Francoeur Reels In A Big One

Mark Bowman's MLB Blog tells us that Jeff Francoeur reels in this nice sized large mouth bass.

It must be really nice to have all this insider information and to have spent the last 50 days with the team in Florida, front row to all the games, hanging out with the players before and after the games.

I'm not complaining with my situation...just stating facts. Life must get tough being the man.

Braves Are Coming Home

The Atlanta Braves are heading back home for their last two games of the spring season. The Braves play tonight at 7:10 and tomorrow at 1:10.

This would be a great chance to see the Braves before they make their final roster moves. Who will start in centerfield? Remains the largest question left for the spring season. A report from TalkingChop.com says Atlanta almost acquired Jason Repko from the Dodgers to platoon in center. Atlanta needs to stick with the two guys they could possibly have in center, however they both hit left-handed. I can see the Braves concern with all the possible lefties in the lineup. Atlanta already has one outfield platooned position-and I'm not going to pay my money to see Jason Repko (a Kotsay type of player) patrol centerfield.

The Braves will send Javier Vazquez to the mound tonight. Tomorrow will dawn the likes of Kenshin Kawakami for the first 4 or 5 innings followed by top pitching prospect Tommy Hanson for the remainder of the game.

Injuries A Key Concern?

This time last year the Braves had the same promises of a great season. Those promises were let down after an injury plague struck the entire pitching staff. Smoltz, Glavine, Hampton, and Hudson (who won't return until August of this season) were all hit. The bullpen saw the likes of Peter Moylan and Rafael Soriano bite the dust early in the season. Closer Mike Gonzalez didn't return until June from Tommy John surgery from the previous 2007 season. Chipper didn't quite make 130 games and Yunel Escobar barely did. Can the Braves stay healthy this season? The Braves have more pitching depth and a completely revamped rotation. The difference? Well besides the names there isn't much of one. Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez are both in their 30's. Glavine is a year older. Tim Hudson won't return from Tommy John until August. Kenshin Kawakami, well he might, Japanese pitchers always seem to hold up (speculation of course).
The Braves dawned 11 different starters last season. Jorge Campillo, James Parr, Jo-Jo Reyes, Charlie Morton, and Jeff Bennett all got their chances. Campillo, Parr, Reyes, and Morton should all start this season in AAA and Bennett has a decent shot to come out of the bullpen in Atlanta. The Braves essentially had a stellar rotation last season, for AAA Gwinnett.
The position players, even though they had the usual nagging injuries, were all filled in for nicely. Martin Prado and Omar Infante, I think, were the MVP's of the team. Yes, I know Chipper hit .364 in 128 games. Prado and Infante played position after position. Infante hit .293 and Prado hit .320 in 96 and 78 games respectively. They both played in the outfield, 3rd, 2nd, shortstop, and Prado even played 1st base.

Injuries are always a factor in every season. IF the Braves can stay healthy this year and with the reserves lined up in AAA just in case, Atlanta has all the right tools this year to compete for a National Championship.

Ross Boss Injured

David Ross suffered a strained right groin towards the end of the 5th inning yesterday. His status will be determined at a later date.

Pending on the severity of the injury, and with opening day Sunday, the Braves may need to call up Clint Sammons to serve as their back up catcher to start the season.

Chipper Locked Up Through 2012

According to MLB.com Chipper Jones and the Atlanta Braves have agreed on a 3 year deal worth 40 million +. The deal also includes an option for 2013.

This deal really shows what the city of Atlanta thinks of Chipper Jones. The man has played in more than 130 games in the last 4 seasons, ONE TIME! I'm a big Chipper fan and he's an important part of this team, but he is not the reason I put my butt in that seat at Turner Field. He is a great baseball player but frankly this deal scares me for how "nagging" injury prone he can be.

A positive is that Chipper is the type of guy that would be willing to have his contract restructured in the future, if it meant the Braves needed to find a dollar to sign someone in the years to come.

You're the man Chipper Jones-and so is your agent.

Odds and Ends

Kenshin Kawakami allowed 2 runs in 6 innings on Monday, March 30th. If he pitches that well consistently he will win atleast 15 games for Atlanta. He also faced his fellow Japanese country-men Dice-K. Bobby Cox was quoted, "He can rise to the occasion, you can just see it in him." (Nice choice of words Bobby). In reality Bobby Cox was talking about all the Japanese media that were there covering the exhibition game.

The Braves won Monday's game against the Red Sox 4-3 in 10 innings.

