This is going to be the debate from now until the Braves either prove they're a winning club or prove they're not a winning club this season. Jeff Schultz of the AJC likely echos many of the fans' worries about this latest incarnation of the Braves -- that they are NOT better than they were a year ago.
Put it this way: Even if Wren had 14 division titles, five pennants and a World Series on his resume like his predecessor, John Schuerholz, people would still be slapping their foreheads in unison and going, "Huh?"
Wren understands this. But he’ll also tell you, "We think we’re way ahead of where we were a year ago at this time."
And ahead of where the Braves were at the end of the 2009 season?
"Yes," he said. "I think we’re better."
Clip and save.
And Wren is right, despite Schultz' belief that these were ignominious moves. Even a question mark over Troy Glaus is a better approach to the middle of the Braves order than Garret Anderson (or Ken Griffey Jr.). There were more question marks about Rafael Soriano (coming off off-season surgery after missing 80% of the season) and MIke Gonzalez (only a couple of months of major league games after TJ surgery) than there are about Billy Wagner (same trajectory as Gonzalez with more post-surgery success) and Takashi Saito (healthy most of last season).
There were just as many questions about how reliable Javier Vazquez would be last off-season as there are about how Derek Lowe will be this season. We had no idea how Kenshin Kawakami would handle the transition to American ball, and now we know that he should be a very effect back of the rotation pitcher (and occasionally beat an opponents ace, aka Dragon Slayer). We were relying on the aging and coming-off-a-second-surgery Tom Glavine last year, and this year we've got a healthy 1 through 5 and likely four pitchers who will be competing for and have legitimate shots at the title of staff ace.
We're relying on a MUCH better rookie to fill out one of our outfield spots. We have more established players in center field and second base. We have a much deeper bullpen than the Jeff Bennetts and Buddy Carlyles of the past.
My view of this team is that it IS positioned better than it was last year. My glass if half full... but there are going to be a dozen comments that disagree with that sentiment, and that's fine. Neither of us will be proven right or wrong for at least three months.
0 recs | 25 comments
Amen!
justincredubil02 - January 11, 2010
Maybe we were just spoiled by the days of Ted Turner?
Liberty Media is the reality of where we are right now and we have to be mindful of our salary situation. For the money we have, I think Wren is doing a good job.
AaronR - January 11, 2010
I just saw fandave's post...
…I’ve been writing this since this morning, off and on, oh well, repeat.
gondeee - January 11, 2010
Bullpen – I don’t like the Saito signing. He’s not better than Soriano or Gonzo. I would have preferred going with a younger player to fill that last spot. I think the bullpen would have been fine without him, and I don’t like paying a “non-Ace” reliever almost $4 million when money is tight. Other than that, I think that this team is probably at least as good as the one that finished 2009, and anyone who thinks it’s not as good as the one that started 2009 has no credibility, IMO.
buzzdeadwax - January 11, 2010
Definitely agree with your last statement. However, I think Saito makes a big difference in the bullpen. I think relying on Moylan, Medlen, and O’Flaherty to get to Wagner could potentially work but when you can pencil in Saito in the 8th and use all of those guys an inning earlier, it goes from potentially working to a club strength.
ajones2522 - January 11, 2010
This post sums up my feelings on Saito...
He’s old, and apparently has shoulder issues that were not surgically repaired. When I combine this with the statement above, it screams overpay/mistake. But like I said, it’s the only off-season move I have found fault with. Wagner might have been a bit hasty and a slight overpay, but at least he’s an elite relief pitcher; Glaus and Hinske were excellent signings (although I haven’t seen the $ involved in Hinske, but I can’t imagine they’re paying him as much as Glaus); DeRosa and LaRoche were good non-signings; the KJ and Church non-tenders were painful but necessary because of money; and I think he got good value in the JV trade.
buzzdeadwax - January 11, 2010
I think Hinske is getting around $1mil plus a couple hundred grand in incentives.
The Keith Lockhart Era - January 12, 2010
Hmm...
So we won’t be able to pick and choose where we use Saito? It’s not like a guy like Moylan is just some chump. And saying Saito is past his prime is no slap in the face. He was among the more dominant relievers in the league in his prime.
MichaelProcton - January 15, 2010
I'm with you Gondee
I think I am a bit of a Cup-Half-Full guy all the time but I believe a few things:
- Troy Glaus can be an intimidating batter in the lineup, making both Chipper and Mac tougher to get out.
- Jason Heyward is the REAL deal. He is who Francour should have been.
- The bullpen is better than last year. When you look at sheer depth, there is no comparison.
- Melky Cabrera, Eric Hinske, Omar Infante, Jordan Shafer (or B. Jones, Blanco) makes one of the most versatile, talented benches in the NL.
- Matty Diaz can be a full time player and hit over .320 for a full season, making the lineup a tough out from top to bottom.
- McLouth, Escobar, Prado, McCann, etc. are young and only getting better.
- Best rotation in the NL. Hanson and Jurjjens are the makings of the type of rotation we had throughout the nineties. Hudson is still an ace, KK is more comfortable and Lowe will bounce back.
