Braves Report

Well, this was depressing. We get up by two. Then down by two. Then we tie it only to lose in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Morton pitched fairly well for the first four innings, but he started having control problems in the fifth and sixth innings. Bobby came out and took Morton out. Then, he brought in Ridgway, who promptly allowed a three run homer. Ridgway then got the others out until Bobby went out again and brought in Acosta, who got a couple outs. Then, he went back out and brought in Ring, who got an out. Then, he went out and got Boyer, who got four outs and the loss because he gave up the lead-off double to Kinsler in the 9th. Then, Bobby came out again to bring in Ohman, who got an out immediately. Then, Bobby came out to bring in Bennett who prompty gave up the game-winning single. Bobby was a little busy by bringing in six pitchers out of the bullpen

The bats were a little slow today, but they came alive when they needed to to core a couple runs. Chipper went 0 for 4 today to lower his average to .394. Only Johnson had multiple hits today. Other than that, Feldman held us hostage for the entire day. Wilson and Wright were the ones we got to.

Another tough loss on the road.

Braves lose 5-4.

Tomorrow’s game 7:30 PM. Not nationally televised.

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Update: Apparently, Diaz went on the DL, so everything below about him is contingent on him coming back healthy.

Well, two months into the season and we need to look at what we need. Today is the first part of a two-part series. I’ll talk about players who we can trade and who has the most value in a trade. For the record, I’m not suggesting these players because I dislike them. The reason they are here is because they will have some value in trades, and I think it is reasonable that they could be traded (I realize most would want Chipper, Brian, or Frenchy, but they aren’t going anywhere).

Kelly Johnson

I don’t even want to suggest his name, but he has a lot of value. It was indicated that he was the most asked about player on the Braves in the offseason, and his start (.297/.356/.487/ 5 HR / 22 RBI) has not doused those flames. At age 26, he is still young and has something most second basemen don’t have, power. Although he’s had issues with the glove, most teams will look past that for the offensive prowess and that this is only his second season at the position. With Lillibridge, Prado, Infante, and Gotay hanging around to succeed Johnson, Johnson becomes expendable. Again, I really like Johnson, and if we could have him and Escobar in the middle for the next five years, it may end up being the best middle infield in baseball. Yet, he has a lot of trade value. My guess is that he or Lillibridge will not be around come August 1.

Brent Lillibridge

The young (and even younger looking) shortstop could be an integral piece in a Braves trade this season. At age 24, he is young, has a good arm, plays multiple positions, has speed, and has pop. Again, my bet is that either he or Johnson is gone this season and whoever is left will be the starting second baseman next season (Infante will probably get the job the rest of this season if Johnson is traded). I like Lillibridge as well, and I even saw him for a couple games when Richmond came to Louisville. He looks good. He even hit well for those couple of games although I think a couple bullets were caught. His inability to hit in Richmond may hurt his value, but I bet several teams will inquire about him.

Gregor Blanco

I would hate to see him leave. To me, he should be the starting left-fielder (topic for future blog?) because of his defense, speed, stick, and plate discipline. Also, he should be our lead-off hitter and let Escobar move him around or drive him in. Escobar has done a fine job as the lead-off hitter, but I feel he is more of a No. 2. But I digress. Blanco’s turn around will look good to a lot of teams looking for center fielders, and he could fetch something decent, or help get something big, for all the reasons above. Again, I want to see him stay, but Anderson, Kotsay (if healthy), and Schafer make him expendable.

Josh Anderson

See above, but substitute Blanco for Anderson. Anderson has been playing well in the minors and doesn’t deserve to be there. Someone will want him, or at least ask about him.

Matt Diaz

Who needs a platoon partner? With Blanco playing well and Kotsay doing well (until getting hurt recently), Diaz may find himself being expendable. He’s not hitting particularly well, and he’s not been very good defensively. With Josh Anderson playing well, it may be better to bring him up to serve as the fourth outfielder and help in case Kotsay continues to be hurt. Although Diaz isn’t hitting now, some teams might be attracted to the fact that he has hit the past two years and that he will hit in a new spot where he might feel like his job isn’t slowly being taken away from him. He doesn’t have the value of Johnson or Lillibridge, but he could be valuable.

