LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Amid the buzz that Ken Griffey Jr. could soon be joining their club, some Braves wondered if it would be better to simply give some of the young outfielders an opportunity to prove that they're ready for the Major League level.

When Griffey decided to return to the Mariners on Wednesday night, a window of opportunity suddenly opened for Josh Anderson, Jordan Schafer, Brandon Jones and Gregor Blanco, a group of left-handed young outfielders who are looking to show Braves manager Bobby Cox that they can help his team win.

"I think we have a variety of guys that can add something to the equation, whether it's speed, defense, pop, all-around play," Braves general manager Frank Wren said. "Each of the guys who will be out there competing adds something a little different, which is all positive for us. I think at the end of [Spring Training], it will be a decision about who adds the most in that role."

Wren hasn't ruled out the possibility that he could look to make a trade in the next few weeks if he and Cox get a sense that they need to alter their plans to internally fill their outfield voids.

While certainly high on the potential of Schafer and some of the other younger outfielders, Chipper Jones certainly wouldn't be opposed to landing a power-hitting right-handed bat to place between himself and the left-handed-hitting Brian McCann in the middle of the lineup.

In many ways, Jones was excited about the prospect of adding Griffey. But at the same time, he had concerns about the fact the veteran outfielder's presence in the lineup would make it very left-handed heavy.

"Would another bat help? Certainly," Jones said. "You put a big right-handed bat between me and McCann in the lineup, all of sudden it turns into a pretty good lineup. But we don't have one yet. So we'll make due with what we've got."

The Braves received a Major League-low 27 homers from their outfielders last year. The biggest disappointment in the outfield mix was Jeff Francoeur, who hit 11 homers with a .359 slugging percentage in 155 games. With a slightly-altered batting stance, Francoeur is hoping to regain some of the same power that he showed in 2006, when he belted 29 homers with a .449 slugging percentage.

"As bad as an outfield as we were last year, we'll be good this year," Francoeur said. "I'd like to think I'm going to hit more than 11 homers this year."

While it's debatable about how much power the 39-year-old Griffey might have been able to provide, he at least had potential to be the "power bat" the Braves have been looking to add to their outfield mix.

Among the young outfielders now competing for playing time, Schafer and Brandon Jones appear to possess the most power potential.

Schafer combined for a career-high 15 homers while playing for Class A affiliates Rome and Myrtle Beach in 2007. Then while playing in just 84 games last year with Double-A Mississippi, he totaled 10 homers -- six of which were hit in August.

Jones is coming off a somewhat disappointing 2008 season during which he admittedly put too much pressure on himself. After combining to hit .295 with 19 homers, 100 RBIs and a .490 slugging percentage for Mississippi and Triple-A Richmond in '07, he hit just .260 with eight homers, 52 RBIs and a .405 slugging percentage in 94 games with Richmond last year.

Because he's out of options and arguably the club's best speed option, Anderson will be given every opportunity to win a roster spot. Because he has struggled in limited opportunities against Major League left-handers, the Braves may choose to platoon him in center field with Omar Infante.

If Schafer continues to impress like he has during the early days of camp, Atlanta may be more comfortable about placing him on the Opening Day roster to serve as its starting center fielder. In this event, Anderson might platoon with Diaz in left field.

Diaz, who hit 12 homers with a .497 slugging percentage in 2007 and then missed most of last season with a left knee injury, will likely be utilized in a left-field platoon with either Anderson or Jones.

If Jones turns things around this season, he and Diaz certainly have the potential to combine for 20 homers while being utilized in a platoon role.

"It's not like left field can't produce 20 home runs," Diaz said. "We just might not have one guy who does it."