The Braves are apparently working on a 3 year contract extension with Chipper Jones. I wonder if John Smoltz has seen that news story yet? Where was Smoltzy's contract extension? Or better yet, how about Atlanta works out an extension for Chipper when his contract has expired. In the mean time use some of that money to sign Wil Ohman or another veteran lefty reliever presence. I'm not picky, just someone who can get 1 out a game. Look for an official announcement as early as today.

Garrett Anderson will start in left field today. I hope he takes his ginseng before each game or eats a banana. The Braves do not need another injury.

My centerfielder is Jordan Schafer. What do the Braves have to lose? Give the kid a chance, if he stinks it up in the first month there is Gregor Blanco waiting in the wings. Gregor Blanco is good for a .250 average and 3 bunts a game.

Braves Wheeling and Dealing

Josh Anderson for RHP Rudy Darrow

AtlantaBraves.com reports the Braves had determined the centerfielder race came down to Jordan Schafer and Gregor Blanco. Josh Anderson was given every chance this spring to win this job, hitting .280 however, wasn't the way to win it outright. The Braves had a hard time finding a suitor for Anderson because he was out of options. The Braves would not have been allowed to send Josh Anderson to the minors without revealing him to the waiver wire. Josh Anderson will now be the 4th or 5th outfielder for Detroit, backing up Curtis Granderson in center.

Gregor Blanco has a tough road a head of him if he wants this centerfield job to be his with the hot spring Schafer is having. Blanco may have hurt himself playing for Venezuala in the World Baseball Classic. Gregor Blanco did not impress last year in his 144 games for Atlanta and Schafer was slapped with a 50 game suspension for Human Growth Hormone and set his ETA in Atlanta back a little bit. Flip a coin-heads Blanco wins the job; tails-Schafer wins the job.

RHP Rudy Darrow is a 25 year old relief pitcher who is slated to begin the season in the minors at either AA Mississippi or AAA Gwinnett. Darrow is a side-armer who is compared to a Pete Moylan type. (I smell another Tommy John candidate for Atlanta, but I hope I'm wrong).

Hanson Set For Return To Atlanta

Tommy Hanson will be back in Atlanta to pitch the last 4 innings on Saturday, April 5th. The last exhibition game of the season will be played at Turner Field. The Braves open the season the next night in Philly. Bobby Cox does not want to use any of his relievers Saturday night, who knows who he'll need to throw on Sunday. I have complete faith in Sunday's opening night starter, Derek Lowe, however once the bullpen enters the game, it could be a round robin to get through the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.

Tommy Hanson will begin the season at triple-A Gwinnett. Hanson's first scheduled start at home for Gwinnett would be April 20th.

Kenshin Kawakami is scheduled to start the exhibition game on Saturday. Kawakami's first regular season appearance, based on speculation, would be Saturday, April 11th.

Hopefully the weather cooperates for the exhibition game on Saturday night.

Braves Release Lefty Reliever

No, not Boone Logan or Eric O'Flaherty.......Jeff Ridgway.

Jeff Ridgway was the odd man out from the beginning of spring training and the few bad outings he had only solidified the Braves decision.

Good luck to you in the future Jeff Ridgway.

Lowe Gets Opening Day Nod

According to MLB.com the Braves have announced Derek Lowe will get both opening day starts. He will start the first game of the season in Philly on April 5th. Derek Lowe will also start opening night in Atlanta on April 10th.

Jordan Schafer's Big Day

Jordan Schafer had 3 hits in the Braves loss yesterday. His days are numbered despite the excellent spring. The Braves will ultimately go with Josh Anderson as their centerfielder. Josh Anderson is out of options and the Braves do not want to risk losing him to another team via waivers. Schafer will be a pleasant mid-season call up when Garrett Anderson gets hurt.
I do enjoy being wrong at times and injury predictions are always one of them. However, Garrett Anderson is scheduled to play today for the first time since early March, due to a strained calf. I hope Garrett Anderson doesn't catch Chipper Hampton (Chipper Jones and Mike Hampton) Syndrome, where he gets hurt or has a nagging injury once every 15-20 games.

Braves outfield:
Jeff Francoeur
Josh Anderson
Matt Diaz
Garrett Anderson

Odd men out:
Jordan Schafer
Brandon Jones
Gregor Blanco

Utility man:
Greg Norton

McCann Injured

According to AtlantaBraves.com Brian McCann left Saturday's game with a cut on his right ring finger. The unfortunate accident occurred when Mark Teixeira fouled a ball that was tipped into McCann's finger. Brian McCann had a scheduled day off tomorrow and is listed as day-to-day.

