Jordan Schaffer Suspended

The MLB has just announced that Jordan Schaffer will be suspended for 50 games for violating its substance abuse policy by using HGH. Although the details are still uncertain, as there is no current approved test for HGH, the MLB must have gathered sugnificant evidence through talking with sources. Schaffer was one of the Braves top prospects and was expected to be the starting CF by next year, with a possible call-up coming as early as this summer.

The news comes just one day after Richmond Brave Scott Spiezio pleaded guilty to drunk driving and hit and run charges. Hopefully the Braves will be able to avoid any more off field issues for the rest of the year.

Yesterday the Braves dropped a one run game to the Rockies when Blaine Boyer allowed a 2-run HR to Matt Holliday in the 8th inning. Tom Glavine had his second start in which he held the opponent scoreless, although the bullpen couldn't hold the lead this time. So far, the Braves are 3-4. The starting rotation is 3-0, while the bullpen is 0-4. Tonight Jair Jurrjens (1-0) will make his second start of the year against the Rockies Ubaldo Jimenez, in a matchup that features two of the games young talent. In order for the Braves to win their bats will need to wake up, as the bullpen isn't going to hold too many close leads unless it begins improving rapidly. Jimenez struggles with walking batters, so with timely hits the Braves could put the game out of reach before their pen even has to get in the game.

As I have stated before, I think that Atlanta should trade one of its top OF prospects (Brandon Jones, Jordan Schaffer or Jason Heyward) for another RP as the season goes on. Up until this point I thought that Jones should be the one to go, as Heyward will still need more development, and I see no reason why the Braves couldn't lock Matt Diaz up and let him stay in Atlanta for a couple more years. After todays events my first thought was "Lets unload Schaffer ASAP." Although his value takes a significant hit, I still would rather not see a player who cheated staying in the Braves organization (Yes, we can get read of Jurries while we are at it). The Braves still have two other young CF in Gregor Blanco and Jordan Anderson that could both be solid Major Leaguers and provide good speed at the top of the lineup in the future.

Braves Sweep Mets, Back In First

Yesterday the Braves completed a 2-game sweep of the New York Mets to get back into first place in the NL East. Some things that I have noticed over the past couple of days that I would like to get out.

1) The Braves should be able to take the division is Smoltz and Hudson can beat Santana and Maine.

2) Smoltz really needs to stay healthy this year, I think he is still one of the best pitchers in the game, and the Braves can't replace him with their depth the way they can Glavine, Hampton and James.

3) The Braves three top prospects are OF, they have a young Jeff Francoeur and an underrated Matt Diaz. Brent Lillibridge can also play OF with a little more work. By mid-July one of these better be gone so that we can have another proven releiver (although trades for relievers don't always work out: Baez and Dotel)

4) The rotation looks really good so far

5) Mike Hampton got injured, just in case you didn't hear it again

6) Besides Tex (who hopefully isn't taking the A. Jones route to free agency), the lineup is looking great, who knows maybe Mark Kotsay can have a season hitting for a good average if he stays healthy

7) I really wish we would call up Phil Stockman

Thoughts about the rest of baseball
-The Tigers are looking awful, I knew their pitching was that bad, but not the hitting
-Oh well, the local teams (which I hate) the Orioles and Nats were both in first, but now the Nats have lost 4 in a row and fallen, which I expect the Orioles will follow.
-The Reds might make a run at the post season with all of the young talent that they have
Votto, Phillips, Encarnacion, Bruce (who should be starting in the Majors), Cueto and Volquez (maybe one day Homer Bailey). Throw in Harang, Arroyo, Cordero, Dunn, Griffey and Keppinger (who should start the rest of the year) and the Reds have a really good collection of players on a team not expected to do much. It all comes down to whether Cueto and Volquez can continue to do well

