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Atlanta’s acquisition of Justin Upton seemed like a steal before Upton played an inning in their uniform. Through the first 12 games of the season, he’s done nothing to change that notion. In fact, he’s off to such a torrid start that it’s not out of the question to suggest a quest to break the franchise’s single-season home run record will be in play this summer for Atlanta’s left fielder.

While many would guess Henry Aaron, Chipper Jones or Dale Murphy as the current holder of the Braves‘ single-season home run record, it belongs to Andruw Jones, who launched 51 in 2005.

Through 12 games in Atlanta, Justin is on pace to shatter that mark. The former Diamondback has launched seven home runs, posted an unimaginable .891 slugging percentage and has amassed 41 total bases. While it’s obvious that he’ll cool off at some point, this could be the year that everything comes into place for the former No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft.

Despite “only” posting a career high of 31 home runs, Upton has the kind of swing, power and ability to reach the 50-home run plateau during his career. This season may represent the change of scenery, baseball maturity and natural progression needed for Upton to make the leap into superstardom.

If you only watched Upton in 2012, this outburst probably seems surprising. Due to a nagging thumb injury, and, if you believe the narratives, a lack of “grit,” Upton struggled in Arizona last summer. His .785 OPS made him look more like Lyle Overbay than the guy once compared to Ken Griffey Jr.

Of course, the down year in 2012 overshadowed his fourth-place finish in the 2011 NL MVP vote and Upton’s reputation as one of the best young players in the history of baseball.

Using Baseball-Reference.com’s Play Index, we put Upton’s power numbers into context. Through his age-24 season, Upton’s 108 home runs rank 16th in the history of baseball. The names ahead of him include nine Cooperstown inductees and several others destined for the same fate. Those 15 players averaged 32 home runs a piece during their collective age-25 seasons, with several exceeding the 50-homer plateau.

It’s hard to say if Upton would be off to this same start in Arizona, but his contemporaries in the history of the game have either continued or exceeded their standards at this same age.

As he proves the naysayers wrong, focus on his power within the NL East this summer.

Throughout Upton’s young career, his power has been greater (.516 vs. .471 slugging percentage) against left-handed pitchers than righties.

The move to the NL East, given the current depth charts of the Marlins, Nationals, Mets and Phillies, give the indication that Upton will see a good amount of lefties through the summer. Of the 20 members of those respective rotations, eight are southpaws.

Last season, during Upton’s 17-homer campaign, he simply didn’t lift the ball in the air as often as he used to. Roughly 43.8 percent of his batted balls were grounders, the second highest rate of his career. For a guy who has the power to lift fly balls out of the park at an above-average rate, Upton needed to get the ball airborne at a more frequent pace. Early on in 2013, he’s doing just that, with a 52-32 FB/GB ratio.

Upton is healthy, under contract and playing for an organization that appreciates his immense talent. If the swing that wowed scouts in 2005 continues to haunt the National League, the sky is the limit for Atlanta’s left fielder, including more than 51 round-trippers in 2013.

How many home runs will Upton hit in 2013? Comment below, follow me on Twitter or “Llke” my Facebook page to talk all things baseball!

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The Atlanta Braves‘ sweep over the Washington Nationals over the weekend announced to the rest of baseball that the Braves are for real.

The series featured a thrilling comeback victory, a close, grind-it-out win and a dominating start that concluded in a blowout.

The starting rotation, bullpen and offense all had signature moments to signal that this is an all-around very good team.

It’s early in the season, but the Braves have positioned themselves in a nice position out of the gates.

In fact, coming out of this series the Braves should now be considered the favorites in the National League East.

Here’s a few signs that point to the Braves winning the division in 2013.

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Join in at 1 p.m. ET for coverage of the NL East battle between the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals. The two teams are coming off an excellent early-season fight last night in which the Braves came back late to pull out a 6-4 victory in 10 innings in their first meeting of the season, and now we get to watch aces Tim Hudson (1-0, 3.27 ERA) and Stephen Strasburg (1-1, 4.38) square off.