Chuck James

Before you yell at me, hear me out. He does have value, just not as much as the previous five. Although he hasn’t pitched well in Atlanta, he has been fantastic in Richmond. Some teams may view his lack of success this season on his lack of third pitch and recent surgery (which also limit his value), but they may also see these as correctable. The next off-season will allow for his shoulder to heal and for him to learn another pitch. Most scouts believe that if you saw it once, it can happen again. He’s still relatively young, and he could be a throw-in to help get an important piece. I doubt Atlanta really wants to bring him back up, and a new place could be what he needs.

Jordan Schafer

Again, before you yell at me, hear me out. Steroids and HGH don’t scare anyone off from trading for players. If he comes back strong from the suspension, he will be wanted. With Blanco playing well, we don’t need Schafer to be the center fielder of the future. To me, he’s still welcome in Atlanta, but it might be a nice PR move for Atlanta to get rid of someone who was involved with PED’s. At age 21, Schafer will look really good to teams in need of center fielders for the future (Padres, Giants, White Sox, Mariners, Astros to name some). If he doesn’t come back strong, he’ll still have some value as a “needs a change of scenery” player, but not as much as he would have otherwise.

I expect at least one or two (maybe three) of these players to be gone by July 31, but there is no knowing yet. Some other minor leaguers will be needed to complete deals. In the next installment, I’ll explain what we need and who might be available.

Well, even though the starting pitching situation has waded in and out between panic and pleasure, the bullpen has been solid over the past month. I guess I really can’t complain when we have one of the top two or three team ERA’s in the NL, but it’s a bit more sketchy than it started out. Anyway, the bullpen has been great, and it is going to get better. In the next few days to weeks we should be getting Rafael Soriano, John Smoltz, and Mike Gonzalez back (probably in that order). So with Resop already designated for assignment, the Braves still have plenty of decisions to make. Here’s the bullpen as of now:

Jeff Bennett         3.57 ERA

Blaine Boyer        3.94 ERA

Manny Acosta     2.81 ERA

Will Ohman          3.10 ERA

Buddy Carlyle     3.38 ERA

Royce Ring          6.75 ERA

Phil Stockman     0.00 ERA

Pretty impressive, huh? So what do we do? Well, I don’t think Bennett will go because he’s been so flexible and crucial to our success. Boyer won’t go because he’s out of options, and better yet, he’s been pretty awesome (who doesn’t love the 29/6 K/BB ratio?). No way Acosta will go considering he’s got the best ERA above (Stockman doesn’t count; not enough innings). Ohman won’t go because we made the big trade for him, and again, better yet, he’s been pretty awesome. So that leaves the last three. This is how it should go. Soriano will come back first most likely, and then Stockman will go because Carlyle can pitch multiple innings and has more experience. Smoltz will come back, and Carlyle will most likely go because we might want Ring with Milwaukee and Cincinatti coming up. Prince Fielder for Milwaukee and Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. for Cincinatti are left-handers that we’ll need Ring for. Yet, Ring hasn’t been particularly spectacular, and Carlyle is a bit more flexible. Also, Ring is out of options, so he’ll be DFA’d as well. When Gonzalez comes back, the other will leave. Ohman will then shift to the left-handed specialist role, but he’s more valuable because he can get righties out as well. You have to like the security we should be getting in the back of the bullpen. While Smoltz and Soriano can be instantly put back into big situations, Cox needs to resist the temptation with Gonzalez. He hasn’t pitched in a while, and there will complications after Tommy John surgery. In conclusion, our new bullpen will look like this:

Jeff Bennett        3.57 ERA

Blaine Boyer       3.94 ERA

Manny Acosta    2.81 ERA

Will Ohman        3.10 ERA

Rafael Soriano    2.25 ERA

John Smoltz        2.00 ERA (as a starter)

Mike Gonzalez   N/A

Pretty impressive, huh? Bennett will be the long-reliever. Boyer and Acosta will be the middle-relievers. Ohman will be the left-handed specialist. Soriano and Gonzalez will be the set-up guys. Smoltz will be the closer. I can’t wait to see the other teams faces when we roll out Gonzalez, Soriano, and then Smoltz.

