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Over two million fans went to Turner Field last year to watch the Atlanta Braves finish third in the N.L. East for the second year in a row. The Braves have already did something this year as they did last year even before the first pitch of the season has been thrown…they raised ticket prices. Could this be the start of a new tradition?

A look a what they did is awful for the average fan but really bad for those out there who won’t go to a game because of higher prices. The change will not affect my game day but it might hurt the other fans, such as fans with kids that want the good seats and food and all the other memories that they demand. For those who enjoyed the Lexus Level you may wonder what is new…well, that contract is up and it is in the air of an extension or a new suitor for naming rights. Remember it is about the money and benefits for all involved.

New construction is under way to put new luxury seats behind home plate also with a new suite down below holding the Sun Trust name for that. Don’t get too excited as the tickets start at over two hundred a game. Not bad you say? The seats are sold on a yearly contract. Eighty-one home games — you do the math. Other fans willing to pay a little less for dugout seats or seats behind the plate get ready to pay twenty percent more. The all-you-can-eat seats have been moved but what a deal that is in itself. No real complaint on that part but just brace yourself on the new ballpark experience next year. All that I say is don’t stay at home just because the prices are up two to ten bucks. Instead make a change and just sit somewhere else. I am just happy that this team is making improvements on the field and to the field. It is now December so you have just over two months to save save save for that perfect seat.

Major League Baseball’s winter meetings are coming up this week and I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what should be on this year’s wish list for the Braves. Realistically the Braves are going to the meeting probably only looking seriously at a left-handed pitcher. With the addition of Josh Anderson, a young extremely speedy center fielder the Braves may have found the center fielder of the future — now. Anderson is by no means a proven veteran player. They would be taken a risk with him as a starter but, he is a leadoff hitter and also a very solid outfielder. There will not be a need for this guy to have a certain average or runs batted in. Just get on base any way possible, steal bases, and put pressure on the opposing defense.

With that being said, there are the occasional “Blockbuster” trades that take place at these meetings. There is still a lot to offer in Atlanta’s farm system. The minor league system is full of talent that other teams will love to have. There is always the possibility of trading a young player similar to the Salty deal last year. I hope personally that the lineup stays somewhat the same as it is penciled in now. We have pitching, defense, speed and enough power to get by. I am more concerned about signing our young players to long term deals. I hope that Francouer can be locked up this winter and Kelly Johnson and Escobar should not be far behind if not this season defiantly next. I look forward to seeing Escobar drop to the two spot and the power guys come up to bat with guys on base in front of them.

Francouer, Chipper and Texeria should all have huge numbers this year if healthy. On top of my wish list is a speedy off season. I am so ready for some more baseball. Just thing after the holidays come and go we will only be a matter of weeks till catcher and pitchers report to spring training. Hope everone has a happy holiday and feel free to contact us to talk baseball at any time.

Robert’s Trivia

Last weeks Q & A
Who led the National League in losses in 1988?
Answer: Tom Glavine

This Weeks Question

Who was the last Atlanta Braves pitcher to lose 20 games in one season?

Ways to answer, e-mail hosts@bravescast.com or voicemail 678-608-2721

Each Thanksgiving brings each and every person something new to be thankful for every year. Baseball is no different. Each year the Braves evaluate where they are as an organization and which areas to improve upon as a club. With Thanksgiving coming up I though it would be nice to discuss what the Braves have to be thankful for this year. First and foremost is us, the fans. Although Atlanta fans get a bad wrap, we are usually loyal when it comes to the Braves. I guess a decade and a half if winning will do that for you. Since the Braves have been out of the playoffs the last few years it seems that fans are now more involved and outspoken, more than ever! The fans realize that there is a new crop of Braves that need the encouragement from the fans.

The Braves can be very thankful for the youth and ongoing talent in their minor league system. Every year the team produces several players that are ready to compete at the major league level and 2008 will be no different. Fans now know the names of recent minor-turned major league stars like Francouer and McCann. But what about Brandon Jones and Joey Devine and all the others that will play a significant part of the upcoming 2008 season? The Braves over the years (in my opinion) have produced the best young talent of any team in baseball. The hardest part is finding a place for all the talent to play.

