Despite the disappointing season, manager Bobby Cox is looking toward 2009 with rose-colored glasses. He believes every problem this year was caused by injuries to his pitching staff and that most of those pitchers will return healthy next season. The starters will pitch more innings, so the bullpen can pitch fewer and thus will blow fewer leads. Healthy position players will hit more than singles, and they will string these hits together for big innings. And RF Jeff Francoeur will not ground into double plays with the bases loaded.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The Braves need two front-line starters, but who doesn't? Even if RHP John Smoltz and LHP Tom Glavine come back and pitch well, they are still in their 40s, and their days of throwing eight or nine innings are over, no matter how good and consistent their stuff. The Braves also need another power hitter to complement 3B Chipper Jones. That task can't always fall to C Brian McCann, who needs days off during a long season. The Braves are keeping their fingers crossed that RF Jeff Francoeur delivers more power next season, but they know they can't count on that. ARRIVALS: RHP Javier Vazquez (trade with White Sox), LHP Boone Logan (trade with White Sox), C David Ross (free agent from Red Sox).
DEPARTURE: LHP Mike Hampton (free agent, signed with Astros).
FREE AGENTS: RHP John Smoltz, LHP Tom Glavine, LHP Will Ohman, RHP Elmer Dessens, RHP Jorge Julio, RHP Julian Tavarez, LHP Chuck James (non-tendered).
Whether Smoltz and Glavine pitch next season depends on how quickly and how well they recover from this season's surgeries -- right shoulder for Smoltz, left elbow for Glavine. The Braves would love to keep Ohman, depending on the price tag. The bullpen was such an Achilles' heel that Dessens, Julio and Tavarez most likely will all be invited to spring training.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: OF Matt Diaz, RF Jeff Francoeur, LHP Mike Gonzalez, INF/OF Omar Infante, 2B Kelly Johnson, 1B Casey Kotchman.
It's probably not possible for Francoeur to have a worse season than he did this year. At least that's what he and the Braves are counting on, and why they shouldn't have to go the hearing route, even though Francoeur has not been happy with the length or the dollars offered in proposals before the previous two seasons. Johnson really kicked his offense into gear in September. Gonzalez was up-and-down in his return from Tommy John surgery (14 saves, 4.28 ERA). Infante's playing time was limited due to a slow recovery from a broken hand suffered last offseason. Only Gonzalez has a shot at more than a moderate pay increase, due to the scarcity of left-handed closers.
IN LIMBO: OF Matt Diaz may have lost his left field platoon spot when he missed four months with a torn-up left knee, courtesy of an unpadded section of the wall in Miller Park. He could be a candidate for a trade package with rookie RHP Charlie Morton and rookie LHP Jo-Jo Reyes, whose lack of improvement exasperated Cox.
MEDICAL WATCH:
3B Chipper Jones (sore right shoulder) has acute tendinitis, and he'll spend the offseason rehabbing it.
LHP Tom Glavine (left elbow surgery in August 2008) and RHP John Smoltz (right shoulder surgery in June 2008) are expecting to be recovered by spring training.
RHP Peter Moylan (Tommy John surgery in May 2008) won't return any sooner than May.
RHP Rafael Soriano (ulnar nerve transposition surgery in August 2008, small bone spur in posterior of right elbow removed) is expected to be ready to pitch again by spring training.
RHP Tim Hudson (Tommy John surgery in August 2008) could miss the entire 2009 season, although a late-season activation is his goal.
