So with Hudson coming back and Delgado looking serviceable so far as the 5th starter, it only makes sense (in my opinion) that Jurrjens should traded before the deadline, if not much sooner. Other than that, I don't really see the Braves doing much else in terms of trading this season unless something drastic happens.

So with that being said, where will Jurrjens go. To a contender? To a seller?

If we look at teams who appear to be bound for a sell-off, we see the likes of the Padres, Twins, and Pirates. Familiar and uninspiring names like Span, Tabata, and Maybin come to mind. I'm not familiar with any of their thirdbase/outfield prospects, so maybe you guys can add onto that. That said, would a seller even wants Jurrjens? Or would that be counterproductive.

Of the teams who will be contending, who really needs a SP enough that they would be willing to give us what we want?

Let the first early season rosterbation thread begin.

The story of camp so far seems to be the emergence of Andrelton Simmons. While just a few weeks ago the thought of Simmons (who has never played above A ball) breaking camp as the Braves' starter seemed crazy, it's beginning to look a little less crazy with every head he turns.

This has to make you feel for Tyler Pastornicky. A 22 year old coming off a great year at AA and AAA and he's already in danger of losing his job to an even greener rookie.

So that leads to the decision. Simmons or Pastornicky.

Simmons has an elite glove, and developing bat, but he has not been tested against any real pitching and could possibly be exposed badly against major league pitching.

Pastornicky has a passable glove with a more advance bat and smarter baserunning skills.

Both are excellent contact hitters with very few K's.

Who do you pick? Would Simmons have to have a near perfect spring and Pastornicky totally flop for you to choose Simmons? Or do you stick with Pastornicky regardless of how he does compared to Simmons?

I'm not going to turn this into an Alex Gonzalez bashing post, as that horse has been beaten to death in recent weeks, but we all are well aware that he has turned from limited offensively to downright useless. I've been a vocal Gonzalez supporter because of his excellent defense and his usual predictably consistent offense, but lately it has been too much to take.

• AGon in June -.176/.219/.308
• AGon in July - .176/.200/.206

That is 125 at bats of almost as little offensive contribution as humanly possible.

Agon's overall line is .234/.266/.347 with 78 strikeouts

Meanwhile, our very own AA shortstop Tyler Pastornicky has been the picture of consistency all season long.

• Pastornicky in April - .279/.344/.337
  
• Pastornicky in May - .305/.336/.505
• Pastornicky in June - .299/.343/.361
• Pastornicky im July - .348/.375/.500

Pastornicky's overall line is .301/.345/.419 with 19 steals and only 39 strikeouts

Pastornicky doesn't walk much and only has a 5.7% walk rate, but even that looks pretty good when compared to Agon's 4.0% walk rate. Pastornicky has also shown flashes of decent power for a shortstop.

I know Pastornicky is only 21 and facing AA pitching, but honestly, even with rookie struggles could be be any worse? I'm not an expert on his defense, but I don't think his defense could be any more of a negative than Gonzalez's current offense.

I'm not usually one to declare the sky is falling and ask for early prospect call-ups, but in In my opinion the time is drawing close to give Pastornicky a shot. He's shown consistent production against good AA pitching and he would also add some always-needed speed to the team. Him and Schafer or Mclouth batting 7-8 would add an extra dimension of speed to our lineup.

So, what are your thoughts?

Jordan Schafer excelling in the leadoff spot has raised an interesting question. If he is still playing this well when Jason Heyward comes off the DL, where do we put Jason in the lineup?

I was one of the most vocal supporters of moving Heyward up in the lineup from 6th to 2nd,  but now there's a wrench in the plans. Schafer (so far) has been a perfect leadoff hitter. Martin Prado has always been the perfect #2 hitter. Chipper Jones would likely still be hitting 3rd if he went blind and lost a leg.

So I assume that leaves the 4 through 8 spots to find a somewhere to squeeze Heyward into. The fact of the matter is, when Heyward is healthy he is arguable the best hitter on the team, so to bat him 6th or lower is absurd IMO. Uggla and Mac used to have the 4-5 spots locked down, but now that Uggla can't hit the broad side of a barn that gives more options.

