The Philadelphia Phillies pounded their way to an 8-6 victory in Game 5, pushing the World Series back to New York and postponing any celebration plans the New York Yankees may have had on Monday.

Slugging second baseman Chase Utley slugged his way into the record books with his second multi-home run game of the World Series, belting two homers and driving in four runs.

Utley's big night gave him a share of two postseason records. His five homers in this series ties Reggie Jackson for the most in a single World Series, while Utley's seven career Fall Classic home runs are the most by any second baseman in baseball history.

Outside of Utley, the Phillies had Cliff Lee working on the hill as they stared elimination in the face and live to fight another day. Lee was not as sharp as his Game 1 masterpiece, but with eight runs of support he didn't have to be.

The lefty was pitching well into the eighth inning before a Yankee rally forced his exit. His final line was five earned runs on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts over seven innings. Three of the runs scored in that eighth frame when the first three batters reached against Lee.

Raul Ibanez enjoyed a 2-for-4 night with a homer and two RBI's in the winning effort. While much of the attention had been on Ryan Howard's struggles, Ibanez had struck out seven times in his prior 12 at-bats, so a good night for the left fielder was a welcome sign for the Philadelphia offense.

Speaking of Howard, Game 5 was yet another tough night in this series for the Phillies clean-up hitter. His futility at the plate reached record proportions when he was punched out twice on Monday to tie a World Series record with 12 strikeouts thus far in the series.

The bad news for Howard, if you want to call it that, is that he will set a record with his next strikeout, but the Yankees should be aware there is a flip side to that coin. It only takes one swing of the bat with a couple men on base for Howard to change the game. Look for the Yankees to continue feeding Howard the steady diet of breaking pitches he has seen throughout this World Series.

Howard has some elite company though, as both first basemen have struggled. Mark Teixeira is just 2-for-19, but has scored four runs, homered and knocked in two others while striking out seven times. Those are hardly big time numbers, but when compared to Howard's 3-for-19 with two runs scored, one RBI and 12 punch-outs... well, you get the picture. It's safe to say that each team would love to see their first baseman break out in a big way in Game 6.

Looking Ahead to Game 6:

The series shifts back to New York and a match-up of veteran hurlers will be on tap in the Bronx. All-time postseason wins leader Andy Pettitte will get the ball on three days rest against Pedro Martinez of the Phillies. It is truly a fascinating duel in the making. While Pettitte needs no postseason introduction, Pedro is still searching for a big game start that could help define his legacy in the playoffs.

As of now, most people remember October 16, 2003. Of course, that is the well documented and ill-fated night on which Boston manager Grady Little left Martinez in with a 5-3 lead with the Red Sox just five outs away from the World Series. The Yankees had other ideas.

This is a different Pedro Martinez. His high-90s fastball has long since vanished. This is a Pedro who relies on his wits, guile and a slew of off-speed pitches to get the job done. This is a Pedro who has to outthink hitters rather than blowing them away. He departed his first series start with a grin on his face, but Game 6 has much more on the line. I'd count on seeing a focused Pedro.

Looking at each hurler's initial start in this series, Pedro had the better of the two, but it was Pettitte who put one in the win column. Martinez went six innings and allowed three runs on six hits while walking two and striking out eight in his Game 2 starting assignment. Pettitte spotted the Phillies three early runs in Game 3, but settled down to go six innings and allow four total runs on five hits and three walks to go along with seven strikeouts.

The Yankees will get to insert a red-hot Hideki Matsui back into the line-up as the designated hitter is back in play. It would stand to reason that the Phillies will start the right hand hitting Ben Francisco instead of Matt Stairs against the lefty Pettitte. That would give the edge in the DH department, at least on paper, to the Yankees. Mutsui is 5-for-9 with two homers, while Francisco is hitless in four World Series at-bats.

Though there are quite a few stars lining up, World Series games have a way of finding unsung heroes, so there is no guarantee that the Yankees will be able to ice the Phillies in Game 6. If Philadelphia is able to push a Game 7, then all the momentum shifts back to the defending champions. At that point, the Phillies have nothing to lose, the Yankees will have squandered a 3-1 series lead and, more than ever, the pressure to win will be squarely on hte shoulders of Joe Girardi's club. Gotta love the drama, but winning Game 6 is all either team is thinking about as of now.

If history repeats itself, then we are in for a close game as far as the starting pitchers are concerned. However, the bullpens have had a way of making things interesting for both sides. Again, a Phillies victory would take the wind out of the Yankees sails and even things up for an exciting seventh contest. That makes Game 6 must-see TV.

