Braves Report

John Smoltz is no longer a Brave. Words that any Atlanta fan never thought they would hear as long as they lived. The only time that kind of sentence would be appropriate would be John’s retirement announcement. But, we aren’t going to get that fitting ending. No, a certain team from Boston will get to bask in Smoltzie’s twilight while us Braves fans, the ones who grew up watching him, have watched him for almost two decades now continue to watch as our team is run directly in the southern direction.

This latest departure, clearly the most severe, is just the icing on top of the most abysmal offseason that any Braves fan has ever laid witness to. We’ve lost out on two ace pitchers. We’ve lost out on a talented young arm from overseas. We were royally conned out of a shortstop that was undoubtedly on our team for several hours. One by one, we’ve seen free agents pen contracts elsewhere, and due to unexplained stubbornness, we’ve been unable to complete trades that seemed very possible to pull off. And now, we have to say goodbye to one of the most recognizable Braves of all-time. A hall of famer who no one could match in intensity or resilience, especially not in the playoffs, will be donning a new uniform this upcoming season. Unbelievable. Wren is now left with no choice but to sign some pitchers now (and now it seems he is doing just that).

But, is this the end? For some bizarre reason, I don’t believe that it is. Smoltz’s departure is just yet another one of the glory day players off on his journey elsewhere. I hate to say it, but wake up Braves fans. We have got to stop clinging to days long since passed. Though we won’t admit it to ourselves, we all know that our next winner won’t involve Smoltz, Glavine, or Chipper, who will most likely follow suit after Smoltz now. I mean, what’s to stop Larry from looking for a winner when he becomes a free agent next offseason? Because, though I think we’ll be improved greatly at the end of the season than from the start, we still won’t be able to achieve championship caliber.

I know. It’s hard. It sucks. Life’s over. But, I believe without a shadow of a doubt, that us fans need this. We’re like drug addicts. We need our Smoltzie, or Tommy, or Chipper fix much too often. It’s about time we kick this habit. It’s deteriorating our health. How can we expect to improve if we keep going back to it, expecting these things to lift us up and beyond?

So, I don’t believe that John Smoltz’s absence marks the end of “The Braves.” No, in fact, I think it marks the beginning of something…new. It may seem like the end right now, but remember, you’re just suffering from with drawl symptoms.

Bad news Braves fans, I, like I’m sure you as well, have a dreaded case of the Chop Town Blues. And boy, do we got it bad.

Let’s face it folks, we stink right now. And to be honest, that’s an understatement. As I write this, the Braves currently sit tied for last with the Nationals in last place, and boast an outstanding 3-6 record. Three games ago, the Braves were .500, but thanks to an awesome 3-game losing streak, that’s no longer the case. I know it’s early, but things are looking quite bad right now.

Shall we start with the pitching? “I think that’d be a great choice, bstarter!” exclaim the Braves-Report readers. Well, all right, then. Smoltz and Hudson are the only two good pitchers we have. There, I said it. It had to be said. Glavine is good, but he still throws too many pitches. If he can keep his count down, all should be fine. Jurrjens is still unproven and prone to bad starts, as evidenced in his last game, where he gave up 4 over 7 innings. Not the worst start, but certainly not the best. Chuck James is another bad egg, too, but it’s probably because he’s really not healthy. Pulled in the 3^rd last night after giving up a measly 6 runs. Oh, and here’s a little fun fact for ya, the Braves put Soriano on the DL to make room for Chuck. A move that proved to be most effective, especially since Soriano was one of the only decent arms in the pen. Then, there’s Hampton. Oh, Hampton. When you’re not on the DL sucking the Braves money, you’re….you…well…I don’t what the hell you’re doing! Hampton back on the DL for the ninth year straight continues to please with his absence, and even further increases the chance at that inevitable buyout come season’s end. In summary, the rotation is a mess, an absolute mess, and the bullpen is no gem either.

