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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.

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?

Major Website Changes

Hey y'all hope everyone is having a spectacular offseason.

Here's a quick run-down as to the transactions the Braves have made:

• Signed: free-agent RP Billy Wagner 1 year/$7M (2010), plus 2011 option
• Signed: free-agent RP Takashi Saito 1 year/$3.2M (2010)
• Signed: free-agent RP Juan Abreu 1 year/$400K (2010)
• Offered Arbitration: RP Mike Gonzalez
• Not-Offered Arbitration: OF Garret Anderson, 1B Adam LaRoche, 1B Greg Norton
• DFA: OF Ryan Church
• Non tendered: 2B Kelly Johnson
• Traded RP Rafael Soriano to Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RP Jesse Chavez

Anyway, we are making major changes to AtlantaBravesNation.com for the 2010 season. We are open for suggestions and always love feedback (good or bad, hopefully good). Feel free to add us as a friend on Facebook or send us an email. Also follow us on Twitter.

Remember, Atlanta Braves Nation's got YOU covered for all Braves rumors and news this off-season.

Email: AtlantaBravesNation@gmail.com

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Strikeouts do not trasnlate into Wins!

For years I have been saying one of the most overrated stats in baseball are strikeouts.

Most baseball fans tend to disagree. Strikeouts are definitely one of the most entertaining things in the game. I think we can all agree that there is nothing better late in a close-game than a 3-2 strikeout with runners in scoring position to end the inning/game.

Although strikeouts are certainly exciting they don't necessarily translate into wins for the starting pitcher or the team. Point and reasoning is our beloved Javy Vazquez.

Javy is first in the majors with 125 K's, 8th in the NL in ERA, averaging 1.94 BB/9 and 5.43 K/BB. His stats are fantastic and batters are only hitting a measly .230 against him. The main issue with Vazquez is lack of run support with the Braves.

However what makes Javy the perfect candidate for the reasoning is the fact that he has a career loosing record and is one of baseball best strikeout pitchers the past decade. Javy's years as a Expo were wasted with a bad team but he has played for contending teams since leaving Montreal. Strikeouts only excite the fans but do not translate into wins for the pitcher or team. Other pitchers in the past few years that have faced similar dilemma are Zach Greinke, Gil Meche, Matt Cain, Erik Bedard and Ian Snell. That's why a hitter who is capable of blasting 40 HR's and 110 RBI's is more effective than pitcher who tallies 200 K's a year. Yet again a prime-time hitter is more effective and useful to a team in modern-day MLB than a ace-starter.

Change is Coming...

It's time for change for the Atlanta Braves organization...

Whether that involves sitting or trading a local outfielder who was the Sports Illustrated coverboy, Jeff Francoeur; or making another major move such as asking a future Hall-of-Fame coach to step down because he cannot get the message across to his players.

Simply put this team is not cutting it. The Braves playoff drought has been 3 long and miserable years. Fan support is the lowest it has been in five years (based on attendance numbers at The Ted and television viewers). The only way this team is going to regain the pride and prestige they had in the 90's is by making a key change NOW! The Braves have to make the playoffs this year if they want to retain an above-average fan base, make an attempt at luring key free-agents this off-season and most importantly bring some hope back into players that have not had the opportunity to reach the playoffs.

The Braves clearly have the pitching to get it done but their hitting is questionable. The addition of Nate McLouth brought necessary speed and power to the top of the lineup, but their 6-8 spots of the lineup are killing the team. Casey Kotchman is a pathetic excuse for a 1B from an offensive point-of-view, he not only lacks power but he is also slow around the bases. Jeff Francoeur the Braves usual #7 hitter is batting a measly .245 and Kelly Johnson the Braves #8 hitter is hitting a devastating .224. On top of that Frenchy has the 10th lowest OBP in the majors! But to put the icing on the cake, Kelly Johnson is not far behind him at 16. In order to be a successful team in the major these days you have to receive input from all your hitters. Whether the top of the lineup is providing power and bottom is playing small ball you can not rely on 3-4 hitters to win you ball games consistently.

