Last week the AJC’s Dave O’Brien sat down with Braves’ manager Fredi Gonzalez at baseball’s Winter Meetings. Although the Braves made very little noise there, Gonzalez’s comments hint that the team is seeking more offense. However, because he, like most managers, often speaks in cryptic language, I have translated his answers to O’Brien’s (DOB) questions about the offense...

Martin Prado was without a doubt one of the biggest disappointments for the Atlanta Braves in 2011. In 2010 Prado was a rare second baseman who hit like a leftfielder, but in 2011 he was a leftfielder who hit like, well, a second baseman. Missing time with a Staph infection certainly didn’t help and neither did his astoundingly low .266 BABIP (compared to his .315 career average...

So we’ve been hiding out for a little while trying to let the pains of the season slip away, but we’re here for a quick Halloween update. According to ESPN, the Braves have sent Derek Lowe to Cleveland for pitching prospect Chris Jones. The Braves will pay about $10 million of the $15 million that Lowe is owed in 2012. After going 9-17 in 2011, it’s a move the Braves had to...

The Braves have worked out a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates to bring outfielder Matt Diaz back to Atlanta in exchange for a player to be named later.  MattyD hit .305 with the Braves from 2006-2010.  The Braves hope he can help out their dismal stats against left-handed pitching, where they currently rank last in average and OBP. Diaz is signed through 2012 and is owed $2 million...

The Atlanta Braves have had some woes in the offensive category over the past 11 games that have many Braves fans feeling a little antsy. Yes, a good formula for making the playoffs is not losing 6 of the last 11. What is worse is that the team we are trying to catch has been 8-3 over the same stretch and the Arizona Diamondbacks are nipping at the Braves in the Wild Card race by...

Just as quick as the trade deadline approached, it has now passed and the Braves made a splash with the acquisition of Michael Bourn. As you look at the deal, the Braves got a star centerfielder, gold glove defender, and a legitimate leadoff hitter without having to give up any of our “untouchable prospects.” Bourne is probably one of the best if not THE best leadoff guy in the...

As first reported by Ken Rosenthal, the Braves have acquired CF Michael Bourn from the Houston Astros for Jordan Schafer and three minor leaguers. Bourn, who will wear #24, is batting .303 with 32 RBI and 39 steals. He’s arbitration eligible for one more season and is likely to earn around $7M next year. The Astros land former star prospect center fielder Jordan Schafer (currently...

With Sunday’s trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Braves have yet to make any moves to bring some new blood to Atlanta.  There are differing opinions as to what Frank Wren should do.  BravesBlast contributor, Thomas, examines possible trades for the Braves in today’s podcast below.  Should the Braves go after bullpen help?  Right-handed power at the plate?  Just stand...

Let’s forget about the past two series. One was at Coors Field, which is hell on any team. The other, Great American Ball Park, is small enough that traveling high school baseball teams regularly hit home run after home run while playing there (might be an exaggeration, but not much of one). As of Monday morning, the Braves are six games behind Philadelphia for the NL East lead...

By Bud L. Ellis The word “pence” is defined as multiple pennies, but just one “Pence” would enrich the Atlanta Braves’ pursuit of a World Series title. As the trade deadline approaches, cyberspace and talk shows buzz with the rumor du jour. Wednesday, chatter concerning the Braves and their dire need for a right-handed injection of offense centered on Hunter Pence, the...

Heading into the Phillies series before the All-Star break, the Braves boasted the third-best winning percentage in baseball and were on pace to win ninety-six games. Obviously, the team constituted as such has a very good chance to make the playoffs; coolstandings.com calculates those odds at 77.5%. So while the front office could justify sitting pat at the fast approaching trade...

The Braves have assembled a consistent string of wins while scoring a decent amount of runs. The offense seems to be clicking, and if the past few games are harbingers of things to come, the offense could be an unstoppable force. Dan Uggla has shown renewed power and better plate discipline, while Brian McCann and Freddie Freeman are hammering every pitch they see. With just a few...

