| The Braves have seen quite a bit of turnover in recent | | | | CF Josh Anderson - Anderson came over to the |
| years, losing players like Rafael Furcal and Andruw | | | | Braves from the Astros in 2008 and posted a .763 |
| Jones to free agency, as well as making several | | | | OPS in AAA before being called up to the majors and |
| high-profile trades that have reshaped the franchise. | | | | posting a .764 OPS there. He'll look to lock down a |
| Chipper Jones still remains on the team, but he is the | | | | starting position as the Braves' centerfielder this year, |
| only real holdover from the teams that won the NL | | | | and could post an OPS in the high 700s or low 800s. |
| East in a yearly fashion during the 90s and early part | | | | Last season, he saw his K-rate jump above 24% in |
| of this decade. As a result, the Braves are largely a | | | | the majors, after not being higher than 12% in the |
| younger team at this point, though they have made | | | | minors in the last two seasons. It's a strong bet to bet |
| some veteran additions that could pay dividends for | | | | that this will regress to the mean somewhat, so look |
| them this year. With that in mind, let's take a look at | | | | for his average to increase and for him to display |
| what to expect from the Braves during this season. | | | | average gap power, as well as the potential for 10-12 |
| C Brian McCann - McCann had a bit of down year in | | | | HRs. He's certainly not going to be a star, but he could |
| 2007, posting a .772 OPS that caused more than a | | | | be league-average for low-cost, and that is certainly |
| few people to think that his impressive 2006 was a | | | | not a bad thing to have on your team. |
| fluke. McCann bounced back in 2008, posting a .896 | | | | RF Jeff Francoeur - Francoeur is still only 25 years old, |
| OPS that looks like it will be the norm, more than the | | | | but it feels like he has been in the majors forever at |
| exception. McCann has great power, and is a | | | | this point, probably due to his struggles last year. |
| consistent 20 HR threat. He doesn't strike out or walk | | | | Francoeur's aggressive approach has been exploited |
| a lot with an IsoD of .61 for his career and only 218 Ks | | | | by most teams to the point where he simply cannot |
| in 1600+ AB. While this does make his plate | | | | capitalize on the massive natural talent that he has. |
| appearances a bit shorter than you would like, it's | | | | While no one would ever expect him to become a |
| impossible to argue with the results, and he hasn't | | | | hitter who drew 100 walks in a season, his inability to |
| shown a Jeff Francouer-type level of aggressiveness | | | | control the strike zone is preventing him from |
| that would severely hamper his results at the plate. | | | | becoming a star. Last season, it resulted in an OPS of |
| McCann is about as solid of a bet as you will find at | | | | .653, partly caused by a low BABIP, but certainly not |
| catcher offensively, and his defense is beginning to | | | | helped by the fact that he was constantly chasing |
| catch up as well. Consider this position in safe hands | | | | pitches and making weak contact. Francoeur has the |
| for the Braves for the rest of his arbitration years, and | | | | talent to be a top OF in the majors, but he needs to |
| they would be wise to lock him up after that as well. | | | | put it together and tamper his aggressiveness for this |
| 1B Casey Kotchman - Kotchman came over from the | | | | to happen. He could do almost anything in 2009, from |
| Angels in the Mark Teixeira deal last year. While he | | | | repeating his disastrous 2008, to finally breaking out. |
| had some trouble adjusting to the National League, | | | | SP Derek Lowe - The Braves added Lowe, signing |
| posting a .647 OPS in his time with the Braves, expect | | | | him to a four-year, $60 million deal in an attempt to |
| him to bounce back to his normal levels around .800 | | | | replace John Smoltz and the possible departure of |
| during this season. He certainly is no Mark Teixeira, but | | | | Tom Glavine. Lowe is an excellent signing for the |
| still has time to display the power that made him a top | | | | team, as he provides consistently solid pitching and is a |
| prospect with the Angels in the minors. He is also a | | | | very safe bet to stay clear of injury. Still one of the |
| superb defensive 1B, something that shouldn't be taken | | | | game's best sinkerballers, he looks to continue to be |
| lightly. Kotchman also has a trait that is characteristic | | | | effective thanks to the solid defense of the Braves' |
| of a fair number of Braves players these days in that | | | | infield. While win totals are hard to predict, look for him |
| he is aggressive in the count, walking only 36 times in | | | | to post an ERA in the low-4s or high-3s and anchor |
| 561 PAs last year. He still squares up to the ball | | | | the Braves' staff. |
| relatively well, so the approach works for him, but it is | | | | SP Javier Vazquez - Pitching the last three years for |
| something to keep in mind as to why he may not ever | | | | the White Sox, Vazquez never capitalized on his |
| reach his full potential. | | | | promise from his days in Montreal, but did establish |
| 2B Kelly Johnson - Johnson is one of the most | | | | himself as a consistent 200+ inning starter who would |
| underrated 2B in the majors. If he was playing for a | | | | be able to dominate several games a year. Look for |
| big-market team like Boston or New York, there would | | | | Vazquez's stuff to play up in the NL, as he could see |
| be far more written about him, as he has posted an | | | | his K/9 return to above 9.00 for the first time since |
| OPS of at least .795 in each of his two years as a | | | | 2003. Vazquez should slot nicely into the #2 spot |