Prediction: Yankees win 5-3 to take their 27th World Series Championship

Till next time,

G-Mc

If the Phillies weren't feeling the pressure before, then they most certainly are now. Johnny Damon's legs and Alex Rodriguez's bat helped the Yankees break a 4-4 tie with a three-run ninth inning rally that propelled New York to a 7-4 victory in Game 4 and a 3-1 lead in the World Series.

Baseball can show you something each night that you have never seen before, evidenced by Damon's adventurous base running during that ninth inning.

Damon executed an unorthodox double-steal by anyone's standards, taking advantage of a poor throw from catcher Carlos Ruiz and Philadelphia's defensive over-shift to steal both second and third base on one play. The Phillies had moved three infielders to the right side during Mark Teixeira's at-bat, leaving usual third baseman Pedro Feliz to cover second base on the attempted steal.

The short-hop throw by Ruiz was not only late, but also pulled Feliz off the bag and allowed Damon pop out of his slide and head toward an unattended third base. Damon's heads up base running started Phillies closer Brad Lidge down a familiar path of destruction, though for the first time this postseason.

Rodriguez, who was no doubt looking to make the Phillies pay for plunking him on three occasions over the past two nights, drilled a fastball into the left field corner to chase home Damon and put the Yankees ahead 5-4.

Jorge Posada drove home two more a two-out double to give New York a three-run lead. Prior to those three runs scoring, Lidge was just one pitch away from escaping the inning, but Damon's at-bat proves how quickly the momentum can swing back in the other direction.

Just one inning after Feliz tied the game at 4-4 with his solo-blast off Joba Chamberlain, the stunned Philadelphia crowd could only watch in horror as the Yankees took the lead and then placed it in the more than capable hands of Mariano Rivera, who recorded his second save of the series.

Lidge had previously converted all 10 postseason save opportunities in his two-year Philadelphia career, but the blown save on Sunday has put the Phillies at a distinct disadvantage in the Fall Classic. There have been 33 teams that have fallen behind 3-1 in the World Series and only five have rallied to win it, the last being Kansas City in 1985.

As I said yesterday, if Alex Rodriguez wakes up at the plate then the Phillies are going to be in trouble. It was A-Rod who turned the tide in the ninth inning with his clutch two-out run-scoring double to put the Yankees back in the lead.

CC Sabathia was less than his best, but then again the lefty ace is better than most hurlers  in baseball even in that scenario. Regardless, Sabathia kept his team in the game and departed with the lead in the seventh inning.

Looking ahead to Game 5:

Philadelphia has their work cut out for them as Cliff Lee takes the hill for the second time in this World Series. Some questioned Phillies manager Charlie Manuel for not having Lee going on short rest in Game 4, but Lee had never started on less than full rest in his career which  underscores the fact that Philadelphia wasn't quite ready to hit the panic button.

From here on out, it's a different story.

Ryan Howard has been unable to make an impact during the series and Yankees left-handers have consistently kept the big slugger quiet. Without their clean-up hitter to pose a definite threat, Philadelphia's line-up can be broken down and contained. A big night from Howard against righty A.J. Burnett would be just what the doctor ordered to keep the Phillies alive and well in this World Series.

Burnett will take the mound for the biggest start of his career, holding in his hands a chance to help the Yankees clinch their 27th World Championship. Burnett was filthy in his Game 2 start at Yankee Stadium, getting ahead of hitter after hitter and putting them away with his assortment of wicked breaking pitches. He will need to channel that success to match up with the 2008 AL Cy Young Award Winner in Cliff Lee.

One injury note forced the Yankees to make a move prior to Game 5. Melky Cabrera came up limping following his final at-bat Sunday and was replaced by Brett Gardner in the field in the sixth inning. Because of a strained left hamstring, New York has deactivated Cabrera for the remainder of the series and added infielder Ramiro Pena to the roster. Gardner will get the start in centerfield in Game 5.

Prediction: Phillies stay alive with a 5-2 victory

Till next time,

G-Mc



 

 

A total of 13 runs were scored despite the fact that the two teams combined for just 14 hits. The Philadelphia bullpen proved vulnerable while Yankees relievers Joba Chamberlain and Damaso Marte threw scoreless innings in back of Pettitte. Mariano Rivera did have to come in and quiet the Phillies in the ninth after Jason Werth's towering one-out homer against Phil Hughes. A small price to pay when it comes to securing the series lead.

