Braves Team Report - March 10

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PART 1:


Inside Pitch

Pitching is the name of the game for every team, but it was far and away what tripped up the Braves last season. And the season before.
At this point in spring training, no big injuries have popped up, and that makes this year better than last year already.

“I think our staff is better this year, there’s no doubt about that, our younger guys are more experienced,” manager Bobby Cox said. “But we have depth."


“Last year we went into camp, we didn’t have a lot of depth and we lost two pitchers just like that and had a hard time replacing them. If that’s the case this year, we’ve got guys to come in and take right over and get right in the rotation.”

Two to watch especially closely are right-hander Jair Jurrjens (acquired from the Tigers in the trade of shortstop Edgar Renteria), who pitched three perfect innings in his start against the Indians on March 5; and right-hander Jeff Bennett, who has earned high praise from general manager Frank Wren.
“You look at his groundball-flyball ratio,” Wren said. “They’re all in that 2 1/2-to-3 (range). That’s doing a pretty good job of keeping the ball on the ground. That’s actually a pretty elite level. Where (Tim Hudson) is. Guys like that.

“He was always a hard fastball-slider guy. He was really a two-pitch guy. And once he added that sinker, it allowed him to get outs earlier and to pitch through a lineup and change the way he pitches.”

So the Braves believe they will have a strong rotation whether or not Mike Hampton is strong after missing two seasons due to injury, or even if Tom Glavine and John Smoltz can’t deliver as many quality innings as expected.

Notes, Quotes

• LHP Mike Hampton and manager Bobby Cox both insist Hampton should not miss his next start because of the mild groin strain that forced him from the March 7 game against the Tigers.
• RF Jeff Francoeur’s contract was renewed after he chose not to accept the Braves’ one-year offer. But he says he understands the business side of baseball, and that the lack of a long-term deal will not change how he feels about the Braves.
• INF Omar Infante went back to Atlanta to have the pin removed from his left hand, which was broken when he was hit by a pitch playing winter ball. He is expected to miss at least the first week of the season.
• RHP Rafael Soriano missed the first week of spring training games with a reported flu bug, and he also reported minor discomfort in his right elbow. Manager Bobby Cox called it minor inflammation. Soriano threw a bullpen session March 7.
• RHP Peter Moylan, who had been slowed by a sore elbow, returned to action Sunday and pitched a perfect inning against the Cardinals.
• The Braves have signed all 40 players on their roster.


By The Numbers: .509—1B Mark Teixeira’s 2007 Braves batting average with runners in scoring position.


Quote To Note: “Every time you say the word ‘Mark Teixeira’ I get a big smile on my face.”—3B Chipper Jones.


Roster Report

Last spring the Braves seemed tense after failing to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons. Now they’ve missed the playoffs for the last two seasons, but they are anything but tense. The combination of pitching depth, the chance to have 1B Mark Teixeira for an entire season, and the lift injected by the return of LHP Tom Glavine has everybody loose.

Arrivals: RHP Jair Jurrjens (trade with Tigers), RHP Chris Resop (waiver claim from Angels), OF Josh Anderson (trade with Astros), LHP Tom Glavine (free agent from Mets), LHP Will Ohman (trade with Cubs), INF Omar Infante (trade with Cubs), OF Mark Kotsay (trade with A’s.)

Departures: SS Edgar Renteria (traded to Tigers), RHP Oscar Villarreal (traded to Astros), RHP Jose Ascanio (traded to Cubs), CF Andruw Jones (free agent, signed with Dodgers), OF Willie Harris (non-tendered free agent, signed with Nationals), RHP Chad Paronto (released, signed with Astros), LHP Ron Mahay (free agent, signed with Royals), RHP Joey Devine (traded to A’s), RHP Lance Cormier, (released, signed minor league deal with Orioles), RHP Octavio Dotel (free agent, signed with White Sox), INF Willy Aybar (traded to Rays), INF Pete Orr (free agent, signed minor league deal with Nationals), INF Julio Franco (free agent, unsigned), INF Chris Woodward (free agent, unsigned).