Who’s in the pen, you ask? We have Boyer = sucks, Ring = sucks, Resop = sucks, Acosta = sucks, Bennet = meh, Moylan = getting good, and Ohman = surprisingly good.  To sum things up a little better, the first 5 I just mentioned don’t have an ERA below 4.00. Other than Bennet, the closest is Boyer with 7.94 and a nice blown game on Monday. The highest we have is a sparkling 15.75 by our main man, the one we gave a contract extension too, Chris Resop! Boy, what a feat. Numbers aside, it seems that everyone in the pen sucks, doesn’t it? It seems every time one comes in, they give up a run, or at least get into a jam. We’re at the point where we have no confidence in anyone in the pen. The only way the pen can hold a game, it seems, is if the offense sustains a 4-run lead in the late innings. That doesn’t seem too tough, does it? Well, have you seen the offense on this team?

When the Braves aren’t giving up runs, they’re striking out, or getting out some other way. Only three everyday starters are batting above .300. Our big power bat, Mark Teixeira, is batting a whopping .167. But, wait, it’s okay; Tex always gets off to a slow start. What a load of crap. So, we’re supposed to just sit here with our thumbs up our asses and wait until Teixeira gets good? That sounds like a great plan! The Braves are just failing on all fronts. They can’t get runners on, and if they do, they can’t get them in. They’re not looking at pitches, and they’re popping it up to the infield. The offense is very weak right now. And aside from those few bursts of excitement (KJ’s pinch-hit GS), it doesn’t look like it’s going to change any time soon.

Now, I’ve already said it once, but I’ll say it again, it’s early. I know, I mean, hey, look at the Tigers, they just won their first game of the season yesterday. It is early, but it won’t be for long. Once it hits May, no more excuses. Hell, by May it may even be too late already. If the Braves don’t snap out of this funk, and I use that word lightly, then they could be permanently stuck in the sticky gooey bottom of the NL East. But, they did lose a game by 6 runs last night instead of 1. I think that may be the early signs of a turnaround!

Note: This article was meant to be released earlier, but due to schedule confusion, I screwed up, and it’s late.

Even though I was upset that I didn’t have the time to write a blog last week, I’m actually happy because of the bizarre week that the Braves just had (and are continuing to have).

Week 1 of the 2008 season is in the books, and looking back, what a week it was. I mean, what can you say? What? That this season is going to be absolutely crazy, and filled with excitement and stress at every corner? If you said that, odds are, you’re going to be right.

Let’s take a look back on just some of the things that went down in the NL East just these past 7 days. First and foremost, the Braves went from being dead last and the worst team in baseball to now tie with the heavily predicted losers of the East, Florida Marlins. The Nationals had a white-hot start, winning their first three games, then quickly plummeted with 4 straight losses. And then, there’s the Mets, the dear-old Metropolitans. They dominate game one with a magnificent Johan start, but then come out the next day and get slaughtered. After beating the Marlins again and taking the series, they come to Atlanta. After a game one rain out, Huddy and the Braves shut them down with an 11-5 victory and then proceeded to sweep them the next day, besting Johan in the process. Now, judging by some Mets websites, it seems that they already want to give up. But, do not get upset Met fans; for you can draw inspiration from us dumb slack-jawed yokels. Early last week our fans were lighting up message boards across the nation with “Trade Kelly!” “All hail Prado!” and “I THOUGHT THIS TEAM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD!” And I’m not going to even mention the travesty that is Mike Hampton.

Yes, these, ladies and gentleman, are the ups and downs of baseball. I’ve always said it, baseball is the sport in which it’s most hard to predict the outcome. The sport with the most parody tends to be that way. One week, your team could be on cloud 9, then next (or even next day), you’re coming off being on the hitless end of a no-hitter, and staring at the asses of three opponents in your division.

I know, it sucks, and it’s frustrating, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch. I said in our forums last week that we’ve only played two games and it feels like it’s been two months. Just yet another example of this tumultuous thing we call baseball.