Braves Drop Heartbreaker to Nats, Thoughts on the Game

The Braves dropped a close one to the Nationals yesterday with a 3-2 loss after Ryan Zimmerman hit a walkoff HR. Hudson gave up 2 in the first after making an error (which ended up not mattering) and the offense struggled. Although it was a bad way to start the season, the Braves will have plenty of time to get hitting, and challenge for the division lead. Tonight Tom Glavine makes his homecoming start at Turner field against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here are a few thoughts/notes on the Braves/Nats game yesterday:

-Martin Prado is now one of the backup first baseman
-We need a power bat, I didn't think it would matter, but I would have liked to see someone with some pop get up when Brayan Pena did
-Give 'em Hell Yunel (which I originally saw in Matthew Berry's Love/Hate column on ESPN.com is my favorite phrase ever
- Hudson looked sharp for the most part, which is great news
-The ball seemed to carry fairly well in the Nationals new park, even with the cold air
-Yes, I saw what happened last night, but I still believe the Ryan Zimmerman is one of the most overrated and overhyped players in the Majors. Maybe its because I live near Richmond and everyone loves him being a UVa grad and a Nats player, but they seem to forget he produced a .266/24/91 line last year, far from star caliber. Oh, he only hit 13 HRs on the road, so its not like RFK was the only reason for his low power numbers
-I had a bad feeling when Cox left Moylan in for the ninth

Braves Make Final Cuts

With the season opener only a day away (The Braves play at the Nationals new stadium) the final cuts for the roster have been made. Here is the final roster:

Pitchers (12):
Manny Acosta
Jeff Bennett
Blaine Boyer
Tom Glavine
Mike Hampton
Tim Hudson
Jair Jurrjens
Peter Moylan
Will Ohman
Chris Resop
Royce Ring
Rafael Soriano

Catchers (3):
Brian McCann
Corky Miller
Brayan Pena

Infielders (6):
Yunel Escobar
Ruben Gotay
Kelley Johnson
Chipper Jones
Martin Prado
Mark Teixeira

Outfielders (4):
Gregor Blanco
Matt Diaz
Jeff Francoeur
Mark Kotsay

Thoughts on the Roster:
I was glad to see Acosta make the roster, but either he or Bennett will likely be the odd man out when Smoltz returns as they both have options left. I like Bennett to stay because he has the ability to make spot starts as the year progresses, which may be necessary with Smoltz, Glavine and Hampton in the rotation, although I think that Acosta would be better for the bullpen.

Didn't see the Braves keeping three catchers. It would appear the Brayan Pena will take over the backup first base duties, which allowed the Braves too keep Scott Thorman in the minors (what a surprise, he wasn't claimed by any other team). There are still rumors of a trade that would send Pena elsewhere, possibly Chicago where the Braves could get Matt Murton. A trade would be good because the Braves don't have a power bat on the bench, although I would rather keep it that was than have Thorman stay on the big team.

Not really sure who will be gone when Infante gets back. It could be a catcher or a middle infielder. Prado would be the solution in the middle, as he still has options left. Infante can play anywhere in the infield, and the Braves would have two backup 1B who would could spend the majority of their time elsewhere (while Thorman couldn't).

Some Concerns:
The Braves don't have a power bat on the bench, which is something that likely will have to be filled out through a trade as Lopez and Thorman weren't the answer. They also don't have someone on the team who has played a lot of SS on the bench, and if anything were to happen to Escobar, I think Lillibridge would get the job (until Infante is back).

Spring Training News and Notes

There have been about a week and a half of spring training games, and here are some of the Braves who have stood out so far, as well as an updated list of who I think will be on the teams opening day roster. The Braves open the season on March 30th against Washington in the Nationals new ballpark.