It wasn't the prettiest start for Pettitte, who allowed four runs - all earned - over six innings of work, but it was good enough to keep the Yankees in the driver's seat on the night.

Hamels' night did not offer any silver linings. The left-hander could not maintain a three-run lead and was battered around for five runs in 4 1/3 innings. A pair of walks and a hit batsman added to the Yankees chances, but things really seemed to start going downhill for Hamels when the instant replay of Rodriguez blast revealed it to be a two-run homer.

One year ago, Hamels was as sure a thing as there was for the Phillies. Last postseason saw Hamels go 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 35 innings of work, but his '09 record stands at just 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA and opponents have belted seven homers over his four playoff starts.

Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel was hoping that starting Hamels at home would make for a winning recipe. Who could blame him based on a look over the split stats that Hamels piled up over the regular season? Hamels went 7-5 with a 3.76 ERA in 17 starts at Citizen's Bank as opposed to 3-6 with a 4.99 ERA in 15 road assignments. Safe to say, things did not go according to plan.

Looking ahead to Game 4

The Yankees turn to their short-rest ace CC Sabathia yet again in Game 4 as they attempt to push their series lead to 3-1. Interesting to note, Philadelphia chose not to give ace Cliff Lee his first career start on less than full rest and will instead counter with NLCS Game 4 starter Joe Blanton.

Career results for Blanton against the Yankees have been far from pretty - 0-3 in four starts with a 8.18 ERA in 22 innings against the Bronx Bombers. Hardly numbers that inspire confidence, but if Blanton can find a way to replicate his start against the Dodgers (four runs - three earned - over six innings of work) then at least he will help take the load off the bullpen and give the offense a chance to push the series to a 2-2 tie.

Sabathia threw seven innings of two run ball against the Phillies in Game 1, taking his first loss this postseason thanks to Lee's complete game gem. It will be no easy task for Philadelphia to beat Sabathia on two occasions in the same series.

Despite being outslugged by the Yankees last night, the Phillies are no strangers to winning at home and scoring runs. Most nights that you score six runs, as they did in Game 3, you'd like to find a way to have won that game.

Still, Philadelphia is perhaps the best offensively equipped National League squad to match up with the Yankees. To do that, Ryan Howard will have to find a way curb the strikeouts (nine in 13 World Series at-bats) and start producing runs. Second baseman Chase Utley has not collected a hit since belting a pair of homers in the Game 1 win and his bat will also be necessary to get the Phillies hitting on all cylinders.

If Alex Rodriguez has just come alive for the Yankees then the Phillies may be in big trouble. Erasing all memory of his past postseason failures, A-Rod has delivered big hits in key spots to get the Yankees into the World Series. A productive Rodriguez may also translate into more hittable pitches for Mark Teixeira to see ahead of A-Rod in the three slot.

A quick look at the men each pitcher will be looking to reverse their fortunes against:

Successful Yankees vs. Blanton (Career)
Mark Teixeira ---- 9-for-27, 3 HR, 7 RBI
Derek Jeter  ------ 4-for-12, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Alex Rodriguez -- 4-for-7,  2 HR, 5 RBI

Successful Phillies vs. Sabathia (Career)
Raul Ibanez ------ 11-for-43, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Chase Utley ------  2-for-7,   2 HR, 2 RBI
Shane Victorino - 5-for-12,  1 HR, 5 RBI

Prediction - Yankees win 5-3

Till next time,

G-Mc

The Yankees have been belting home runs all season long, but none were bigger than the pair of solo shots that backed an outstanding start from A.J. Burnett in a 3-1 win over Philadelphia.

Burnett gave the Phillies a dose of what the Yankees had suffered through at the hands of Cliff Lee a night earlier, pounding the strike zone and dominating the opposition.

While much of the media focus was on Pedro Martinez, it was Burnett who delivered the headlines in Game 2. There is no question that this was the kind of start the Yankees were hoping for from Burnett, who picked up his first postseason win with seven innings of one-run ball. Burnett allowed just four hits and walked just two men while striking out nine.

After scoring 915 runs in the regular season and 49 more in the playoffs prior to Game 2, the Yankees offense had to find a way to support Burnett's effort. Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui answered with solo homers. Teixeira's game-tying blast came in the bottom of the fourth, while Matsui stung one down the right field line to give the Yankees their first lead of the series.

Game 2 was a complete reversal of the night before as the Phillies offense struggled to start scoring rallies and find their way on base. The top four men in the line-up, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard went a combined 1-for-13 with six strikeouts - four of those K's belonging to Howard.