Brian McCann has probably had the most difficult spring of any of the Braves. The only thing it seems McCann doesn't have on his mind is whether he's the starting catcher. The spring began for McCann starting for team USA in the World Baseball Classic. He had to familiarize himself with the likes of Jake Peavy and Roy Oswalt before the tournament even started.
Once Team USA was bounced from The WBC McCann had to then familiarize himself with the Braves brand new starting rotation. The Braves added new starters Kenshin Kawakami, Derek Lowe, and Javier Vazquez.

Wil Ohman a Pirate?

Wil Ohman would appear to be Pirate bound. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette says their "aggressively" stepping up talks with the lefty. How can the Braves not give the man what he wants? The Braves needed the him in seemingly every game. By seemingly, I really mean 83 games and over 50 innings. The Braves are making a bold statement by sticking with Boone Logan and Eric O'Flaherty (both of which will probably be on the opening day roster). O'Flaherty did however pitch a scoreless inning yesterday with 2k's and dropping his era from really high to only 12.27. The era comment was bathed in sarcasm.

The optimistic side is that maybe Logan and O'Flaherty are going to have every kink worked out by spring training's end. I don't really see how they could do any worse at the start of the season. The only place to go from here is dropping that era and raising the Braves fans confidence.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09086/958621-63.stm?cmpid=pirates.xml

-Glavine had a fantastic outing yesterday, atleast the starting rotation appears to be solid.
4 innings, 3k's, 0 earned

Looks Like Rain

It is unfortunate that it will rain all weekend. I was really looking forward to attending the Atlanta Braves open house at Turner Field on Saturday, March 28th from 12-4. I'm a big fan of anything free, and the only thing that cost money at this open house was food and beer. The free included a live broadcast of the Braves vs. Yankees game on the big screen, free tours, free trips through the museum, and a free trip to the ball park in general. I'm sure they'll still have the open house, however, my friends and I will not be attendance.

I also noticed the Braves sent their best prospects to the minors. We all saw it coming-however-the interest level may have dropped without the possibility of seeing Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, Diory Hernandez, and Tommy Hanson. Jo-Jo Reyes was sent down as well, but I see him as the first call up when Tommy Glavine breaks a hip or develops osteoporosis.

Boone Logan...Continued

I praise and praise and praise and praise some more on Boone Logan. How does Boone Logan go out and secure his set up man, situational lefty roster spot? By giving up 3 earned, 4 hits, and 1 walk, (with 2 strikeouts), IN 2/3's OF AN INNING! His fantabulous ERA is now almost 8, which is still better than Ridgway and O'Flaherty's, but come on man. The spot is yours for the taking.

Can someone get Wil Ohman on line one for me please, I have a job for him. Boone Logan obviously doesn't want it.

Lowe Dazzles...Again

Derek Lowe was stellar again today.

6 innings
7 strikeouts
0 walks
1 earned run

Batting-
1-2 with 2 RBI

The guy is having a fantastic spring and with his past track record there is no reason to believe he can not carry it over into the season. I was pessimistic at first but my thoughts are beginning to change. After the Braves slow start in the off season free agent market Derek Lowe should turn out to be a great (top dollar) signing. I say great signing because some of the Braves past trades and free agent signings of high profile players have not turned out so well- cough Mike Hampton cough. Hopefully the bullpen will not let him down as the season progresses.

Boone Logan

Boone Logan, who? I have been a braves fan all my life (24 years). It is hard for me to think of a promising young left handed reliever the Braves have had going into the season (Macay McBride possibly-but after many chances he could not piece it all together to be successful). Left-handed relief pitching seems to be the Braves achilles heel come all-star break and the Braves are left to scramble to find a left handed set-up man. 2007 dawned the likes of Ron Mahay in the Tex trade, who left at the end of the season. Those of you who think of 2006 may be thinking of Mike Remlinger-All Star-HE WAS OLD!!! I'm talking promising prospect laiden left-handed arm that the Braves could use for years to come. Will Ohman-bye bye...Mahay-bye bye...Ray King-bye bye...
Boone Logan was the other name in the highly touted Javier Vazquez trade and just as equally important. I don't think the Braves need Wil Ohman-especially with their budget.
Give the kid a chance. It's only spring training and of all the options he's the best.

Boone Logan - 4.26 ERA
Eric O'Flaherty - 14.21 ERA
Jeff Ridgway - 40.50 ERA

Is the ERA the best? Of course not, the man is only 24 years old and learning how to pitch more and more each day.

My point is...BELIEVE IN THIS GUY!!!...For the money, he is the best and only option.