Atlanta Braves

When the Atlanta Braves traded for shortstop Alex Gonzalez on July 14^th last year, he was hitting .259 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Most Braves’ fans thought moving on from Yunel Escobar, a guy who rarely hit for any power, to a guy that was hitting homeruns at a career pace was a great move.

Gonzalez’s year took a downturn after the trade, however, as he hit just .240 with 6 homers and 38 RBIs the rest of the way for the Braves.

Earlier this offseason, the statistical community rejoiced when the Hall of Fame finally voted Bert Blyleven into the Hall of Fame after 14 years on the ballot.  Blyleven's case is notable because, in his first few years on the ballot, he received less than 20% of the vote.  

Only after a thorough reevaluation of Blyleven's career — and a spirited internet campaign led by blogger Rich Lederer — did Blyleven finally garner the support needed to be inducted.

The Atlanta Braves look like they are headed in a good direction after the signing of Dan Uggla, a scrappy power hitting right-handed second baseman.  The Braves definitely need some right-handed power in the middle of their order.  Someone like Uggla will increase production and also provide some protection for a youngster like Jason Heyward.

Billy Wagner retired after the 2010 season, and what a shame.  He arguably had one of the finest years of his career and now he wrapped up to spend more time with his family.  God bless you, Billy. 

Now the Atlanta Braves must move on and they have to find a new closer.  While the Braves have a fine bullpen and a few good candidates for the job, Craig Kimbrel seems to be the favorite.  And the young flamethrower should be. 

In preparation for the 2011 MLB Fantasy Baseball season, the Fantasy Fix team will preview a team's pitching rotation each day. Tyler's second piece of the series examines the National League East's Atlanta Braves.

The Braves' rotation has a nice mix this year. The young stud, the crafty veteran, the aging ace and the potential star.

When the Atlanta Braves signed Dan Uggla to a five-year, $62 million contract they locked up one of baseball’s best right-handed power hitters.

While I would have liked a slightly shorter deal (three or four years) I understand the Braves probably didn’t have that option. As a consistent 30-plus-homer second baseman, Uggla could easily demand a four-year contract once he became a free agent.

With the majority of the country under a snowy blanket, it is nice to think of spring training being not too far away.

This tune-up to the baseball season is normally a laid-back, low-pressure month in which fans get a closer look at their team in a comfortable, and warm, environment.

With a strong emphasis on young talent and question marks in the outfield and on the bench, the Atlanta Braves seem to be opening spring training with what may be some very strong competition.

Dan Uggla tends to be a rather polarizing player.  The people who like him really, really like him. 

The people who are not as high on him may not “hate” him, per se, but they devalue him based on the potential for a low average. 

The question is: are some people underappreciating the skill set that Uggla brings to the table?

Before we can fully answer that question, let’s take a look at what he accomplished in 2010:

In 2010, the Philadelphia Phillies held off the Atlanta Braves to capture the NL East crown for the fourth straight year.  With the addition of Cliff Lee, everyone has already proclaimed them 2011 NL East champs.

But in the words of Lee Corso: "Not so fast my friend."

The 2011 Atlanta Braves are much improved as well, and should not be disregarded so fast.  The 2010 Wild Card showed the young Braves how to win, and 2011 should be another step forward to winning the division.

Craig Kimbrel took Braves Nation by storm in his first stint with the Braves in 2010, and looks to be the closer going forward in 2011.

Kimbrel, 22, possesses great closer-like stuff. An upper-90s fastball to go along with a plus slider, and Kimbrel has all the potential in the world to be a perennial All-Star as a closer. He’s been a top prospect for the Braves the last few years, and 2011 could very well be his breakout year.