Can Hudson and the 9-1 Braves do it again? Can Strasburg turn things around for the 7-3 Nationals coming off a bad start last weekend? Check in right here for live analysis.

Braves 3, Nationals 1- FINAL

W-Tim Hudson(2-0)

L-Stephen Strasburg(1-2)

S-Craig Kimbrel(6)

HR: Evan Gattis(4), Danny Espinosa(1)

Lineups

Atlanta

Washington

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The 9-1 Atlanta Braves are without doubt the hottest team in Major League Baseball right now.

Not only are their bats on fire, but their pitching staff has been firing on all cylinders. 

Just take a look at their standout offensive players:

Freddie Freeman – .412/.474/.647, 7-for-17, 1 home run, 1 double, 7 RBI, 3 runs scored.

Justin Upton – .385/.419/.949, 15-for-39, 6 home runs, 4 doubles, 10 RBI, 9 runs scored.

Chris Johnson – .357/.400/.500, 10-for-28, 1 home run, 1 double, 2 RBI, 4 runs scored.

Ramiro Pena – .357/.357/.643, 5-for-14, 1 home run, 1 double, 6 RBI, 3 runs scored.

Evan Gattis – .333/.400/.704, 9-for-27, 3 home runs, 1 double, 6 RBI, 3 runs scored.

Gerald Laird – .333/.429/.500, 4-for-12, 2 doubles, 1 RBI.

Jordan Schafer – .571/.571/.714, 4-for-7, 1 double, 2 runs scored.

Juan Francisco – .310/.333/.414, 9-for-29, 1 home run, 5 RBI, 2 runs scored.

Sure, Dan Uggla, Jason Heyward, Andrelton Simmons and B.J. Upton are off to slow starts, but it’s early in the season and these guys are sure to rebound soon.  However, the way the rest of the bats on the team are currently performing, even if it takes time for these guys to find their form, the Braves offense doesn’t look like it’ll slow down anytime soon.

So how about their pitching?  Let’s just say that their standout performers are doing just as well if not better than their offense.

Paul Maholm – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 12.2 IP, 13 strikeouts, .156 average, 0.87 WHIP

Mike Minor – 2-0, 0.69 ERA, 13 IP, 11 strikeouts, .213 average, 0.85 WHIP

Kris Medlen – 1-1, 1.50 ERA, 12 IP, 4 strikeouts, .209 average, 1.25 WHIP

Tim Hudson – 1-0, 3.27 ERA, 11 IP, 10 strikeouts, .214 average, 1.27 WHIP

Craig Kimbrel – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 5 strikeouts, .067 average, 0.60 WHIP

Luis Avilan – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3.2 IP, 3 strikeouts, .214 average, 1.09 WHIP

Cory Gearrin – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3.1 IP, 4 strikeouts, .000 average, 0.60 WHIP

Anthony Varvaro – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.1 IP, 2 strikeouts, .217 average, 0.95 WHIP

Jordan Walden – 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP, 4 strikeouts, .313 average, 1.25 WHIP

Eric O’Flaherty – 2-0, 3.18 ERA, 5.2 IP, 2 strikeouts, .158 average, 1.06 WHIP

Other than Julio Teheran and Christian Martinez, every single player on this staff is performing like they already have the playoffs in sight. 

So are the Braves equipped to take it all this season? They sure look like it at this point. 

Are they bound to hit some bumps in the road throughout the season?  Of course they will, but the way they’re playing right now, they sure look unstoppable.

I’m most impressed with the way the younger guys are producing.  Evan Gattis looks like the real deal.  His work behind the plate has been exceptional and his bat looks incredible.  Mike Minor is pitching just as good as anyone in baseball. Craig Kimbrel has picked up right where he left off last season and is arguably the most talented and dominant closer in the majors.  

You also have to like the fact the Tim Hudson is still pitching well late into his career and is a great veteran fixture to have supporting some of the younger guys in the rotation.

So where will the Braves be in the standings at the end of the season?

The way they are playing right now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them taking the National League East and making a competitive run for the World Series. 

If they can keep up this trend and avoid injuries, I don’t see how they can be stopped.

