By Hunk Erdown

February 1, 2007 09:13 PM | Link to this

Hard to beleive its already time for Camp Mac Daddy.

By KC

February 1, 2007 10:16 PM | Link to this

Nice column. I’m mildly impressed that Jeff was able to make it through a full blog without a smartas$ reference to Scheurholz’s books signings last year.

By Sane Jane

February 1, 2007 10:52 PM | Link to this

LaRoche’s parting shots only made me love him more. He was candid but not cruel. And 100% accurate, I might add.

By Sane Jane

February 1, 2007 10:53 PM | Link to this

I see a lot of 3-2 games in our future this season. The only question is, will we be the three or the two?

By ERIC

February 1, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this

Nice work jeff toatly agree if not for the pin last season we would have defintly been the wild card! nic work J.S Now just one mor big bat.

By Ricky ATL

February 1, 2007 11:20 PM | Link to this

2006 proved as many high scoring Braves teams from the 60 ‘s with Aaron. Torre, Alou, Carty. Mack “The Knife” Jones et al that pitching wins pennants( Maybe not World Series) See you at spring training. Go Braves!!!

By Lenny Blue

February 1, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this

I feel like the acquisitions of Soriano and Gonzalez will most benefit Hampton. Coming off immense surgery and looking to regain form, the game now becomes 6-7 innings which will help him for the now and the long run.

By Mike

February 2, 2007 12:15 AM | Link to this

These acquisitions in the bullpen greatly improve the starting rotation. The first guy that comes to mind is Tim Hudson. It seemed that most of his games last year he cruised through 5 innings and then was hammered in the 6 or 7th inning. That won’t happen this year because when he shows signs of wearing down, its soriano time and gonzo time. Let me also add that Ryan Howard won’t be hitting deciding homeruns off of Huddy in the 7th or 8th innings like he has in each of the last two years, instead he’ll be striking out on gonzo heaters. Huddy is also working out hard this offseason so he wont fade again. I believe that Hampton and Huddy will be battling it out for comeback player of the year this year. This is going to be a great team, I really do wish that they add a solid leadoff hitter though, its not essential but it certainly would help. I knew Schurholtz reads these blogs so I really hope that he goes after Freel like most of the fans want, even if it includes getting Ryan’s buddy farney in the deal. hes a terrific ballplayer

By jimbo

February 2, 2007 01:31 AM | Link to this

you win with pitching i liked adam but last year proves you can’t consisently out score other teams

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 01:48 AM | Link to this

Agreed , the bullpen is lights out after the sixth inning. The question is , will the rotation hold up ? Will Hampton beat the odds ? Will Davies finally pitch like we all believe he can ? Will Smoltz , Hudson and James hold up the front end of the rotation ? And the biggest question of all , will this five man rotation stay healthy ? Last season the Braves used 27 pitchers and 12 starters , both all time records. Other than Villarreal 3.53 ERA and maybe Cormier 5.72 ERA(assuming he actually makes the team). After the above mentioned seven pitchers , there is nothing and I mean nada , zilch that is ready to compete and start. Will Kelly Johnson be a quality second baseman ? Ditto for Thorman at 1B . Can Chipper stay healthy enough to play a 140 plus games ? Will Diaz or Langerhans step up and be a fulltime left fielder ? I’m cautiously optimistic about this 2007 squad , but they have a lot of questions to answer.

By Najeh Davenpoop

February 2, 2007 01:50 AM | Link to this

It’s nice that Schuerholz has gone out and acquired what looks like two top-notch relievers, but Kolb was an All-Star the year before he came here too. Maybe I’m the only one left who’s still not sold on Roger McDowell’s abilities as a pitching coach, so I’m not holding my breath. But I certainly hope they turn out to be good, because as shaky as the Braves’ starting rotation is after Smoltz, they are going to need a solid bullpen to stay in contention.

