Aging Gracefully?

Tattered, Torn, Old! These verbs can describe the Atlanta Braves this season as well as they can describe an old suit. On paper, it is a very promising team; an interesting mix of youth and veteran leadership. Unfortunately for Bobby Cox, you can not put a paper team on the field. The once designer suit that was the Braves organization is feeling the effects of it age after 16 years of use. The arms are coming apart at the seams, the side pockets are struggling to hold the hopes of an organization within them, and as a whole it is just an ensemble that has seen better days.

The pitching staff has been using a revolving door this season, as far as injuries are concerned. After two years of watching Mike Hampton rehab, the Braves were hoping for a healthy starter to return to them. Tom Glavine was returning home to help pull together a rotation that desperately needed a third starter, only to be put on the disabled list for the first time in his career. As if these issues weren't enough, the backbone of this staff, John Smoltz, has shown more wear from his four elbow surgeries and 20 years in the majors than ever before.

Along with the pitching woes, have been a starting nine that has struggled at the plate, and had trouble gelling on the field. Chipper Jones, who had an inspired start to the season, has been bitten by the injury bug he knows all to well. On the other side of the diamond is Mark Teixiera, who is beginning to come out of his usual early season slump. In all the rest of the lineup is giving everything they have to keep this team in the hunt.

If any part of the suit that has stayed beautiful, it would have to be the bench that was put together. Martin Prado has filled in superbly in the absence of Chipper, Kelly Johnson, and Matt Diaz. He is hitting .270 with a handful of doubles, and a pair of triples in the young season. The one problem is any with Prado is finding ways to get his bat into the lineup. Gregor Blanco and Ruben Gotay have also proven to be welcome additions to the offense.

The key question this season is; at what point do they stop going to the seamstress to fix the suit, and decide that the time may be right to purchase a new one. The rebuilding process can be a slow one given the strength of the Atlanta farm system, but it is a process that must begin at some point. The stars of the past 16 years can only take us so far, and with some of their bodies betraying them, one can only wonder how much they have left.