Shameless Plug: For more on baseball in general, check out my blog Rounding the Bases, which is located in the blogroll to the right.

Not necessarily the best Brave of all-time, Jeff Blauser was at least interesting. Honestly, the reason I picked him to do this article was that someone mentioned his name in an article I read about a week ago, and it made me nostalgic for the mid-‘90’s. Known primarily for having quite a bit of power for a shortstop, Blauser was a solid contributor for the Braves for 10+ seasons.

As the fifth pick of the 1984 draft, Jeff Blauser had a lot of expectations to live up to, but there were always questions about his defense. He arrived in the major leagues in 1987, but he only a little over 70 games total over the next two seasons. Starting in 1989 at age 23, Blauser became the starting shortstop, but for the next few seasons, Blauser would often come out at the end of the games for his defensive replacements Andres Thomas and Rafael Belliard. In the expansion draft of 1992, the Braves almost left Blauser exposed, but Vinny Castilla, Armando Reynoso, and David Neid were selected instead.

Blauser would repay the Braves for their confidence in 1993 by having a career season with a .305 batting average, 15 home runs, 73 RBI’s, and 110 runs. He also played 161 games that season, and he only played over 150 games twice in his career with the other being in 1997, his other breakout season. Blauser would be selected to the All-Star Games in each of those two seasons, but during the in between seasons, he would struggle with consistency and injuries. After hitting .308 with 17 homeruns and 70 RBI’s in 1997, Blauser won the Silver Slugger Award, and the following off-season, he signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs. He did not play well for the Cubs in the next two seasons, and he would retire at the ripe old age of 33.

After retiring from playing baseball, Blauser took some time off before becoming the manager for the Mississippi Braves in 2006. The next season, Blauser became a roving instructor instead of staying in Mississippi. Again, Blauser may not have been the best player in Braves history, but anyone who made significant contributions to the Braves during the 1990’s holds a special place in my heart.

Fun Facts:

- Although on the 1995 team, Blauser did not play in the World Series due to his poor performance.

- Led the league in HBP’s in 1993 with 16 adding to his great season.

- Often teamed with Greg Maddux to pull pranks on teammates.

Okay, well we all know how the starting pitching has gone this season, and now with a bunch of injuries, especially to one of our aces, Smoltz, we need to reassess the situation. Who do we have? Who can we bring up? Who can we trade for?

Who do we have now?

Tim Hudson: 4-2, 2.95 ERA, 42.2 IP in 7 games, 27 K, 5 BB

Tom Glavine: 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 22 IP in 5 starts, 11K, 12 BB

Jair Jurrjens: 3-2, 3.05 ERA, 38.1 IP in 6 games, 28 K, 13 BB

Jeff Bennett: 0-1, 3.95 ERA, 27.1 IP in 12 games (3 starts), 19 K, 14 BB

Jo-Jo Reyes: 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 5.1 IP, 5K, 3 BB (1-1, 1.17, 23 in 5, 25, 8 in AAA)

