The Atlanta Braves did not have much to marvel about in 2008. Chipper Jones’ quest for a .400 batting average had the media centered on him for much of the season. Jair Jurrjens’ was another player who impacted the Braves, but aside from those two players, that was it. Atlanta’s 72-90 record landed them in 4th place, 20 games behind the first-place Phillies.
The Braves answered their pitching problems with the acquisitions of Javier Vazquez and Derek Lowe. Vazquez was involved in a six-player trade from the White Sox to the Braves in mid-November. Lowe was signed to a four-year, $60 million contract thanks to the help of his agent Scott Boras.
One downer of the Braves’ offseason was the loss of franchise player John Smoltz. Though he was injured for the majority of the 2008 season, the Boston Red Sox signed Smoltz to a one-year contract. Smoltz, 41, has been a member of the Braves since 1988.
If the Braves want to contend with the rest of the National League East division, they will need some more offensive power. They traded away first baseman Mark Teixeira in the middle of the 2008 season. Catcher Brian McCann and third baseman Chipper Jones combined for 45 homeruns in 2008; the rest of the Braves’ roster (including Teixeira) hit 105 homeruns. Jeff Francoeur’s .239 batting average is hardly impressive and it seems like the numbers he put up in 2006 and 2007 are long gone.
The Braves’ pitching has certainly improved with the aforementioned Vazquez and Lowe. Their starting rotation should be more than adequate now. Jorge Campillo, Tim Hudson, and Jair Jurrjens all had ERAs under 3.00 in 2008 and if they can continue to put up such statistics, they can be taken seriously.
However, the one downside to their pitching staff is their bullpen. In 2008, their team leader in saves was Mike Gonzalez, with 14. Will Ohman, the team leader in holds, departed the team via free agency during the offseason.
But do the Braves truly have enough to make a playoff run? With the unexpected Rays’ turnaround in 2008, anything is possible, but it is extremely doubtful for this team. They play over 50 games against the Mets, Phillies, and Marlins, which is very tough for this team. Their offense just does not have enough power to last. But they will fare better then in 2008. Last season, their record in one-run games was pitiful, so they kept it close through much of the games played. I predict the Braves to finish with a record of 82-80, which would tie them for third place in the NL East (with the Marlins).
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Tomorrow's article will be predicting the 2009 season for the Baltimore Orioles.
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