Hitting Standouts:

• Chipper Jones has hit well, but has only had 10 ABs due to injury issues
• Yunel Escobar has hit .545 in 22 ABs, but has made 2 errors in the field
• Joe Borchard has hit well in 14 ABs, and 5 of his 6 hits have been doubles
• Matt Diaz, Brian Anderson and Jordan Schaffer are all over .333 and have 1 SB
• Tyler Flowers has hit over .300, the best of any Braves 1B by far

Hitting Woes:

• Javy Lopez hit a quick HR but has struggled to a .154 average
• Brandon Jones has hit only .150 with no extra base hits
• Brent Lillibridge has hit .217, although he does have 2 doubles
• Brian McCann has hit only .133
  
• Scott Thorman has hit only .125

Pitching Standouts:

• Blaine Boyer has thrown 6 scoreless innings in 3 games
• Mike Hampton hasn't allowed a run in 3.1 innings, but left after pulling his right groin (he isn't expected to miss any significant time)
• Jair Jurrjens has given up only 1 run in 5 innings
• Phil Stockman, Jeff Ridgeway and Tyler Yates have yet to give up a run

Pitching Woes:

• Tom Glavine has had some troubles giving up 3 runs in 4.2 innings
• Buddy Carlyle started off good before struggling against the Reds
• Jeff Bennett also struggled against the Reds in the split squad game today
• Manny Acosta has given up a lot of hits, although he does have 3 k's in 3.2 innings
• Royce Ring has had control problems, walking 4 men in 3 innings

Although there is still a lot of spring to go, some players have already began shaping whether or not they will have a shot to start out the season with the big club. Here is an updated look at who will be on the opening day roster.

Hitters:
Brian McCann- McCann is going to start even if his poor spring continues
Mark Teixeira- Another lock to start, regardless of what happens
Kelly Johnson- Lock
Yunel Escobar- Great Spring so far, Lock
Chipper Jones- As long as he stays healthy, he will start
Matt Diaz- Good spring so far, will make the team, although still a risk of a platoon
Mark Kotsay- Will start in center until he provides reason that he can't
Jeff Francoeur- Lock

The bench is where the spring training stats likely will affect who is there more
Backup Catcher
-Javy Lopez has really struggled, although I still think that he has the edge on the job, although if he doesn't continue it could go to Bryan Pena who has had the best spring of any catcher
Backup First Baseman
-Scott Thorman has stuggled while Tyler Flowers has hit well. Thorman is out of options, so I don't think the Braves will risk losing him unless he plays extraordinarily awful
Backup Infielder
-Omar Infante will likely be out for the beginning of the season, so the job for utility player opens up. I think that Brent Lillibridge will get the job, because he can play SS, and neither he nor Martin Prado has had a good spring
Backup Outfielder
-Josh Anderson has played much better and it appears that without Infante the Braves will likely want an OF who can play all 3 positions. Although Schaffer has played well, the Braves will probably let him play in AA because he has so little experience. Brandon Jones has played his way out of a role with his bad hitting and has seemed to be lackadaisical on defense at times
Final Bench Spot
-Before I thought that Lillibridge would get this spot because Infante should have been there and he was versatile. At this point, there is no clear choice, and I think that the Braves will reward someone who has had a good spring. So far, I think that this spot could go to Joe Borchard who has hit well, and has always had the tools to be a good MLB player

Pitchers:
Tim Hudson-Lock
John Smoltz- Lock, even if he gave up a base hit to Tiger Woods
Tom Glavine- Lock
Mike Hampton- Lock, Assuming that he is able to stay healthy
Rafael Soriano- Lock, although he has been battling a virus
Peter Moylan- Lock, although he too has had some health issues
Will Ohman- Lock, the club acquired him to be their lefty reliever, and he will get his chance
Tyler Yates- Has pitched well and has been expected to be here, although I don't think he is a lock
Blaine Boyer- Has pitched great, and barring an awful end of spring, he is pretty much a lock