I would ignore the recent rule of alternating lefties and righties in the middle of the order and have the lineup be:

1. Schafer
2. Prado
3. Chipper
4. Heyward
5. McCann
6. Uggla
7. Freeman
8. Gonzalez

Now lets hear your ideas.

There are several Braves players at several positions who are underperforming, but there is only one position that can readily be fixed, and that is centerfield.

Nate Mclouth, for all of his ups and downs and swings in and out of favor, just quite simply isn't getting it done.

• -1.3 WAR in 2010 / -0.1 WAR in 2011
• .283 wOBA in 2010 / .318 wOBA in 2011
• -36.5 UZR/150 in 2010 / -37.1 UZR/150 in 2011

We've all seen the weak throws, the no throws, the bad routes, and the weak grounders to 2B. For as much as we want to point to his improvement from 2010, he has simply improved from atrocious to pretty bad. Nate is slumping, the Phillies are within striking distance, and the team could certainly use a spark. The time to begin looking for his replacement was yesterday.

So what options are out there? Well, for the sake of keeping this in the realm of feasibility, lets filter out the likes of Matt Kemp, Andrew McCutchen, Colby Rasmus, and Drew Stubbs. These players are all young, playing extremely well, and/or are on winning teams. The chances of them going anywhere are about 2% combined.I also filtered out guys with contracts over $5 million dollars to keep financial restrictions in mind, 

The team's biggest needs out of a new centerfielder are speed and defense. That narrows the list down even further still.

What we are left with are the players that, in my opinion, best fit our team needs. 

1. Michael Bourn

The downlow:

• 28 years old
• 4.4 WAR in 2009 / 4.4 WAR in 2010 / 0.9 WAR in 2011
• 61 SB in 2009 / 52 SB in 2010 / 14 SB in 2011
• 9.9 UZR/150 in 2009 / 20.6 UZR/150 in 2010
• 2011 contract = $4.4 million / 2012 = free agent.

His wOBA would probably be about the same as Mclouth, but he plays gold glove defense, is one of the best base stealers in baseball, and would give the team a legitimate leadoff hitter. Plays the best defense out of the group.

2. B.J. Upton

The downlow:

• 26 years old
• 2.2 WAR in 2009 / 3.5 WAR in 2010 / 1.2 WAR in 2011
• 7.5 UZR/150 in 2009 / 1.9 UZR/150 in 2010
• 42 SB in 2009 / 42 SB in 2010 / 7 SB in 2011
  
• 2011 contract = $4.82 million / 2012 = free agent.

While Bourn has shown better consistency in recent years, Upton has shown glimpses of greater upside in the past (peaked at 4.7 WAR in 2007). He's a base stealer with some pop and solid defense. Downside is his strikeout rate (28.2% career) and character questions. Has the most power out of the group.

3. Jacoby Ellsbury

The downlow: (2010 stats omitted due to injury)

• 27 years old
• 3.9 WAR in 2008 / 2.7 WAR in 2009 / 1.2 WAR in 2011
• 23.3 UZR/150 in 2008 / -10.0 UZR/150 in 2009
• 50 SB in 2008 / 70 SB in 2009 / 13 SB in 2011
• 2011 contract = $2.2 million / 2012 = arbitration eligible.
  

Ellsbury is sort of a rich man's Matt Young. A small guy with blazing speed and no pop who can play an adequate centerfield. He has the most reasonable contract of the bunch, but he is also has some durability concerns. Has the best speed out of the group

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These are the three guys that I think both fit the teams needs and fit the bill of "possibly available". Others who were considered but did not make my list for various reasons. Adam Jones, Denard Span, Dexter Fowler, Cameron Maybin, and Coco Crisp.

Please discuss and feel free to accuse me of straying from the rosterbation thread without merit.

This is one of those stories that is just awful all around.