By Wayne in UT

February 2, 2007 02:59 AM | Link to this

Some excellent points made, but I would like to differ with one point. In the past 3 years, when used as a set up man and when NOT injured, Chris Reitsma was an excellent addition to our staff. I dare say if he had not had the arm issues of ‘06, his fate might have been much better. He probably wouldn’t have made the overall difference, because our entire pen was a shambles until Wickman and Baez arrived and gave it some order and form.

So, don’t be surprised if Chris has a decent to excellent year in Seattle next year. I wish him the best, as he certainly didn’t deserve the bad treatment he received from some of our fans in the Atlanta suburbs. It is OK for me to call the guy a bum in the stands, but when he is with his children in his neighborhood, that is taking things a bit too far don’t you think?

By Manweez

February 2, 2007 03:56 AM | Link to this

Yup.

By cityofdecatur

February 2, 2007 06:06 AM | Link to this

Looks good on paper See you at fan fest Go Braves

By mark

February 2, 2007 07:56 AM | Link to this

Well looks as we have sewed the bullpen for the most part but….our starters are well suspect and our offense could be in trouble…

We have to hope for a healthy Chipper Jones,A rookie 1st baseman to produce, Second base will be lacking alot of offense we already lost alot when furcal left.Can Jeff Francour be more selected?

I dont know..80 Million just doesnt cut it in the bigs anymore..Dont tell that to the Marlins…

By Drixie

February 2, 2007 08:01 AM | Link to this

If they all stay healthy this is the best bullpen we’ve ever had. Nicely done, JS!

By rharrison

February 2, 2007 08:11 AM | Link to this

With a competent bullpen, the Braves last year were not a wild card team, but again division champs. I think they will be OK this year and contend.

By Jim

February 2, 2007 08:33 AM | Link to this

I think an intersting slant on the acquisition of bullpen help is the fact that is partially driven by money. Have you seen what starting pitching costs these days - mediocre starting pitching at that? There is no way the Braves could have traded LaRoche for decent starting pitching, much less afforded who was traded for. Bullpen help is cheap by comparison and if the starters only go 6, it helps them out as well. I’m glad the Braves have finally taken this route. Think back to all the Braves teams that were constructed w/ great starting pitching and an a pen that was an afterthought. The starters would have to go into 7th or 8th innings and in playoff games. That is a distinct advantage for opposing batters. I’m anxious to see how this year pans out.

By bobby

February 2, 2007 08:53 AM | Link to this

The bull pen looks great. I guess the next hue and cry will be for a lead-off hitter, but does it really matter? Usually he only leads off one inning a game anyway.

By KC

February 2, 2007 09:01 AM | Link to this

Head Coach: Actually, Hampton doesn’t have to “beat the odds”.

The success rate for pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery is now 90%.

Dr. James Andrews (one of the top doctors who performs that surgery) defines success as a pitcher being back to 100% 18 months after the surgery.

That’s something that is very important to keep in mind… Hampton will not be returning from this surgery after only 12 months of recovery as most pitchers do. He will reach the 18 months (post-surgery) mark in March.

So statistically, there is a 10% that he’ll any problems resulting from TJ surgery. It looks to me like the odds are in his favor.

By Gene

February 2, 2007 09:15 AM | Link to this

Laroche was correct about Atlanta fans, but the criticism holds for the players as well. They appeared complacent and self satisfied— Chipper Jones, in particular. I would not refer to the bullpen as “fireproof” yet. I do think that the Braves will have a competitive season.

By bill

February 2, 2007 09:17 AM | Link to this

A dominant bullpen is absolutely the right approach with the current budget constraints, especially coupled with the aging and oft-injured mix of starters that are coming back next year.

There’s nothing more fun to me (during a regular season) than seeing the enthusiastic kids growing up and fighting like heck to become stars and WIN games. But, there’s nothing more frustrating than blowing leads, night after night.

Overall, I just have to say well done on the logic of the moves JS. I’m actually looking forward to the season.

