Atlanta Braves - 5 questions

[Dr. Jack]

Atlanta Braves


1: What to expect of OF Jason Heyward in 2010? If Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg has been the most talked about prospect in 2010, then Braves OF Jason Heyward must be second. A big man (6'4”, 250+ lbs) blessed with tremendous power, Heyward seems to be a clone of Phillies 1B Ryan Howard. However, it's important to remember that Heyward is only 20 years old and that the list of 20 year olds that are able to contribute on an MLB level is quite short. That being said, Heyward has started off his 2010 camp on a tear and the Braves are desperately in need of power in their lineup. While he may not break camp with the big league team, it will likely be difficult to keep the phenom in the minors for too long.


2: Will RHP Tim Hudson regain his form? Hudson (2-1, 3.61 ERA in 7 starts in 2009) underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2008. Although he returned in 2009, that type of ligament replacement procedure generally takes over 12 months to fully recover from. Now a year and a half removed from the surgery, reports on Hudson are that he has regained his pre-surgery form. The Braves feel so confident in Hudson's recovery that they signed him to a three-year contract extension after the 2009 season. With Hudson back in the fold and combined with ace-in-the-making RHP Tommy Hanson (11-4, 2.89 ERA in 21 starts), RHP Jair Jurrjens (14-10, 2.60 ERA), RHP Derek Lowe (15-10, 4.67 ERA) and RHP Kenshin Kawakami (7-12, 3.86 ERA) the Braves have one of the best starting rotations in the National League.


3: How will the bullpen shape up in 2010? The Braves lost their top two bullpen arms from 2009, LHP Mike Gonzalez (2.42 ERA, 10 SV in 80 appearances) and RHP Rafael Soriano (2.97 ERA, 27 SV in 77 appearances). Gonzalez, signed by the Pirates as a free agent, and Soriano, traded to Tampa Bay, effectively combined to form a two-headed closer in 2009. Replacing them are the 39 year old LHP Billy Wagner and the 40 year old RHP Takashi Saito. While Cox has the versatility he desires in the back of the bullpen, these older relievers cannot pitch as frequently as their younger counterparts. The Braves will again rely heavily on RHP Peter Moylan (2.85 ERA in 87 appearances) in 2010. The bullpen appears to be solid if Wagner and Saito can hold up.


4: Where will the runs come from? While the Braves scored 735 runs (6th in the National League) in 2009, it seems they had to scratch and claw for each one of them. C Brian McCann led the Braves with 21 HR and 94 RBI, respectable numbers but not what you want as a team-high. 3B Chipper Jones (.264, 18 HR, 71 RBI) has pledged to retire after the 2010 if his numbers don't improve. SS Yunel Escobar (.299, 14 HR, 76 RBI) has the ability to collect over 100 RBI if the Braves can get on base in front of him. While these are solid players the Braves felt it necessary to go on a search for power during the offseason. Who they found was oft-injured 1B Troy Glaus. Good for over 20 HR when healthy, Glaus was limited to just 29 AB in 2009 while recovering from shoulder surgery. It seems that Braves won't have any reliable power until the arrival of OF Jason Heyward.


5: Where will the Braves finish the season? The Braves are assembling a solid team built around depth in pitching, the formula for success during their historic run of the 1990s. While this team is not as good as those were, they are becoming a force to be reckoned with. The Braves finished 86-76 in 2009 and look poised to improve upon that record in 2010, which will be manager Bobby Cox's last season. While they don't have the offensive firepower to overtake the Phillies, look for them to be in the Wild Card at the end of the season. You can find the Braves to win the National League at 10/1 and to win the World Series at 22/1 over at BetJamaica.