- The farm system is healthier and more star-studded than ever.
I’m with you. My cup is half full. Go Braves!
IDChop - January 11, 2010
The cup is at least half full until proven otherwise
As you detailed, if most/all goes to plan, we’re sitting pretty.
The Keith Lockhart Era - January 12, 2010
Better than going into '09? Sure
But I still don’t think we are better than the team that played the last third of last season… this would have been true even if we brought back the same team (it would be unrealistic to expect Laroche to put up those numbers over a whole season, or Vazquez and Hanson to repeat their numbers, or the relative good health over a full season) but I think thats the point, we left ‘09 with a team on the field that was definitely a playoff caliber team, and right now, I don’t think we are at the same level
I do like most of Wrens moves (Glaus, the bullpen, Heyward tetting a shot) but its hard to see how the moves are steps forward as, with the exception of Heyward, they are replacing strengths, not weaknesses, of the team from the end of last year, and odds are the rotation has dropped off some with Vazquez gone and typical yearly variance
abravesfan - January 11, 2010
The thing is, we don’t have to expect Vazquez to have a repeat performance in 2010….he’s with the Yankees now. I don’t see why Hanson can’t perform at the same level last year; the only difference is we’ll hopefully have him for a full season. I also believe it is unrealistic to think that Derek Lowe will have as bad of a year last year. IMO, we have a better bullpen (quality AND quantity) and a better bench. The lineup and rotation will be strengths and we’ll get a full year of McLouth as well.
FeartheChop - January 11, 2010
we don't have to have him repeat it...
but in order to be better at that spot than we were at the end of last year, we need someone to match the numbers he was putting up at the end of last year. I definitely think Lowe will improve, but I don’t see any of our pitchers putting up a pitching line as good as Vazquez did last year (or, more accurately, while I think a couple of our pitchers could, namely Hanson, I don’t think its reasonable to expect him to put up that sort of line)
The Braves team ERA over the second half of last year was 3.22, I just don’t see how can expect them to match that over a full season, especially after removing Vazquez.
abravesfan - January 11, 2010
Jeff Schultz has made me sick for a long time.
Bravely going forward - January 11, 2010
I hear he’s been dating Debbi Downer
adc62 - January 11, 2010
I hear
he’s starting a band, ‘Captain Bringdown & The Buzzkills’.
MayorofPonce - January 11, 2010
Seriously, I think I could count on one hand how many articles/columns he’s written in the past year about the Braves that did not have a distinctly negative slant. I might be able to get past it if it weren’t for the fact that he seems to have the same vendetta against UGA, my alma mater. I know there are plenty of Dawgs fans on here. Am I right, guys? Does he piss you off as much as me? LOL
Bravely going forward - January 12, 2010
He’s a jerk and an idiot.
I actually sent him an email once, pointing out specific falacies as to something distinctly stupid that he had written and his reply was very smartassed and abusive. Even though he had no reason to necessarily know that I’ve been a 7 day/week subscriber to the AJC for decades and thus pay his salary, that was pretty telling IMO.
fandave - January 12, 2010
He had a joke article a few years ago...
Mark Richt called him out on it, and things have seemed sour ever sense. I’ve never really respected Schultz as a columnist. He tries to make bad jokes and pick on folks when things go bad, and should not be taken seriously.
Mr. Sanchez - January 12, 2010
She broke my heart in 1996 when she dumped me for Jim Leyritz.
The Keith Lockhart Era - January 12, 2010
I hear
He is dating Ms Toody Truth (as tooting my horn..or is that too suggestive)….
I am going with the “Half empty” approach…FW has not impressed me much with his off season moves…but I feel he did redeem himself in the midseason.
Our second half push was great…in the past these pushes were done with the players we had on hand (to include farm hands) with the exception of a couple of players who came in to help out. The odds are stacked against us to pull it off again by using midseason trades.
Pitching staff looks better off on paper except there will be a lot of extra innings to eat up….JV often pitched more than 7+…who will step up to that?
With it all said when it comes to judging if we are better off now than last year…the answer would have to wait till next year mid august.
At that time It would surprise me to find these three names in the line-up at the same time …Chipper, Glaus, Hinske (the last one as a pitch hitter in the 9th?)
bravestatoo - January 11, 2010
Half full, half empty, maybe Schultz just doesn't want the cup...
and who can blame him after what those two girls did to it.
Mr. Sanchez - January 12, 2010
Swish. Sanchez is on the board ladies and gentlemen.
The Keith Lockhart Era - January 12, 2010
Saito was healthy all of last season, not just most.
He didn’t even visit the BoSox training room.
MichaelProcton - January 15, 2010
Good enough to Beat the Phillies?
We have a depth in our pitching that Phillies don’t have, we have the a stronger batting line up with Glaus even if he only plays 100 games. We have a bench that is stronger than I can remember in the last 10 years…given all of this I think we will have a much stronger 1st half in 2010. 1st half is where we lost last yr. This year with a stronger first half we beat the Phillies!
My Glass is half full!
onlybraves - January 18, 2010
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