If Atlanta hopes to challenge for the Wild Card, those young guys will have to provide the spark.Īfter an offseason full of questionable moves and increasing the average age of the team almost two years I somehow doubt these acquisitions have much of a spark left. Hopefully Jason Heyward, Brian McCann, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, Yunel Escobar, and Martin Prado can light the spark the Braves need. The Braves got older, more injury-prone, and much less confident. Instead we saw the Phillies get Roy Halladay, the Mets get Jason Bay, and the Marlins keep most of their young, solid nucleus. I did want to make a move that would make some in the NL East jealous. I did want to make a move that would instill some confidence back in the team. However, when your big bat acquisition has played 14 games since that '07 season and will have to move to a position he's played six times since 1998 to do so, it reeks of desperation. Granted if the Braves get the Troy Glaus from '07, 27 HR's 99 RBI, it will be considered a resounding success. One that played in 14 games last year and hasn't hit 30 home runs in a season since 2006. Leave it to the Atlanta Braves, which gave America John Rocker and the Tomahawk Chop, to become the first baseball team in years to abandon its city. The Braves signed a power hitter alright. I even liked the deal because I thought it added depth to the farm system so Atlanta could go out and get a real, bonafide power hitter via trade. I realize what the Braves were trying to do with the Vazquez trade. And he would be an infinite upgrade over McLouth. I know he fits the aging category that I've railed against in this article, but he's a winner. His power hitter mentality is much more suited for batting sixth or seventh in the order.Īt the very least the Braves should have waited, saved a few bucks, and gone after Johnny Damon. Nate McLouth was pretty much Kelly Johnson in that spot since his arrival via trade in June. The lead-off spot in the order was perhaps the most daunting question mark. If you for one second think that Melky Cabrera/Matt Diaz, Nate McLouth, and a rookie are going to strike fear in the Phillies who have Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth, and Shane Victorino, I need to try what you are on. Sorry, Braves fans, but if you think an aging, oft-injured, third base convert to first base is going to rival Ryan Howard, you are crazy. They added question marks at first base, on the bench, in the outfield, in the starting rotation and the bullpen. They ended '09 with one question mark on offense. The Braves have done nothing but create more question marks this offseason. That's just another one of those awe-inspiring moves that make you wonder how in the heck the Braves deserved a GM like Frank Wren. Acuña’s third-inning stolen base made him the first player in AL/NL. I'm sure the Phillies are shaking in their boots now, Mr. created history yet again as he recorded his 40th steal for the Braves as they won their ninth consecutive game by a score of 4-2 against the Guardians at Progressive Field on Monday night. As for Glaus, nothing like throwing down the gauntlet on the NL East by signing a guy who played in 115 games in '07 before missing nearly all of '09.
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