Carl Crawford was on 1B in the first inning when the pitcher's pick-off throw hit him squarely between the legs. As an outfielder, Crawford was not wearing a cup and therefore it was pure ball-to-ball contact. After rolling around on the ground for a bit, Crawford limped off the field.

It has been stated that he may have a ruptured testicle, which if this is true he may have to miss as much as 6 weeks to let it heal. 

I really hope it turns out to be nothing serious, because what an awful way to hit the DL. As a sports fan, and even more so as a man, this whole situation is painful to see.

Video of the event.

Men: Watch with caution.

I know it's only Spring Training, but a lot of the pitchers that players see are still major league quality.

For the past 2 springs, Freddie Freeman has more than held his own against this caliber of pitching

This spring he is hitting .349 (9-26) with 6 RBI

Last spring, when he was only 19, he hit over .300 and was a team leader in RBIs as well.

Now I'm obviously not saying he should start over Glaus, but I think he may be ready sooner than some people think. Many people say he has no chance of seeing action until 2011, but if Glaus gets injured after June or July, I truly believe that Freeman could come up and hold his own at 1b.

If nothing else, he provides a lot of hope for the future. If he can fulfill his potential, him and Heyward could be hitting back to back for a long time in Atlanta.

I know people have talked endlessly about how a trade for a power hitter is what this team needs to compete. BUT, until now I wasn't so sure about how well a power hitter really would fare in the heart of the Braves lineup. It dawned on me today that the Braves lineup is one of the most perfectly built lineups for a big #4 hitter as any in the league. Here is what I see

(1. The top three hitters all get on base at a good clip. Mclouth and Escobar both get on at a .350 and .360 clip respectively, and Chipper is getting on base at a Godly .443 clip. Chip and Esco are also two of the hottest hitters around as of late and have their averages up above .300. All these bodies on the base would provide endless RBI opportunities to the 4 spot. Of the top 5 RBI producers in the league, only Bay has a (slightly) better OBP group in front of him than what a potential 4 hitter would have here in Atlanta.

(2. Mclouth's speed. I know he isn't Carl Crawford out there, but his SB ability will give pitchers something to think about if he is on base while the cleanup spot is up. Even without the SB, Mclouth has the abilty to go first-home on any double.

(3. Great protection from the 5 spot. McCann is back to hitting like the All-Star he is, and is creeping towards the .320 average mark. He hits for good power (.533 SLG%) and has a .410 OBP. Mac would force the pitcher to throw good pitches to the cleanup hitter.

(4. Tuner Field. As Turner heats up, the power alleys become launching pads. A good slugger would have ample opportunity to float some balls through the humidity and into the bleachers.

All this adds up to the perfect recipe for a big bat to have a monster second half. I can honestly say that I think a top power hitter could easily drive in 60+ runs in Atlanta in just the second half of the season alone. The top and core of this lineup is actually VERY solid. All it is lacking is the last puzzle piece. A power hitter would have 1-2 runners on in front if him here almost 39% of the time, and Mac would always be behind him with the protection. For this reason, I think a big trade for a big bat like Bay/Holliday/Dunn/ etc.(just examples) would be worth all the trouble.

Pieces like Johnson/Vazquez/Gonzalez are all expendable at this time and could be dangled in front of a team desperate for their services. We would be giving up big pieces, but even Vazquez would be worth trading for a big time bat, especially since we have Medlen/Hudson to fill the void if need be.

Power is the biggest need, and not only would a big bat fill a big void in the lineup, I think a power hitter would absolutely thrive in Atlanta's lineup.

I know this has been discussed ad nausem before the calendar even has even reached June, but BEFORE you go straight for the comment button and leave the customary "you're a fag for making a fanpost about trades" comment, take note that I am not trying to simply throw out a single retarded trade possibility, but rather roundup what seems plausible or improbable throughout the league.

For these purposes I took a look at all the teams throughout the league who are already falling behind in their divisions, and then looked at their outfield and power positions to see who might be available. At the end I simply mark whether I think each idea has high/low/moderate chance. Feel free to add ideas or simply mock everything I have written.

