Rotation

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

I pick this one...

1 R Tim Hudson
2 R John Smoltz
3 R Jorge Sosa
4 R Kyle Davies
5 L Horacio Ramirez

I say we either trade John Thomson, or we let him be a starter at Richmond. Davies has pitched superbly this spring. He deserves a roster spot, and it shouldn't be as a long reliever in the bullpen. Which is pretty much stocked to capacity.
Thomson is a good starter, but i don't believe he is our best option at this point. He has had a so-so spring also. I would rather have him in the rotation than Ramirez, but we have to have a lefty.
As soon as Ramirez weakens and if James isn't needed in the bullpen, I say you could switch those 2 also.

so then it would be this...

1 R Tim Hudson
2 R John Smoltz
3 R Jorge Sosa
4 R Kyle Davies
5 L Chuck James

but this rotation is only feasable if the bullpen doesn't need James as a 2nd lefty.

I envision this one by 2010
1 R Kyle Davies
2 L Chuck James
3 R Anthony Lerew
4 R James Parr
5 L Matt Harrison

[foxxx]

Screw spring training Thomson is solid, unless he gets hurt he should be in the rotation for sure, Davies needs to prove himself more, he was too on and off last year.

[ATL22]

I'm all for Davies being in the rotation but Thomson is not going to Richmond. You just can't send a veteran like him to AAA. He is a free agent after this season and the Braves could easily trade him to a team looking for a solid #3 or #4 starter. But Thomson has more of a solid track record than Sosa. Why trust Sosa to repeat last year but not trust Thomson? Personally I think either Sosa or Thomson should be traded to create Davies a spot if Bobby insists on Sosa being a starter. We could potentially get a solid veteran reliever to insure against further injury or slump by the kids out there or we could get a solid LF or back up 1B. Or we could just make the easiest of all moves and just put Sosa back in the bullpen and leave Davies in the rotation. That would be my first choice.

Rotation:

Tim Hudson
John Smoltz
John Thomson
Horacio Ramirez
Kyle Davies

Bullpen:

Chris Reitsma
Oscar Villarreal
Joey Devine
Jorge Sosa
Blaine Boyer
Lance Cormier
Macay McBride

I'll take that all day long. I don't think we need 2 lefties in the pen.

[Atlanta Braves Freak]

I'm pulling for Jorge Sosa to have a good season again, but truthfully he got lucky last year. Bobby will probably begin the season with him in the rotation, but he'll probably end up being a long reliever.

[grizzly451]

Sosa was nasty yesterday, in a bad way. He started for the Braves against the Yankees, gave up 4 runs, 7 hits, 2 walks in 4 innings.

I'd say if he was in the running for the rotation, that outing, coming so close to the start of the season would knock him out of it.

Though honestly Thompson hasn't been much better overall this spring. I would agree though that Sosa was very lucky to finish with an ERA as good as he did last year. His numbers show it.

[foxxx]

Not that Spring Training means that much to me, but I dont like the way things are going for Sosa so far. Thomson is doing better, and really has been more consistent for the Braves the last two or three years (I cant remember exactly how long he has played for the Braves).

However I am totally fine with trading Thomson for some relievers or right handed hitting, especially if Craig Wilson is involved

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

I hate to say this but you two are incorrect. According to this article from Hotlantadugout.com

http://braves.scout.com/2/513938.html

It says that Bobby Cox has already told Sosa he Will be pitching the fourth game of the year.

I believe he was a little lucky last year, minus the luck, I believe his era. may have been in the mid 3's. But I agree with Cox, you can't give up on a HEALTHY 28 year old who had the season he had last year, for a mid-age health questonable vetern starter, before the season begins.

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

Speaking of John Thomson and health...

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060328&content_id=1365267&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl

[Atlanta Braves Freak]

This year pitching is really going to be key, there is no Leo Mazzone, a shaky bullpen, and no clear 4th and 5th starter. We'll have to pay close attention to our pitching staff.

[grizzly451]

Sosa might be starting the fourth game, I'd say mainly from Thomson being hurt but who knows. I have noticed that on atlanta.braves.mlb, on the depth chart page, Thomson is the #5 starter and Davies the the #4, with Sosa listed on #6.

Given the number of innings Sosa has pitched this spring I would have bet he was heading to the bullpen anyway until this new pain with Thomson. Sosa's started 2 games, relieved a third for a total of 9 innings. Davies has 4 starts, 14 innings, and the rest are all at least 4 starts and 18 innings.

If Sosa does stick in the rotation for the year I at least hope he's cut back on his walks, last year he had 64 in 134 innings, which cracks 100 walks in just over 200 innings. His other numbers weren't bad, but I think the NL teams will have the scouting figured out on him this year.

I'm about more worried about Hudson walking 10 guys in 20 innings more then that though. And for those keeping score Smoltz has been awesome so far this spring.

[grizzly451]

Thomson to the DL?

Its sounding more and more like Thomson's elbow problems might end up causing him to make a trip to the DL. Apparently rest isn't helping improve the problem.

If Thomson goes to the DL Sosa will get the 5th rotation spot at least until Thomson gets back, otherwise Sosa will go to the bullpen.

Retisma's strained hamstring worries me too, its just the kind of thing to nag a guy all season, Devine might get a shot at closer sooner then I thought.