The last 3 spots (including the 5th starters spot) are looking a lot less certain at this point in time
Fifth Starter:
-Chuck James is still battling injury issues and he is looking less and less certain for the start of the season. If he is unable to go, I think that Jair Jurrjens will get the nod because he has
had a tremendous spring, while Jo-Jo Reyes and Jeff Bennett haven't
Bullpen (2 spots)
-Even though he hasn't thrown well yet, Jeff Bennett is out of options, and is a favorite of Cox, so I think he will get a spot
-Manny Acosta (who I previously predicted would get this spot) hasn't pitched well and still has options, so I think he is on his way back to the minors. I think this spot comes down to either Chris Resop or Royce Ring, who are both out of options. I think that the Braves will keep Ring because he is a lefty that they acquired last year and he will definitely get picked up if he gets waived. Resop has pitched better this spring, but I don't see him making the team over any of the other guys.

Braves Sleepers

Every year there are some players that seemingly come out of nowhere and surprise us. There was Charles Thomas and Damien Moss a couple of years ago. Last year Salty was on everyone's radar and people expected big things, but the players who stepped up the most were Willie Harris (in the beginning of the year) and Peter Moylan. My guess is as good as anyone else's as to whether there will be another no name come up and perform this year, but I have a couple of people on everyone's radar that could easily make a huge impact.

1. Jeff Bennett-I can't say how excited I am about him. I really want to see him get a chance to start, as he really impressed me near the end of last year (maybe it was only because their other pitchers were so awful). Before last season he added a sinker, and dominated when pitching for Richmond (AAA) before making some quality appearances and starts in the Majors. I don't want to see anyone on the staff struggle or get injured, but I want to see Bennett starting because he could post double digits in wins even if he doesn't start the whole season.

2. Manny Acosta- He still has control problems but is one of my favorite pitchers in the organization. His slider is sick-nasty and he dominated anywhere he pitched last year. Although Moylan had a ton of success last year, I think that Acosta could easily end up as the Set-Up man in the future.

3. Phil Stockman- Another reliever, Stockman has dealt with injuries the last couple of years. Although he has very limited MLB experience, I think he has the stuff to succeed in the Majors, and probably could do a better job than Tyler Yates (why is he still on the team?). Having seen him blow hitters away in Richmond, I have been waiting for him to get a chance in the Majors. Unfortunately, the last couple of years where he likely could have gotten a shot, he was injured, and the Braves has tons of pitching depth now.

4. Omar Infante- Originally, it appeared that Infante would serve as a utility player and Willy Aybar would be starting if anyone in the infield got hurt. The Braves traded Aybar, which should leave Infante with a better chance of getting extended playing time. Because he plays everywhere except pitcher and catcher, Infante could easily get 300+ ABs even without platooning or injuries. With decreasing playing time, his power and speed numbers also decreased, but he hit 16 HRs and had 13 SBs for Detroit in 2004, and should provide the Braves with more pop than any utility player could last year.

5. Josh Anderson- For a time, before the Braves acquired Mark Kotsay, it appeared that Anderson would be competing with Brent Lillibridge and Jordan Schaffer for the CF job this year. I still am not sold on Kotsay, who has been injured a lot recently, and think that at some point this year, Anderson will get extensive playing time in center. He has a ton of speed, something that the Braves haven't really had since Furcal, and I think he could make things happen if he gets on base. I see him possibly hitting in the 1-2 hole if he gets to start, as he offers much more speed than Kelly Johnson.

Braves Position Battles

Coming into the 2008 season there are still many things to be decided for the Atlanta Braves. Here are some of the key position battles that will play out in Spring Training and possibly the early part of the season.

Left Fielder
It seems that Matt Diaz will be the primary left fielder next year, as he has been great in platoon roles each of the last two years. The question will be whether or not he will man the position by himself or be involved in a platoon again. I beleive that the Braves will continue what they have had going and platoon him again. Brandon Jones will most likely be the man who is patrolling left with him.

Back-up Catcher
The competition will be between Brayan Pena, Javy Lopez, Corky Miller and Clint Sammons. I think Lopez will win this job as long as he plays reasonably well in spring. Pena and Miller will again play in the minors, as will Sammons. Sammons has the brightest future among the three, and likely will be in Atlanta in a year or two, although he might still only be competing to backup Brian McCann.