The Braves cab definitely be thankful to have a great front office staff as well. Frank Wren’s loyalty paid off in landing a premier general manager job in the Majors. Having Hank Aaron as such a big part of the club for years now has been a big plus, too. The Braves can always be thankful for having the very best “player’s manger” in all of baseball in Bobby Cox. The all-time leader in ejections also happens to be one of the most respected managers in all of professional sports. He manages not only the on the field action well, but also everything else off the field that managers have to deal with.

Things are still good for the Braves organization and in a time to really pay tribute to things in your life to be thankful for I would like to say that I am thankful that I have somewhere to go for six months out of the year that I can take my son, friends, family, co workers, or anyone else and have a great time. The Braves are the ultimate in clean family entertainment and I will always be thankful to have them as a part of my life.

Robert’s Trivia Question of the Week

What pitcher lead the National League in losses in 1988?

Last Weeks Q & A

How many years has Bobby Cox managed the Braves? A:22

With the Braves current success that will eventually end up too little too late, the Braves fans have to be asking themselves, “Is this what could have been?” That is…if we had consistency in the back end of the rotation. Or if the offense would have showed up every night. Or if the players played like the season was on the line a few weeks earlier.

Next year the Braves rotation should have a different feel to it. My guess is that we will see a trade in the offseason to pick up a third starter. Chuck James will be moved to four and the Braves will see what (if anything) Mike Hampton still has left in the tank. Buddy Carlyle will be a fifth starter/insurance policy and there will be no Andruw Jones. The heart of the Braves lineup will remain intact other than Andruw.

Do you disagree? If so let me know what you predictions are. E-mail us at hosts@bravescast.com.

Are you willing to part ways with Andruw, Thorman, Diaz, or Harris. Where you upset when they traded away Salty? Something big will happen this off season. Let us know your ideas for the club. Reality or not, we want to hear it!

As promised, we now have a call-in line for the show! Our goal is to make Bravescast as interactive as possible, and now you can have your comments and questions played ‘on the air!’ Just dial in and press 1 to leave a message…it’s that easy. The number to call is (678) 608-2721.

Look for more updates and website features to be rolled out over the next two weeks as we gear up for the stretch run.

In the meantime, Go Braves!

The Braves finish their series with both the Mets and Phillies with a .500 record at 3-3. Looking back on these series it should have been all Braves. The Braves had several leads in all games but could not always hold it. They were fortunate to get a win in extra innings in New York after blowing an early lead. The Phillies series was a battle to the end but the Braves had leads in all three games. The offense looks to be very consistent and should remain one of the most productive in the NL. What will it take to get some consistency in the bullpen, though? This is the million-dollar question that not only can I not answer, but also no one in the Braves organization can, either. Do you have a solution? If so, feel free to let us know at hosts@bravescast.com.

The bullpen was a never-ending struggle through last season. The Braves organization worked so hard in the offseason to fix it. So far we have seen Bob Wickman constantly hurt, Soriano over pitched and slumping, and our trade deadline pick up Dotel is already injured after only a few appearances. Peter Moylan has single handedly carried the bullpen all season long. Time is running out in the season and losses late in ballgames hurt a lot more than your occasional blowout.

All that said, the march is still on to the playoffs. The Braves don’t play the Mets again till the last day of the month. Then we have the Phils right after that. This may be the series that ultimately decides the season. In Major League Baseball there is an insurance policy called the wild card and if Atlanta doesn’t watch out they will be out of contention in that race. We can count on a couple of things, though. The offense looks great, starting pitching is solid, and the Mets and Phils still have a few series left against each other. It will no doubt be a tight race down to the wire!

The Braves can use you help on this next home stand. Let’s show up strong and get a sweep over the Giants.

Go Braves!!!

Everyone in Atlanta is pumped about the new trades that bring both Mark Texeria and Octovial Dotel to the Braves. For the average fans it seems great on the outside. We acquire a power and average hitting, proven switch-hitting gold glove first baseman and experienced arm in the bullpen who is capable of being a closer for most teams in baseball. It all looks good right?

