ATLANTA BRAVES

Starting Lineup
2B Kelly Johnson: UPDATE 2/22 - Anderson signing guarantees that he'll stay at 2B in '09
SS Yunel Escobar: still a Brave after nearly becoming a Padre early in the offseason
3B Chipper Jones: set career bests in BA the last two seasons (.337 in '07, .364 in '08); he'll be 37 in 2009 and hasn't played more than 137 games in a season since 2003
C Brian McCann: the 24 year-old is already a 3-time NL all-star and one of the best offensive catchers in baseball
RF Jeff Francoeur: batted just .239/294/.359 in '08 after starting his career with 2.5 seasons of excellence; Braves will need him to bounce back
LF Garrett Anderson: UPDATE 2/22: signing confirmed here; could platoon with Diaz although he has hit .291 against LHP's during his career and in 2008, hit .335 with 7 HR's in the 2nd half of 2008 at age 36 UPDATE 3/13 - status uncertain for opening day because of a strained calf
1B Casey Kotchman: the Braves likely expected more than 2 HR's and a .237 BA in 43 games from the 25 year-old after being acquired in the Teixeira deal
CF Jordan Schafer: Atlanta's top prospect before the '07 and '08 seasons, according to Baseball America, the 22 year-old could claim the starting CF job by mid-season UPDATE 3/18 - making a push for the CF job UPDATE 3/30 - appears to have won the CF job now that Anderson has been traded UPDATE 3/30 - GM Frank Wren says the job is still open between Schafer and Blanco UPDATE 4/3 - officially named the team's starting CF

Bench
C Clint Sammons: UPDATE 4/2 - will be the backup to McCann if Ross starts the season on the DL UPDATE 4/3 - looks like he'll be the backup to start the season with Ross on the DL
2B Martin Prado: utilityman batted .320 in his first extended major league action in '08
1B/OF Greg Norton: batted .316 with 3 HR's and 18 RBI's as a PH
UTL Omar Infante: valuable utilityman hit .293 and played five different positions in 2008
OF Matt Diaz: disappointing '08 season (.244 BA, 2 HR) after batting .327 in '06 and .338 '07; here's a closer look at the OF picture

Starting Rotation
RHP Derek Lowe: 36 year-old signed to a four-year, $60 million deal to be the ace of the staff until Tim Hudson is healthy enough to assume that role again, likely in 2010
RHP Jair Jurrjens: 22 year-old was team's most reliable pitcher (13-10, 3.68 ERA) in 2008
RHP Javier Vazquez: off-season acquisition has won at least 10 games in 9 straight seasons but has at least 10 losses in eight of those seasons
RHP Kenshin Kawakami: top Japanese free agent this offseason profiles as a mid-rotation starter; click here for a scouting report

Bullpen
LHP Mike Gonzalez: if he can regain his pre-TJ surgery form, the Braves bullpen will be tough with Gonzalez and Soriano closing out games UPDATE 3/6 - appears to have the edge on Soriano for the closer's job
RHP Rafael Soriano: missed most of 2008 with an elbow injury but should be handed the closer's job if healthy UPDATE 3/15 - Manager Bobby Cox expects Soriano to be ready by opening day UPDATE 3/25 - strained side muscle could put his status in doubt for opening day UPDATE 3/27 - says the discomfort in his side won't keep him out UPDATE 4/2 - looks like he'll be ready for the opener
RHP Blaine Boyer: solid in 51 appearances before the break (3.93 ERA) but wore down afterwards (11.17 ERA in 25 games)
RHP Jeff Bennett: workhorse pitched in 68 games in relief, posting a 3.12 ERA
RHP Peter Moylan: breakout season in 2007 (1.80 ERA in 80 appearances) but could be out until the all-star break recovering from TJ surgery UPDATE 2/24 - looks good in rehab and hopes to return when the season begins UPDATE 3/15 - Manager Bobby Cox thinks he'll be ready shortly after opening day UPDATE 3/26 - has allowed just 1 ER and 3 hits in 5 IP this spring
LHP Eric O'Flaherty: went 7-1 with a 4.47 ERA in 56 relief appearances for the Mariners back in 2007 UPDATE 3/18 - has allowed just 1 ER in 5.2 IP this spring with 1 BB and 6 K's
RHP Buddy Carlyle: had his best ML season at age 30, posting a 3.59 ERA in 45 relief appearances UPDATE 3/26 - has not allowed an ER in 8 IP this spring
RHP Jorge Campillo: had a 4.34 ERA in 25 starts for the Braves with only 33 BB's in 137 IP but it's back to the bullpen after the Glavine re-signing; he did post a 1.25 ERA as a reliever in 21.2 IP last season

Disabled List
RHP Tim Hudson: could return in early August after recovering from Tommy John surgery
LHP Tom Glavine: veteran's return to Atlanta after five seasons with the Mets was a disappointment as he made only 13 starts and posted a 5.54 ERA; he'll be the #5 starter after re-signing for one more season UPDATE 3/26 - as the 5th starter, he won't be needed until April 19th; Manager Bobby Cox thinks Glavine is on schedule to be ready by then after seeing him make his first start of the spring last Saturday
RHP Charlie Morton: showed flashes in his rookie season but it was mostly rocky, as he posted a 6.32 ERA in 15 starts; will battle for #5 spot in the rotation UPDATE 3/31 - placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 27th
C David Ross: fell back down to earth (3 HR in 142 AB's) after hitting 38 HR's in 2006-07 but should be a solid backup to McCann UPDATE 4/2 - status in doubt for opening day because of a strained groin UPDATE 4/3 - will open the season on the DL

Optioned to AAA
RHP Steve Marek: acquired with Kotchman in the Teixeira deal, the 25 year-old could win a bullpen job with a solid spring but has yet to pitch above AA UPDATE 3/16 - optioned to AAA today
LHP JoJo Reyes: very unimpressive 3-11 record with a 5.55 ERA and 16 HR's allowed in 22 starts UPDATE 3/12 - solid spring (2.08 ERA in 13 IP) has him in position to start the season in the rotation if Glavine is not ready to start the season UPDATE 3/26 - being optioned to AAA after a very impressive spring
CF Gregor Blanco: speedy 25 year-old will have to hold off competition in spring but his .371 OBP out of the leadoff spot in '08 gives him the early edge UPDATE 2/24 - the fact that he 1) has minor league options, 2) is the 3rd best defender out of the CF candidates, and 3) lacks much power makes him a long shot to win the job UPDATE 4/3 - optioned to AAA
LF Brandon Jones: the Braves could trade for a LF, sign Ken Griffey, Jr., or move Johnson back to the OF but as of now, the 25 year-old is set to platoon with Diaz after hitting .267 with 10 2B's in 116 AB's for Atlanta in '08 UPDATE 2/22 - Jones is likely ticketed for AAA after the signing of Garrett Anderson UPDATE 4/3 - optioned to AAA
RHP Manny Acosta: the 27 year-old had a 3.57 ERA in 46 relief appearances in '08 UPDATE 4/3 - optioned to AAA
LHP Boone Logan: good situational lefty before '08, when both lefties (.291 BAA) and righties (.351 BAA) hit him well UPDATE 4/3 - optioned to AAA

Reassigned to Minor League Camp
RHP Tommy Hanson: #1 pitching prospect in organization could make the team out of spring training or he might need a half season at AAA ; either way, he'll be a Brave at some point in 2009 UPDATE 3/26 - reassigned to the minors but not before making a statement in big league camp
RHP Kris Medlen: UPDATE 3/4 - 23 year-old has impressed Manager Bobby Cox UPDATE 4/3 - reassigned to the minors