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PART 2:

Spring Focus: Manager Bobby Cox’s first order of business is playing mix and match in the outfield. Well, center and left fields; Jeff Francoeur was firmly established in right even before he earned his first Gold Glove. Cox expects Mark Kotsay to be healthy from the start, and Matt Diaz improved in left the more he played there last season, but Cox will be looking for the most effective backups for center and left. That could be the same person, or that spot could be filled by a versatile infielder.

Projected Rotation:
1. RHP John Smoltz
2. RHP Tim Hudson
3. LHP Tom Glavine
4. LHP Mike Hampton
5. RHP Jeff Bennett or LHP Chuck James


Only the first three are guaranteed jobs, in some order. The last two spots in the rotation are up for grabs. But manager Bobby Cox, general manager Frank Wren and pitching coach Roger McDowell are confident there are more than enough arms in the system to make a strong rotation.

Projected Bullpen:
RHP Rafael Soriano (closer)
RHP Peter Moylan
LHP Will Ohman
RHP Tyler Yates
RHP Manny Acosta
RHP Chris Resop
LHP Royce Ring


Remember how giddy the Braves were about the bullpen last season when they started out with a trio of closers: Soriano, LHP Mike Gonzalez and RHP Bob Wickman? Well, that blew up in a hurry; Gonzalez was felled by elbow surgery and Wickman by blown saves. A year later, the Braves are happy to pin their closing hopes on Soriano, who proved his mettle last season. And they look forward to Gonzalez’s return from Tommy John surgery some time in June.

Projected Lineup:
1. SS Yunel Escobar
2. CF Mark Kotsay
3. 3B Chipper Jones
4. 1B Mark Teixeira
5. RF Jeff Francoeur
6. C Brian McCann
7. LF Matt Diaz
8. 2B Kelly Johnson


Manager Bobby Cox will be moving his outfielders and Johnson up and down in the batting order throughout the spring as he ponders where Kotsay fits best. But Jones and Teixeira will stay right where they are.

Projected Reserves:
OF Brandon Jones
OF Josh Anderson
INF Omar Infante
INF Scott Thorman or INF Martin Prado
C Javy Lopez or C Clint Sammons


Cox and general manager Frank Wren have several ways to go as they construct the club, thanks to the versatility of several players. If C Javy Lopez wins the backup catcher’s job, his would be a nice bat to have on the bench.

Top Rookies: Here, too, the Braves believe they have quality candidates not too far off, and certainly capable of filling in for a week or two when injuries strike.


Brent Lillibridge, 24, is ready to play outfield, third base, shortstop and second base, and that versatility could well earn a spot for him on the Opening Day roster, depending on how well INF Scott Thorman and INF Martin Prado perform. In 87 games at Richmond, Lillibridge hit .287 with 10 homers and 41 RBIs while chalking up 28 stolen bases in 33 attempts.
Jordan Schafer, 21, is the heir apparent in center field, and he could get some time with the club as early as this season if injuries strike. After posting a .294 batting average with 10 homers and a .354 on-base percentage at Class A Myrtle Beach, he hit .324 and drove in 16 runs in 26 games in the Arizona Fall League.


Medical Watch:

LHP Mike Hampton (strained right groin) came out of his March 7 appearance early, but the injury was not believed to be serious.
LHP Chuck James (rotator cuff tear) is expected to make his spring debut on March 13.
RHP Rafael Soriano (elbow) is expected to make his spring debut around March 12.
LHP Mike Gonzalez (Tommy John elbow surgery in May 2007) is not expected to be ready to pitch until after the All-Star break.
RHP Anthony Lerew (Tommy John elbow surgery in July 2007) won’t be ready for the start of the 2008 season.
INF Omar Infante (broken left hand) may miss a bit of action at the start of the season.