By Rutuger

February 2, 2007 09:23 AM | Link to this

Watching past the fifth inning last season was nauseating… This year it looks to be about the best time to tune in!

GO BRAVOS!!!

By KC

February 2, 2007 09:32 AM | Link to this

Head Coach: “will this rotation stay healthy?”

With the departures of Ramirez and Thompson, the Braves instantly became far less injury prone. Mike Hampton has been labeled by some as “injury prone”… but actually, 2005 was the first season in 9 years in which he failed to make at least 29 starts (failing to make 30 starts only once over that stretch). Many pitchers wind up needing Tommy John surgery who are not otherwise injury prone. I’m not sure that label fits in Hampton’s case.

Will Smoltz hold up? No reason to believe he won’t. He hasn’t had any arm trouble in several years. And the arm trouble he did have at the end of the 2002 season wasn’t serious and wasn’t structural in nature. He had a scar tissue build-up in his elbow, which is not abnormal. The only reason it was a big problem was because of the issue arose (Sept/Oct).

You can’t predict the future, but there’s no reason to regard Smoltz as a question mark. Hampton is not a sure thing, but certainly not a role of the dice either. The odds are in his favor, and in all likelihood, he’ll be just fine once he shakes off the rust.

There is no question in my mind about Smoltz. And I’m not concerned about whether or not Hampton will look like his old self this season. My only two questions are this… How long will it take Hampton to shake off the rust and round into form, and what will we get from Hudson (I feel good about Hudson, but he is a question mark)? That’s it. I have no further questions about this pitching staff.

Whatever Kyle Davies does or doesn’t do is inconsequential. If he fails, we’ll simply plug someone else into that role. Let’s remember, we are talking about a fifth starter here. Name all the teams in MLB with a proven winner as their 5th starter. Heck… name one!

Let’s remember also that the Mets posted the 3rd best ERA in the league last year with a rotation I would say was more shaky than the one the Braves will carry into the 07 season. They did that on the strength of a lights-out bullpen… something we certainly now have.

As for the offense… the only noteworthy change in this lineup is that we’re going from LaRoche to Thorman. That may be enough to dethrone the Braves from their standing as the best offensive team in the NL, but they’ll still finish in the top 3 or 4 in the league in runs scored. Yes, Chipper’s health is an issue, but that’s nothing new. Kelly Johnson… yeah, he’s unproven, but it’s not as though Giles’ 06 season is a hard act to follow. And we are likely to get every bit as much or more offense out of LF as we got last year.

Respectfully, I think you’re overstating questions facing this team heading into the season.

By Fire Marshal Bill

February 2, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

If you think the Braves bullpen was on fire last year, you should see Michael Vick’s crotch.

By Jeff R

February 2, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this

Legit questions by Head Coach and others. To my thinking, Hampton and Hudson are the biggest questions marks, given the former’s nearly two year layoff and the latter’s two poor seasons. James seems like the real thing, though there’s always the sophmore jinx to contend with. Smoltz is older, but I’d wager that his arm makes it through the season. I think fatigue down the stretch is a bigger concern for him.

Defensively, the question is does Johnson handle 2B well enough? He may have the bat, but you got to turn a double play and cover ground. Up the Middle defense, in my mind, is second to pitching as the key to racking up “Ws.”

By TennesseePaul

February 2, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this

KC: Name all the teams in MLB with a proven winner as their 5th starter. Heck… name one

How does this sound… Chris Young, Clay Hensley, Jake Peavy, Greg Maddux, David Wells. All 5 have at least a full season under their belt. 1 has 4 consecutive Cy Youngs. One has thrown a no-hitter and won 2 WS. 1 has been a strike out king and is rated by scouts.com as the best power arm in the National League. All of them post ERA’s at or below 4. 4 of them won in double digits last season. Their fifth starter is Wells, who’s won nearly 100 more than he’s lost. It’s a deeper rotation than the Dodgers, who have Chad Billingsly as their fifth guy. And he ain’t bad.
The NL is going to be the league to watch.

