Javier Vazquez Has Been Solid in the Spring

There has been a lot of attention given to the signing of Derek Lowe in the offseason.He deserves the attention he has been getting, but there is one pitcher that has been flying under the radar. Javier Vazquez has been quietly having a very solid spring. He was excellent in the WBC for Puerto Rico and has been pitching very well for the Braves in Spring training. I know Lowe is the ace of the staff and Jair Jurrjens is the rising star of the staff, but I think Vazquez is going to have a huge impact pitching in the third spot of the rotation.

Braves Sign Lowe to 4 Year Deal

Only time will tell if signing Derek Lowe will pay off in the long term, but in the short term the signing is already paying dividends.  Many fans (and players I imagine) have wondered how serious the Braves about winning now?  The answer is: serious.  They mean business.  Not that we’d expect anything less from a team being coached by Bobby Cox, but brining Lowe in, and spending the money it took to bring him in, shows that this is the case.

Smoltz to Sign with Red Sox – Atlanta Fans Stunned, Sad and Mad

The news that John Smoltz will sign with the Boston Red Sox for the 2009 season was meet with shock and sadness by Braves’ fans across the country.  Those feelings of sadness quickly turned to anger as we all realized that the player who has been a Brave for as long as some of us has been fans will be leaving the team.

How could this have happened?

Everyone is asking that question right now.  Here is some of the reaction to the news from across the Braves’ blogesphere:

• Talking Chop – But Still
• Braves Blast – Dear Frank: Keep Smoltz
• Braves Journal – This is Just Wrong

Players are starting to sound off on the deal as well.  Here is a link to Chipper’s comments:

• AJC.com – Chipper Not Happy

It’s hard for me to believe that this is a good thing for the Braves.   We’ll see how it works out, but John Smoltz is worth whatever money it would have taken to keep him in Atlanta.

Tom Glavine Throws Without Discomfort

It has been a while since we last posted here at BravesBaseballFan.com.  We’ve been following all the moves this winter and have been waiting for something significant to happen to inspire a post.  Needless to say, there hasn’t been a lot of moves this winter, just a lot of talk.  With all the talk about the Braves acquiring an ace pitcher this winter, there is a former Braves ace who is making progress with his rehabilitation.

Read More: Glavine throwing without discomfort from mlb.com.

Jake Peavy and the Braves

I’m sure everyone has heard the rumors of Jake Peavy being traded to the Braves. When I heard the news I was ecstatic, and I still am. Watching the postseason is making me miss seeing the Braves in the playoffs. They need to make a big move, and they must make the playoffs next year. Everything is lining up and time is running out. We don’t know how much longer Chipper’s body is going to hold up.  We don’t know if Hudson is ever going to be back to his Cy Young form. And we don’t know how much longer Bobby will be an effective manager.

The point is we need to win now. This offseason is a great chance for Frank Wren show that he is committed to putting a winner on the field. He needs to make a big move. Of all of the free agent pitchers, Peavy is the least risky. The question is how much are we willing to give up for him. As usual, the Braves have a plethora of talented prospects. Wren has said that he is unwilling to give up the top prospects, and I totally agree with him. We don’t need to trade away our future, but there are some members of the team that are dispensible. Escobar, Johnson, Morten, and Francoeur come to mind. It might hurt to see some of these guys go, but if it helps the Braves win, we should not be afraid of change.

I hope that GM Wren finds a way to get Peavy on the team for the right price. If not, let’s hope Manny Ramirez will be willing to come to Atlanta.

The Braves Need a Closer for 2009 Season

After watching Brad Lidge close his 80th straight game tonight in game 1 of the World Series, I’m more sure than ever that the Braves need to find a solid closer for the 2009 season.  I can’t take another season full of one run losses.

Could Smoltz be the answer?

Skip Caray was the Voice of Baseball, for me.

With a lot of people in the country, I am mourning the loss of long time Braves’ broadcaster Skip Caray. I grew up in Utah far away from any Major League Baseball teams, but I had TBS and the Braves. Hearing Skip’s voice meant that summer had arrived. Only my Dad has taught me more about baseball than Skip. He will be missed. I will always remember one call by Skip. I will remember the call and two names Sid Bream and Francisco Cabrera. This is the greatest Skip Caray call ever.

The Loss of a Legend – Skip Caray Passes Away

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves say longtime broadcaster Skip Caray, the son of famous Chicago Cubs voice Harry Caray, has died in his sleep. He was 68 years old.

The team says Skip Caray died in his Atlanta home on Sunday. He had several ailments in the last year but had recovered enough to continue calling Braves home games at Turner Field.

Caray was drawn into broadcasting by his father, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Skip Caray was in the middle of his 33rd season with the Braves. The St. Louis native started in local radio and later joined his father at the University of Missouri calling football.”

Another Nice Outing for Mike Hampton

Mike Hampton had another quality start. For me, it is really good to see him out there. He could have gotten the win, but the run support came an inning late. Speaking of run support, some kid named Clint Sammons went 3 for 4 with a home run. It is a good sign to see the younger players step up.

Teixeira might be on the way out, but I’m not giving up hope.

The Braves management has finally come out and said that they are officially shopping Mark Teixeira. There are plenty of teams interested, so it seems that he is as good as gone. I think that this is a positive developement for the Braves. We will miss his bat in the lineup, but Brian McCann has proven that he is ready and able to step into the clean up spot. Some might see a possible trade as the Braves throwing in the towel. I see this move as a positive development. It gives us a chance to get some young talent while also allowing some of our minor leaguers to come up and show us what they can do. The season is not over. Teixeira or no Teixeira we still have a chance to make a the playoffs, we just need to start winning, NOW! It’s that simple.