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The Atlanta Braves‘ hot start to the season has received plenty of attention due to the offensive output of offseason acquisition Justin Upton and Evan Gattis, who has backed up the spring training hype with a strong start.

But on Friday night at Nationals Park, it was the role players who stepped up and made key plays in the Braves’ 6-4 comeback win over the Nationals.

The battle of NL East titans began with the Nationals getting out to a strong start by way of a Bryce Harper two-run homer in the first and RBI singles by Jayson Werth and Denard Span in the second. 

With Ross Detweiler hurling a gem on the mound for the hosts, the chances of a Braves comeback were slim to none, until the seventh inning began. 

Although it was just a single run, Chris Johnson gave the Braves a sense of belief with his first home run of the season. 

The eighth inning brought the Nationals bullpen into the game as the usually reliable Tyler Clippard took the rubber. 

The Braves were able to pull back another run in the eighth due to a quality that they may not have been known for at the beginning of the season—their patience. 

Gattis, Jason Heyward and B.J. Upton worked their at-bats into walks with Upton’s free pass bringing home Heyward.

The true superstars of the team then took a step back in the ninth inning as Ramiro Pena and Blake DeWitt dropped down two consecutive pinch-hit bunts.

Pena, who hit for starting catcher Gerald Laird, laid down a perfect bunt in front of home plate on the third base side to become the second batter to reach base against Drew Storen in the ninth.

DeWitt then came to the plate to pinch hit for reliever Jordan Walden and dropped down an immaculate sacrifice that sent Johnson to third and Pena to second.

Without those two crucial bunts the Braves would not have been able to capitalize on Ryan Zimmerman’s error three batters later. 

After one of the unsung heroes of the bullpen, Eric O’Flaherty, shut down the Nationals in the bottom of the ninth, the most unexpected of at-bats occurred in the top of the 10th inning.

Pena, who had 12 at-bats this season going into Friday, delivered the 14th home run of his nine-year professional career with a shot over the right field wall.

Pena’s two-run, game-winning home run sent the Braves dugout into an absolute uproar. The home run also marked the end of an unlikely comeback that sent shock waves throughout the Washington D.C. metro area and the entire nation.

There are few things that we can predict throughout the course of the season, but if the role players continue to step up for Atlanta this season, a spot in the postseason is close to a guarantee. 

Follow me on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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Mike Minor carried the Atlanta Braves to a 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.  Justin Upton hit another home run, and Evan Gattis had three hits in the victory.

Minor (1-0), who made waves at the beginning of last season by demanding a spot in the Braves’ rotation, got his year off on the right foot with 7.1 innings of solid pitching.  He allowed five hits and one earned run.  Mike could very well find himself as the ace of this staff if he continues to pitch like he did during the second half of 2012.  And although he struck out seven in this game, he doesn’t even need a high K rate to be successful.  He just has to keep the ball in the yard.

Justin Upton got the crowd going early with a laser shot into the left field seats in the first inning for his third home run.  He drove in another run in the third with a sac fly and was greeted warmly in the dugout.

All year people will be watching very closely to see if the Braves can complete the “little plays” needed to scratch out runs.  Moving runners over and making sac flies/bunts will probably be noted every single time.

Juan Francisco put the game away in the fifth inning with a key bases-loaded hit.  After enduring a long at-bat against eventual loser Scott Feldman (0-1), Francisco dropped a soft liner into left field to score two and put the Braves up 4-1.

Gattis was the only Brave with more than one hit.  He fought off two of his three hits into right field, which is a good sign.  He must be prepared to make adjustments going forward.

Two players have struggled to start off this season, neither of which we should be concerned about.  B.J. Upton still does not have a hit, and somehow he is being even more aggressive than usual.  He popped out early in the game after swinging on a 3-0 count.  If Upton still doesn’t have a hit by the end of the weekend, then maybe fans can start sounding alarms.

Andrelton Simmons, who went hitless, is still adjusting to the leadoff spot.  But he should be feeling no pressure whatsoever, the rest of the lineup can carry the load for him while he works out his swing.  His most important contribution to the team is defense.