Pedro Martinez turned in a "quality start" in his first outing at the new Yankee Stadium by  lasting into the seventh inning before running into a New York rally that would end his night. Still, allowing only three runs over six innings to this Yankee offense was fine work by the veteran righty.

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera converted a two inning save chance, but had to throw 39 pitches to do so. Friday's off-day comes at a good time to allow the veteran reliever to recharge his batteries and be ready if needed in Game 3. Let's not kid ourselves though, if there is a save situation in the game for New York - there will be one name asked for in the call the pen, the man they call "Mo."

Looking ahead to Game 3

The venue changes as the Phillies play host for the next three games. Philadelphia picked up the deciding wins in last year's World Series triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays, but it will take another three game home sweep to accomplish that feat this time around.

Andy Pettitte, who became the winningest pitcher in postseason history with ALCS victory against Los Angeles last time out, draws the start for the Yankees and will seek to put his team ahead in the series. Philadelphia's Cole Hamels will take the ball in yet another big game situation, but he has been far from the pitcher who brought home World Series MVP honors a year ago.

In three starts against the Rockies and Dodgers, Hamels has allowed 11 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings of work. More troubling for Hamels is the pace that the ball is leaving the yard. His second start against the Dodgers in the NLCS included three homers allowed; that following his prior start in which Los Angeles belted a pair of homers.

Pettitte has been doing his usual postseason work and I expect nothing less from the Yankee lefty. Games at Citizen's Bank Park aren't always pretty, but one of these two big offenses is going to come out on the better end. Given they way this October has gone, I'd have to think Cole Hamels is under the most pressure to find a way to channel some vintage 2008 and keep the Phillies from falling behind in the series.

Prediction - Yankees roll over Phillies, 6-4. 


TIll next time,

G-Mc

NL East Division Rival Philadelphia is still going strong, handing the host New York Yankees a convincing 6-1 defeat to take a one game lead in the 2009 World Series.

Look no further than last season's American League Cy Young Award Winner, Cliff Lee, if you are searching for a reason the Phillies dominated the Bronx Bombers to open up the series.

Lee's complete game effort (which featured 10 punch-outs against zero walks) set the tone, while the Philadelphia offense found a way to ding CC Sabathia and the Yankee bullpen for six runs.

I can't imagine what it is like to be a Cleveland Indians fan - or front office executive for that matter - and watch Lee out duel Sabathia in a battle of former Indians aces. Both men were traded in the season to follow their Cy Young campaigns, and both men have not only found their way into the playoffs but into a Game 1 starts in the Fall Classic.

Lee's start was the stuff of postseason legend. The lefty allowed just four hits over eight shut-out frames before the Yankees cobbled together an unearned ninth inning run. Lee answered by capping the game with consecutive strikeouts of Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada to finish with a flourish.

Taking a look over the New York line score tells the story of the night. Captain Derek Jeter went 3-for-4 and scored the only run for the Yanks, but the rest of the order went a combined 3-for-28 with nine strikeouts. Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira each went 0-for-4 and fell victim for five of Lee's 10 K's.

Despite the offense being put into deep freeze, all was not lost for the Yankees on the night.  Sabathia allowed just two runs on four hits over seven innings. Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley victimized Sabathia for a pair of solo homers to provide the lift Lee would need to secure a series opening victory, while the late struggles of the New York bullpen helped widen the margin of victory.

The all-too-important pitch-count department saw Lee use 122 pitches (80 strikes) during his complete game, while Sabathia tossed 113 (70 strikes) over seven frames. Five New York relievers tossed another 57 pitches in allowed four insurance runs over the final two innings. For comparison's sake the Yankee relief line serves to underscore exactly how economical Lee was over a full night's work - and against one of the toughest offenses in all of baseball.

Utley has been a postseason hitting machine, setting a record by reaching base for the 26th consecutive playoff game with his third inning homer last night. 

Looking ahead to Game 2: 

The pitching match-up will feature A.J. Burnett of the Yanks taking on Pedro Martinez for the Phillies. It's hard to say who has the edge based purely on name value alone. Burnett was battered around by the Angels in his last start and was trailing 4-0 before he recorded his first out of the game, while Pedro blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers for seven innings in his only postseason start.

New York will be counting on Burnett to resemble the pitcher with electric stuff who earned the big money deal last winter and turned in back-to-back quality starts this postseason before coming off the track against the Angels in Game 5 of ALCS.

