Atlanta Braves 2003 Pre-Season Report

Back to baseball.. After an off-season that seemed to take forever, with no one really tuning into the WS because it was between two teams no one thought could make it to the show, we are back to baseball. And when you think of baseball, which team could possibly pop in your head before the team that holds the record with 11 consecutive division titles, the Atlanta Braves! Well word around the NIBA is that it should and most likely will be 12 after the 2003 season is completed, as the Braves have put together one of the most fierce line-ups in baseball history with the acquisitions or Alex Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez. Here is a look at the rest of the team.

What else can be said, but wow? One of the best catchers in the league, 32 year old Javy Lopez is of course getting the starting nod. There are big hopes for Lopez, and although he looks like he should tear up the league, if he fails to execute, the team has Johnny Estrada ready to fill his shoes. Expect big things from this catcher, possibly a career year.

With the team receiving Juan Gonzalez in a blockbuster trade from Texas, Chipper Jones moved to Third Base leaving First Base the only position Vinny had a chance to play. Not his favorite thing to do, but with this Atlanta Braves team looking strong, and Vinny getting old, he wants a ring, and is willing to sacrifice. Castilla doesn't play First Base quite as good as Third, but how hard can it be? Hopefully the move in position won't make his bat slump, and Vinny will be able to contribute to this stacked offense.

What can you really say about Giles? You could say he's the Braves only option, or you could look at it from the Braves' mindset, and say that he's the perfect man for the job. A 24 year old stud would be the correct way to describe him. Don't get it wrong though, there are high expectations for the kid. His goal was just to start, the Braves' goals for him now are to hit above a .300 and hit around 20 out of the park.

Chip.. Chip.. Chipper.. That's right, the man known to Florida fans as Larry has been given a new life, or maybe just a replay of a previous one. Larry "Chipper" Jones has been moved back to Third Base to make room for newly acquired Juan Gonzalez. This shouldn't be a problem for Chipper, as he had his best seasons, including his MVP year, playing in the infield. The final pressure point for Jones will be a completely new task, and that is batting number one in the order. Can you say lead-off power?

That's right, the man everyone battled over now makes his home in Hotlanta. The leagues number one slugger is now the center-piece of the Atlanta line-up, hitting cleanup. The Braves are hoping that this man will put their power-happy line-up over the top, enough to where their pitching staff won't have to worry if they give up a few a game.

Also switching positions due to Juan Gonzalez coming to the team is Gary Sheffield. In Sheffields mind, this is a good change, he actually plays Left Field better than Right, saying he can see the ball better. We'll see about that.

I guess it really wouldn't matter where you put him in the outfield, he would probably still make good plays. Jones, with a little experience under his belt now, is ready to go out and win his second championship. The leader of the outfield better be ready, as he will have to work hard out there with the slower, less talented in the field, outfield crew.

And finally, the man that made three other guys switch their defensive positions, we have Juan Gonzalez. Brought over in a deal with Alex Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez is hoping to make the deal seem like it was for him too, and not just the man everyone calls A-Rod. Gonzalez will have a lot of work to do if he wants that to happen, and the Braves will see if he was worth all of the changes the team had to go through to put him in the starting line-up.

With pitching like this, who really needs the power batting order that the Braves have? With this five man rotation, the Braves should be able to take the division without ever seeing someone in front of them, or too close behind them for that matter. The 1-2-3 punch this team lays down should be deadly enough, not to mention two above average 4-5 starters. You can most likely expect a couple of 20-game winners in this bunch.

With a bullpen smaller than a starting staff, you can expect one of two things. Braves starters are going to be going deep into the game, or every man in the bullpen is going to be taking on a lot of innning this year. Either way, it seems a good fit, as both options look to leave the Braves in good positions. This bullpen looks to be strong, with a reformed reliever closing things out for now, unless an experienced closer finds his way onto the Braves roster before opening day.

Also with the #3 pick in the dispersal draft, you can expect something on here to change around a bit. The Braves will get to fill yet one more hole, making them quite possibly the best team in baseball. That's all for the Braves opening day report.