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[Edwards Kings]

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I am a lifelong Braves fan and this year most of the questions surrounding the Braves are settled.



The starting rotation will be Lowe, Vazquez, Jurrjens, and Kawakami. You already know what you are going to get from Lowe and Vazquez. There is nothing to indicate that you will get less than you did last year from Jurrjens, and to me there is a better than even shot you will get more as in better. Kawakami is a bit of a wild card flying in under the radar. A good starter in Japan, this is his first MLB experience. Will be be Nomo-like his first year, or Fukodome-like? My best guess would be he will have the advantage early as hitters will not be used to him, but watch out in late summer when the innings and Jawja heat start taking the starch out of his arm. Still I think he will be a solid #4, but better suited for our collective needs as a 4x4 pitcher.



Fifth starter will be Glavine. One, he will be the only left-hander in the rotation. Two, he is the sentimental fan favorite. Don't look for 180+ IP and the best the Braves can hope from him will be to keep the team in the games. And don't be too sure Hanson will be the first pitcher up in case of injury. Hanson will be up in 2009, but Jo-Jo Reyes will get the first nod especially if he shows some control in Gwinnett. Morton and Campillo are also there, but Morton could use a little more minor time and Campillo is best for that long-relief role.



The Braves have kind of an all or nothing battle going on for center field. With the signing of "veteran" (broken down?) OFer Garrett Anderson, Cox will surely use Matt Diaz against at least some LHers and venerable Greg Norton and Omar Infante are on the roster, so the Braves will not go with a pure fifth OFer. Most of those guys battling for CF will go down to the minors to play every day if they do not win. Josh Anderson, at least from the tone in the papers, has the inside track. The Braves have always seemed to be high on him and there are worse things than a left-handed lead-off hitter with good speed. In limited AB's, he is a career .364 OBP, so this might not be a bad thing. Kelly Johnson or Yunel Escobar could easily bat second. The loser between Johnson and Escobar would then be wasted in the eight hole. As to the rest of the CF contenders, both Heyward and Schafer have looked GOOD, especially Heyward. But their youth is working against them. I honestly think the Braves think Anderson is the most ready so I think (cogito ergo sum for you Descartes fans) Anderson is going to be the man. Gregor Blanco has zero value now.



That leaves closer. Mike Gonzalez has only one thing not going for him and that is the fact he is a lefthander. He says he feels healthy for the first time in years (ever heard that before?), but at least initially I think he will be the go to guy. Rafael Soriano, given he can stay healthy, will poach many saves and may be the man by the end of the year. Do not look for any Brave pitcher to have 30+ saves with these two in all intents and purposes sharing responsibilty.



McCann, Chipper, Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson, Casey Crotchman, Garrett Anderson and Jeff Francoeur are all starters, but 600+ AB is going to be tough for any Brave to get this year. Matt Diaz will poach some left-handers off Garrett, and Norton, Infante, and Martin Prado will poach AB's all over the place. With David Ross as back-up, watch for McCann to get some regular rest too. Frenchy Francoeur stands the best chance to get 600+ AB as well as being standing the best chance to be traded if Heyward/Schafer make too much noise in the minors or the Braves are out of it mid-year again. The Braves need Francoeur to step up as a #5 or #4 hitter. If he can't,they need to look elsewhere.



Just thoughts.



[ March 04, 2009, 08:19 AM: Message edited by: Edwards Kings ]