What moves do the Braves need to make in the offseason to make the playoffs next year?

Question

What moves do the Braves need to make in the offseason to make the playoffs next year?

Answer 1

I think they need to focus on getting at least one good starting pitcher and one good reliever.

Answer 2

Wow that's going to be tough. The Braves need to completely rehaul their starting pitching staff. Brad Penny, Jon Garland, Kyle Lohse, Braden Looper, Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets, Jon Lieber, Bartolo Colon, Ryan Dempster, and A.J Burnett (among others) are all free agents next year.

Mike Hampton, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz are all free agents next year, and with the exception of maybe Smoltz if he plans on playing another year will be let go. The Braves will have Tim Hudson,Jair Jurrjens and Jorge Campillo. If the Braves want to compete they need to sign one reliable starter ( A John Garland or Kyle Lohse) while getting an all star pitcher as well ( Burnett, Dempster, Sheets, Penny).

The braves also need to maintain there bullpen, which will include a healthy Rafeal Soriano and Peter Moylan, Mike Gonzalez and Manny Acosta. It's unlikely Will Ohman will stay and they will need to sign a lefty. Brian Shouse is available next year as is the Twins Denys Reyes and the Yankees Damaso Marte.

The Braves have a good enough offense already there infield is set for next year. The outfield could use some work, signing a player like Adam Dunn, Milton Bradley, Raul Ibanez, or Rocco Baldelli would be ideal. The braves need at least one big bopper in the outfield.

I don't know the Braves' plans, what I do know is that they are going to need to make a lot of moves this offseason if they want to make the playoffs next year.

Answer 3

The Braves need to:

1. Get a few good batters in their lineup

2. Get a couple good relievers in the bullpen.

3. Start working as a team collectively. That means, sticking with the same kind of lineups.

Hope this answers.

Answer 4

they need to make a lot of moves.  they need pitching as glavine is too old, smoltz is good but old, hampton is an injury risk.  hudson will come back strong next year.  the bullpen needs help and they need to get a closer.  don't they have the least amount of saves this year?  and the most blown saves?  i think soriano is good he just keeps getting injured.  

where do i start with the line up?  chipper is good... for 110 games.  who the h**l is in the outfield? francoeur will bounce back next year but who are the other 2 guys?  

they need a power bat, a leadoff hitter, 1 decent starter, and a closer.

and they need to do something about the mets and phillies  

Answer 5

Improve the pitching. Go into the farm clubs and open up the rotation to young, talented prospects and then treat them gently.

Leave the free agent market alone except maybe for a proven veteran or two that can hit and once again, try your farm clubs hitters first.

Great defense can wait until you have decent pitching and hitting.

No major league player that I know of has ever hit a hit home run while actually playing shortstop. Only when the short stop is at bat can such a thing happen. In other words, go for the hitter, always.

Answer 6

Well, the Braves certainly have some great pieces. If we assume that Chipper, Francouer, Johnson, Escobar, and McCann are all returning, that is a great start for both the offense and defense. This year, injuries have really hurt Chipper and McCann. It would be nice for the Braves to get another bat at 1B or in the outfield.

Mainly, though, pitching is the key. I sort of figured going into the year that there was no way Smoltz, Glavine, and Hampton would be consistent. They really need some new, young pitching. All in all, with their young offensive core, the Braves need to seriously consider trading guys like Smoltz or even Chipper for young talent. In all honesty, those two won't be around for much longer.