The Atlanta Braves retun to the field with a veteran squad. While this is a team that might be able to rule the roost in most of the MLB's divisions, how do the MLB odds makers think they will hang in the always dangerous NL East?
MLB Odds to win National League: +950
MLB
Odds to win National League East: +600
MLB Betting Odds to win World Series: +500
The
Braves had the fourth best record in all of baseball at the end of August and
then abruptly played themselves out of the playoff picture down the stretch.
Ironically, it was the Philadelphia Phillies, who dealt the death nail in the
final weekend series allowing the St. Louis Cardinals to crawl into the
playoffs after erasing a double digit deficit in the games behind column. That
bad taste will have to be out of their mouths having to not only compete
against the re-loaded Philadelphia Phillies, but a vastly improved National League East Division.
Offensive
Statistics
The
dominant reason for their failure in 2011 may once again, be offensive
production. The Braves ranked 22nd in MLB scoring 644 runs, 26th with a team
batting average of .243, 26th with a .308 on-base-percentage, and 21st posting
a .387 slugging percentage.
|
NAME
|
GP
|
AB
|
R
|
H
|
2B
|
3B
|
HR
|
RBI
|
BB
|
SO
|
SB
|
CS
|
BA
|
OBP
|
SLG
|
OPS
|
|
Antoan Richardson
|
9
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
.500
|
.500
|
.500
|
1.000
|
|
J.C. Boscan
|
4
|
9
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
.333
|
.333
|
.333
|
.667
|
|
Cristhian Martinez
|
46
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
.333
|
.333
|
.500
|
.833
|
|
Jose Constanza
|
42
|
109
|
21
|
33
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
10
|
6
|
14
|
7
|
4
|
.303
|
.339
|
.385
|
.724
|
|
Matt Diaz†
|
16
|
35
|
2
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
1
|
0
|
.286
|
.297
|
.314
|
.612
|
|
Freddie Freeman
|
157
|
571
|
67
|
161
|
32
|
0
|
21
|
76
|
53
|
142
|
4
|
4
|
.282
|
.346
|
.448
|
.795
|
|
Michael Bourn†
|
53
|
227
|
30
|
63
|
8
|
3
|
1
|
18
|
15
|
50
|
22
|
7
|
.278
|
.321
|
.352
|
.674
|
|
Chipper Jones
|
126
|
455
|
56
|
125
|
33
|
1
|
18
|
70
|
51
|
80
|
2
|
2
|
.275
|
.344
|
.470
|
.814
|
|
Brian McCann
|
128
|
466
|
51
|
126
|
19
|
0
|
24
|
71
|
57
|
89
|
3
|
2
|
.270
|
.351
|
.466
|
.817
|
|
David Ross
|
52
|
152
|
14
|
40
|
7
|
0
|
6
|
23
|
16
|
51
|
0
|
1
|
.263
|
.333
|
.428
|
.761
|
|
Martin Prado
|
129
|
551
|
66
|
143
|
26
|
2
|
13
|
57
|
34
|
52
|
4
|
8
|
.260
|
.302
|
.385
|
.687
|
|
Alex Gonzalez
|
149
|
564
|
59
|
136
|
27
|
1
|
15
|
56
|
22
|
126
|
2
|
0
|
.241
|
.270
|
.372
|
.642
|
|
Jordan Schafer†
|
52
|
196
|
32
|
47
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
7
|
18
|
42
|
15
|
4
|
.240
|
.307
|
.316
|
.623
|
|
Dan Uggla
|
161
|
600
|
88
|
140
|
22
|
1
|
36
|
82
|
62
|
156
|
1
|
3
|
.233
|
.311
|
.453
|
.764
|
|
Eric Hinske
|
117
|
236
|
24
|
55
|
10
|
0
|
10
|
28
|
26
|
71
|
0
|
1
|
.233
|
.311
|
.403
|
.713
|
|
Wilkin Ramirez
|
20
|
26
|
5
|
6
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
11
|
0
|
2
|
.231
|
.333
|
.308
|
.641
|
|
Nate McLouth
|
81
|
267
|
35
|
61
|
12
|
2
|
4
|
16
|
44
|
52
|
4
|
2
|
.228
|
.344
|
.333
|
.677
|
|
Jason Heyward
|
128
|
396
|
50
|
90
|
18
|
2
|
14
|
42
|
51
|
93
|
9
|
2
|
.227
|
.319
|
.389
|
.708
|
|
Brooks Conrad
|
92
|
103
|
11
|
23
|
5
|
0
|
4
|
13
|
15
|
41
|
2
|
0
|
.223
|
.325
|
.388
|
.713
|
|
Jack Wilson†
|
17
|
41
|
3
|
9
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
12
|
0
|
0
|
.220
|
.238
|
.244
|
.482
|
|
Joe Mather
|
36
|
75
|
4
|
16
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
9
|
6
|
23
|
0
|
1
|
.213
|
.272
|
.307
