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Andruw Jones, one of the few "five tool" players in baseball, is poised for a huge season. Andy Lyons/Allsport

By Sam King, CNNSI.com

The Atlanta Braves won 95 games, a ninth division title in 10 seasons, had the league's best pitching staff and finished sixth in runs scored in the National League.

A pretty good year, right? Wrong.

For a team that is never judged until October is over, the Braves had perhaps their most disappointing year since 1990 after getting swept out of the division series by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals hammered Braves pitching to the tune of a 7.92 ERA and made perennial Cy Young contenders Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine look very, very human. What's more, the offense looked uninterested, and flat out gave away at-bats in Games 2 and 3 after falling behind early.

So in the offseason the Braves naturally did ... not much. After losing out in the Alex Rodriguez and Mike Hampton chases, the franchise punted by signing a first baseman coming off the worst season of his career in Rico Brogna and a guy who played for four teams last year in Dave Martinez. Gone is the bat and leadership of Andres Galarraga. Gone is the bench depth of 2000 provided by Wally Joyner and Bobby Bonilla.

Good news? John Smoltz and his surgically repaired elbow are back on the mound to give the Braves a second power pitcher in the rotation. It's anybody's guess how effective Smoltz can be or how deep he'll be able to go in games, but his mere presence will take pressure off Kevin Millwood. Millwood seemed to regress badly under the pressure of being the staff's No. 3 man behind Maddux and Glavine. Eddie Perez is back to help ease Javy Lopez's burden behind the plate (by catching Maddux). If the Braves get 10-12 wins from Smoltz and John Burkett turns in another magic act of a season, the rotation should be as solid as ever.

Top Guns Braves 2000 team leaders Avg.  Chipper Jones  .311  HR  C. Jones/A. Jones  36  RBIs  Chipper Jones  111  SB  Rafael Furcal  40  Wins  Tom Glavine  21  ERA  Greg Maddux  3.00  Ks  Greg Maddux  190  Saves  John Rocker  24    Go Figure 53 Saves by the Braves much maligned bullpen -- tops in the NL.

For the first time since 1996, the offense was pretty much left alone in the offseason. Second baseman Quilvio Veras has recovered from last season's knee injury, and he should help leadoff man Rafael Furcal set up scoring opportunities for the big bats. The Braves are hoping to get their first look at a healthy B.J. Surhoff, and maybe a season-long look at a healthy Brian Jordan. The key, as always, will be whether Andruw Jones continues his improvement at the plate. He and Chipper Jones will be counted on to do most of the power work on a team with no real 40-HR type hitters. An MVP-type season from one of the Joneses is necessary for the Braves to win the division.

One huge question for this team is depth. It's been a sore spot for years, and 2001 looks to be one of the thinnest Braves teams yet. Dave Martinez isn't going to become Johnny Damon anytime soon, so the success of the bench hinges on Keith Lockhart and rookies Wes Helms and George Lombard. If you're a Braves fan, those are mighty steep odds.

John Rocker will likely pitch controversy-free this season except in New York. That's a big deal since Rocker put up excellent numbers (1.30 ERA, 12-for-13 in save opportunities in the second half) after his "comments" became old news. What Atlanta gets after Rocker in the bullpen is the key. Last season, manager Bobby Cox had to rely too heavily on Mike Remlinger and Kerry Ligtenberg, leaving both with very little gas in the tank down the stretch. Kevin McGlinchy must overcome shoulder problems or the Braves will be left looking for seventh inning help from a collection of rookies (Jason Marquis and Damian Moss) and a rehab case (Odalis Perez).

For more on the Braves, bookmark this page and check back Wednesday, March 21 for a Sports Illustrated Scouting Report.

Arrivals
Pos.	Player	From	Via
1B	Rico Brogna	Red Sox	Free Agency
OF	Dave Martinez	Blue Jays	Free Agency
INF	Kurt Abbott	Mets	Free Agency
INF	Jesse Garcia	Orioles	Trade

Departures
Pos.	Player	To	Via
1B	Wally Joyner	Angels	Free Agency
1B	Andres Galarraga	Rangers	Free Agency
RHP	Andy Ashby	Dodgers	Free Agency
LHP	Terry Mulholland	Pirates	Free Agency
OF	Bobby Bonilla	Cardinals	Free Agency
OF	Reggie Sanders	Diamondbacks	Free Agency
INF	Steve Sisco	Orioles	Trade

Spring Cleaning

Chipper Jones Chipper Jones' struggles at third base raised eyebrows last season. Although a move to left field has been nixed for now, Jones needs to use this spring to clamp down on the shoddy glovework. Andres Galarraga wasn't just a power hitter in the middle of the lineup. He also was a clubhouse leader, especially for the Latin ballplayers. Replacing his presence on the field and in the locker room is a must. A healthy John Smoltz would solidify the Braves' chances of a return to the postseason. But first he has to find his old pitching mechanics and show his arm can stand the strain of a long season.

Team Breakdown
Projected Lineup		Projected Rotation
SS	Rafael Furcal	RHP	Greg Maddux
CF	Andruw Jones	LHP	Tom Glavine
3B	Chipper Jones	RHP	Kevin Millwood
RF	Brian Jordan	RHP	John Smoltz
LF	B.J. Surhoff	RHP	John Burkett
C	Javy Lopez	Bullpen
1B	Rico Brogna	LHP	John Rocker (closer)
2B	Quilvio Veras	LHP	Mike Remlinger
Key Reserves		RHP	Kerry Ligtenberg
OF	Dave Martinez	RHP	Jason Marquis
INF	Keith Lockhart	LHP	Odalis Perez
C	Eddie Perez	RHP	Kevin McGlinchy
OF	George Lombard	RHP	Marc Valdes

Prospects to Watch
SS Wilson Betemit -- Betemit, 20, tore up the New York-Penn League to the tune of .331 and finished second in the league in hits and runs. Strong arm makes him a candidate for a move to 3B if necessary. 2B Marcus Giles -- Giles, 22, generates a lot of power considering he's only 5-8 (67 HR the last three seasons). Brian Giles' little brother is coming off a solid 2000 season, appearing in the Southern League All-star game, Double-A All-star game and the Futures Game. RHP Matt McLendon -- Just what the Braves need, more pitching. At 6-6, McLendon has a plus fastball but needs to work on his curve and develop a changeup. Still, the 23-year-old should start at Class AAA Richmond, and an appearance in Atlanta in 2001 is not out of the question. RHP Jason Marquis -- The lanky 22-year-old looks like a young John Smoltz. Mid-90's fastball and an above average curve. Marquis fared well in a brief stint as a long man in the Braves bullpen last season, and could end up there again in 2001.
Best-Case Scenario
Smoltz, Veras, Perez and Brogna all return to their old selves after coming off injuries and the rest of the Braves turn in a reasonable facsimile of past performances. That would make Atlanta one of the three best teams in the NL and likely guarantee a playoff spot. If the Braves have learned anything, however, it's that October is negotiable no matter how many wins you rack up in the regular season.
Worst-Case Scenario
Smoltz, Veras, Perez and Brogna struggle, Maddux and Glavine regress and Andruw Jones remains long on potential but short of expectations. That scenario leaves Atlanta's string of division titles in serious jeopardy and the prospect of blowing up the team's core a very likely prospect.
Bottom Line
Hey, they're the Braves. Ninety-four to 100 wins is a likely finish, and so is another division title considering the Mets didn't get any better in the offseason. A second World Series title for Glavine and company? Don't bet on it.

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