Since the Braves lost that devastating Game 7 in Houston off a Chris Burke walk-off HR (irony) Bobby Cox and company have posted a 267-286 record. That won't get it done in Boston, that sure as heck won't cut it in New York, so why is this record acceptable in Atlanta?

Medlen's PINK Backpack...

For those who missed it Kris Medlen has been spotted numerous times sporting a pink backup while making his way to the bullpen prior to the ballgame. Being as Medlen is a rookie, he is required to carry the backpack to the bullpen every game. 

The pack is filled with goodies such as candy, sunflower seeds and gum.

Hanson to make Braves Debut on Sunday

With all of the roster changes, there has been alot of craziness going around the Braves locker room. From the release of the veteran Glavine, to the addition of All-Star CF Nate McLouth, to the calling up of young potential ace Tommy Hanson, the Braves are sitting pretty in the NL East! Hanson, named the #1 prospect in all of baseball, will be facing a tough lineup in the Milwaulkee Brewers Sunday. He needs to go up and try to get groundballs, and not have the usual mindstate of "striking everyone out". He's gonna need to be able to handle his excitement of pitching in the majors in order to translate into a successful outing. I look forward to seeing how he will perform. With the Braves 5.5 games back, Hanson isn't under too much pressure, which should help his mind-set headed into the game. 

With encouraging teammates such as Derek Lowe, Brian McCann, and Chipper Jones, Hanson should receive the motivation needed to mow down the hitters. If he's able to pull-off a quality start, it could be a bright sign for the Braves future! 

Atlanta Braves Projected Lineup

With the addition of Nate McLouth the Braves lineup trades drastically. McLouth not only brings power to a struggling offense but he will provide the Braves with much needed speed on the basepath. McLouth has swiped 20 bags the past two season, lead the NL in doubles and was sixth in the majors in the runs in '08.

Why wait until 6:30 PM tonight forthe lineups will to be released, when here is what the card read. 

1. Nate McLouth, CF
   
2. Yunel Escobar, SS
   
3. Chipper Jones, 3B
   
4. Brian McCann, C
   
5. Garret Anderson, LF
   
6. Jeff Francoeur, RF
   
7. Kelly Johnson, 2B
   
8. Martin Prado, 1B
   
9. Jair Jurrjens, SP
   

So, what do y'all think? Are you pleased with this lineup? 

Braves trade for Nate McLouth...Hanson to start Saturday

The Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates have reached an agreement to trade for outfielder Nate McLouth. Nate McLouth is coming off a terrific 2008 season in which he tallied 26 HR's and 96 RBI's while maintaing a .276 batting average. In 2008 he lead the National League in doubles with 46, was sixth in the majors in runs scored and won a Gold Glove. 

According to an MLB official the Braves are sending Charlie Morton, Gorkys Hernandez and Jeff Locke to Pittsburgh for All-Star Nate McLouth. 

McLouth did sign a three-year extension with the Pirates in February. Here is the breakdown: 

2009 - $3.5 million ($2 million base and $1.5 million bonus)

2010 - $4.5 million

2011 - $7.75 million ($6.5 million base with $1.25 million buyout in 2012)

2012 - $9.4 million club option

Frank Wren did suggest that he will be a leadoff hitter; my guess is Bobby will utilize him as leadoff when McCann is in the lineup and bat him cleanup when McCann has the day off. 

As for Tommy Hanson; the Braves top pitching prospect is getting the call to the big-leagues. He will start Saturday vs. the Brewers. Hanson will move into the rotation as the 5th starter and his roommate will be Kris Medlen. Tommy has been fantastic pitching for Gwinnett posting a 1.49 ERA while striking out 90 batting and only issuing 17 walks in 66 1/3 innings.

Fantasy Stew with Chef TK

It's Time.

The day has arrived.

One of the most hyped players in fantasy baseball is set to make his debut Friday. While most who own him are probably filled with excitement, I think there is also hidden anxiety. A Matt Wieters owner in deep leagues secured him on draft day sacrificing a spot on his roster until this moment. This includes days where his other catcher may of been given days off. This, in my eyes, makes him a higher gamble then waiting for David Price or a Braun/Longoria in days past. In fantasy, stability at the catching position can go a long way. Wieters has much to prove for those that used a legit pick on him in the draft.

