2009 Record: 86-76
Lineup:
CF Nate McLouth
2B Martin Prado
3B Chipper Jones
1B Troy Glaus
C Brian McCann
SS Yunel Escobar
RF Jason Heyward
LF Matt Diaz or Melky Cabrera
This team is ancient in the middle of the order. Chipper Jones had an awful second half of the year and you really have to question what he has left in the tank. Heyward is the future, and he had a huge spring, but still he is very young and is going to have his up and downs. Brian McCann has made the All-Star team each of his four full seasons in the majors, the first Brave to do that, but I just don't trust this lineup. The players are either too young or too old to be a serious contender.
Pitching:
RHP Derek Lowe
RHP Jair Jurrjens
RHP Tommy Hanson
RHP Tim Hudson
RHP Kenshin Kawakami
Closer:
RHP Billy Wagner
I like this rotation a lot, and in the NL that can be a huge difference. Lowe needs to have a bounce back year, but I think he will be very solid. Hanson is one of the best young arms in the majors, and Jair Jurrjens is up there too (though no one talks about him). The Braves return four starters from a rotation that led the majors with a 3.52 ERA last season, but they lost Javier Vazquez, who was last year’s ace with his 15 wins and 2.87 ERA. Still, this rotation should be very good. The thing that worries me is their bullpen. They lost Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano, but signed Saito and Wagner. At best this could be a push, but I think they took a huge step back. Wagner is really old, and so is Saito. Plus Saito's arm is hanging by a thread. All that that would make me very worried if I was a Braves fan.
Overall:
I like their rotation, and that will keep them in it, but there are just too many questions in their lineup and bullpen for me to make them a playoff team.
2010 Record: 82-80
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