In his latest “Fried Baseball” audio blog, Kent Covington breaks down the Braves’ recent surge and previews the big series in Philly this weekend. Feel free to toss in your 2 cents in the comments section below.

I had hoped to write this article about the resurgence of Jason Heyward and how his return to the lineup has improved a languid Braves offense. Unfortunately, Heyward has only shown glimpses of his offensive prowess, with no consistency whatsoever. Is a lingering injury still causing the lack of production? Does he just need time to readjust? I have no idea what is causing his lack...

The season is 46% completed, so it is well past time to start making predictions on the finishing order of the National League. The previous statement is completely sarcastic (still need to find that sarcasm font), however I do think a significant amount of the season has been played, enough so that we should, by now, have a clearer picture of how teams will continue to play and...

The Braves outfield, in a word, is in disarray. With Jason Heyward returning on Wednesday, the outfield now has one opening-day starter roaming the Turner Field grass. For the most part, it seems the reserves have underperformed the starters, but how true is that statement? While answering that question, I’ll also provide an answer for the question that everyone seems to asking...

There has been enough talk about the negatives with the Braves to last a while, so let’s take a more positive approach; Jonny Venters and his chances to win the Cy Young award. There have only been nine relievers to win the award and all nine have been considered closers, so Venters already has a disadvantage. Voters like numbers, and easily defined numbers at that. A save is an...

A friend brought up an interesting question the other day. How do the 2011 Braves compare to the 2010 through the first 2 months of the season offensively? I really did not know the answer. I assumed they were similar, but then I started thinking about the offensive surge in May and wondered if the 2011 team is performing significantly worse. The first table belows compares key statistics...

As you can tell from the title of this post, I am a lover of diamonds, baseball diamonds that is…and I am also a chick. How many guys out there would love it if their significant other shared in their love of baseball? How many husbands miss games because the wife is dying to see the latest episode of Desperate House Grandma’s, er…I mean, Desperate Housewives and it’s on...

By Bud L. Ellis Forgive Jair Jurrjens if he felt like the forgotten man as the 2011 Atlanta Braves gathered for spring training. Nestled among the theme parks of Disney World in Orlando, the only thing more prominent than mouse ears and overpriced souvenirs in the spring home of the Braves was the sheer excess of talented arms that would make up – or figure in the near future to...

Is it true that Martin Prado never swings at the first pitch? Take a look at the two graphs from Texas Leaguers pitch f/x. The first is the location and type of pitch of the first pitches in the plate attempt when Prado swings. The second is location and type of pitches when Prado does not swing.   Obviously, he doesn’t swing at most of the first pitches in an at-bat.  Of the...

After Tuesday’s defensive fiasco, it’s an apt time to check out some of the advanced metrics for defense. The two most widely quoted calculations are John Dewan’s +/- system and Mitchel Llichtman’s Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR). Dewan’s +/- system is calculated by assigning runs saved (positive) or runs allowed (negative) in terms of the average MLB player, based on a variety...

In Philadelphia tonight, a 20 year old widely recognized as the best pitching prospect in baseball will make his debut. In front of a sellout crowd, the Phillies will be reminded again that while they have three two aces (with Oswalt on the DL), the Braves have the prospects to dominate them for years. First, Teheran. 1.80 ERA, 25 strikeouts and 8 walks in five starts and 30 innings...

In Philadelphia tonight, a 20 year old widely recognized as the best pitching prospect in baseball will make his debut. In front of a sellout crowd, the Phillies will be reminded again that while they have three two aces (with Oswalt on the DL), the Braves have the prospects to dominate them for years. First, Teheran. 1.80 ERA, 25 strikeouts and 8 walks in five starts and 30 innings...

The Braves lead the NL in ERA (2.94). Not far behind are the Phillies with a 3.03 ERA. The Braves have scored 4.2 runs per game thus far. The Phillies… 4.6 per game. The Braves run differential is +38 (third-best in baseball).  The Phillies differential… +41 (second-best) But the similarities don’t stop there. In his latest “Fried Baseball” audio blog, Kent Covington points...