The Swagger Is Back in the Braves Clubhouse

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

A couple short weeks ago, Atlanta Braves players and coaches awoke from their first night's sleep at the evil empire (Disney World), home of the Wide World of Sports and the Atlanta Braves spring training facility, from what must have seemed like a bad dream… their 2006 season.

Last season was the Braves’ first losing effort in 16 years after General Manager, John Schuerholz, failed (a word not typically seen in the same sentence as the name, John Schuerholz) to land a proven closer prior to the start of the season. The result of that failure was a league leading 29 blown saves. Not all of those saves were blown in the 9th inning of course, but had Bob Wickman, who the Braves acquired later in the season (too late, as it turned out), been waiting in their bullpen on opening day, their season would have undoubtedly ended in October rather than September.

Injuries also played a substantial role in their struggles. At one point, Atlanta had 4 starters (Mike Hampton, John Thompson, Kyle Davies, and Horacio Ramirez) all on the disabled list at the same time. The combination of a paper thin bullpen and a starting rotation that needed its own triage center in the clubhouse resulted in an uncharacteristically bloated 4.60 team ERA. A career-worst season from co-ace Tim Hudson didn’t help either.

But there was a silver lining in an otherwise depressing 2006 campaign. Even though Chipper Jones (still the linchpin in their lineup) missed over 50 games due to injury, the Braves, who play at Turner Field (widely regarded as a “pitcher’s park”), finished second in the NL in runs scored, only 16 runs behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who play at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

Other good news… John Smoltz (who will turn 40 in a couple of months) proved he has plenty left in the tank, and a native southern lefty, Chuck James, emerged likely fixture in the Braves’ rotation for years to come after going 11-4 with a 3.78 ERA in his 2006 rookie season.

After a disappointing season that saw their 14 year consecutive division le streak snapped, many casual observers assumed it was the beginning of the end for the Braves. Hey... it had to end sometime right? But while the streak is over, Mets and Phillies fans will be particularly chagrined to learn that the Braves haven't gone away.

General Manager, John Schuerholz, vowed to put the Braves back in a compe ive position by rebuilding the pitching staff. Mission accomplished.

The Braves actually started the reconstruction process before the end of last season by re-signing closer, Bob Wickman. They then shipped injury-prone lefty, Horacio Ramirez, to Seattle for Rafael Soriano, who is widely regard as one of the best young relievers in baseball. But they didn’t stop there. Prior to the start of spring training, the Braves sent first-baseman Adam LaRoche to Pittsburgh for Mike Gonzalez, who was perfect in 24 save opportunities for the Pirates last season, but will likely serve as Wickman’s “setup-man” for the Braves.

When the dust settled, John Schuerholz hadn’t simply patched the holes in the Braves’ bullpen. Instead, he assembled what is quite possibly the most impressive trio of relievers since Cincinnati’s “Nasty Boys”, to go along with a few more talented young arms in the Atlanta bullpen.

As for the starting rotation, the injury bug is not likely to bite as hard as last season, after the Braves have parted ways with their two most injury-plagued starters, Horacio Ramirez and John Thompson, over the winter. Health concerns do however continue to surround Mike Hampton, whose return from Tommy John surgery will be delayed by an oblique muscle strain. While the Braves cannot be certain what kind of production they’ll get from Mike Hampton when he returns, there’s plenty of talent in the rotation to carry the Braves back to October. Especially when that rotation is backed by what might turn out to be the best bullpen in baseball this year.

John Smoltz is still a stud. Chuck James joined the Atlanta rotation mid-season last year, and the Braves should benefit from a full season of his services. But the key to this rotation is Tim Hudson, who posted a career-worst 4.86 ERA last season as he struggled with his control and a sinker that wasn’t quite as crisp as in years past. “Embarrassed” by his 2006 performance, Hudson worked hard over the winter and arrived at camp this year determined to reclaim his place among baseball’s elite.

It’s still early, but through his first two spring starts, Hudson has a 1.50 spring ERA while featuring a sharp sinker the likes of which haven’t been seen from Hudson since he left Oakland. His location has been more reminiscent of the Hudson of old as well.

The Braves' rotation will also feature Kyle Davies, a hard throwing blue-chip righty, and Mark Redman, who was signed to fill in for Mike Hampton until his return.

The offense was weakened by the departure of big-hitting Adam LaRoche, but with the Jonses, the “kids”-Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann, all-star Edgar Renteria and others… there should still be plenty of offense to keep Atlanta among the league leaders in all major offensive categories.

With a solid offense, Smoltz, Hudson, & James atop this rotation, and what could the most dominant bullpen they have ever featured… the Braves don’t see their 2006 season as the end of anything, but rather an opportunity to make a fresh start.