Still, Wieters has proven himself in AAA with 5 homers and a .305 average. The Orioles lineup is fantasy friendly so he will have plenty of chances to drive batters in and make owners look like future GMs.

The Wieters restless should also take comfort in team president Andy MacPhail saying, "The lineup is up to the manager, but we didn't bring him up here to sit. Matt Wieters isn't going to do a lot of sitting...He's here to be the catcher."

Let the season now officially begin for all you owners out there.

P.S. Are you hearing any trade offers for him ;-)

Quickies

David Wright. Homers. Please?

Carlos Zambrano is a bull dog. Suspension means 1 start instead of 2 next week.

Mark Teixeira on a tear. New York City glad to get past the awkward slow start first date.

Kerry Wood gets 8th save. As long as he stays healthy he will be finish as a great value. Indians are bound to get hot as well.

Aramis Ramirez injury situation gives me a bad feeling in my stomach. Plan accordingly.

ANSWER TIME!

How many wins will Zach Greinke finish with???

Braves Skipper Shuffles Lineup

Skipper Cox's Lineup Changes Lead To Wins?

Bobby Cox hasn't always been a huge person on switching the Atlanta Braves lineup around, but, I guess things change, right? What a surprise! The Braves' skipper shuffled the lineup for the Braves, and since then the Braves have won every game, scoring many runs, rallying, and playing great baseball. So here's the question - Will he stick with this lineup? Some of you probably don't think so, but it looks like it's working! As long as it is working, it shouldn't be changed. Cox's notorious lineup changes could make the Braves serious contenders in the division! If their was one thing I would do different, it would be to put Schafer at leadoff. He is the only speed threat, and has a great OBP. It certainly must be better than KJ, and KJ hits better low in the lineup. Swap them, and the Braves could be near unbeatable! I will be taking a closer look to the moves Bobby make and I will be studying them. I hope to see more great decisions!


-DeepRally / Clyde

Fantasy Stew with Chef TK

A BRAVE NEW WORLD

Hey kids. Every week I am bringing to the kitchen here at Atlanta Braves Nation a hosh posh of fantasy info, advice, and personal tips I hope can help you all reach the promise land in your fantasy leagues. Bascially, let's win you a stimulus package. To kick things off, I start respectively with a new brave.

They say pitching is contagious. Or was it swine flu? Lets hope the first is the case when talking about Kris Medlen. He gets the nod against the Rockies tomorrow night and sports a 5-0 record with a 1.96 ERA with AAA Gwinett. At first glance, Medlen appears more likely to hand Chipper a new bat than someone who should taking the mound but don't let the baby face fool you. He has a 44/10 K:BB ratio and should settle in nicely to the rotation. I believe you should take a chance on Medlen but dont expect a long term fix. Medlen is known to go after batters so alot is up to the defense behind him as well as his ability to shake off the Major League nerves. Also, the 5th spot for the braves seems destined to be a revolving door this season. Still, if Medlen can at least keep the Rockies in the park and have a decent outing, you'll be set up for great upside his next starts.


QUICKIES

David Ortiz has finally hit his first homer. Hurry up and buy low.

I'm not buying Raul Ibanez keeping up this pace. Citizen Bank Park in all its cupcake glory can be quite the mirage. Why do i sense a winter cool off in June?

David Wright has quietly regained form. Sit back and enjoy the homers.

Jimmy Rollins might have cement shoes the entire season when explaining his SBs but i still think he will turn things around...see if a owner has had enough.

In Detroit you should be riding the Rick Porcello train not the D Train.


ANSWER TIME!

Which 3-4 hitter combo do you like better?

* Tex and Arod

* Mauer and Morneau

B-mac is Back!

B-Man is back and hopefully so are the Bravos. Brian McCann entered Spring Training like a whole new guy. He lost the weight that had been slowing him down, worked on his batting in the off-season, and stepped up to the plate to become one of the new club house figures and essential power hitters. But his ealry spring training success ended abruptly with eye problems within the first few weeks of the regular season.

