Some of you are going to find it to soon to start looking ahead to the off season and what needs to be done to ensure that we don't have to play a meaningful game 162.  I think different, the front office needs to look at this team right and begin the work that needs to be done.

It's clear that this team needs some kind of a shot in the arm during the off season.  They looked flat and careless for the last month of the season and only played inspired baseball for a few innings in game 162.  I believe that the first change that needs to be made is firing Parish.  We won and were tough to beat in 2010 by drawing a lot of walks.  He tried to turn us into a slugging team and it just didn't work.  You cannot rely on hitting home runs to win games.

I also believe that this roster needs some change.  To many players slumped this season and you can't count on them simply showing next year and playing like their old selves.

Moves:

Send Lowe to AAA.  No one is going to take him in a trade unless we eat his entire salary.

Let Gonzalez walk.

Trade Prado and Jurrjens to Arizona for Drew.

Prado sucked pretty much the last 2/3 of the year, but he still has value.  Jurrjens really wasn't the same after the All Star break but is a quality number 3 starter.  Both of these players are going to be getting expensive and both are expendable.  Drew would give us a good hitting SS who is young and signed through 2012 with an option for 2013.  You might be wondering why would Arizona trade for a LF when Parra is already there?  Prado would move back to 2B where Johnson has sucked this year and likely won't be back and also be a super utility player for them.

Sign Michael Cuddyer.

He's a solid veteran and true pro who raises the game of the players around him.  He's also 33 years old and could likely be had for 3 years at $27M.

That leaves us with this roster.

Starters:

C.  McCann

1B.  Freeman

2B.  Uggla

3B.  Jones

SS.  Drew

LF.  Cuddyer

CF.  Bourn

RF.  Heyward

SP1.  Hudson

SP2.  Hanson

SP3.  Beachey

SP4 and 5.  A combination of Teheran, Minor, and Delgado.

Bullpen

Kimbrel, Venters, O'Flaherty, Varvaro, Martinez, Vizcaino, and Medlen.

Bench

Ross (C), Constanza (OF), Diaz (OF), Pastornicky (INF), Hinske (1B and LF).

After the 2012 season when Lowe comes off the books we will have to use a sizable portion of that $15M to resign Bourn.

I think this team could stand a good chance of competing and winning the NL East.

The bullpen needs to be better managed.