bobby abreu now an ANGEL.. an absolute steal this year??

[CadensDad]

Lowe isn't a great #1, but he isn't a bum.
Vazquez WILL improve; he's been a great pitcher with unlucky ratios.
Japanese pitchers DO succeed over here due to the unfamiliarity the hitters have with them.
Jurrjens is developing well.
Hanson will be up soon enough.

I'd take their pitching over the Mutts. Santana kills any Braves pitcher, but I like the Braves 2-5 better.

Anderson needs to get on base more, but he's a decent stopgap till the kids are ready. Speed in CF is great.
Escobar is an above average SS
Chipper needs to stay healthy.
McCann is an elite catcher.
Kelly is an above average 2B.
Frenchy hit the lowest of lows and should rebound at least a little bit.
Kotchman is still young and looks to be taking steps forward (albeit slowly).
Diaz bombed last year and LF is a weakness.

/end Braves talk in Abreu thread.

The Braves 2-5 pitchers might be better but the bullpen isn't better and the Mets lineup is way better, Which pitchers from Japan have done real good? Not just average but real good? Not many, and I cant think of any who have done so in the very first year. And to state that Vazquez has been a GREAT pitcher is horribly wrong, GREAT pitchers don't always get unlucky with ratios. If they are great they beat the odds and produce great numbers

[daullaz]

The Mets lineup isn't way better. The Mets top hitters are better, but they have some sinkholes in there as well.

You don't need a #3/#4 guy to come in and be really good; you need them to be good. Kawakami can come in and be good. The Braves will take Kuroda's 2008. They'll take Dice-K's 2007. Those are the two current Japanese SPs in the league, and I don't see either of their rookie years as a stretch for Kawakami.

I won't bother trying to change your mind on Vazquez, since it's apparent it's already set.

[CadensDad]

I guess we'll just agree to disagree then

[Maris09]

Lowe isn't a great #1, but he isn't a bum.
Vazquez WILL improve; he's been a great pitcher with unlucky ratios.
Japanese pitchers DO succeed over here due to the unfamiliarity the hitters have with them.
Jurrjens is developing well.
Hanson will be up soon enough.

I agree with that breakdown.
Not to mention Campillo was a nice surprise last year, he should help some too.

I also think that Kotchman is a very decent guy to have at 1st base, and was surprised the Braves were even able to do that well in the trade for Teixeira given the situation.
Kotchman may not be great fantasy wise, but he has a great glove, will hit for a very good average, and has some upside.

[BitterDodgerFan]

damn wtf were the dodgers doing... now they better sign manny.

[GiantsFan14]

damn wtf were the dodgers doing... now they better sign manny.

they'll give him 3 years and he'll sign there. almost for sure.

[AussieDodger]

damn wtf were the dodgers doing... now they better sign manny.

Do you really have to ask that question?

[doodels]

So where will he hit in the angel's batting order? 3rd?

[daullaz]

There's talk about him hitting 2nd.

[Syfo-Dyas]

There's talk about him hitting 2nd.

Makes sense.