Braves spring training look

The Atlanta Braves have once again returned to Disney’s Wide World of Sports for their spring training games in 2009.
Entering the 12th season in Central Florida, the Atlanta Braves will hope to answer some questions about their upcoming season through rigorous training and exhibition games played at the sprawling Disney complex. In Champion Stadium, the Braves compete in front of about 9,500 fans, not including the luxury boxes, or the special lawn seating in left field, which allows ongoers to unfurl the blanket and enjoy the game like it was happening at the park; just remember your sunscreen because there’s no roof out there.
Inside the locker room and on the field, however, the Bravos have a lot of kinks to work out aside from taking in some sunny weather. The Braves managed to bolster their rotation this year, signing ace pitcher Derek Lowe away from the Dodgers, and again pulling Javier Vazquez away from the Chicago White Sox. These two will join up with Kenshin Kawakami, a new comer to the league, fresh from Japan at 33 years old. The Braves hope Kawakami can add another experienced arm to the rotation while providing new material no one in the league has seen before. Add that to second-year ace Jair Jurrjens, and older than dirt Tom Glavine, and the Braves have a seemingly deep rotation, not to mention Tim Hudson’s possible return at sometime in the season after having successful Tommy-John elbow surgery early last year.
When it comes to hitting, Atlanta is going to have to try a bit harder. Leading the league in mediocrity last year with the bat, aside from Chipper Jones, of course, the Braves had a league low 27 homers from their entire outfield last season, including the platoon-based approach they took in left field after Matt Diaz, who has showed good progress, went down with a freak knee injury. While Jeff Francoeur cannot possibly be as terrible as he was last year, (.239 batting average) he has tweaked his stance and posture while spending plenty of time in Triple-A last season, a great disspointment after and outstanding outing the year before, and a successful World Baseball Classic appearance; the Braves will be hoping for Francoeur to bounce back strong.
While all of these factors look promising, the Braves are trying to enhance their team even more, not wishing to drop another 90 games in the loss column this year again, fielding a far cry from the teams that posted a league record 14 straight division titles through the 1990’s.
Another variable to toss around, this will be Bobby Cox’s 23rd season with Atlanta, and he will celebrate his 68th birthday during the season, and has already hinted at the fact that this may be his last season coaching. The 8-time Manager of the Year has been one of the reasons the Braves made that incredible run at the playoffs so many years in a row.
Whatever the result of this season, the Braves are in Central Florida until the beginning of April, and with ticket prices averaging in the $20.00 range, there’s no reason not to go enjoy a hot dog and beer while taking in a baseball game, something you would normally have to drive to Tampa to do, and see the Rays play; but can baseball ever really be played in a dome? There’s almost nothing better than a beautiful day and America’s greatest past-time.