Adam LaRoche News

The Braves overhauled the back of their bullpen in two days last week, completing what had figured to be a difficult task with the ease and efficiency of a three-pitch ninth inning.

Well, the last two days were exciting, weren't they? Two legitimate end-of-the-'pen options coming in.

I am tired of you so-called Braves fans running down the Braves. You have said it all and left nothing for me to deride them about.

It has been nearly a month since the Yankees captured their latest World Series championship and provided 29 other organizations the opportunity to officially mark the start of their offseason shopping sprees.

Has free agent Gonzalez thrown his last pitch for Braves? A few thoughts while we wait for baseball's offseason game of musical chairs to begin in earnest after the announcements later today/tonight regarding which free agents were offered arbitration by their current teams.

The recent arrival of Black Friday signifies the beginning of holiday shopping for the season.

Following a tradition established by Giants legend Willie McCovey, Travis Ishikawa was named first baseman Wednesday on the 51st annual Topps Major League Rookie All-Star team.

Every Little League you've ever seen has the overgrown kid with the bunched-up uniform who crushes baseballs.

There are currently 170 free agents. John Grabow was the 171st, but that was before signing with the Cubs right after the list became official.

Arizona Notable free agents: SP Doug Davis Needs: SP, RP, 1B, defense Topping the to-do list: With about $15 million to spend, and a lot of holes -- but if we're being specific, they need help hitting and pitching.

Outside of Roy Halladay, the player we are most likely to hear involved in trade rumors is Florida Marlins 2B Dan Uggla.

As the Braves and other teams explore trade and free-agent possibilities, many wrestle with a situation prevalent in baseball's changed economic landscape.

Former Braves pitcher John Smoltz and four members of last year's squad were among 79 players who filed for free agency Thursday, the first possible day.

Adrian Gonzalez hit 40 home runs last season for San Diego. The last time the Braves made one of those, "The future is now," trades, John Schuerholz sent a bundle of prospects to the Texas Rangers for Mark Teixeira .

So, we've already gotten through the Adam LaRoche situation . Now, let's talk about the guys the Braves could be shipping out for some hole-filling. Here are the guys who shoul be on the block from the Braves' '09 payroll.

With the World Series coming to a close on Wednesday, yesterday marked the first day players with six or more years of major league service could file for free agency.

When baseball's general managers begin to gather Sunday night for their annual meetings, they'll be at a Chicago airport hotel and not a typically swank resort.

While the Braves were able to confirm Friday that they have signed right-handed reliever Scott Proctor to a Minor League contract, they will have to wait until Tim Hudson returns to Atlanta before finalizing the three-year contract extension they have offered.

When the regular season concluded, first baseman Adam LaRoche and left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez were hopeful that they'd have the opportunity to return to the Braves.

Being home with his family during baseball season is nice, but pitcher Tim Hudson said he wouldn't have agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Braves for that alone.