Can the Braves win the NL East in 2009?

Can the Atlanta Braves win the NL East in 2009? I think so. With the right moves the Braves can not only win the NL East in 2009 but also set themselves up to do so in the long term. I know you have heard about all the Jake Peavy to the Braves trade rumors. He would be the most important piece in the Braves efforts to win the NL East in 2009.

Trading for Peavy won't be easy. It will cost some top notch prospects and possibly Yunel Escobar or Kelly Johnson. I doubt the Braves trade Johnson not knowing if Martin Prado is capable of playing 2nd base everyday. The latest rumors have the Braves getting Jake Peavy and Khalil Greene in a deal centered around Yunel Escobar, Tommy Hanson and some other prospects.

Say the Braves trade for Jake Peavy and Khalil Greene for Yunel Escobar, Tommy Hanson, Jordan Schafer, Jeff Locke, Cole Rohrbough and either Brandon Jones or some other mid level prospect.

Jake Peavy imediately gives the Braves a legit ace. A pitcher that strikes fear into an opponent in a short playoff series. Tim Hudson is really, really good but he doesn't strike fear into opponents the way Peavy would because Hudson doesn't strikeout a ton of guys. Yeah every now and then he'll have a 10 or so strikeout game but those are few and far between. The Braves haven't had a pitcher strike fear into an opponent since John Smoltz was in his prime and Peavy would change that.

Peavy will make 11 million in 2009 and that would be cheaper than signing one of the top notch guys on the market. Getting Peavy would allow the Braves to sign an innings eater such as a Jon Garland or Paul Byrd. My vote would be Garland because he is much younger than Byrd.

Garland will probably make around 11 or 12 million in 2009 just because of the lack of quality starting pitchers on the market. Garland is a very underrated pitcher. In 9 ML seasons he has a 106-89 record with a 4.47 ERA. They say pitching in the AL adds half a run to your ERA so basically we are talking about a pitcher with a career ERA right around 4 which is really good. The fact that Garland has made 30 or more starts in 7 straight seasons makes him very attractive. Add in another fact that he just doesn't walk alot of hitters and he would be a solid #3 starter.

Spending 22 million of the Braves' reported 45 million to spend still leaves plenty to spend on the LF and CF positions to solidify the lineup. LF and CF were both huge holes for the team in 2008. The Braves have top prospect Jason Heyward (who won't be traded period) waiting in the wings to fill the LF spot for many years to come but he won't be ready in 2009 so the Braves will have to find someone else.

The Braves would like whoever they get to play LF to be a right handed hitter with the Braves being a left-handed dominate lineup. Milton Bradley has had more than his fair share of run ins with managers but his production on the field doesn't lie. I doubt the Rangers let him go after the year he had but if they do let him walk I say sign him to a 1 year deal to play LF or CF. He is coming off a year in which he batted .321 with 22 homeruns and 77 rbis for the Rangers in 126 games. If he could get along with Bobby Cox he would be a solid addition to the lineup in 2009.

As for the other outfield spot that is really up in the air. The has never been any question about Rocco Baldelli's talent and the Braves nearly traded for him a few years back but with Baldelli's condition that keeps him from playing everyday he would have to be platooned with someone. This is where I say I wouldn't be shocked to see the Braves bring back Mark Kotsay. Kotsay was very productive for the Braves in 2008 before being traded to the Red Sox. In 88 games for the Braves Kotsay hit .289 with 6 homeruns and 37 rbis. I sure a lefty-righty platoon of Baldelli and Kotsay with be very productive for the Braves in 2009.

Now talking about the bench. The Braves need to re-sign Greg Norton. Norton was very solid coming off the bench in 2008 for the Braves. He had the 2nd most pinch hits in the NL in 2008. Omar Infante and Martin Prado were very solid feel ins for various injuries in 2008. Both should be back. Backup catcher is a concern for the Braves. I highly doubt Corky Miller will be back in 2009. I really don't know who the Braves are going to get for their backup catcher position but anybody will be an upgrade over Miller. Gregor Blanco, Josh Anderson and Matt Diaz will be in a battle for the backup outfielder role.

