Season Preview: Boston Braves

Last Season: 86-68, 3rd in NLManager: Billy Southworth (3rd season in Boston, 10th total)Offseason: It was a busy offseason as the Braves made a flurry of moves to improve on their third place finish from last season. In November, Boston dealt Johnny Hopp and Danny Martaugh to Pittsburgh. In return they received Hopp's replacement in center field, Jim Russell; backup catcher Bill Salkeld; and reliever Al Lyons. December's big move was purchasing Jeff Heath from the Browns. Heath becomes the top slugger on the team after crushing 27 homers last year. But the biggest move of all had to wait for March. With Heath on the roster, the Braves could afford to move last year's left fielder, Bama Rowell, along with Ray Sanders and cash for Eddie Stanky. Stanky is one of the best second basemen in the game, but the Dodgers needed to make room for Jackie Robinson to play his natural position. In the end, the Braves will roll out three new starters in the lineup on Opening Day.Catcher: Longtime catcher Phil Masi returns for his tenth season with the organization. He has caught in 373 games over the last three years as one of the most dependable backstops in the game. Salkeld will be the only other catcher needed on the roster so long as he and Masi are healthy.Infield: Connie Ryan has been a solid second baseman for the Braves over the past few years, but there was no way the team could pass up a deal to acquire Stanky. Ryan will now spend most days on the bench as a reserve infielder. Stanky has been nearly automatic at getting on base, hitting a mediocre .260 over the last three seasons but drawing over 100 walks each time. He also has a good glove and his coming off of his first All-Star Game appearance. Sibby Sisti, who primarily played at third base for the team before the war, will start the season as his double play partner at shortstop. Sisti can play anywhere in the infield, though, which may be useful as rookie Al Dark will be gunning for the job this campaign. Dark starts the year in a reserve role but will surely see playing time after hitting .303 at Milwaukee in AAA level ball. Earl Torgeson returns at first base for his sophomore season, after finishing as the second best slugger on the team last year. He was still nowhere as good as Bob Elliott. In Pittsburgh, Elliott never hit more than ten home runs in any of his eight seasons. But the Pirates now regret trading him before 1947 after Elliott had a career year with 22 homers on his way to winning the MVP award. Frank McCormick will get plenty of playing time platooning with Torgeson at first and Bobby Sturgeon can be used as a utility infielder like Sisti when needed.Outfield: With Heath and Russell joining him in the outfield, the only returning starter is Tommy Holmes. Holmes was runner-up in MVP voting in 1945, when he led the league in hits, doubles, homers, and slugging percentage, but has since declined in power. He is still hard to face at the plate, where he has hit .310 and .309 over the last two seasons while hardly missing a game. The right fielder led the league in hits for the second time last year, but otherwise had a disappointing season by his high standards. Mike McCormick has normally played in center field, but Billy Southworth can put him anywhere as the fourth outfielder. Veteran Danny Litwhiler returns, as well, but the Braves may look to move him with nowhere to play him if everyone stays healthy.Rotation: Between Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain, the Braves have the best one-two combo in the majors. The problem is figuring out which one is which. Both pitchers won 21 games last season.  It was Spahn's breakout year, as he led the majors with a 2.33 ERA in the first season he pitched the minimum number of innings needed to so. He also had a majors-best seven shutouts. Sain is 30 but only has two full seasons himself due to the war. He's made the best of them, also winning 20 in 1946. Boston wishes either could pitch every day, but someone else will have to to in at least half of the team's games. Red Barrett led the league with 23 wins in '45 and had an ERA almost identical to Sain last year, but he ended up with a losing record. Bill Voiselle won 21 games for the Giants in 1944 but has not had a winning record since. Southworth would like to avoid using a fifth starter too often, so don't expect to see Johnny Beazley much at the start of the game. He will still get a few chances to start the year and is the fifth starter with a 21-plus win season at some point, doing so back in 1942 for the Cardinals. 27-year-old rookie Vern Bickford may also get a chance to start if one of the men in the rotation doesn't work out.Bullpen: It's a good thing Spahn and Sain finish most of their starts because the Braves do not have a dependable bullpen to support them. Veteran Clyde Shoun is the best bet, but he hasn't had a sub-4.00 ERA since the war. Other than the top four starters and Shoun, the only returning pitcher with at least 30 innings on this team last year is Ed Wright, who had major control issues on the mound. Newly acquired Lyons was even worse. Boston needs someone to step up and so will also turn to some rookies such as Bobby Hogue, who won 16 games last year in the minors.Outlook: Boston's 86 wins last year were the most they've earned in a season since 1916, which was also the last time they finished third in the standings. The Braves were not content with this, though, and have made the trades that may be the key to improving their finishing position. Any game that Spahn and Sain start should be a great chance at a victory, and the Braves will hope their improved offense can get the job done when they need to rest. St. Louis and Brooklyn both seem to be within reach in their race for a pennant.