The Braves are going to want to have a big season for manager Bobby Cox who is retiring after this year. They are going to do it with pitching once again in 2010. With Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakama give the Braves one of the best rotations in all of baseball. I also think that Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito will be at least as good as Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez were for the Braves last season. The offense should be improved in 2010 as long as Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus can stay healthy. Rookie Jason Heyward will start in RF for the Braves this season and he is their #1 prospect according to Baseball America. Look for Martin Prado to really excel with a full time job heading into the season for the first time in 2010. I think the Braves are going to finish in second place in the N.L. East and be the Wildcard Playoff team, with that in mind I would definitely bet the over on Braves’ wins in 2010.

The Braves have lost 28-year old righty reliever Manny Acosta on waivers to the Mets. Acosta pitched in 6 games (0 starts) this spring for the Braves and he was 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. He whiffed 10 batters in only 7 innings this spring but he also gave up 2 homers. Acosta pitched in 36 games (0 starts) for the Braves last season and he was 1-1 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. He pitched in 103 games (0 starts) in his three years with the Braves and he was 5-7 with 3 saves, a 3.55 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. The only thing that could hurt the Braves with Acosta is if he pitches well for the division rival Mets.

Manager Bobby Cox is calling it quits after this season for the Atlanta Braves. No matter what happens this season, Cox has been outstanding for the Braves. Cox led the Braves to a 86-76 (53.1%) record last season despite not having much of an offense. The Braves should be better hitting the ball in 2010 so a return to the playoffs is not too far fetched. Cox is 2,058-1,638 (55.7%) in his 24 years with the Braves winning 5 National League Pennants and 1 World Series. Cox has now compiled a 2,413-1,930 (55.6%) in his 28 years as a major league manager. Look for him to finish his last season with more than 2,500 wins in his career which will get him into the Hall of Fame.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MANAGER IN 2010: A

The Braves will go with a older look late in games in 2010. 38-year old lefty Billy Wagner will be the Braves’ stopper in 2010. He pitched in 17 games (0 starts) for the Red Sox & Mets last season in which he was 1-1 with a 1.72 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Wagner missed most of last season while recovering from major surgery but he finished it with a bang whiffing 26 batters and only allowing 8 hits in 15 2/3 innings. That was enough for the Braves to ink him over the winter. Wagner has pitched in 782 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 40-38 with 385 saves, a 2.39 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Wagner will do a solid job as the closer for the Braves in 2010 as long as he can stay healthy.

40-year old righty Takashi Saito will be the Braves’ set-up man in 2010. Saito pitched in 56 games (0 starts) for the Braves last season and he was 3-3 with 2 saves, a 2.43 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. In his four years in the majors, Saito has pitched in 236 games (0 starts) in which he is 15-10 with 83 saves, a 2.05 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP.

31-year old righty Peter Moylan is the workhorse of the Braves’ bullpen. He pitched in 87 games (0 starts) last season and he was 6-2 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Bobby Cox has a ton of confidence in this guy and there is no reason to think that he won’t run him out to the mound 80+ in 2010 as long as he remains healthy.

25-year old lefty Eric O’Flaherty is also a guy that gets a ton of work for the Braves. He pitched in 78 games (0 starts) for the Braves last season and he was 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Look for O’Flaherty to get into 70+ games in 2010 for the Braves.

26-year old righty Jesse Chavez was acquired in a deal with the Rays over the winter (for Rafael Soriano). He pitched in 73 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last season in which he was 1-4 with a 4.01 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Chavez has good stuff so look for the Braves to coach him up in 2010.

28-year old righty Manny Acosta will have to pitch better than he did in 2009 if he wants to get in a lot of games for the Braves this year. Acosta pitched in 36 games (0 starts) for the Braves last season and he was 1-1 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Don’t look for Acosta pitching in any intense situations for the Braves in 2010.

24-year old Kris Medlen will likely be the long man in the pen for the Braves in 2010. He pitched in 37 games (4 starts) for the Braves last year and he was 3-5 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He whiffed 72 batters in 67 2/3 innings last season so he does have pretty good stuff. Medlen can also make a spot start if needed.

33-year old righty Scott Proctor will probably continue rehabbing in the minors when the season starts. He last pitched in 2008 with the Dodgers before having a major surgery. Proctor has pitched in 262 games (1 start) in his major league career and he is 16-10 with 1 save, a 4.42 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Look for him to be on of the first pitchers called up by the Braves if they need help in the pen.

24-year old lefty Michael Dunn was a key part of the Javier Vazquez trade over the winter. He will start the season in AAA and get a call as soon as the need arises. Dunn pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last season and he was 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. He also pitched in 38 games in AA+AAA-ball last year in which he was 4-3 with 2 saves, a 3.31 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: B+

The Atlanta Braves have a nice collection of veterans (Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson) and dominating youngsters (Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens) for the starting rotation which will give other N.L. teams fits in 2010. 34-year old righty Tim Hudson will likely go into the season as the Braves’ #1 starter. He missed most of last season rehabbing from surgery but he was sharp when he returned starting 7 games for the Braves in which he was 2-1 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He his 5 years with the Braves, Hudson has pitched in 128 games (127 starts) in which he is 56-39 with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. If Hudson stays healthy all year in 2010 I see no reason that he couldn’t win at least 15 games for the Braves.

24-year old righty Jair Jurrjens had a breakout year in 2009 for the Braves and that is why he will likely be slotted #2 in the rotation. Jurrjens started 34 games for the Braves last season in which he was 14-10 with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. I’m not so sure that he will have another ERA like he did in 2009 but I have little doubt that ,like Hudson, he will win around 15 games in 2010 for the Braves.

23-year old righty Tommy Hanson was the Braves’ top prospect heading into last season and you saw why when he got to the show. Hanson started 21 games for the Braves and he was 11-4 with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. In 127 2/3 innings for the Braves last season he only allowed 105 hits while whiffing 116 batters. Hanson was also outstanding in the minors before his promotion to the bigs as he started 11 games in AAA-ball in which he was 3-3 with a 1.49 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. He only gave up 40 hits in 66 1/3 AAA innings while whiffing 90 batters showing just how nasty of a pitcher he really is. I see his trophy case having at least 1 Cy Young Award in it in the next five years and it could be in 2010.

36-year old righty Derek Lowe is back and he will serve as the #4 starter for the Braves in 2010. Lowe started 34 games for the Braves last season and he was 15-10 with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. Lowe might not have been at his best last season but I think he will rebound somewhat in 2010. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2002, Lowe has compiled a 121-85 record so he is a horse.

34-year old righty Kenshin Kawakami got bumped from the rotation last year when Tim Hudson came back but he will be the #5 starter for the Braves in 2010. Kawakami pitched in 32 games (25 starts) for the Braves last season and he was 7-12 with 1 save, a 3.86 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. I look for Kawakami to win at least 10 games as he will be one of the better #5 starters in all of baseball in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2010: A