Hello Baseball fans!

Saying the Atlanta Braves have had an unusual off-season is an understatement. A lot of people are making a big deal out of the players who came very close to being Braves but in the end went elsewhere. But I think the Braves have made some necessary additions and look to rebound this year in a tough NL East.

So who is not going to be a Braves in 2009?:

Jake Peavy: Ok this one hurts a little. Especially when you can add an Ace to a rotation that trotted out the likes of Jo-Jo Reyes, Jorge Campillo, and Charlie Morton. (Not a diss just young inexperienced guys.) But I like standing your ground and not giving too much.

Rafael Furcal: This one had me a little concerned. We do realize we have Yunel Escobar right? I guess the thinking was moving Escobar to 2B or grooming him for 3B? Also, if Mr. Schuerholz says something was fishy with the agents, I believe him. Not a huge loss.

A.J. Burnett: We made a more than valuable offer (4-year average salary around $16M). But that’s a little steep for an often injured pitcher with no 20-win seasons and no playoff experience. Good signing Yanks!

John Smoltz: This one cuts deep. I have recently had to retire my Smoltz #29 jersey and get ready for the first season I can remember without Mr. Smoltz (I respect my elders!). But I understand this is a business and Frank Wren needs arms in Arpil and May. The Red Sox can wait for Smoltz because they can make the playoffs without him…Braves haven’t been able to make it with him in 3 seasons. But I’m not going to bash one of my favorite Braves. You truly will be missed.

Ken Griffey Jr. : Not going to lie, I grew up a big Jr. fan. For our LF platoon situation it looked promising and if you can add a 600 HR hitter to your lineup. But I think Matt Diaz and some of the young outfield talent we have (Jordan Shafer, Gregor Blanco, Josh Anderson) will get a shot to prove themselves.

Who will be a Brave in 2009?:

Derek Lowe/Javier Vazquez/Kenshin Kawakami: You’re looking at strikeout pitchers who stay away from the DL. Lowe and Vazquez are both innings eaters, which is huge if you noticed how overworked the bullpen was last year. Kawakami has proved he can get Japanese hitters out but we will see how he handles the likes of Ryan Howard, David Wright, and Hanley Ramirez. I think he will compliment Lowe, Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens, and Tom Glavine. The key obviously is health. I like that Frank Wren and Bobby Cox are getting back to building the entire team around Starting Pitching.

Garret Anderson: He’s not Griffey Jr. , but is that a bad thing? The numbers are there: career .296 hitter, 1,292 career RBIs, solid defense, and clutch hits. I would much rather a 2-out single that scores 2 runs than a solo homer. Nice fit in Atlanta with a young outfield.

Tom Glavine: He was kind of a Free Agent right? But Frank Wren was not going to allow 2 Future H.O.F. pitchers to leave in one off-season. Glavine wants to finish his career in Atlanta and on a better note than an losing season filled with trips to the DL. Look for a bounce back or at least some guidance for a future ace (see Tommy Hanson).

The Atlanta Braves need significant contributions from: Jeff Francouer and Casey Kotchman. We all know Francouer needs to get back to form like in 06 and 07 (combined 48 homers and 208 RBIs). I also believe Casey Kotchman can be a big help to the Braves struggling lineup. A great defensive 1B and some consistency at the plate will go a long way to help the Braves make a deep playoff run.  These 2 players are just the beginning of what the Braves need to do to get back to the playoffs and make a run at the World Series.

That is my Altanta Braves off-season wrap and early season preview. I will be back with more insights on what should be an interesting 2009 Atlanta Braves season. Let me leave you with a new section of the Braves Blog:

In Case You Missed it!

World Baseball Classic: Atlanta Braves outfielder Gregor Blanco went 3 for 5 with a triple, a run, and an RBI for Venezulea vs. USA. Also, in the same game, Chipper Jones strained his right external oblique muscle. This is what caused him to miss games last year. He says he will be ready for the next WBC round this weekend…I think he should sit out this weekend and give it some time because the season is not too far away.

Grapefruit League: On Sunday, 22-year old Braves pitcher TommyHanson recorded seven strikeouts and allowed just one earned run in four innings against the Phillies. Derek Lowe was perfect over four innings, with 6 strikeouts vs. the Houston Astros on Tuesday.

That’s all I have for now. I will be back with more scoop on your Atlanta Braves! Look forward to hearing your comments and opinions on the Braves and the NL East.