Lillibridge will hit enough to be useful there, so he may only be a reserve middle infielder. The two prospects in centerfield should be worthwhile, especially from a defensive standpoint, although I wouldn't mind seeing the Braves get Andruw back from the Dodgers if LA would pay most of his '09 salary. Left field is more of an issue, as I think the lineup needs more pop than Brandon Jones provides. Someone like Adam Dunn would be interesting depending upon the price.

That gets us to starting pitching, which is a major concern. Despite their reputation, the Braves actually haven't been good at producing major league starting pitching in a long time, and the prospects they have now are mostly in the low minors. I think Jurrjens and Campillo are good enough to stick around as back of the rotation guys, but I'm very unconvinced about Reyes ever becoming someone you can rely on, while James and Morton both have huge question marks as well. The near future of this franchise will depend on the front office's ability to find more solid starting pitchers.

All that said, I don't think that the situation is quite as gloomy as Wise One made it out to be. The Braves have a lot of good young hitters under contract for years to come, they just have to fill the remaining holes in the lineup and find some more arms. That's not going to be easy, but it's a lot better situation than Pittsburgh or Washington are dealing with.

 

James is absolutely not MLB caliber. I'm not a big Reyes fan either. I need to see a bit more of Morton before I decide on him. Jurjens and Campillo are most surely keepers. Even if they can somehow come up with two more respectable starters, I don't see them being better than a 500 club with the current outfielders gracing the roster.

 

The outfield is really not that bad. Francoeur is having a bad year but Kotsay is playing very well and Blanco has been doing great as a leadoff man.

 

Pitching as Collin said is the main issue. They don't really seem to be drafting or developing it very well. The minors seem to be fine as far as position players, maybe a little light on the power part though. It's for sure the Braves won't be bringing in any talent in the FA market since the free spending days are long gone now. It was a hell of a run for 14 years but now we have to look at being in the playoffs as special. I'm not going to complain too much because I remember what seemed like the yearly 90+ losses they had in the 70's and 80's.

I think this season for Francouer is more likely the norm rather than the exception. He swings from the heels and damn near won't take a walk unless the pitcher throws it so far off the plate he can't swing at it. Pitchers have his number now and he seems too stubborn to change his approach at the plate. Until he does that he's going to have shit for stats.

 

No way. He's not nearly this bad, although hitting .300 as a rookie was over his head too. The truth is about that .280 spot in the middle.