Now, I’m not saying this is the first season to do such a thing to us fans. No, not even close. But, if week one is any indication, then this season may go down on record as being one of the most wild and crazy we’ve seen yet. And guess what, there’s still about 156 games to go!

The pitchers have reported. The catchers have reported. The position players have reported. Yes, it’s that time again folks. The time when the sun is shining bright, when the players are oiling up their rust spots, and when the pale, moon-like figures known as fans emerge out of their holes. Baseball is back, and it’s about time!

One of the teams that’s not been mentioned, or even on somebody’s far distant radar, is the team from Atlanta. Sure, they didn’t make too many big splashes during the off-season, but I think they may have found the few missing pieces to the puzzle that can lead them back to the playoffs, and to the World Series. Most people will dismiss my opinion of the 2008 Braves, but I have a message for them, “We are the team to beat.”

The Braves pitching staff is the most dominant or at least deep in the NL East. Smoltz, Glavine, and Hudson alone are one of the most promising top 3 in baseball. Old age or not, these guys can still pitch. The age is just an excuse made up by those who sit in denial. The back end is nothing to laugh at either. Returning for his third year, the crafty lefty Chuck James fills the 4th spot, and Mike Hampton, who after missing the last 2 years consecutive, may finally be ready to take the hill once again in the back end of the rotation. Now, these two are probably the most injury-prone in the rotation, so I wouldn’t expect them to pitch all season unharmed. It’s a good thing we’ve got at least three youngsters waiting in the wing for their chance to shine. First up is Jeff Bennett who pitched last year, and did quite well. He’ll probably get the nod first if either pitcher is to go down. Next is a toss-up being Jo-Jo Reyes, and the newly acquired Jair Jurrgens. Jo-Jo did quite badly in his time last year, but towards the end, managed to get his first major league win ending the season with two. As for Jair, at the young age of 22, has already claimed victory to 3 big-league wins, and impressive 4.70 ERA. Let’s not forget that he was an AL pitcher after all. Any one of these three guys would make for an excellent candidate if a spot opened up.

Starting rotation isn’t the only shining beacon for the Braves on the pitching side of things. No, the Braves, even after the Devine trade, have a solid looking pen out in right-center. Closing this year will be the dominant Dominican, Rafael Soriano. Last year, Soriano finished with a 3.00 ERA and 70 strikeouts, keeping up his reputation for sending batters back to the dugout empty handed. Setting up for him this year will be the “side-winda” from “down unda” Peter Moylan. Moylan was, without a doubt, the Braves biggest surprise player of the year, and one of their best. Moylan finished the season 5-3 with a barely-visible 1.70 ERA. The Braves also have Tyler Yates in the pen, who can be shaky, but brilliant as well. There’s also the newly attained Will Ohmen (who has an unbelievable record away from Wrigley), and returning Blaine Boyer. And last, but most certainly not least, the return of Mike Gonzalez sometime in late June or early July. This will provide an outstanding boost to the Braves pen, and if they’re already on a roll, who knows where this will lead them.