Without Smoltz, this rotation won’t scare too many, and Jayson Stark is already wanting to take back his World Series prediction. Honestly, if anyone picked us, they’re probably thinking the same thing that Stark is. However, things may not be as bad as they seem. Huddy just pitched a gem Friday, and hopefully, his inconsistencies are out of the way. We need Hudson to go out and pitch 7-8 innings every time out like Webb and Peavy for us to make it. Jurrjens has been a God-send. He has been the most consistent pitcher, and with a 3 ERA, he’s been the second-best (edged out by Huddy). He’s pitched at least 5 innings each time, and 3 out of 6 times, he’s pitched 7. Glavine has also pitched fairly well so far, and if he stays healthy, hopefully he pitches more like he did against Washington than yesterday against Cincinnati. He needs to eat innings. Bennett has done fairly well, but he’s been a bit inconsistent. Yet, he’s probably more of a long-reliever than starter, but he’s been pretty huge so far by pitching whenever and however we need him. Finally, Reyes seems to be becoming the pitcher we hoped he could be. He pitched really well last night, and if we scored the seven runs earlier, he would have pitched another inning or so, at least. If he continues his early season success, Jair and Jo-Jo could be the beginning of a beautiful thing. As I see it now, we need another experienced guy in the rotation. Huddy and Glavine should be able to stabilize things for the most part, but we need some more experience for when they have rough outings. I like Jair and Jo-Jo, but being the No.3 may require too much responsibility.

Who can we bring up?

Chuck James: 2-1, 7.62 ERA, 13 IP in 3 starts, 10 K, 7 BB (0-1, 1.80, 10 IP in 2, 5, 6 in AAA)

Charlie Morton: 1-0, 2.15 ERA, 33.2 IP in 6 starts, 26 K, 13 BB in AAA

Tommy Hanson: 3-1, 0.79 ERA, 34 IP in 6 starts, 42 K, 10 BB in A Myrtle Beach

Other notables: Rouwenhorst (4-1, 3.55 ERA in AAA), Todd Redmond (2-1, 3.75 ERA in AA)

Obviously, we can’t trade for everyone, and maybe we won’t be able to trade for anyone. Therefore, we may need another prospect to come up in the event of an injury. You’ll note that Hampton is not on any of these lists because I don’t think we can expect anything from him, and he is considering retirement. On to James, he’s been inconsistent, and he still can’t find the strike zone. However, he has the most experience and will be the next one called up. Morton continues to show the improvement shown in Spring Training by pitching well in AAA. I’d like him to be the next one up, but he probably won’t be. Also pitching incredibly, fantastically, and marvelously well is Tommy Hanson. His stock has soared upward as a result of his awesome start. Although he is a little too far away to be called up, if he gets promoted to AA and does well, it may not be too surprising to see him up in the majors. Cox promotes based on results, not what team you’re on. I threw in Rouwenhorst and Redmond because they’re pitching fairly well, and might find themselves up here. The other pitchers in Richmond and especially Mississippi haven’t been very good so far, especially the starters.

Who can we trade for?

Here’s the multi-million dollar question. I’ll talk about some rumors and try to anticipate what the other team may want in return. Here’s what we need: an innings-eater, experience (3+ seasons), youngish (late twenties, early thirties), talent. We don’t need to freak out, but we need some insurance. With Smoltz likely done as a starter (yet to be determined if he’s just frustrated, but I’ll trust that he doesn’t have much left), we have to have someone to count on, and next year’s rotation seems to be Hudson, ______, ______, Jurrjens, and Reyes as we’ll lose Smoltz and Glavine from the rotation. Maybe Jurrjens or Reyes can jump to the third spot, but realistically, this is how we stand.

(Note: the “/” means “or”. I just used it to group players together)

Roy Oswalt: 3-3, 5.57 ERA, 42 IP in 7 starts, 33 K, 13 BB, 30 years old, 8^th season

Here’s the perfect solution. Basically a Hudson look-a-like with his small stature and drop-and-drive mechanics, Oswalt is probably one of the top five pitchers in the NL. Don’t let the bad ERA scare you because this guy is good and underrated. His stats will come back to earth a little. He not only pitches 200 innings as he usually throws more than 220. He’s only had one injury in his career (2003). However, Owner McLane doesn’t really want to deal him because Oswalt is signed through 2012 for $14-16 million per year. Also, at 15-16, the Astros aren’t ready to go into seller’s mode yet. Therefore, this is a long-shot, but the rumor had to come from somewhere. To get him, we’ll need to give up probably 4 pieces. Maybe Anderson/Blanco/Lillibridge/Prado, 2 from Rohrbough/Morton/Locke/Evarts/Hanson and Schafer/Heyward (now, most likely Heyward). It would take a lot to get Oswalt, but he’d be worth it.