The Phillies will ask Pedro to reach into his bag of tricks and pull out a big game performance in a city he knows all too well from previous wars while a member of the Boston Red Sox.

Offensively, the Yankees will have to find some production after Jeter in the batting order. Lee was brilliant in Game 1, but the Yankees offense has been brilliant at home throughout 2009.

Career match-ups see A-Rod pacing the Yankee regulars with a .291 career average off Martinez, but Rodriguez has tallied just three extra-base hits (one homer) and four RBI's in 55 at-bats against him. Jorge Posada is hitting just .183 with 33 strikeouts in 60 career at-bats against Pedro, but leads the team with four homers and 10 RBI's against the righty. Teixeira has faced Martinez only six times (1-for-6, 3 K's).

Philadelphia's bats will look to continue what they were able to do in Game 1. Seven different Phillies collected at least one hit, totalling nine on the night to go along with six walks. No team has scored more runs than the 61 plated by Phillies this postseason (New York is second with 49). Philadelphia went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position, the hallmark of a team that makes the most of its opportunities.

Game 2 Prediction:

The Yankees just don't strike me as a team that will lose back-to-back games of a World Series at home. Sure, the 1996 World Series is a fine example of their ability to bounce back, but the Yankees will be looking to even things up behind A.J. Burnett this evening. If the Phillies can take a 2-0 lead back home, then it may be all down hill from there. Frankly, I believe the Yankees will bounce back sooner than later.

FINAL SCORE: 4-1, Yankees

Till next time,

G-Mc
 

Back from my sabbatical in the world of Minor League Baseball, it's time to put a nice tidy bow on what was a 2009 season that was a step in the right direction for the Atlanta Braves. In contention into the season's final week, the Braves put a 72 win 2008 campaign behind them and gave their fans reason to be hopeful in 2010.

Here are a a couple topics I'll be kicking around over the next few weeks:

2009 Year in Review: Atlanta Braves

2009 World Series analysis

Of course, those will precede a big helping of Hot Stove goodness that will begin promptly after the Fall Classic. Frank Wren and the Braves will begin their search for the missing pieces and you can catch the blow-by-blow right here!

Till next time,

G-Mc

The Atlanta Braves punctuated a week to remember by sending heralded super-prospect Tommy Hanson to the mound on Sunday, carrying with him the promise that a return to the top of the National League East could be just around the corner.

The dominoes began to fall with the release of 300-game winner Tom Glavine on Wednesday. A move that took both the Cooperstown-bound left-hander and most Braves faithful by surprise and cleared the way for Hanson's long-awaited promotion to the Majors.

Before that even had a chance to sink in, an announcement followed roughly an hour later that the Braves had packaged three prospects to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for All-Star Nate McLouth. The acquisition of the Gold Glove center fielder McLouth gives Atlanta a proven commodity both in the outfield and in the lineup, following the demotion of rookie Jordan Schafer.

Just like that, one sure-fire Hall of Famer gone, one All-Star center fielder acquired, and one future ace in line for a promotion.

While Hanson's debut did not go according to plan on Sunday, the Braves were able to mount a late rally and take an exciting 8-7 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Chipper Jones, the final face left from the Braves' prominence in the 1990s, keyed the victory with four hits, including a pair of homers.

The line for Hanson began to stray from the script as the Milwaukee bats zeroed in during the middle innings. Ryan Bruan belted two homers of his own and drove in four of the seven runs scored against Hanson; hardly the debut most had envisioned for the young right-hander.

Granted, it is only one start in Hanson's career. Many more to follow.

Events continue to unfold in regards to Glavine, who felt his unceremonious dismissal warranted a more legitimate explanation. The latest wrinkle has the Glavine camp looking into the possibility of filing a grievance against the club.

The January signing of Glavine in followed an offseason full of moves meant to improve the Braves' starting rotation. Atlanta traded for Javier Vazquez and signed free agents Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami.

Negotiations about the possible return of John Smoltz hit a permanent roadblock in December, prompting the veteran hurler to seek an opportunity to pitch for the Boston Red Sox. Those events have lead to a rift between the two parties that may carry on long after Smoltz decides to retire.

Bringing back Glavine was a move steeped in nostalgia, giving him the opportunity to rewrite the end of his storied career. Arm troubles truncated his 2008 return after five years spent with the rival New York Mets. It seemed to line up perfectly, rewarding the veteran if he was able to stay healthy and make contributions.