C = Brian McCann
1B = Casey Kotchman
2B = Kelly Johnson
3B = Chipper Jones
SS = Khalil Greene
LF = Milton Bradley
CF = Rocco Baldelli/Mark Kotsay
RF = Jeff Francoeur

I know you're wondering where John Smoltz and Tom Glavine fit in for 2009. We won't find out until January or February if those guys will be able to pitch in 2009. If John Smoltz is able to pitch in 2009 he will have to decide if that will be in the role of starter or closer. If he chooses closer which I believe he might that would make what already looks to be a solid bullpen in 2009 even better. Glavine on the other hand if he is able to pitch would give the Braves another starter and even more depth they didn't have for 2008. Glavine was very good in 2008 before his elbow started messing with him. His 2-3 record and 4.85 ERA could have been alot better. He had 6 starts in 2008 where he pitched at least 6 innings and gave up 2 earned runs or less and got only 1 win to show for it.

Jake Peavy
Jair Jurrjens
Jon Garland
Jorge Campillo
Tom Glavine

That would be the Braves rotation minus Tim Hudson who had Tommy John surgery this past August and could be back as soon as late August next year. If the Braves are in contention getting Hudson back would be like making a major trade. Also Glavine would probably be low on gas by the time Hudson comes back and being able to use Glavine and Hudson to feel that #5 starter role with each getting extra rest between starts would be perfect for the Braves in 2009.

Now on to the bullpen. Rafael Soriano will be ready for spring training and Peter Moylan will be coming back from Tommy John surgery in May. If both pick up where they left off then the Braves would have a protential deadly bullpen and overall completely dominating pitching staff. Mike Gonzalez was very solid coming back this past June from his Tommy John surgery he had in May of 2007. He was 14 for 16 in converting save chances. I believe Manny Acosta and Blaine Boyer are very good relievers who both just got over used in 2008. One of the main keys to the bullpen in 2009 will be the Braves re-signing Will Ohman. Ohman was very solid in 2008.

Jeff Ridgway
Blaine Boyer
Will Ohman
Rafael Soriano
Peter Moylan
Mike Gonzalez
John Smoltz

With all of these moves the Braves can and will win the NL East in 2009.

Updated Braves Outlook

I am updating my Atlanta Braves outlook. After reading alot of people's take on the Braves and doing alot of thinking I think the Braves are capable at contending next year and setting themselves up nicely in the future. I say yeah they can contend for a playoff spot next year but I'm more excited to be looking toward 2010 or 2011. Come 2011 the Braves could be legit World Series contenders.

Here is how I would do it. David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution brings up the idea of protentially trading for the Marlins' Josh Willingham. Willingham is one of 17 arbitration eligible players the Marlins have. They won't be able to keep all of them and with their outfield depth Willingham is expendable. So that makes perfect since to me. Willingham could feel the left-field hole until whenever Jason Heyward is ready. He is a 20-25 homerun a year guy when healthy. Another reason Willingham would be a good fit is because he would be a cheaper player than say Adam Dunn, Pat Burrell or any other possible solution to the LF hole. Also the Braves wouldn't have to give up much to get him.

That would allow the Braves to spend money on starting pitchers. I really believe Derek Lowe is number one on the Braves list to feel the ace role. Then the Braves could sign a second level starter such as Paul Byrd or Jon Garland. Say the Braves sign Lowe and Garland. Also say that they bring Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and maybe Mike Hampton back on low base salaries with lots of incentives. The Braves would have the starting pitching depth they lacked this year when three of their starters went down to season ending injuries. The Braves could go into next season with a rotation with this look to it.

Derek Lowe
Jair Jurrjens
Jon Garland
Tom Glavine
John Smoltz
Mike Hampton
Jorge Campillo

That would also allow them to push James Parr and Charlie Morton back to Triple-A where they could get more seasoning. With those moves the Braves could contend in 2009 but also set themselves up nicely for 2010 and 2011 when the next wave of superstar talent is ready.

How would the Braves fill the center-field hole you ask? Well it wouldn't shock me one bit if Jordan Schafer is the Braves opening day starter in 2009. But hey what do I know. The Braves could do all of this or none of this. The great thing about this sport is trying to guess what a team will do during the off-season.