| starter for the Braves. He is a solid contact hitter who | | | | behind Lowe, and should provide another solid |
| drives the ball into gaps, and has the speed to account | | | | presence at the top of the rotation who can |
| for his 16 triples over the past two seasons. One area | | | | consistently pitch deep into games and give his team a |
| of concern for Johnson is his relatively high strikeout | | | | chance to win. |
| rate, as he has topped 110 Ks in each of the last two | | | | SP Jair Jurrjens - Jurrjens was a sensation in the first |
| seasons, but his ability to make hard contact with the | | | | half of the season last year before coming back down |
| ball when he puts a bat on it allows for him to be | | | | to Earth and still finishing with a solid 13-10 record and |
| successful despite this flaw. | | | | 3.68 ERA. He will fill the #3 spot behind Lowe and |
| 3B Chipper Jones - Jones, in his 15th year with the | | | | Vazquez this year, which should give him room to |
| Braves, put up possibly his best season in the majors | | | | continue to grow in his second full season with the |
| at age 36. Although he played in only 128 games | | | | Braves. For Jurrjens to be successful, he will have to |
| because of injury, he still managed to post an OPS of | | | | bring down his walk totals a bit, as 70 walks in 188+ |
| 1.044, his third straight season above 1.000. With his | | | | innings is a bit high, but there are plenty of successful |
| subpar 2004, there was talk that Chipper might have | | | | pitchers who have rebounded from far worse control |
| been on the downward slope of his career, but he has | | | | problems. Look for him to continue to improve in his |
| managed to produce in every year since then. He is a | | | | second season and be a solid #3 for the Braves. |
| great contact hitter from both sides of the plate, | | | | SP Kenshin Kawakami - Kawakami was acquired by |
| though most of his power comes as a lefty, as 17 out | | | | the Braves last weekend as they attempted to fill out |
| of his 22 HRs were from that side of the plate last | | | | their rotation for 2009. Kawakami has pitched the last |
| season. While Jones doesn't have the great first step | | | | eleven seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the NPB, |
| that made him an elite defensive 3B in his prime or | | | | with the right-hander posting a record of 9-5 with a |
| allowed him to steal 20+ bases anymore, he still is | | | | 2.30 ERA last season with 112 strikeouts in 117.1 innings. |
| quite capable defensively. Look for him to continue to | | | | Kawakami posseses generally average to |
| produce in 2009, though not necessarily at the level of | | | | below-average stuff, with a fastball that sits around 90 |
| his amazing 2008. | | | | mph, a looping breaking ball, and a sharp cutter. He |
| SS Yunel Escobar - 2008 was Escobar's first full year | | | | looks to fill the #4 spot in the Braves' rotation at this |
| as the Braves SS. He posted solid numbers across | | | | point, though there is still a chance that the Braves |
| the board, with a .767 OPS in 136 games. Escobar | | | | could add another veteran presence and allow him to |
| never displayed much power in the minors, so his 10 | | | | start as a #5 or in AAA to become more |
| home runs might have surprised some people last | | | | comfortable. |
| year. Expect anywhere from 5-10 HRs in a given year | | | | SP Jorge Campillo - Campillo was cast off from the |
| from him, so he was probably close to the top of his | | | | Mariners after 2007 and wound up with the Braves, |
| production from that standpoint. Don't expect him to | | | | who gave him a chance to start and were rewarded |
| produce an OPS in the mid-800s like he did in his | | | | for hit. He posted a 3.91 ERA in 158.2 innings, striking |
| rookie year, as that was most likely due to an | | | | out 107 and walking only 38. He was prone to the |
| unsustainable BABIP that should cause him to fall in line | | | | longball, as he did give up 18 HRs in that time, though |
| with his 2008 numbers. | | | | he managed to keep hitters off the bases enough that |
| LF Brandon Jones - Jones entered 2008 as one of | | | | these didn't end up hurting him too much. Look for him |
| the Braves top prospects in the minors and was | | | | to open the season as either the #4 or 5 starter for |
| expected to see some time in the majors last year. | | | | the Braves this year. He could see a bit of regression |
| After playing 41 games for the Braves, mostly | | | | since his LD% was 22.8 last year, which indicates that |
| towards the end of 2008, he now looks to lock down | | | | his ERA could be a bit higher, but he still is a decent |
| a regular lineup spot for 2009. Jones has consistently | | | | bet at the back of a rotation. |
| hit for average in the minors, and also displayed some | | | | CL Mike Gonzalez - Gonzalez spent some time as the |
| power in 2007, belting 19 home runs across two | | | | Braves' closer last year and looks to start the season |
| different levels. With regular playing time and | | | | there this year. Gonzalez has always had great stuff, |
| adjustment to the majors, he is a good bet to put up | | | | and he struck out 44 in 33.2 innings last season. The |
| an OPS in the high 700s during his first season, with | | | | question with him has always been his durability and his |
| 10-15 home runs likely. Don't expect Jones to ever | | | | control, but if he is healthy, he gives the Braves a great |
| become a superstar, but he could be a very solid | | | | option out of the bullpen, as last season was his only |
| corner OF for the Braves. One concern for Jones is a | | | | full season in the majors where he posted an ERA |
| K-rate that has been above 20% at every level, so | | | | above 3.00. Look for him to regain his top form in 2009 |
| this is something to keep an eye on. | | | | and provide a stable back-end to the Braves' pen. |