Free agency has always been and will remain a double-edged sword.

Some Braves fans find a level of amusement in Glavine's dismissal, citing his choice to depart for New York after the 2002 season as turn-about being fair play. The bottom line, however, is that Glavine has long been one of the classiest acts in the game. The organization has created yet another public relations snafu.

Glavine, like Smoltz and former teammate Greg Maddux, will earn induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And all three will be enshrined on their plaques wearing Atlanta Braves hats, having formed perhaps the best trio of starting pitchers ever to spend a decade together.

Braves president John Schuerholz, the architect of Atlanta's unprecedented run of success as a general manager, offered an apology for the Braves' mishandling of Glavine's release. Financial escalators in his contract could have earned Glavine an additional $3.5 million based on time spent on the active roster. Atlanta firmly denies the move was made for financial reason, instead citing a number of other factors that led them to believe he would not be effective.

Hanson dominated the International League while pitching at Triple-A Gwinnett this season. His ERA of 1.49 ERA was accompanied by 90 strikeouts in 66.1 innings of work over 11 starts. Those numbers served as a clear statement of Hanson's readiness to ply his craft at the Major League level.

The Atlanta rotation stacks up as one of the best in all the National League with Hanson's arrival. Time will tell how the youngster transitions from carving up Minor League squads to doing battle with perennial All-Stars and big league talents.

With McLouth on board early, the Braves can continue their search for offensive help in the outfield. Speculation surrounds right fielder Jeff Francoeur, who has seem his offensive impact on the lineup wither over the past season-and-a-half.

The Braves control McClouth for up to four more seasons. This gives the team a hitter who can be placed anywhere in the order and a defender who has established himself as one of the league's best.

One thing is certain: no one will be able to say the Braves sat idle while their season passed them by.

Atlanta Braves general manager Frank Wren can cross through that final line on the winter shopping list. The Braves inked outfielder Garret Anderson to a one-year $2.5 million contract on Sunday, effectively filling the last of the glaring voids they entered the off-season needing to address.

With the former Angel now in the Braves outfield, Wren bounced back from being slighted in pursuit of Ken Griffey Jr. Anderson, 36, clocks in nearly three full years younger than Griffey, and without the burden of off-season knee surgery to boot.

Anderson does not bring 611 career home runs and the marketability that Griffey will lend the Mariners in his reunion tour, but he does bring a proven veteran bat that will add depth to the Atlanta batting order.

While no one will confuse Anderson with the first ballot hall of Famer the Braves were unable come to terms with last week, his career average of .296 is eight points north of Griffey's. Anderson's 84 RBI also bested Griffey's total of 71 from a year ago.

Signing Anderson allows Atlanta to follow the same model they were said to be planning had they signed Griffey, utilizing a platoon that would allow Matt Diaz to get the majority of the at-bats against lefties. However, the younger Anderson may see more time than Griffey was slated to receive had he signed with the Braves.

Though the majority of both men's power production came against right handers last season, Anderson hit .290 in his 141 at-bats versus lefties. Griffey hit just .202 in 163 AB's against southpaws in 2008. Anderson could steal some of the at-bats from Diaz, given the likelyhood that he will be taking his swings in the middle of the Braves order.

This move was symbolic of Atlanta's off-season theme, with Wren working to eventually turn a perceived negative into positives as it comes to player personnel moves. Missing the mark on Jake Peavy and A.J. Burnett turned into the acquisitions of Derek Lowe, Kenshin Kawakami and Javier Vazquez.

Atlanta's new look rotation was the major undertaking this winter. Bringing in a veteran like Anderson will help the Braves bridge the gap until top prospects like Jordan Schafer, Jason Heyward and Gorkys Hernandez are ready to assume full-time duties in the Atlanta outfield.

While Schafer may be given the chance to assume the starting job in center field this spring, the veteran Anderson will be charged with helping the Braves outfield regain some of its clout. Last season, the Braves outfielders combined to hit a major league low 29 homers.

The Braves are also hoping that a resurgent Jeff Francoeur will rebound from his dreadful 2008. After driving in more than 100 runs and averaging 24 homers over his first two full seasons, Francoeur hit only .239 with just 11 homers and 71 RBI in 155 games.

A new and improved batting stance, modeled after former teammate Mark Teixeira's right-handed approach, along with less emphasis on weight training and size have Francouer convinced that 2008 was just a bad dream. His production from the right side of the dish will be vital to an otherwise lefty-heavy Atlanta lineup.