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Week in Review: 4/18 - 4/25

Following this week's performance, we have decided to create an article titled 'Week in Review.' This blog should will be posted by one of our contributors at the start of every week.

Our first week of the season we are going to critic is April 18, 2010 - April 25, 2010.

The Braves started this week off with back-to-back comeback wins against the Rockies and the Phillies. Late innings theatrics from Jason "The Kid" Heyward provided the Braves with a 4-3 win against Colorado and he tied the game in the 9th against the Phillies. Following Tuesday night's rally, the Braves were tied for first in the NL East.

Then Doc Halladay made a visit to town against the Bravos, Wednesday night. Since the Doctor came to town, the Braves are winless. They have dropped five straight games and face fierce competitors this week, in the St. Louis Cardinals. The schedule does not get any easier for the Braves any time soon. The month of May is most likely going to determine the success of this season.

The Braves need a big bat now. They were 3-for-22 w/RISP against the Mets and 7-for-52 w/ RISP during past 8 games. Tommy Hanson was the first Braves pitcher to record a hit from the #9 spot in the lineup last night against the Mets. The offense needs a surge immediatley. Rumors are circulating that the Braves have been inquiring about Padres stud 1B Adrian Gonzalez. However, A-Gon only has 1 year remaining on his contract and trading for Gonzalez could potentially block prospect Freedie Freeman from being called up.

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What should ATL do?

A brief look at the Atlanta Braves Prospects

The Braves currently find themselves in a very interesting situation. They are stuck with two prospects at outfield, Jordan Schafer and phenom Jason Heyward. Jordan Schafer was one regarded as the best prospect in the Braves system. Many scouts considered Schafer to be the best hitter for average and defensive outfielder in the Braves organization. After suffering from a wrist-injury during the home opener vs. Washington, Schafer has fallen out of plain sight. Respectably Schafer had a terrible rookie campaign mainly because of the wrist injury.

The Braves acquired CF Nate McLouth in June 2009 to replace Schafer. Now the Braves face a major dilemma. The Braves currently have six outfielders on their roster. Gregor Blanco, Melky Cabrera, Matt Diaz, Eric Hinske, Nate McLouth and Jordan Schafer.

Hinske will serve as the Braves top left-handed pinch-hitter and Blanco will be fighting for a role with the team in Spring Training for the second straight year. As of now, McLouth is the starting CF for the Braves. The other three OF's will battle each other for playing time. A platoon of Melky and Diaz is very likely since they complement each nicely. (They are each others ying-and-yang) Diaz is a more effective hitter against lefties and Melky a is stronger hitter versus righties.

With the current makeup of the roster the Braves are taking a major risk at 1B with Troy Glaus. Glaus who has only played 6 games at 1B in his 11-year career brings a huge injury concern to the Braves. The Braves are confident Glaus is healthy and his shoulder is not an issue. However, the lineup still lacks 'thunder' to compete with elite teams in the National League such as the Phillies and Dodgers.

Over the past decade the Braves have called up several prospects which were considered top prospects by Baseball America. Andy Marte, once considered to be Chipper Jones replacement failed in 2005 and was eventually traded to Cleveland for Bob Wickman. Homegrown talent Jeff Francoeur, showed promise his first two seasons but because of his lack of plate discipline, pitchers eventually threw balls outside the strike zone to him knowing he would chase. Consequently, he became the 'goat' on the Braves team and was essentially booed out of town by fans. Kyle Davies was fantastic his rookie year while serving as a starter for the Braves. He shut-out the Red Sox in Fenway Park and that was the last we heard of him.

Brian McCann is arguably the best prospects to come out of the Braves farm system the past decade. Rafy Furcal was a fantastic leadoff hitter but became money hungry and signed with the Dodgers. In 2008, when the Braves thought they had signed him to serve as a 2B Furcal claimed he was "sleeping" and never agreed to terms with the Atlanta. Tommy Hanson had a successful rookie campaign but lets wait until 2010 is over before we make a final judgement.