By KC

February 2, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

Jeff R: I’m going to disagree with you, slightly.

Tim Hudson is coming off one (not 2) “poor” seasons. It’s fair to say that he’s coming off two “disappointing” seasons, but his 2005 season was not “poor”.

Hudson was hampered by a side-muscle injury all season long, and still managed to post an ERA of 3.52. That ranked him in the top 15% of all MLB starters in ERA. His 14 wins that year would have easily been 17 or 18 with even so much as an average bullpen behind him.

So while 05 was not great by Tim Hudson standards… it was still very good by MLB standards.

2006? No question about it… lousy season. But I try to periodically remind people that what he did in 2005 while pitching through injury was bad at all. Ditto for his 2004 season… injured, but still posted a 3.53 ERA.

By Jeff R

February 2, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

KC, point well taken. I stand corrected.

By Kentavo

February 2, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this

Apart from the stretch in July 2005, Reitsma was never a go-to-guy.

Just ask yourself this: with a game in the balance - no matter the inning - is it a comforting sight to see Reitsma enter the game?

Never.

By TRobb

February 2, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this

Hudson’s problems aren’t conditioning; rather, he can’t get lefthanders out. His out pitch, the splitter, has deserted him and the result is a lack of confidence and command when he gets behind hitters.

Here are some telling stats: his ERA in the first three innings was 4.91. It ain’t conditioning. With the bases empty: 1.02. With runners on: 9.89. His BA against with an 0-2 count is .125, 1-2 .133, 2-2 .110. He gets in trouble when he needs to throw strikes because he’s throwing a slightly above average get-over fastball or a frisbee slider, especially to lefthanders. His OPS against for lefties was .850 (ouch!) and his BB/9 is 3.26.

He’s not commanding the strike zone because he doesn’t have that splitter against lefthanders - and hasn’t since the year before he got to Atlanta.

I think his problem is mechanical. I’ve seen before and after shots of his delivery with Oakland and now, and his arm angle is clearly flatter which he compensates for by torquing his torso a little more. His splitter doesn’t split and his slider frisbees. Maybe conditioning - and flexibility - will help that, but the problem is clearly mechanical.

I think he’s one fix away from being himself again.

By Opps

February 2, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

I also liked the column. It just pointed out again that without our pen blowing 29 games, we could have made it 15 straight. See with the Braves saving 20 of the 29 games and letting 9 of them go, guess what.
99/74 which would have been 2 up on the mets. Oh yea, we are back, just wait.

By noel malone

February 2, 2007 01:00 PM | Link to this

ERIC must be a UGA grad!!

By Dr.Doom

February 2, 2007 01:38 PM | Link to this

This idiotic team needs more than just bullpen help. They need hitting, starting pitching, defense, proper management, and a more intelligent fanbase.

By KC

February 2, 2007 01:45 PM | Link to this

TRobb: I agree with you that conditioning is not an adequate explanation for what happened last year. A different condition regimen wasn’t the main thing responsible for his 4.86 ERA last season.

However, it could very well affect his ability to be more effective late in games and late in the season. Of course, since we now have the kind of bullpen we do, how much Huddy has left in the tank when the 7th or 8th inning rolls around is far less important than it was last year. But how he pitches late in the season is still extremely important, and conditioning can help with that.

I will point out once again that Hudson was still very good in 2004 and 2005 (top 15% in ERA among MLB starters) despite being hampered by side-muscle injuries (both seasons) that I believe help explain why he was a notch below in 04/05 where he had been in 02/03. However, there is no satisfactory explanation for what happened last year.

As oversimplified as this may sound… I think he was simply “out of sync” throughout the 2006 season. Hudson was simply leaving the ball up in the zone and often out over the plate. Until his velocity began fading a bit late in the season, Hudson’s only problems were related to control, not his stuff. He had mechanical problems that probably also turned into mental issues after a little while.

