Tuesday, June 14, 2005
they could still easily win this division
So the Braves definitely need to upgrade their offense and their bullpen. The former will happen automatically once Chipper returns in July, or whenever. The bullpen might be a problem. I still believe Kolb has the ability to be effective, even if he can't handle the closer role; he may not have an appropriate WHIP for a top setup man, but I would be surprised if he didn't eventually settle in as a suitable seventh-inning guy. Reitsma just might be solid enough, and since they probably couldn't afford to add somebody like Eddie Guardado or Jose Mesa (who I wouldn't be comfortable with, despite his last two seasons of goodness), they're probably pretty much stuck with him. When they traded for Hudson, your typical venters and sports-radio callers bitched endlessly about shipping out Charles Thomas and a top minor league arm for a one-year rental. People who aren't complete idiots, though, realized than Juan Cruz was probably the most immediately valuable part of that package, and his presence probably would have relieved much of the team's relief woes. Anyway, I think it's about time to pull the plug on Roman Colon, and maybe Bernero, and see if anybody down at Richmond or on the waiver wire would be an improvement. Also, with the eventual returns of Hampton and Thomson, and the emergence of Kyle Davies, perhaps they could send the intermittently effective Horacio to the pen.
Now, the offense, as I done notated, will improve simply by Chipper's return (if, thank God, he does). They'd still have one weak-ass outfield, though. Everybody and their mother is hot for the Bravos to pick up that jilted Red Austin Kearns. Gammons mentions both Kearns and Oakland's Eric Byrnes, who isn't that great of a player but who would still be a marked improvement over Kelly Johnson or Brian Jordan. Either would be an excellent move, if they could get them without giving up Davies, Marte, Francouer, or McCann. From the sound of it, Byrnes would have a higher asking price, even though Kearns is almost assuredly a better player. If they could get Kearns and Byrnes for a pittance, trade or send Johnson down, and seat Jordan squarely on the bench, then this team could easily rank alongside any other in this hotly contested division (once again the finest and most exhilirating in all the land). ESPN Insider also names Atlanta as being the prime suitor for Tampa's Aubrey Huff; the Huffster's having an off year, but he was terrific the last few seasons. I'd love to see him with a tomahawk on his chest, but I don't see it making sense financially, and I'm sure it would take more to get him than either Byrnes or Kearns. Giving up a top prospect for Huff, and then being financially incapable of adding anybody else, would not benefit the team, either presently or in the long-term, as much as acquiring Byrnes and Kearns would. So yes, Gammons actually had a pretty good idea on this front, one that I heartily endorse.
I never get to see any games, unfortunately, except for the Sox on Fridays and then whatever Fox decides to show (which has been entirely Sox thus far, of course). I'm missing it more than usual, as this five-team dogfight in the NL East would be more thrilling if I could see the games and not just follow the action on-line and in the box scores. If the Braves shore up their offense, if Kolb and the rest of the bullpen can settle themselves, if Davies can keep up the greatness, and if Hudson, Smoltz, Hampton, and Thomson all perform as well as we know they can, then there is absolutely no reason these Braves can't win this division. The Nationals and the Mets will both eventually fade, and by the end of August this will be a three-team race. The Marlins are still the best rounded of the three, but Philadelphia's killer offense and the Braves' rotation will keep them in the hunt. Atlanta can improve their offense enough to handle either team, though, and hopefully they'll do so.
So the Braves definitely need to upgrade their offense and their bullpen. The former will happen automatically once Chipper returns in July, or whenever. The bullpen might be a problem. I still believe Kolb has the ability to be effective, even if he can't handle the closer role; he may not have an appropriate WHIP for a top setup man, but I would be surprised if he didn't eventually settle in as a suitable seventh-inning guy. Reitsma just might be solid enough, and since they probably couldn't afford to add somebody like Eddie Guardado or Jose Mesa (who I wouldn't be comfortable with, despite his last two seasons of goodness), they're probably pretty much stuck with him. When they traded for Hudson, your typical venters and sports-radio callers bitched endlessly about shipping out Charles Thomas and a top minor league arm for a one-year rental. People who aren't complete idiots, though, realized than Juan Cruz was probably the most immediately valuable part of that package, and his presence probably would have relieved much of the team's relief woes. Anyway, I think it's about time to pull the plug on Roman Colon, and maybe Bernero, and see if anybody down at Richmond or on the waiver wire would be an improvement. Also, with the eventual returns of Hampton and Thomson, and the emergence of Kyle Davies, perhaps they could send the intermittently effective Horacio to the pen.
Now, the offense, as I done notated, will improve simply by Chipper's return (if, thank God, he does). They'd still have one weak-ass outfield, though. Everybody and their mother is hot for the Bravos to pick up that jilted Red Austin Kearns. Gammons mentions both Kearns and Oakland's Eric Byrnes, who isn't that great of a player but who would still be a marked improvement over Kelly Johnson or Brian Jordan. Either would be an excellent move, if they could get them without giving up Davies, Marte, Francouer, or McCann. From the sound of it, Byrnes would have a higher asking price, even though Kearns is almost assuredly a better player. If they could get Kearns and Byrnes for a pittance, trade or send Johnson down, and seat Jordan squarely on the bench, then this team could easily rank alongside any other in this hotly contested division (once again the finest and most exhilirating in all the land). ESPN Insider also names Atlanta as being the prime suitor for Tampa's Aubrey Huff; the Huffster's having an off year, but he was terrific the last few seasons. I'd love to see him with a tomahawk on his chest, but I don't see it making sense financially, and I'm sure it would take more to get him than either Byrnes or Kearns. Giving up a top prospect for Huff, and then being financially incapable of adding anybody else, would not benefit the team, either presently or in the long-term, as much as acquiring Byrnes and Kearns would. So yes, Gammons actually had a pretty good idea on this front, one that I heartily endorse.
I never get to see any games, unfortunately, except for the Sox on Fridays and then whatever Fox decides to show (which has been entirely Sox thus far, of course). I'm missing it more than usual, as this five-team dogfight in the NL East would be more thrilling if I could see the games and not just follow the action on-line and in the box scores. If the Braves shore up their offense, if Kolb and the rest of the bullpen can settle themselves, if Davies can keep up the greatness, and if Hudson, Smoltz, Hampton, and Thomson all perform as well as we know they can, then there is absolutely no reason these Braves can't win this division. The Nationals and the Mets will both eventually fade, and by the end of August this will be a three-team race. The Marlins are still the best rounded of the three, but Philadelphia's killer offense and the Braves' rotation will keep them in the hunt. Atlanta can improve their offense enough to handle either team, though, and hopefully they'll do so.