Joe Blanton: 3-5, 3.88 ERA, 55 IP in 8 starts, 22 K, 10 BB, 27 years old, 4^th season

Another underrated guy who pitched 230 innings last season with a 3.95 ERA. He won’t strike out many, but he gets a lot of ground outs. He’s never had a losing season, and his numbers aren’t too bad this season either. For whatever reason, he hasn’t got a lot of run support and lost two 2-1 games so far. At age 27, he’s young and still has two more arbitration years after this season (keeping him here through 2010). To get him, we would need 3-4 players. Beane may want Heyward, but I wouldn’t trade him for Blanton. Honestly, take out Heyward from the Oswalt deal, and we might get Blanton. However, with the A’s inexplicably doing well so far, this one is a long-shot for the time being although Beane isn’t afraid to make a deal.

Freddy Garcia: no starts this season, 32 years old, 9^th season

Garcia is the second-oldest guy on the list, but he’s a free-agent so nothing is needed to get him except money. Before last season, Garcia only pitched less than 30 games once (2000), so he’s not necessarily injury-prone. However, his injury was a shoulder injury, so be careful. However, at 32, he could still be a solid No.2 guy if he returns to form, and he definitely eats innings. Unfortunately, he’s out until June at the earliest, so he’s not immediately available. Yet, for a million dollars or so, he would be a low-risk/ high-reward guy for the team. If he can prove to be healthy, he’s the best option.

Kevin Millwood: 2-2, 3.86 ERA, 44.1 innings in 7 starts, 27 K, 17 BB, 33 years old, 11^th season

Millwood would have been readily available if not for Texas’ recent winning streak, but it won’t last long. He could be had by the end of May. At 33, Millwood is the oldest option, but he’s not too old. Maybe a return to the place that he started would turn his career back around. Now, Millwood is a sinker/slider guy with little upside, but he eats innings. Also, getting away from homer-happy Ameriquest Field would lower that ERA just a little bit. In trade, we would need to give up two of the above named pitchers and maybe another position player. With pitching at a premium, he won’t cost nearly what Blanton and Oswalt will, but he will not be cheap unless his ERA balloons again. His contract is also cheap as he’s signed through 2010 for $11-12 million per year.

Aaron Harang: 1-4, 2.98 ERA, 48.1 IP in 7 starts, 41 K, 11 BB, 29 years old, 6^th season

This one is a hunch by me. No rumors or anything here. However, Cincinnati can’t get it together, and they may look to unload some hefty contracts. He’s signed through 2011 for $11-13 million, so he’s affordable. At age 29, he is young, and he’s an ace pitcher. To get him, we’ll need the Oswalt package, but again, I think Harang would be worth it. He’s pitched at least 230 innings the last two seasons, and he’s a strikeout guy, which we desperately need. I see a Hudson-like move for some starting pitching, and I think Harang would be a great answer. With the young pitching in the Reds organization, they may deal him away knowing they have some good guys to fall back on. Also, he would be able to bring back much more than Dunn and Griffey combined. For a team looking to rebuild, unloading Harang would bring them at least 4 good prospects.

Greg Maddux: 2-3, 4.09 ERA, 44 IP in 7 starts, 25 K, 8 BB, 42 years old, 22^nd year

Well, Maddux is old, so he doesn’t fit the “youngish” category, but he still has talent and eats innings. Oh yeah, how cool would it be if the “Big Three” finished their careers as Braves. The Padres stink right now, and that offense isn’t getting any better. Maddux could come in and stabilize the rotation for the remainder of the year, but he doesn’t solve any long-term concerns. To get him, we may have to give up one of Anderson/Blanco and maybe an above named pitcher for him. The Padres like young pitching, and they have been searching for a young center fielder.