|
.578
|
|
Diory Hernandez
|
22
|
33
|
4
|
7
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
.212
|
.212
|
.333
|
.545
|
|
Matt Young
|
20
|
48
|
4
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
0
|
1
|
.208
|
.269
|
.229
|
.498
|
|
Derek Lowe
|
34
|
52
|
4
|
9
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
7
|
4
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
.173
|
.232
|
.308
|
.540
|
|
Julio Lugo
|
22
|
44
|
3
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
4
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
.136
|
.208
|
.136
|
.345
|
|
Tim Hudson
|
33
|
69
|
4
|
8
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
.116
|
.164
|
.174
|
.338
|
|
Mike Minor
|
15
|
27
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
15
|
0
|
0
|
.111
|
.200
|
.185
|
.385
|
|
Jair Jurrjens
|
23
|
47
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
13
|
0
|
0
|
.106
|
.125
|
.106
|
.231
|
|
Brandon Beachy
|
25
|
43
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
22
|
0
|
0
|
.070
|
.091
|
.070
|
.161
|
|
Tommy Hanson
|
22
|
39
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
15
|
0
|
0
|
.051
|
.051
|
.051
|
.103
|
|
Brandon Hicks
|
17
|
21
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
0
|
0
|
.048
|
.091
|
.048
|
.139
|
|
Randall Delgado
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Julio Teheran
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Scott Proctor†
|
31
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Scott Linebrink
|
64
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Eric O'Flaherty
|
78
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Kris Medlen
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Jairo Asencio
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Anthony Varvaro
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Jonny Venters
|
85
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Craig Kimbrel
|
79
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Cory Gearrin
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Arodys Vizcaino
|
17
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
.000
|
|
Totals
|
162
|
5528
|
641
|
1345
|
244
|
16
|
173
|
606
|
504
|
1260
|
77
|
44
|
.243
|
.308
|
.387
|
.695
|
|
Opponents
|
162
|
5541
|
605
|
1332
|
228
|
33
|
125
|
585
|
521
|
1332
|
128
|
41
|
.240
|
.310
|
.361
|
.671
|
All of the starters need to pick
up production in 2012. Perhaps, the announcement by 19-year veteran and future
Hall-of-Famer Chipper Jones will be motivating to the team as a whole to send
him out on top in his last season. It certainly can’t hurt.
In 2011, the team was led by
Freddie Freeman with a 2.82 batting average and 161 hits. Brian McCann led to
the team with a .351 on-base-percentage, and Dan Uggla led the team with 36
home runs and 82 RBI. Generally, you like to see a ratio of 3:1 of RBI:HR with
a team’s power hitters. Uggla’s ratio reflects a lot more solo home runs than
is the norm and this where McCann and his teammates must do a better job of
getting on base ahead of Uggla.
Defense
The Braves were second best in
the National League to Philadelphia and were fourth in MLB committing just 83
errors in 2011. The Braves for too many seasons to count under manager Bobby
Cox were always fundamentally sound in the field and 2012 will be another
template of those trends. The newest player to make the starting nine is Tyler Pastornicky, who hit .314 with 7 home
runs for AAA Ginnett and AA Mississippi last season. He missed the last month
of the season with a sprained ankle which cost him the opportunity to get
called up at the end of the year.