So do the Braves want to risk calling up highly touted prospect Jason Heyward or give Schafer another opportunity to compete at a corner-outfield position? Or should we give the dynamic duo another year to develop and sign free-agent OF Johnny Damon to a 1 yr/$3 million contact.

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Braves cutting Payroll?

Could Atlanta Braves GM Frank Wren secretly be cutting the payroll for the 2010 campaign?

The Opening Day payroll for the Braves in 2009 was $94,313,666 million. Frank Wren has trimmed the payroll by dealing Javy Vazquez and his $11.5 million contract to the Yankees in exchange for Melky Cabrera's $3 million contract, prospects and $500,000 cash.

After the Braves officially sign 1B/3B Troy Glaus to a 1 year/$2 million they should have approximately $7-9 million left according the 2009 payroll. Mark Bowman the Braves-beat writer for MLB.com suggest after the Glaus signing "the Braves appear to be done with their major offseason projects." Could this be bad news for Braves fans? I would say so. As of now the 2010 lineup is projected to be:

1. Nate McLouth, CF
2. Martin Prado, 2B
3. Chipper Jones, 3B
4. Troy Glaus, 1B
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Yunel Escobar, SS
7. Matt Diaz, LF
8. Melky Cabrera, RF
9. Starting Pitcher

The Braves finished the 2009 season with the following lineup:

1. Nate McLouth, CF
2. Martin Prado, 2B
3. Chipper Jones, 3B
4. Brian McCann, C
5. Adam LaRoche, 1B
6. Yunel Escobar, SS
7. Matt Diaz, RF
8. Garret Anderson, LF
9. Starting Pitcher

So, the Braves have replaced LaRoche with Troy Glaus who is capable of hitting 30+ HR's and 80+ RBI's if he stays healthy. Frank Wren has essentially swapped Anderson for an equally hitting Melky Cabrera and no other adjustments have been made. With LaRoche in the lineup the Braves still needed another power bat in the lineup to compete with elite teams such as Philadelphia and Los Angeles Dodgers. Should Braves fans panic if Wren does not sign another power bat prior to the start of the 2010 season? Wren has stated he is confident that Heyward can play OF for Opening Day but do we want to take the Schafer approach and potentially have our best prospect in the farm system of this decade fail, or should we take the Hanson approach and let him develop into a better player in the minors? Hopefully Wren will pull the plug and sign a power-bat or acquire a bat via trade. Until then "In Wren we trust."

Braves send Vazquez to the Yankees

Yankees GM Brian Cashman did not wait long to acquire a starting pitcher. After openly stating yesterday that the Yankees were interested in acquiring a starting pitcher, Cashman pulled off a trade this morning for fire-baller Javier Vazquez. Vazquez is coming off a career year after posting a 2.87 ERA AND 238 strikeouts.

The Braves are sending RP Boone Logan along with Vazquez and will receive OF Melky Cabrera, LHP Mike Dunn and 19-year old prospect Arodys Vizcaino. The Yankees have agreed to pay all of Vazquez's salary and will send $500,000 to the Braves.

In Cabrera, the Braves get a career .290 lead-off hitter and above average fielder who can play any position in the outfield. Mike Dunn posted 99 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings in minor-league ball. Vicaino was the #3 prospect in the Yankees organization and has a low-90's fastball and great curveball. Vizcaino could be a sleeper in this deal. He has all the makings of a closer, fanning 52 batters in 42 1/3 innings while only issuing 15 walks. Vizcaino was also ranked as the #3 prospect in the New York-Penn league.

With the departure of Vazquez, the Braves still have six players capable of starting: Derek Lowe, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, Tim Hudson, Kenshin Kawakami and Kris Medlen. I'll even go as far to throw in Jo-Jo Reyes into that mix. The question is who will be the ace of this team? Jurrjens is coming off a stellar season but is he ready to become the star of this pitching staff or should we stick with a veteran and go with Hudson or Lowe?