But he's back and already has proven that he is a key to the Bravos success. 

So you might ask, why not to worry about the Braves. The Braves are only two and half games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. And the moment he put his new Oakley sunglasses on - magic happened. McCann went 3-for-4, giving him four hits and five RBIs in the two games since his return. And he know, as well as all Bravo fans should know that, “We haven’t played with our [full] starting lineup until the last two days, really,” said McCann. 

Don't forget, B-Man hit .301 last year, with an on base percentage of .373, 23 HRs and 87 RBIs. He already blasted 3 HR's and 11 RBIs and is in the best shape of his career. Bravo fans - don't loose hope. I have a feeling the April showers are gone and the Braves are ready to get hot in HotLanta. 

BE AGGRESSIVE

Chip and Joe brought up an interesting topic tonight during the game. The duo suggested that the Braves become more aggressive on the base-path and I completely agree with them. Since the Braves are not going to be smacking the ball out of the park, they need to find a way to put runs on the board in a quicker and more efficient manner. 

Rookie Jordan Schafer has the speed to swipe 20-25 bags a year. Schafer has an excellent first step and strides through the diamond smoothly. Yunel Escobar is another interesting player. Yunel, is one of the more aggressive base-runners on the team, but at the same token he is prone to make bonehead mistakes on the basepath. If Matt Diaz, Garret Anderson (currently on the DL) and Brandon Jones do not start showing that they are worthy of being slotted into the Braves lineup then we will be forced re-call Gregor Blanco who was arguably one of the best Braves base-runners last year.

A Case for Brandon Jones

Two years ago I went to Braves Spring Training in beautiful Lake Buena Vista, Florida. If I recall correctly, we crushed the Tigers largely because of a young out-fielder's bat, Brandon Jones. Jones displayed power, patience and promise during the game. At the time, I wasn't sure if the Bravos lineup could handle a third Jones on the team and was positive that another year in the minors would benefit Jones to becoming a better ball player.

Last year, Brandon Jones had a .261 batting average in 116 for the Atlanta Braves. He notched 16 RBI's and a HR. 

Overall I believe Brandon Jones would contribute to the current Braves lineup more than backup 1B/OF Greg Norton (who is currently 0-11). Jones could serve as a backup OF coming off the bench, and with the news that Garret Anderson may be headed back to the DL, B. Jones could be given a shot to compete for the starting job in LF. Jones has line-drive power and a good glove. His only lurking issue at the Major League level is his plate discipline. Last season Jones struck out 24% of the time. If he can become a more patient hitter his natural athleticism will pay off and Mr. Jones will become a key role player on the Braves bench. 

Dump the Slump

The Atlanta Braves began the 2009 season by heading into Philadelphia and taking two of three from the World Champs. Following a successful stint in Pennsylvania the Braves swept the Nationals at the Ted. All the woes from the past few seasons seemed to be in the rear-view mirror. The only lurking hole was the bullpen.  

After going 5-1 the Braves dropped 5 straight. The Braves eventually took the series finale versus the Pirates, but are now 6-7 after dropping last nights game to the 1-win Nationals. As a Braves fan I am mildly concerned with where this team is headed. The off-season appeared to be successful. Wren revamped our starting pitching by adding two veterans and Kenshin Kawakami, a SP deemed a better version of the Dodgers Hiroki Kuroda. 

Brian McCann visited an eye-specialist today to receive treatment for his blurred vision. The good news is that apparently his sight problems have been solved with some contact lens. On the other hand, Garret Anderson appears to be headed to the DL to recover from a strain in his left quad. Makes me wonder if signing Tommy Glavine to a 1-year deal was necessary and if the Braves should have forked over some more money for a more reliable OF such as Bobby Abreu. I would not be surprised if the Braves end up dealing some of starting pitching for a power bat. The Braves have a surplus of SP's and could definitely use another pop in the lineup.  

Overall, it is still fairly early and the difference between this Braves team and the past years is that this team expects to win. The Braves are not going to allow the team to continue to fail; most of the players have missed out on the playoffs the past three season and I am sure they have that craving to play post-season ball in October.