Youthful
Pitching
|
NAME
|
GP
|
GS
|
W
|
L
|
SV
|
QS
|
HLD
|
IP
|
HR
|
BB
|
SO
|
K/9
|
P/GS
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
|
Eric O'Flaherty
|
78
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
32
|
73.2
|
2
|
21
|
67
|
8.19
|
0.0
|
1.09
|
0.98
|
|
Jonny Venters
|
85
|
0
|
6
|
2
|
5
|
0
|
35
|
88.0
|
2
|
43
|
96
|
9.82
|
0.0
|
1.09
|
1.84
|
|
Craig Kimbrel
|
79
|
0
|
4
|
3
|
46
|
0
|
0
|
77.0
|
3
|
32
|
127
|
14.84
|
0.0
|
1.04
|
2.10
|
|
Anthony Varvaro
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
24.0
|
3
|
11
|
23
|
8.63
|
0.0
|
1.08
|
2.63
|
|
Randall Delgado
|
7
|
7
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
35.0
|
5
|
14
|
18
|
4.63
|
88.9
|
1.23
|
2.83
|
|
Jair Jurrjens
|
23
|
23
|
13
|
6
|
0
|
16
|
0
|
152.0
|
14
|
44
|
90
|
5.33
|
99.4
|
1.22
|
2.96
|
|
George Sherrill
|
51
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
36.0
|
3
|
12
|
38
|
9.50
|
0.0
|
1.25
|
3.00
|
|
Tim Hudson
|
33
|
33
|
16
|
10
|
0
|
23
|
0
|
215.0
|
14
|
56
|
158
|
6.61
|
97.1
|
1.14
|
3.22
|
|
Peter Moylan
|
13
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
8.1
|
0
|
3
|
10
|
10.80
|
0.0
|
1.80
|
3.24
|
|
Cristhian Martinez
|
46
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
77.2
|
8
|
19
|
58
|
6.72
|
0.0
|
0.97
|
3.36
|
|
Tommy Hanson
|
22
|
22
|
11
|
7
|
0
|
13
|
0
|
130.0
|
17
|
46
|
142
|
9.83
|
98.5
|
1.17
|
3.60
|
|
Scott Linebrink
|
64
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
7
|
54.1
|
6
|
21
|
42
|
6.96
|
0.0
|
1.45
|
3.64
|
|
Brandon Beachy
|
25
|
25
|
7
|
3
|
0
|
14
|
0
|
141.2
|
16
|
46
|
169
|
10.74
|
96.7
|
1.21
|
3.68
|
|
Mike Minor
|
15
|
15
|
5
|
3
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
82.2
|
7
|
30
|
77
|
8.38
|
91.8
|
1.49
|
4.14
|
|
Arodys Vizcaino
|
17
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
17.1
|
1
|
9
|
17
|
8.83
|
0.0
|
1.44
|
4.67
|
|
Julio Teheran
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
19.2
|
4
|
8
|
10
|
4.58
|
86.3
|
1.47
|
5.03
|
|
Derek Lowe
|
34
|
34
|
9
|
17
|
0
|
14
|
0
|
187.0
|
14
|
70
|
137
|
6.59
|
94.9
|
1.51
|
5.05
|
|
Scott Proctor†
|
31
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
29.1
|
5
|
19
|
18
|
5.52
|
0.0
|
1.70
|
6.44
|
|
Cory Gearrin
|
18
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
18.1
|
0
|
12
|
25
|
12.27
|
0.0
|
1.58
|
7.85
|
|
Totals
|
162
|
162
|
89
|
73
|
52
|
86
|
99
|
1479.2
|
125
|
521
|
1332
|
8.10
|
96.0
|
1.25
|
3.48
|
The ‘old man’ of this starting rotation is Tim Hudson, who
has 13 years of MLB experience, but is coming off back surgery in the
off-season. He has not thrown much in Spring Training, but all signs point a
solid return in April. The rest of the rotation is being scrutinized by the MLB
community with tons of young talent, but none of them proven at the MLB level.
Tommy Hanson (11-7, 3..60 ERA) will be the No. 2 starter, and he too is coming
off a season ending shoulder injury in September 2011. The highly talented Jair
Jurrjens (13-6, 2.96 ERA) will be in the three hole of the rotation, but he too
missed the last month of the 2011 season with a significant knee injury. The
fourth and fifth spots in the rotation are up for grabs and all contenders are
quite young and inexperienced, but vastly talented.
Dismissed
Starting pitcher Derek Lowe was sent to Cleveland and this
has freed up cap room and two spots in the starting rotation for the young clan
of starting pitchers. The Braves front
office did very little to improve the team in the offseason.
Contenders
Although on paper the Braves look strong, they
are in the wrong division of baseball with the Philadelphia Phillies, who have
a better offense and pitching staff. The
Miami Marlins are also vastly improved
and then there is the Strasburg show in Washington, DC. For Chipper’s sake, I
do hope they make the playoffs.