To me it’s like a hitter who has a season-long slump. The best medicine is usually just having 4 months away from the game, and a fresh start the following year.

As for Hudson against left-handed hitters… Yes, his numbers against lefty hitters have been down over the past few seasons, but so were his numbers against right-handed hitters. And if you look at his dominant years in Oakland, he wasn’t always lights-out against lefty hitters then either. Last year right-handed hitters hit .325 off of him, so clearly his problems weren’t as simple as which batter’s box the hitter stood in.

If he can get his head and his mechanics straight and settle into a groove where he can put the ball where he wants it, he’ll be just fine.

By KC

February 2, 2007 01:57 PM | Link to this

TennPaul: You are correct. I forgot about Wells signing with SD.

I think the point I was trying to make is still a valid one though… There are a handful of teams, at best, who can boast a 5th starter they can be confident will win 10-plus games.

The 5th starter slot is a plug-a-young-guy-in-and-hope-for-the-best position for most every team in baseball. Davies really does have a lot of potential and the Braves haven’t lost faith in him. And with Villarreal and Cormier also waiting in the wings, the Braves are better off than most teams at the 5 slot in the rotation, I think.

By Eugene

February 2, 2007 02:04 PM | Link to this

I know the bullpen is better. But we still have offensive issues that will not go away by wishing. Let’s hope the Braves brain trust finds an outfielder and a leadoff batter. What’s the use of having a closer if we are loosing games 3-1 and 4-2.

By beachcomber

February 2, 2007 02:09 PM | Link to this

This bullpen reminds me of the Pirate’s pens when they were so successful in the ‘70’s. They didn’t have any lights out starters but they had people like Enrique Romo, Grant Jackson and Kent Tekulve in the pen making for a lot of 6 inning games

By MBATL

February 2, 2007 02:27 PM | Link to this

KC, you’re right, about 5th starters in general… in a perfect world, the 1-4 guys start 35 games each, and the 5th guy gets 22 starts, and if he can contribute to wins in half those, great. (However, I think it’s very unlikely that our top 4 will be, or should be expected to be, that durable.)

I think Davies is way undervalued, though. He was excellent in the minors. Pitched pretty well in his rookie year (for a rookie). Last year, he stupidly hid an injury (remember, Cox was PO’d when he got hurt, and Davies said, “my groin has been bothering me for a while…” or something like that) and then never got back to form. He needs to work on control, but I think he’s a future #3 starter.

I’d take him over most 5th starters in the league, that I can think of… over Wells because of age and potential.

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 02:55 PM | Link to this

When I blogged about Hampton beating the odds , this was what I’m talking about.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2002-04-24-pitch.htm

By Dave knockahomer

February 2, 2007 03:32 PM | Link to this

okay, I have been around the baseball block for many a year AND YES, pitching wins, but it only HELPS in winning! We had some of the best starting rotation in the business with a few good years in the pen and we came home with one world series ring. what happened? simple…..or so it seems to me. We had the pitching; we did NOT have the hitting. That is why the great teams have enough of both to bring home the rings. so, don’t lay the junk on me that pitching wins. Prove it with stats, please?
1991 was OUR year except for hitting and lousy baserunning and getting dubbed by Minnesota outfield. We have other chances as well but just could not find the right hitting combo!

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 03:38 PM | Link to this

I just wanted to point out the obvious. It’s a 162 game marathon and baseball is unique in that respect. No team can get it done with three competitive starters and last season was a perfect example of that fact. After July 20th the Braves had Smoltz , Hudson and James anchoring the rotation with Wickman and Baez closing games.They failed to get back into the race , although the team did play much better. Four solid starters are an absolute necessity , which is why I voiced my concern about Hampton and Davies. Did you know that over the course of a 162 game season the average number of starters for a team is eight ? My concern isn’t the quality of this rotation , it’s the depth. for example : Smoltz 3.27 ERA , Hudson 3.53 ERA , James 3.68 ERA , Villarreal 3.53 ERA , Hampton 3.97 ERA , Davies 6.38 ERA and Cormier 5.72 ERA are the returning starters. Villarreal will be in the bullpen. Cormier probably won’t make the team , but he could be converted to a full time starter at Richmond. Leaving the Braves with seven options for the rotation. Barring injury , there is little concern for the rotation. however , should Hampton falter. If Davies doesn’t sort it out in his head and any of the top three get hurt. Both quality and depth will become an immediate issue. TRobb , you know your pitching my friend.