Take a step back and ask yourself is there a down side to the trade. All trades have a dark side and this is no exception. The Braves gave up maybe the only average, power and switch-hitting catcher who can also play a secondary position in the majors. We also gave up a starting pitcher who is in his mid twenties and has shown previous signs of being a dominant pitcher in the majors. The Braves also gave up some guys in the farm system that is among the top prospects not only for the Braves but all of baseball.

The Braves have officially entered the “WIN NOW” era in Atlanta. Teams do it all the time. The marlins have won two World Series with this strategy. Do the Braves have enough to get them to the World Series? Are we still a starting pitcher short? We have had a door open up for us that we don’t get much in Atlanta. In a weeks time, we have went from being a pretty good team with some question marks and hales to fill to a team that is now the favorite to win the national league east and go on the world series. Some experts say we have now the best lineup in the National League. We have 10 quality starters in 8 everyday positions. We are the deepest, the youngest and maybe now the most motivated team in this year’s playoffs run.

The door is open and will be shutting after next season. Chipper and John Smoltz are getting older, their might not be any Andruw Jones, Edgar Renteria, or Tim Hudson or Bobby Cox, This in my eyes is really a make or break year for the Braves. The remainder of the season is going to be something special in Atlanta. Come be a part of the Bravescast. Your feelings are always welcome here. We are the only show for the fans and by the fans. Contact us anytime at hosts@bravescast.com

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Go Braves!

It is that time of year again. The time that every baseball fan knows more than the team owners and the beloved general manager. Every at-home wizard of baseball knowledge already has made more than enough trades in their heads to get their team into the playoffs. Maybe you have too, but is your trade feasible and will it work for both teams?

The July 31st trading deadline comes at an opportune time for teams to make a final push for a spot in the postseason (or for some to get young talent and offload some big salary obligations). It’s an opportune time for the teams getting young talent to improve without ponying up the big bucks for signing upcoming free agents on their team.

Other than baseball’s deadline the big day (or month) for teams is the draft. Well, baseball’s draft is almost impossible to predict the outcome of until a player has three years in the minors and you don’t see him until his fourth year with the club, and that is if he is only good. Impact players are almost always drafted, but since the jury is out for such a long time the baseball world focuses on this month’s trading deadline. Luckily a trade shows big (or small) results usually very quickly.

So with this in mind it is fans like you (and fans like us) that hold the last day in July as so important compared to our playoff chances. Come and join us Sunday to talk about the possibilities of a good deadline or just another wasted deadline for the Braves in particular.

Gone are the days when the All Star break signified being half way to another division crown. The best thing that could ever have happened to the team is to get a reality check in 2007. The Braves have seen many players come and go over the great run they had but 2 things remained consistent, Bobby Cox and John Schuerholz. The two have managed to rebuild year after year in an era when that thing just doesn’t happen anymore.

The current Braves are one if not the youngest teams in baseball. The roster is filled with numerous 20 something year old players who were brought up and expected to carry on the great tradition of the Atlanta Braves name. Just when people think the streak has ended the “Baby Braves” are ready for a new one to begin.

Every time we see a new player come up from the major we say wow he is the next great thing. Some end up staying and some end up going. One thing is for sure, for the ones that stay they will be part of a franchise that does things the right way. 2007 is a rebuilding year for the Braves that features surprises such as Kelly Johnson at second base, Willie Harris in the outfield and Buddy Carlyle starting. Not to mention the arrivals of Jarrod Saltlamacchia and Yunel Escobar from the minors. A third season for Francoeur and McCann results in an all star appearance for our young catcher and already a world baseball classic selection for Francoeur. Not bad for a Braves rebuilding year!

Many people say what will the Braves do with out Andrew Jones next year if he doesn’t resign? Same thing we they have done for the past 15 years replace him with someone who from the farm system who already knows what it’s like to be a Brave. Look down at the farm on any given day at any given year and you will see that talent that is yet to be displayed. That’s why we will continue to dominate the East and hopefully the rest of baseball for years to come. Come and be a part of the passion that is Atlanta Braves baseball.

Bravescast is the 24 hour place to express you feelings and bring the emotions. We are the place for die-hard Atlanta Braves fans. E-mail us at hosts@bravescast.com to be a part of things. Go Braves!!!