Eric O’Flaherty and Craig Kimbrel came out of the bullpen and closed out the game.  Prized pitching prospect Julio Teheran will hope to carry the momentum from a phenomenal spring against Cubs righty Carlos Villanueva.

Follow @ibttw23

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The Braves started off the 2013 season on the right foot with a 7-5 victory over Philadelphia.

And the atmosphere at Turner Field was electric. 

The offseason acquisitions of B.J. and Justin Upton created a buzz around the Braves, and fans were even more excited when they learned Chipper Jones would be throwing out the first pitch. 

While Atlanta’s lineup may be tested throughout the year, Opening Day was all positives. 

Home runs from Freddie Freeman, Dan Uggla and Justin Upton brought Braves fans to their feet. And how pretty was Justin Upton’s swing?

Hopefully this will be a sign of plenty more power from the Braves throughout the season.

Tim Hudson pitched well until running out of gas in the fifth inning, giving up two runs before being pulled.  We may just have to get used to this situation with Tim, he’s already up there in age and will need solid play from his defense every single night. 

The Braves received great bullpen work from Luis Avilan (W, 1-0) and Craig Kimbrel (S, 1), both with scoreless outings.  Avilan kept the Phillies from taking the lead and the Braves tacked on three insurance runs.

Even Gerald Laird played well, collecting two hits and an RBI. 

And hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to see the debut of Evan Gattis, whose swings have generated Paul Bunyan references and Chuck Norris jokes.

I held my breath every time a ball was hit to Chris Johnson, and B.J. Upton looked a bit too amped up to be playing with his brother. 

But otherwise it was a solid effort and a good night for Atlanta.

It was very nice to see the Braves do well against their kryptonite for the past few years, a lefty pitcher, especially one with a nasty changeup. 

The Braves have a day off on Tuesday and play Game 2 against the Phillies on Wednesday.  Paul Maholm will square off against Roy Halladay.

Follow @ibttw23

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The Atlanta Braves are poised for major success in 2013. As the final roster decisions are debated between Fredi Gonzalez and the front office, remember that the Opening Day roster is just that: an April 1 roster.

Beyond the pageantry of Opening Day, many moves will be made to solidify a roster on the rise.

With a mix of veterans, ascending superstars and young players looking to establish themselves, Atlanta has a deep and diverse group.

Of course, they’re led by the Upton-Upton-Heyward outfield that was assembled via free agency and trade.

Here are final predictions for who will make the Atlanta Braves’ roster. For the first time in a long, long time, Chipper Jones won’t be on this list.

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Dan Uggla‘s struggles are no secret for Atlanta Braves fans.

Hitting .227 with 55 home runs and 160 RBI in his two years with the Braves, Uggla hasn’t exactly lived up to his five-year, $62-million contract.

Which raises the question: How long of a leash does Uggla have this year?

With power throughout the Braves’ order, fans aren’t going to be patient if Uggla continues to struggle. And, let’s face it, can you blame them?

The Good

Before you think this is an article intended to bash Uggla, here are some of the good things he’s done for the Braves.

In 2012, Uggla batted .262 with runners in scoring position and .308 with runners in scoring position and two outs. So he can hit in the clutch. He brings power to the second base position, which is not seen much in MLB. Robinson Cano, Aaron Hill and Rickie Weeks come to mind. He also started and ended 2012 well, batting .271 in April and .280 in September.

Uggla has it in him to do well, but he seems unable to get things right in his head during the middle parts of the season.

The Bad

Uggla is equally as bad at the plate against righties and lefties, batting .220 against both. In his home park, he batted .187 with seven home runs and 42 RBI.

Then there’s the strikeouts.

He ranked fourth in the National League with 168 strikeouts, striking out 96 times with the bases empty.

Simply put, Uggla either just can’t get the job done anymore or his brain is getting in the way of him hitting. It’s hard to tell which it is.

And the spring hasn’t been kind to Uggla, either. He’s batting .213 in spring training, recording 10 hits in 47 at-bats.

What to do?

Including this year, Uggla still has three years and $39 million left on his contract. But can the Braves afford another three years of Uggla’s subpar performances?