Now, onto those pesky position players, who are shaping up be just that for other teams. Around the horn, they’re as impressive as any team around. At third, do I even need to mention him? We’ve got Yunel Escobar at SS who lit up the league in his short four-month stint with the team before the close of the season. He went on to record a .326 batting average with 28 RBI’s, and 5 home runs, not to mention some very impressive work with the glove. Over at 2nd is the “most asked for player” Kelly Johnson. Kelly started the season on fire, but quickly tired. If he can work on his stamina, and last the whole marathon season, one can only guess at his numbers. Then there’s first base. First base is a bit bitter sweet. We’ve gave up so much to obtain him, and now he may be gone after just under a year and a half. That won’t let us not enjoy him this season though. Of course, I’m talking about the powerhouse that is Mark Teixeira. In just 54 games with the Braves, Tex hit .317 with 56 RBI’s and 17 home runs. Behind the plate is the catcher who I am convinced is the best catcher in all of baseball, Brian McCann. Coming off another solid season with the Braves where he hit .270 with 18 home runs, I think the Braves can expect only good things from him. In the outfield, from left to right are Matt Diaz, Mark Kotsay, and Jeff Francoeur. Diaz who has proved two seasons in a row that he is no fluke is out there once again to shut his critics up. Francoeur need not prove anything to anyone. With his killer arm, and crazy bat, his opposer’s lips were sealed from day one. The Braves with the most to prove though, is Mark Kotsay. Obtained from Oakland in exchange for Joey Devine, Kotsay has a very tough uphill battle for him. Coming off back surgery that side-lined for most of the season last year where he only hit .214, he needs to do a complete 180 if he is to be taken seriously. Even with a few bumps here and there, I think this Braves team is one of the most solid and well-rounded teams to ever take the field.
Now, what kind of aspiring blogger would I be if I didn’t cover all aspects of the team that will be playing on the diamond this season? Not a very good one, I will tell you that much. The Braves bench is something one should not look over either. For the first time in years, we have a possible solid backup catcher in former Brave great Javy Lopez. There’s also Omar Infante, a new addition to the team who is an excellent utility player. Backing up Tex is Scott Thorman, who can be very good when he’s used in small increments. Filling out the rest of the bench will be Prado, Anderson and/or Brandon Jones. So all in all, our bench is looking very stable too.

This year, I’m very confident in the Braves, and that’s quite a shocker to those who know me as a pessimist doubter who never believes. Even with the acquisition of Johan Santana, I still don’t see the Mets, or the Phillies for that matter, running away with the division, or pennant, as some over-zealous Met fans have declared. No, I think if the Braves stay healthy, and work together, they can make some serious strides and surprise a lot of people. But, for those of us without tunnel vision, it will be no surprise; it will be all that hard work paying off at last.

As we approach Opening Day (6 more days!!!), we here at Braves-Report not only get excited for Braves baseball, but baseball in general. And we, and I’m sure you as well, tend to start making your predictions for the upcoming season. Glorious thoughts start to fill your head, while others plague you full of dread. It’s the time to make your predictions, no matter how bold they may be, because everyone is even, don’t you see? So, before you go off on your own, sit back, and read our predictions, which are sure to make you moan.

AL WEST

BBlackwell: Los Angeles Angels del Anaheim of Southern California in Orange County Specifically Anaheim not Compton but Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles… – Because the Rangers & A’s stink, the Mariners slightly misfired with the Bedard deal (they weren’t to the level where a star would put them over the top) and instead need more depth all-around. The Angels are deep virtually everywhere, and the baseball season is indeed a marathon. That’s why good depth wins divisions.

bravesmith1711: Anaheim Angels – The Angels and Mariners are much better than people give them credit for, but Anaheim just looks a little better. The offense and bullpen just look a little better than that of the Mariners.

bstarter29: Anaheim Angels – I thought I’d start with the division, I’m least knowledgeable in. Honestly, who cares about this division. The same thing happens every year, Angels and A’s battle it out, get a brief scare from the Mariners, and the Angels pull through. I expect the same to happen this year, but I think the Mariners will put up a better fight. ’09 maybe more of their year.

LSU31always: Anaheim Angels – The Angels added Torii Hunter in the off-season. The M’s added Erik Bedard. The Angels needed another bat, Hunter will give them not only another bat besides Vlad but one of the best defenders in the game.

