New Season....New Start

Well folks, Major League Baseball Season has started and so has our beloved Braves. We kicked off the season in the City of Brotherly Love and Home of the World Champions, Philadelphia Phillies.

The Braves made some major changes in the off season to improve this season including the pitching staff. Frank Wren made it clear after last season, he was going to make getting pitching and a LF for the Braves. He wanted 2 starters, well he not only got 2 starters, he got us 3 starters.
Wren made a trade for Javier Vazquez, who has wanted to pitch for the Braves for a while. Then he made a play for AJ Burnett, it came down to one little issue, Burnett's wife doesn't fly, so she rather take a train to NY then to Atlanta, so he signed with the Yankees. The Braves fans were upset with no other pitchers haven't been signed and Smoltz bolting for the BoSox, that only is another whole blog. Then within a matter of a week, Wren goes out and signs two starters, Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakawi, the Japanese player to play for the Braves. Then we resign Tommy Glavine, who is recovering from off season surgery. Then we have our top prospect, Tommy Hanson waiting down at Triple A Gwinnett. Again, he only is another blog.

Wren, needed to find an OF to fill the LF spot. As the off season wore on, guys like Burrell, Ibanez and Abreu were out there, they seem to want a little more than Wren wanted to spend. Garret Anderson was still out there and Wren signed him. A good veteran player, who puts up solid numbers and is constantly in the lineup. He is a bridge until another young stud by the name of Jason Heyward is ready to take over in LF. CF was a battle right up til the end of Spring Training then Jordan Schafer won the spot.

On a sweet note, Chipper Jones has signed that contract extension that will keep him in Atlanta til he retires making him one of the rare players to come up with the team that drafted him and play his entire career with one team. Chipper and Brian McCann both played on Team USA and gave impressive performances until Chipper got hurt. Mac even played LF in one game due to injuries to Ryan Braun, lets hope Bobby doesn't get any ideas.

We have a very strong bench in guys like Infante, Norton, David Ross (another FA signing), Blanco, Diaz and Prado. Each of these guys play multi-positions which gives Bobby alot of options.

Bullpen is strong with Gonzo as the closer and Soriano and Moylan being our set up guys. Middle and Long Relief guys are Boyer, Bennett, Campillo, O'Flaretty, and Carlyle. With our starters, let's hope we don't need to go to these guys very often.

I see a good season from our Braves. We are going to give the Phillies and Mets are run for their money.

So far the Braves are 2-1.