Atlanta Braves

Two opening days, two first at-bat home runs for Jason Heyward.

Last season, in what may have been the single biggest home run call of the year, Braves rookie phenom Jason Heyward went yard on his very first at-bat against Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs.

One year later, history and Heyward repeated themselves.

Heyward took a 2-1 pitch from Washington Nationals pitcher Livan Hernandez chest high and belted it over the right field fence, extending the Braves' lead to 2-0.

With the Atlanta Braves opening the season in less than 48 hours, excitement is swirling around the team as they try to build on last season’s playoff appearance via the Wild Card. Though the Philadelphia Phillies (and their Big Four starting rotation) are the heavy NL favorites, the Braves have improved from last season and could challenge them for the division title.

The Opening Day Roster has been set, with Matt Young, Christhian Martinez and Brandon Hicks getting the final three roster spots.

Earlier in the offseason, I was very cautious about the Braves and their playoff chances. The Braves were losing Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito, as well as key bench players. 

I was pleased with the Dan Uggla move, but that was only one player and the two relievers the Braves signed struggled lasted season.

The future for the Braves was looking a little foggy, but in the past month the news has been getting better. The first of this news is about Chipper Jones and his recovery.

Last Friday, the Phillies announced that closer Brad Lidge would likely be joining second baseman Chase Utley on the Disabled List to begin the 2011 season.

The loss of Utley, who has yet to play a game this spring because of patellar tendinitis in his right knee, and Lidge, who is reporting discomfort in his shoulder, means the team that most picked to represent the National League in this year's World Series is already off to an unfortunate 2011 campaign.

Dear Mr. Wren,

I had a toy when I was a kid, perhaps you had one just like it. It was an octagon-shaped toy with various different shaped holes on it that you would put plastic blocks into to help you learn shapes.

Looking back on it now, this toy was a lot like building a successful ball club. You have all these pieces available to you, but each hole would only accept one block so you have to make the right decisions.

The 2011 Opening Day lineup is out, and it's a little surprising.

1. Martin Prado (R/LF)

2. Nate McLouth (L/CF)

3. Chipper Jones (B/3B)

4. Brian McCann (L/C)

5. Dan Uggla (R/2B)

6. Jason Heyward (L/RF)

7. Alex Gonzalez (R/SS)

8. Freddie Freeman (L/1B)

What happened?

When spring training started, Mike Minor was almost guaranteed a spot on the Braves' roster.

However, today it was decided that Brandon Beachy would take that position, not Minor.

I find it interesting that he was not given the job, even though he has been lights out during spring training. I gathered the impression that because of his performance so far and the fact that he would be the only southpaw in the rotation he would be granted the job.

Brandon Beachy has reportedly won the fifth spot in the Atlanta Braves rotation for the 2011 season.  

Braves general manager Frank Wren made the announcement Thursday.  

There has been a lot of talk this preseason about who would fill the missing fifth starter slot. Many people thought Mike Minor was the front runner to be picked.  

After looking at Braves starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens’ numbers prior the start of last season, many would have slated him as the team’s No. 2 starter, right below Tim Hudson, after two impressive campaigns in both 2008 and 2009.

Atlanta Braves (2010 record: 91-71)

The Braves begin the new season without long-time manager Bobby Cox, who stewarded the team to a succession of 14 consecutive division titles (from 1991-2005, absent the strike-shortened 1994 season), five World Series appearances and a world championship in his 20-plus years at the helm. The 2011 season will usher in the Fredi Gonzalez era in Atlanta.