I posted this in another thread, but i wanted to set up its own post just to see if I coule garner some talk. Hopefulyl this will keep us from thinking about our recent losses to the Nationals. I'd really like to know what everyone thinks on this.

I wanted to touch on something i just discovered the other day, in my estimation the Braves will have a base salary as a team next year of around 50 or 60M, depdning on what smoltz gets for a contract, he currently has a 12M option i believe, and if we resign a couple of guys… Tex (not a chance really), or glavine… Generally the Braves spend in the neighborhood of 90M which give us around 40-30M to spend. Also, the Braves won’t need to dole out a ton of money in Arbitration because Frenchy is having an off year (to say the least)

I think we have our 1B of the future, whether it be FLowers, Freeman, Heyward, or even Cody Johnson (remember he isnt even 20 yet). so all we really need is a stop gap for one or two years at 1B. I think the most glaring thing the Braves need to do is ptiching, the rotation needs a front line starter (i don’t think Hudson is an ace, he is a low nb1 or high nbr 2 but not an ace) Sheets and Sabathia are both on the market. I think it is imperative that the Braves make a serious run at one of those two. Theres no way i want to spend 20M but if we can get one of them for around 15-17M a year for maybe 5-6 years, i say go for it.

But back to the 1B situation, like i said we need a stopgap. Here is a short list of the guys that are FA to be this offseason… Ben Broussard, Sean Casey, Eric Hinske, and Doug Mientkiewicz. If we can sign Eric Hinske I think that should be our top guy to get. HE isn’t just a flash in the pan hitter, his ops is around 860 this year i believe, he can play the OF and 1B, he is a former ROY (not that that means a lot, but it helps my case so im gunna bring it up). Sean Casey and Doug Mientkiewicz are both very solid defensive 1B, and both are avg hitters. Sean Casey is an exceptional hitter in my opinion, if it weren’t for his lack of power. I think all of these guys can be signed for around 5-7M.

If both of these signings can occur, a 1B, and a front end starter we can compete next year, and I’ve only spent half of our proposed cap room. This next part could get a little scary if the first part wasnt already. I propose we sign Pat Burrell, hopefully to a 1-2 year deal. we slot Burrel in behind Chipper and our offense is no worse than it is this year. Casey Blake is another possibility. We could even sign Blake as our 1B, but i’m currently addressing our OF, so Iver put him here. Adam Dunn is also a FA, and he could be thrown in the mix.

I know a lot of these guys have their defincies, Sheets (injuries), Sabathia (afinity to sausages and beer, at least recently), the 1B considered to be avg or slightly above avg, Burrell and Dunn tend to swing and miss a fair amount. But besides sheets and Sabathia we are only looking for a year maybe two out of the guys. Worst case we are no worse than we are this year, best case we have Hinske, whose production is hgiher than any OF we have, Blake same thing, and our Rotation now looks quite menacing, with Hudson Jurrjens and Sheets/Sabathia.

I just stumbled across the proposed 2009 FA and this is how i came to this idea, i may be whacked out of my head (it wouldnt be the first time), but i think this makes sense. Does anyone else agree? Beard feel free to back me up or shoot me down with the stats