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 03:43 PM | Link to this

Maybe this link will work this time.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2002-04-24-pitch.htm

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 03:49 PM | Link to this

You guys need to fix this , I cant even cut and paste a link in here http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2002-04-24-pitch.htm

By KC

February 2, 2007 04:25 PM | Link to this

Head Coach:

Dude, the article that link leads to is 5 years old. I’m not sure how much things have changed in 5 years, but 85-90% is now the universally accepted success rate for pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery today.

Again, the big thing to keep in mind is that “success” is defined by Dr. James Andrews as what a pitcher does from the 18 month (post-surgery) mark onward. Complications are normal between the 12-18 month mark, but not so common after 18 months (the period of time it takes to FULLY recover from TJ surgery).

It is unlikely that Hampton, who will reach that 18 month mark in March, will have any complications this long after the surgery. His recover has, by all reports, gone according to plan and he’ll be ready this spring. I would look for an adjustment period as he shakes off the rust, but my guess is that by the all-star break at the latest, he will have rounded back into form.

By KC

February 2, 2007 04:32 PM | Link to this

Head Coach: “No team can get it done with three competitive starters”

Could you please name all four of NYM’s competitive starters last year?… cuz I must have missed something. Pedro was out (or was not himself) for the majority of the season. So after Tom Glavine… what was left???

I’m not arguing the value of starting pitching with you. I’m a believer in the power of great starting pitching. I just have to ask though… who in the NL last year was 4 or 5 deep??

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 04:36 PM | Link to this

KC , you might actually want to read the article before commenting on it.

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 04:41 PM | Link to this

http://www.athomeplate.com/tommyjohn.shtml

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 04:57 PM | Link to this

KC, since you read the second link I posted. You are now aware that the post operative recovery time is actually 18-24 months. Both articles stress that while tommy john surgery is highly successful , it takes time for a full recovery and the track record of most pitchers in their first season back has been to struggle with control and velocity problems. Why ? Well my friend , these are athletes who have been throwing a baseball for most of their lives and have developed their ability through repetition and muscle memory. After tommy john surgery , all that goes right out the window. They basically have a whole new elbow and have to relearn with it. It takes time , specifically 18-24 months. Hampton is about 18 months removed from his surgery. He isn’t up to speed and wont be anytime soon. Don’t take my word for it. Read the articles.

By Canadian Brave

February 2, 2007 05:02 PM | Link to this

So we might have a good bullpen!!! What about the rest of the team? our starters can only perform with confidence with a good defence behind them. Let’s see!! Andruw Jones, Edgar Renteria…..hmmm… Maybe Langerhans Maybe Frenchy… It doesn’t oooze confidence to me especially the infield. And where are the guys that are going to manufacture that one run.. the speedster that’s going to make the other team rush the throw…or make the opposing pitcher waste 20 pitches over to 1st base… where is otis who gets on 1st and the next thing you know is on 3rd without wasting an out. Three good relievers is a nice luxury, but it doesn’t fill all the other holes. A team that hits 3 homeruns and scores eight runs still loses a 10-8 game.

By Head Coach

February 2, 2007 05:11 PM | Link to this

Four starters deep ? That would be St.Louis( they won it all) , the Marlins were five deep all season. The Padres were five deep to. The Astros were three deep and they like the Braves missed the playoffs. The Dodgers were four deep after the Maddux trade. The Mets were better than they looked last season. Pedro made 23 starts before he went down. Glavine ,Trachsel , Hernandez and Maine help up fairly well the rest of the way. Does that answer your question ?

