The clock started ticking Friday morning on the final year of Bobby Cox's legendary run as the manager of the Atlanta Braves.

At 12:01 a.m. Friday, the list of baseball free agents was completed. Now the Braves brass -- Cox and the front-office folks who have had a large hand in the organization's success since 1991 -- must answer one question before they address a roster loaded with them.

"Are the Braves aiming for the World Series?"

Not down the road. Not in the future. Not even in a quizzical, motivational poster kind of thinking. Is the World Series the goal in 2010?

On its face, the question seems obvious. After all, as former NFL coach, current ESPN analyst and longtime philosopher Herm Edwards noted, "You play to win the game."

But it's more than that. Way more.

In the final year for Cox -- and possibly for Chipper Jones -- are the Braves willing to push all in? Are they prepared to make the big deal or sign the big name that could mean the difference in finishing the season in November rather than October? Are they prepared to suffer the lasting consequences that can linger if those big deals turn sour?

How many of their growing number of prized prospects are they willing to part with to be in position to contend with the Phillies, Dodgers and Cardinals? How much are they willing to add to a payroll that already hovers around $95 million?

With Atlanta's blessed bevy of starting pitching, the Braves may be a major piece and some additional part away from being among the favorites to lose to the Yankees in next year's World Series. Now is the time to make that final push -- for the fans and for Cox.

Atlanta has a quality nucleus -- six starting pitchers who likely would make any rotation in baseball, one of the game's best offensive catchers and several high-profile prospects. It also has to fill several holes -- a lack of right-handed power, a corner outfielder, a closer (both of last year's are free agents) and the right side of the infield.

Certainly fixing the roster does not mean spending $300 million for four free agents. No, only the Yankees really can afford to do that. In truth, while the Hollidays and Lackeys and Pettittes are free agents who will be anything but free, the Braves could make giant leaps without making oversized gambles.

There have to be a few guidelines. Starting picther Tommy Hanson, who finished third in the National League rookie of the year voting, and Jason Heyward, who is among the top prospects in all of baseball, are untouchable. Even the most win-now obsessed fan must understand the value of building the future around those two.

Dealing one of their starting pitchers figures to be a formality for the Braves, who recently signed Tim Hudson to a three-year extension. Other than Hanson and Hudson, the Braves have Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami in the rotation.

Lowe makes top-of-the-rotation money but rates as maybe the No. 3 or 4 starter in Atlanta's rotation, and he may be difficult to move unless the Braves are willing to pay a good chunk of his remaining contract. Jurrjens has electric stuff, and the return would have to be great for Atlanta to part with him. Kawakami is the least attractive of the group, but he could be a piece of bigger deal.

That leaves Vazquez, who made a push for the NL Cy Young, in part because of the sabernetrics formulas embraced by some of the voters.

Closers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez are free agents, and keeping one of the two seems likely. First baseman Adam LaRoche, who was surprisingly effective in his return to Atlanta, is eligible for arbitration, and whether he returns depends on what the Braves have in mind to help improve their lineup.

There are options. They could compile a package that likely would have to include highly touted prospect Freddie Freeman and maybe a starting pitcher and try to get Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres. Freeman has promise, but Gonzalez is a proven commodity that is 27 years old and averages almost 32 homers a season.

There are a couple of familiar names that could be intriguing to the Braves. Free agent Mike Cameron is a superior center fielder who grew up in Georgia and could help the Braves in a lot of ways. Marlon Byrd, another free agent, is a lesser-known guy who grew up in Marietta and could add right-handed pop to the lineup.

The Braves do not have to hurry any of these moves, especially in free agency, because there figures to be a lot of slow-dancing between teams and agents through the winter months.

But a couple of key pieces -- and the return to form of Jones -- could give Atlanta a lineup to match its rotation, and that could mean Cox's final year would memorable in more ways than just the memories.