While there is nobody in the farm system that is ready to take over at second should Uggla continue to struggle, there are other possibilities.

Should the opportunity present itself before the trade deadline, guys like Ben Zobrist and Omar Infante could be had for the right price. With both slated to be free agents after this year, the Braves could put a decent package together to get one of the two during the stretch run.

Or the Braves could send Evan Gattis down to the minors to learn how to play second base. While there would be a major adjustment period for Gattis, it could be beneficial for the Braves because he’s hitting .438 with two home runs and 10 RBI during spring training.

If Gattis could learn how to play second base, that would solve two problems: It would provide him with the opportunity to be in the lineup and it would solve the Uggla problem all in one.

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When the Atlanta Braves traded Martin Prado the Arizona Diamondbacks, most thought the Braves got a good deal in return.

After all, the Braves received Justin Upton and Chris Johnson in a deal that saw the Braves give up a bunch of prospects in addition to Prado.

However, with the loss of Prado, there is one question on many people’s mind—who becomes the new super utility guy for the Braves?

The biggest advantage to having Prado was he could play anywhere on the field except for pitcher and catcher.

Since becoming a full-time player in 2009, Prado has played 235 innings at first base, 1,438 innings at second base, 92.1 innings at shortstop, 1,119 innings at third base and 1,841.2 innings in the outfield.

That versatility is what allowed the Braves to be successful when injuries to Chipper Jones, Andrelton Simmons and Tyler Pastornicky happened, as well as the time Dan Uggla was benched for being unproductive.

Prado provided a lot in terms of defense. Now, the Braves must look elsewhere for that super-utility guy.

So, who are the candidates to be that for the Braves?

Tyler Pastornicky

Pastornicky seems to be the favorite to take over the super-utility role, according to Fox Sports writer Cory McCartney.

Last year’s opening-day starter at shortstop, Pastornicky is getting used to the idea of playing all over the field, including the outfield, which he noted he’s never played before.

I don’t think I’ve ever played an inning in the outfield my whole life, so it’s definitely an adjustment, he said. But all the drills and stuff have been going well and it’s one of those things where I’m an athletic kid, so if the ball’s hit in the air, go and catch it. Don’t overthink the situation and don’t do too much with it.

Having never played the outfield will be a definite adjustment for Pastornicky. But, it’s a necessary one if he hopes to make the roster.

Joe Terdoslavich

Terdoslavich struggled when he made the jump from High-A to Triple-A last year.

In 53 games at Gwinnett in 2012, Terdoslavich batted .180 with four home runs and 20 RBI. Not to mention he had 22 errors at third base in 50 games.

Because of his struggles offensively and defensively, Terdoslavich was demoted to Double-A, where he only played six games at third, while playing 68 games at first.

Now, he is learning how to play the outfield, according to mlb.com writer Mark Bowman.

The decision to move him across the diamond to first base seemed to reduce some stress and focus on his offensive approach. Now, he will increase his defensive options by learning to play the outfield.

Until Terdoslavich can learn how to play third base at a high level, it seems the super-utility role will be his best fit if he wants to make the big-league roster.

Evan Gattis

Most people wouldn’t think of Gattis as being a candidate for the super-utility spot, but his experience at three positions will only help his cause.

Last year, Gattis played 37 games in left field and 27 games at catcher across three levels.

While the other two players have more experience at higher levels than Gattis, he has shown to have some pop in his bat.

In 2011, Gattis hit .322 with 22 home runs and 71 RBI at Class-A Rome. Last year, he hit .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBI.

The one knock on Gattis is that he’s never played more than 88 games in a season. For a guy entering his fourth year of professional baseball, that’s not a good sign.

Will there even be a super-utility?

It’s impossible to predict if any of these three will make the big-league roster.

Currently, there is a bench spot taken up with the platoon of Chris Johnson and Juan Francisco at third base. Then, there’s the spot guaranteed to fourth outfielder Reed Johnson and backup shortstop Paul Janish. Throw in infield utility man Ramiro Pena and there might not be a spot for any of these three.

It’s still very early in spring training, so only time will tell if the Braves will have a super-utility player in 2013.

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