Getting younger?

How beautiful is this? Every game doesn't seem like such a roller coaster when the game goes into the bullpen innings. Paronto and Yates build the bridge, to what I hate to call a "closer-by-committee," because both Gonzalez and Soriano are legit closer types who are going to be shuffled around based on scenario, instead of who is available. Watching last night's game, I felt, with each inning's beginning with a new pitcher on the mound, that the one-run lead would be safe. It was kind of strange, since this is the same team that last year, blew over 20 saves and cost John Smoltz a what would have been likely Cy Young award-winning season. But with each top half passing, the score remained unchanged, and Soriano earned his second save of the season.

In 2005, the Atlanta Braves got hit with the injury bug, HARD. Andruw jones led the team in games played (160, the last two were sat due to clinched division) and I think only Marcus Giles and Rafael Furcal were the only other position players to exceed 150 games in their own right. But the season was rescued by the emergence of a large contingency of young players who were brought up out of necessity, not choice. The production that came from these "kids" was not expected, and aside from the usual doubters, it seemed that the then 13-straight division title streak was going to come to an end.

Jeff Francoeur his a 3-run home run in his very first major league at-bat, propelling him to runner-up to the Rookie of the Year, some schlub known as Ryan Howard. Kyle Davies debuts on a cold rainy day in Fenway Park and limits the defending champion Boston Red Sox to 4 hits and 0 runs to get the win. Wilson Betemit shows some ballsy base-running and wins a crucial extra-inning game to shrink the magic number. Not only do the Braves not fall apart, they win their 14th-straight division title, where in the ensuing playoffs, Brian McCann cements his moment in history when he tees off on Roger Clemens, homering in his very first postseason at-bat. Media outlets are quick to jump on this one, gleefully pointing out the aspect that McCann was less than half of the Rocket's age. Despite the eventual loss, the mentioned names were only several of the large group of young talent to rise from the minors to help the Braves win yet another division title.

They were dubbed the Baby Braves.

This season, Scott Thorman has the dubious task of taking the product Adam LaRoche's place at first. Kelly Johnson is taking over at second, and the lead-off spot, neither of which he's done in his entire career. Macay McBBride has been inept. Mark Redman became the opposite of the late-90's Pedro Martinez - a guaranteed loss every five days. Closer Bob Wickman goes down with back problems. Brian McCann gets hit and then clubbed in same spot on the same hand, and is out temporarily. And to make things worse, his backup Brayan Peña is clubbed in the head by an overzealous strikeout swing. Willy Aybar's attendance and potential substance-abuse problems. Ryan Langerhans' slump leading the organization to essentially trade him for the equivalent of a pink slip - the notorious Player to be Named Later or CASH.

Macay McBBride was demoted to the minors where I hope he stays forever. In his place Steve Colyer has emerged and pitched out of the bullpen with the ability everyone hoped McBBride would have had. In Wickman's place, the Domincans have already each earned a save and any need for panic is not necessary. Thankfully, Mark Redman was demoted, and in his place, Kevin Barry, a young man who in his debut at Yankee Stadium last year showed genuine brilliance, when he held the Murderer's Row lineup scoreless in five-innings of long relief. A local kid, utilityman extraordinaire Willie Harris was brought in to take Langerhans's spot, as well as fill in anywhere else necessary. And last night was the debut of top catching/hitting prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia, to take the place of McCann and Peña.

What players that were old, injured, slumping or just plain sucking, have all been replaced or held over by youthful talent. In Harris's three games, he has already outproduced Langerhans, noteably the go-ahead RBI, and a base-hit-stealing diving catch to prevent any potential tying-runs getting into scoring position. It was a special night for Salty, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday on his major-league debut, who unfortunately didn't get a hit, when his first at-bat was a towering shot to center that almost made it out, but didn't quite get out of the warning-track. He did get on base twice however, when he drew a walk, showing his good patience, and when Freddy Garcia plunked him to a rain of boos. The young Domincans did their jobs, as Gonzalez whiffed two in the 8th, including Ryan Howard, and Soriano nailed down the 9th, earning his second save of the season.

Most of these players are not as young as the original Baby Braves, some are from the original year, and some of these guys are going back down as soon as people come off the DL. But getting younger has never necessarily killed a team, and with the talent floating around the Braves organization, Atlanta is never far from another generation of Baby Braves to take over and thrive.