*Diamondbacks* - Big one here is obviously Justin Upton. (.313 - 9 HR - 26 RBI). Would LOVE to get this guy, but with his age (21) and talent he is probably untouchable. (low chance)

*Washington* - Adam Dunn. Left field power bat. All that needs to be said. He should have been signed in the offseason, now he will probably be available for trade. (good chance)

*Houston* - Carlos Lee. Big time power bat who is always consistent. He may be too expensive for the Braves to handle.(moderate chance)  Hunter Pence? (no way)

*Cleveland* - Only person on their team that remotely fits the bill is Grady Sizemore, and he is doubtful to go anywhere. Would be amazing to see him in a Braves uni. We could have Sizemore and Sizemore lite once Schafer comes around. (low chance)

*Colorado* - Brade Hawpe. He wont blow anyone away, but he is solid and he produces. He may be sold high. (good chance)

*Oakland* - Matt Holliday WILL be traded - somwhere. He is a one-year player and has looked bad outside of Coors, but he could be a great buy-low trade possibility that could even be re-signed after the season. (good chance)

*San Diego* - Adrian Gonzalez. The biggest bat of the bunch, and on a team that is not shy about the fact that they are dumping payroll. Problem is, AG is playing for a ridiculously low salary. The Padres would have to be absolutely blown away to move him. (low/no chance)

*Pittsburgh* - Nate Mclouth. Pittsburgh has a very deep crop of minor league talent coming up, particularly in the OF. The Pirates are continually retooling, and moving Mclouth for more young talent and to make room for Andrew McCutchen in CF may make sense for them. (moderate chance)

*Baltimore* - In terms of OF depth on bad teams, Baltimore takes the cake. Luke Scott is the odd man out and probably easiest to get, but hes not that exciting. If a run was to made for anyone, why not go bold and go after Nick Markakis or Adam Jones? Scott (good chance) Markakis and Jones (in your dreams)

In summary

-Best Chances / Fit

- I Wish

With all the negatives that have been discussed with this team, lets take a second to focus on what is RIGHT. And there is actually plenty of it.

1. - The rotation - The Braves have arguably the best front 3 in baseball, and once Hanson gets the call, no one will have a better front 4. Lowe, Vazquez and Jurrjens have the ability to get hot and carry this team to the playoffs with even minimal offensive help.

1.5 -Jair Jurrjens himself - It is easy to forget that this guy is only TWENTY THREE years old. When you think about it, that is unbelievable with how he is pitching. Many pitchers do not even make a debut until they are 23, yet JJ already has a full solid season under his belt for us and is arguably the most consistent and fundamental pitcher on the team. If he can be locked up, he may end up being the biggest part of this teams future.

2. - Brian McCann - Boy is it good to have him back. Lasik, contacts, glasses, whatever - the guy can always hit. We have THE BEST offensive catcher in all of baseball on our team, and he is still only 25. Scary

3. - David Ross - Rarely have we ever mentioned both catchers as positives, but Ross has been one of our best hitters this year, and he played flawlessly while McCann was out. You cant beat that.

4. - The Bench - Infante and Prado have been playing great in their chances to get on the field, and both have helped the Braves avoid complete disaster while the rest of the starters struggled.

5. - The Bullpen - Although they have had some bumps along the way, the bullpen has what it takes to be very solid. Soriano and Gonzalez have been nasty lately, and they are shaping up to be one of the best 8th-9th guys tandems in all of baseball.

6 - The Future - Last but certainly not least, the hope that our farm system brings. Tommy Hanson and Kris Medlen look poised to help as soon as given a chance, with Hanson looking more like a future #1 every day. Behind them lies a long line of young talent rearing to get a chance in the bigs, mainly the beast from the southeast, Jason Heyward. Regardless of how this season ends, the next several years look bright. The talent coming up, combined with the young core we have now will leave the NL running scared for years to come.

I know there can be more positives to talk about, as I didn't even mention how good Kotchman has been playing. So lets get a positive fanpost going and pick up the morale around here.

Tommy Hanson