2009 Braves

What do you think our starting pitching rotation will be in '09?

How about our batting lineup?

Okay, I'm going to do no FA signings and Tex being resigned.

Rotation:

1. Tim Hudson
2. Jair Jurrjens
3. Jo-Jo Reyes
4. Charlie Morton
5. Jorge Campillo

Bullpen:

1. Mike Gonzalez
2. Rafael Soriano
3. Blaine Boyer
4. Manny Acosta
5. Will Ohman
6. Phil Stockman

Lineup:

1. Jordan Schafer, CF
2. Yunel Escoabar, SS
3. Chipper Jones, 3B
4. Mark Teixeira, 1B
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Jeff Francoeur, RF
7. Kelly Johnson, 2B
8. Gregor Blanco, LF

Or.............

1. Kelly Johnson, 2B
2. Yunel Escobar, SS
3. Chipper Jones, 3B
4. Mark Teixeira, 1B
5. Jeff Francoeur, RF
6. Brian McCann, C
7. Matt Diaz, LF
8. Jordan Schafer, CF

The latter could serve as either an everyday lineup or an against lefties lineup.

Rotation I would like to see (not going to happen b/c we never spend money on FA):

1. Tim Hudson

2. C.C. Sabathia

3. Jair Jurrjens

4. Jo-Jo Reyes

5. Charlie Morton

Rotation I expect to see:

1. Tim Hudson

2. Jo-Jo Reyes

3. Jair Jurrjens

4. Charlie Morton

5. Jorge Campillo

Lineup:

1. Jordan Schafer CF

2. Yunel Escobar SS

3. Chipper Jones 3B

4. Brian McCann C

5. A guy not named Teixeira 1B

6. Jeff Francoeur RF

7. Kelly Johnson 2B

8. Gregor M. Blanco LF

I don't think CC will be traded, and I don't think Smoltz or Glavine are coming back. That frees up A LOT of money to go get somebody for the rotation...like CC.

Call me a fool, or just blind, but I haven't given up on 2008 yet, making it tough to look at '09 just yet.  Tomorrow night's game represents the end of the first half, and we have a long way to go before I say, "wait til next year." 

Further, Tex's return is so much a question mark that I believe the Braves will have 2 sets of offseason plans, one for if they resign him, one if they don't .  It's just too early...

Throw in Mark Teixeira and Mark Kotsay in with Smoltz and Glavine as guys who wont be back...

By my calculations, that's $41,500,000. GO GET SABATHIA OR Ben Sheets, WREN!!!!