AL CENTRAL

BBlackwell: Cleveland Indians – Really, I think they’re neck & neck with Detroit, and either pick makes sense here, but I take Cleveland because they are more likely to make the right roster adjustments as the season goes on. When the teams are so similar, I go with management, and I like the team of Shapiro/Wedge over Dombrowski/Leyland.

bravesmith1711: Cleveland Indians – Best team overall in the Central. I’m calling major disappointment for the Tigers as their bullpen (Todd Jones and little else) completely implodes and the Tigers struggle to 85 victories.

bstarter29: Cleveland Indians – Even with the acquisition of Dontrelle and Cabrera, I still see the Tigers looking up at the Indians asses. Why? Because the Tigers rotation is very shallow outside of the starting 5. It’s Verlander, Dontrelle, Bonderman, Robertson, and Rogers. Verlander to me is the only one who proves worthy. You never know with Robertson, and Bonderman didn’t too well last year, and Rogers is old. With Dontrelle, I think people want him to be Dontrelle of ’03. But that’s not the case anymore. His value has since gone down tremendously from 2 years ago. Yes, their lineup is dominant, but even in the AL, you need a good steady rotation.

LSU31always: Detroit Tigers – They are the World Series favorite to me. Looking at this team that won 88 games and added Miguel Cabrera. They didn’t just add one of the top 5 hitters in the game today but they also got an all star caliber shortstop in Edgar Renteria and the ideal number 5 starter in Dontrelle Willis.

AL EAST

BBlackwell: New York Yankees – Boston has pitching stars, but New York has pitching depth. Boston has a great middle of the lineup, but NY’s lineup is better from 1-9. I love that they’re finally turning over some key roles to the youngsters, which they used to avoid. For that reason, I think they really might wind up as the best team in the majors this year.

bravesmith1711: Boston Red Sox – I think the World Series Champs are still the team to beat. The rotation and bullpen should be better than the Yankees, and again, the offense won’t be much worse. Sorry, Jays and Rays, both of you are good but lack star power in all three facets.

bstarter29: Boston Red Sox – Now that Schilling is off making video games, and Beckett is nursing injuries too, my prediction has wavered a bit, but I still think they’ll pull it out. The Yankees are just in no shape to realistically compete with them in the division or the Tigers for the Wild Card.

LSU31always: Boston Red Sox – The defending World Champions have everybody back. They are the favorites with the questions the Yankees have regarding their pitching and how the team will react to the loss of Joe Torre as their manager.

AL WILD CARD

BBlackwell: Detroit Tigers – Take that, Red Sox. The Tigers are better and healthier. A month ago, maybe I take the Sox. If only the Tigers had a real closer, this pick would feel more comfortable. I can’t see it being anyone else besides those two teams, though.

bravesmith1711: Seattle Mariners – Bedard stays healthy, and King Felix takes a big step forward. The offense isn’t great but good enough, and the defense is underrated. Who doesn’t like Putz finishing teams off.

bstarter29: Detroit Tigers – Well, I gave it away, didn’t I? Silly me. While I don’t think the Tigers have enough to top the Indians, I do think they have enough to top the Yankees, or maybe Mariners/A’s.

LSU31always: Cleveland Indians – The Indians tied for the best record in baseball last year and were 1 game away from getting to the World Series. They return all their key parts and could improve upon their 96 win total from 2007.

NL WEST

BBlackwell: Arizona Diamondbacks – The Dodgers have finally made the right strides, the Rockies are still lingering, and San Diego has great pitching, but I think the D-Backs repeat. I mean, they won the division last year with a pretty mediocre team. This year, the team should be very much improved, and hopefully get 90 wins while actually outscoring their opponents for once. This roster is well-constructed and the rotation is ideal.

bravesmith1711: Arizona Diamondbacks – I think they are the best team in the NL. As long as the offense makes the expected improvement, they should win the division easily. Their rotation (add Johnson and Haren) and bullpen should rival the Padres’ and Dodgers’, but they’ll have a better offense. (100 win alert)

bstarter29: Colorado Rockies – It’s gonna be neck-and-neck between the D-Backs, and Rockies. I honestly don’t think the Dodgers are going to be that good. Even after losing the spark-plug Matsui, I expect to see the Rockies celebrating that division title come September.