Last Bench Spot
The Braves will have a Catcher (Javy Lopez), a First Baseman (Scott Thorman), a utility (Omar Infante) and an Outfielder (Brandon Jones). The final choice will likely be between Martin Prado, Josh Anderson and Brent Lillibridge. I think Lillibridge will get the nod because he has the ability to play 6 positions (2B, 3B, SS, OF) while Prado is limited to INF and Anderson to OF.

Fifth Spot in the Rotation
There are many candidates for the final rotation spot, which could wind up being two spots if Mike Hampton is unable to go. Chuck James, Jair Jurrjens, Jo-Jo Reyes, Buddy Carlyle, Jeff Bennett, Charlie Morton and Matt DeSalvo. James will likely get the first shot, he struggled last year in the number 3 role. Jurrjens, Reyes and Morton all need more seasoning, at least for part of the year. DeSalvo, who was previously with the Yankees, will likely spend time in the minors, and will be something like 10th on the starting pitcher depth chart. Carlyle pitched well in spots last year, but doesn't have the stuff to consistently compete with the others in the organization. Bennett is out of options so he will likely end up in the bullpen, and he could get a long look for a starting spot being that he impressed Bobby Cox last year and got in great shape this offseason.

Bullpen
7 pitchers will make it in the bullpen, and there are many options. Instead of listing them all, I will count down the top seven. Rafeal Soriano, Peter Moylan and Will Ohman are all locks. Jeff Bennett and Blaine Boyer are both out of options, so they will likely make the pen so the Braves don't lose them. Tyler Yates throws hard, and is liked by Cox, although he struggled often last year. Manny Acosta is a young and talented pitcher with a nasty slider. Those seven will likely start out in the pen. Yates should be in the minors, as he has struggled, and I think that Royce Ring would be much more deserving of the spot. With all of the options that the Braves have coming into this season (including Mike Gonzalez coming back in June/July) it will be unlikely that Yates or any other pitcher will be able to go through major struggles and keep their job.

Spring Training is Here

I am excited about the upcoming season becuase I think this will be the year that the Braves go back and win the NL East. I think the team has potential to win the NL, although probably not the World Series as the Red Sox and Tigers are extremely strong (at least on paper). The return of some old faces has been the big news in Atlanta. They rescued Tom Glavine from the Mets, invited Javy Lopez to Spring Training and recently signed Damien Moss (rember the promise he showed when he won 12 games) to a minor league contract.

I think that the Braves have a ton of depth in the pitching staff this year, and should be able to win the same way they did in their 14 seasons as Kings of the NL East.

Here is what I am projecting to be the 25 man roster that comes out of spring training, as well as a couple of other players who will have a shot to play in the big leagues and have an impact this year.

Starting Lineup:
C- Brian McCann
1B- Mark Teixeira
2B- Kelly Johnson
3B- Chipper Jones
SS- Yunel Escobar
LF- Matt Diaz
CF- Mark Kotsay
RF- Jeff Francoeur

Bench:
C- Javy Lopez
1B- Scott Thorman
Util- Omar Infante
Util- Brent Lillibridge
OF- Brandon Jones

Starting Rotation:
John Smoltz
Tim Hudson
Tom Glavine
Mike Hampton
Chuck James

Bullpen:
Rafeal Soriano
Peter Moylan
Jeff Bennett
Blaine Boyer
Tyler Yates
Manny Acosta
Will Ohman

Other Hitters:
C- Brayan Pena
C- Clint Sammons
INF- Martin Prado
OF- Josh Anderson
OF- Jordan Schaffer

Other Pitchers:
Jair Jurrjens
Jo-Jo Reyes
Buddy Carlyle
Matt DeSalvo
Charlie Morton
Mike Gonzalez
Royce Ring
Jeff Ridgeway
Chris Resop
Phil Stockman