By dave

February 2, 2007 06:39 PM | Link to this

I dont want to see Villareal in the rotation, although he did well there. i would rather him be in the pen as no.4 behind Soriano,Gonzalez,and Wickman.

By Bravos

February 2, 2007 07:08 PM | Link to this

The Phillies are now six deep (Lieber, Hamels, Myers, Eaton, Garcia, and Moyer). And why no one is worried about them is beyond me. But the fact remains that Gonzalez is an unproven commodity. And both he AND Soriano had trouble with their arms in the past few years. Wickman, for as good as he was, lets a lot of runners on base, as well. And he’s 38. This team has some deep-seeded issues and is proof that, unless the budget is expanded, the Braves will not compete for much longer. And I am tired of hearing how good the starting rotaton is shaping up to be. Good? Aside from Smoltz, who is now 40, there is not a lights-out number 2 in the mix. Huddie and Hampton could be, but nobody has any idea where they’ll be this year. James is destined for mediocrity, despite his success last year. And why does everyone like Davis so much? He throws 90 right down the middle and does little else. I love the Braves to no end, but their team does not look strong this year. Andruw started suffering from injuries last year, Chipper is all but a lost cause, Giles and Rochy are gone (and all of you who say they will be compensated for are forgetting just how good they were). I’m worried.

By jb

February 2, 2007 07:13 PM | Link to this

Dave

Pitching will get you to the postseason and is important to help you win once you get there. Proven hitting in the regular season seems to mean nothing in the postseason. Where were the Yankee hitters against Detroit? How did the Reds and Dodgers ever beat the A’s and their line up if having great hitting in the regular season really matters? Take a good look at the pitching in those games. The Braves should be set with their bullpen, as long as the defense up the middle (K. Johnson) holds up.

By Bravos

February 2, 2007 07:48 PM | Link to this

The latest Chipper Jones comment: “I’m a little too far along in my career to dedicate that much time on a daily basis in the offseason, when I could be hanging out with the kids and enjoying life a little more.” We’re supposed to be encouraged by this?

By Anonymous

February 2, 2007 08:08 PM | Link to this

The braves will have a very competitive season if: - Chipper Jones can stay healthy and play in at least 155 games - The bullpen doesn’t prove to be disasterous like the ones before. - Tim hudson can win at least 15 games. - Scott Thorman can get off to a hot start unlike LaRoche.

That’s a lot of ifs! but I think the braves definitely have a chance to restart thier division title run again (please trade for Baldelli!!!!!!!).

By MBATL

February 2, 2007 08:57 PM | Link to this

Bravos, agreed on the Chipper comment - not exactly confidence-inspiring. Although, some of his injuries - hamstrings, obliques, etc could be the result of too much training - and the ankle last year could’ve happened to anybody. It sure would be fun to see him play injury free for a couple of years.

As to Philly, yeah, I agree, they are a challenger in the East. But you give too much credit to their staff, IMO. Myers is ready to be a #1; he’s young and has a lot of power. But as of now, he’s no John Smoltz.

Beyond that, Hamels has barely more experience than James. He’s a nice pitcher, but let’s not assume he’s gonna succeed any more than we do James.

You complain that Smoltz is 40, but Moyers is what, 44? Lieber posted a 4.93 last year, worse than Hudson’s worst year ever. Same with Eaton. Garcia was a nice pickup; we’ll see if there was a reason he was made available. He had his worst year in half a dozen last year.

I’m not saying the Braves are unbeatable. I’m concerned about Soriano and Gonzo’s durability, and Smoltz… and Hampton. But I think we’ve got a potentially great pitching staff if we get a few breaks.

I’m not concerned about Thorman; he’ll come along quicker than Laroche did - maybe not as much power, but more consistency, which is all we really need out of him; and I expect KJ will do okay at 2b, although I think this is a one-year deal before he’s moved back to the outfield.