LSU31always: Arizona Diamondbacks – The D-backs had the best record in the NL last year. They added another ace in Dan Haren to go along with Brandon Webb. This young team will be exciting to watch.

NL CENTRAL

BBlackwell: Chicago Cubs – If they pull off a Brian Roberts trade, I’ll feel more confident in this pick, but either way, I think they’re good enough to win 87-91 games and take this division. The offense is solid, the pitching is deep, and there are two guys I like as a closer. That’s a nice problem to have, I think. Fukudome is like a durable JD Drew, which will be very helpful. The Brewers are the only real competition, and I just don’t think they’re as deep as the Cubbies.

bravesmith1711: Chicago Cubs – Close call, but I went with Chicago because their bullpen looks to be a bit better and more secure. I’m just not ready to give Gagne the thumbs up. Milwaukee has a better (not by much) offense and more depth in the rotation, though.

bstarter29: Chicago Cubs – This division, I believe, is impossible to pick. Now, any team can win in any division, that’s the beauty of baseball, but that saying really applies to the NL Central. So, I’m not really gonna bother getting into it, and throw my pick of the Cubs into the hat.

LSU31always: Milwaukee Brewers – I think the Brewers with a full year of Ryan Braun will barely edge the Cubs in a race the will last until the end of the season. The Brewers collapsed last year and their collapse would have been a bigger story had it not been for the Mets historic collapse.

NL EAST

BBlackwell: New York Mets – They’ve mortgaged the farm to win this year, and they will. It’s a tall price to pay just to get to the crapshoot known as the playoffs, but at least they approached the push correctly. I’ve been a Johan Santana fan since 2002 or so, and I won’t hate him because he’s a Met now. I’ll just wish him some misfortune. Still, the offense is solid, the bullpen is well constructed, and the rotation is deep. Not many things really have to break their way to even win 90 games. 95-100 is a very real possibility. But like I said – when the playoffs start, there’s no such thing as a favorite, so as a Braves fan, it doesn’t worry me.

bravesmith1711: Atlanta Braves – They have no real weaknesses, and even at their biggest (pitching) they have added depth in the rotation and bullpen that is headed north to Richmond. Mets (Depth, Bullpen) and Phillies (whole pitching staff) have major worries.

bstarter29: Atlanta Braves – C’mon. I blog on a Braves site. Seriously though, I’ve said before, I’ll say it again (and I’ll say it again in my upcoming season preview), the Braves ae more dominant than the Mets and Phillies. Rotation, lineup, bench, coaching, and bullpen. The Braves found the few missing pieces of the puzzle this offseason, and if they can work together, and stay healty, we may be looking at the finest art in baseball.

LSU31always: Atlanta Braves – The Braves have the best offense in the division which should improve with the loss of Andruw Jones and his .222 batting average. And the Braves biggest weakness from a year ago, rotation depth, is now one of their biggest strengths.

NL WILD CARD

BBlackwell: Atlanta Braves – Because I like their pitching more than Philadelphia, their offense more than Milwaukee, and their overall talent level than any of the West’s also-rans. Considering each of the last 6 World Series have featured a Wild Card team, I actually like Atlanta’s postseason odds better if we take home the WC instead of the division.

bravesmith1711: New York Mets – Phillies got lucky last year, and their pitching won’t hold up this time. The Mets have a much better rotation and bullpen, and their offense won’t be much worse. They beat out the Brewers (better overall team) and the NL West teams (competition in that division will kill each other).

bstarter29: New York Mets – The Mets aren’t gonna go quietly. I do think the Braves are better, but with Johan, and that strong lineup, they’d have to try pretty hard not to make the playoffs.

LSU31always: New York Mets – The addition of Johan pushes them over the top. They do not have any depth if anyone gets hurt. They need to stay healthy the whole year with is difficult to do with some of the aging veterans they have.