Preview/Prediction

I know the few weeks in spring training is insufficient time to make a detailed performance rating, but if not now, when?

Yonder Alonso is not striking fear in the Reds opponents, or his competitors at his prospective position(s).

First things first, I need to apologize for my month-long absence here. 

With expectations of superstardom, top MLB prospects Jason Heyward, Stephen Strasburg, and Aroldis Chapman look to make a huge impact for their respective ballclubs in 2010.

Jason Heyward

Heyward, the Atlanta Braves' promising outfield prospect, will be given every chance possible to succeed since it is legendary skipper Bobby Cox's final season.

The USA Today Minor League Player of the Year has already drawn comparisons to Ken Griffey Jr. and is a force to be reckoned with, both physically and mentally.

David Aardsma of the Seattle Mariners will be this year's best closer. Seattle rebuilt itself this year by adding a defensive crew capitalized by Chone Figgins, and added Cliff Lee to make a solid one-two punch in its rotation.

Only one thing remains, a closer. Certainly with a team that many suspect to win the West and with two pitchers that will gain a pile of wins, saves would become a common feature in these low scoring games.

One of the biggest stories for the Atlanta Braves this spring has been the progression of top prospect Jason Heyward . Heyward's become a batting practice legend, shattering a car window and forcing the grounds crew to put a net up at the Braves' spring training home at Champion Stadium in Walt Disney World Resort. 

There are a number of other issues involving the Braves this season outside of their remarkable rookie.

The St. Louis Cardinals seem to be practicing the old fantasy baseball strategy of “Studs and Duds.”

In this strategy, a team uses a very large amount of its auction dollars on a few superstars and then fills in the rest of its lineup with a lot of $1 and $2 players.

The idea is that the studs will pile up enough quality stats to allow the duds to fill in a little and put your team over the top.

Unfortunately, this strategy rarely works, and it looks like it will only work in St. Louis this season due to such a weak division.

On the heels of demotions to minor league camp, the Dodgers are slimming their prospective pitchers for the major league roster.

After all the hype about the return of Eric Gagne, the rebounding pitcher was sent to minor league camp and accepted the assignment.

There is no doubt that Gagne would have been welcomed in Hollywood and given a hero's welcome jogging from the bullpen to the mound, but he has been less than impressive, and the team had to pull the string.

For the second consecutive year, the Cincinnati Reds entered Spring Training looking for someone to fill the fifth spot in their starting rotation.

Last season, the competition between Micah Owings and Homer Bailey ended with Owings winning the job.  However, it was Bailey that eventually took a firm grip on a spot in the rotation as he finished the season strong and rekindled the optimism that once hovered over the young right-hander.

When you commit $64 million dollars to three pitchers over the span of two years, there are certain expectations that need to be met.

Take a look at the San Francisco Giants. Their three headed monster of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito are making $54.05 million collectively in 2009 and 2010. Last year they won a combined 39 games in 98 starts and struck out 586 batters in 635 innings pitched. Those numbers are produced by, what some regard, the best top end rotation in the league.

Through about three weeks of Spring Training games, what have we learned about the Atlanta Braves?

Here are a few things...

Jason Heyward is the man.

Nate McLouth...not so much.

Craig Kimbrel can throw really well.

Jesse Chavez...not so much.

Derek Lowe has a new delivery.

Brian McCann and Troy Glaus' deliveries of balls to the outfield have not.

Joe Thurston and Brooks Conrad are both more than qualified to be the back-up, back-up infielders.