Braves end lackluster May looking to recapture momentum of April

Back on April 26, I wrote how I could not relax even though the Atlanta Braves had begun the baseball season on a tremendous hot streak.  The Braves ended April with a 17-9 record and a lead in the National League Eastern Division.  However, the success was built on a remarkable hot streak by the pitching staff and covered the sins of an offense that was inconsistent at best.  At some point something had to give, and unfortunately, we saw some of that in May.

The Braves completed May with a 13-16 record for the month.  The good news is the team is still in first place by two games, but bad times could continue if more offensive consistency cannot be found.

The team's strength is its pitching staff, but there was no way it could continue the high level of work it produced in April.  The team still leads the league in Earned Run Average, but some performances plateaued.  Julio Teheran continues to do excellent work (5-3 record, 1.83 ERA), but Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang both came down to earth a little.  Before today's start, Santana had gone 0-2 over a three-start period with an ERA of 9.00.  As for Harang, he had a few bumpy starts, but his ERA remains a solid 3.29.

However, as I previously wrote, this team's problem is not its pitching.  It's just that the pitching cannot continue to cover for a frustrating offense.  The problems remain the same.  Second base is a flat-out disaster.  Four people have played there (Dan Uggla, Tyler Pasornicky, Ramiro Pena and the recently called up Tommy La Stella).  Three of those players have batting averages slightly below or above .200.  As for La Stella, it is his turn to see if he can provide some offensive punch from that position.  Today, the results were good as he had two hits, but as the last game of the Red Sox series showed on Thursday, his defense is likely a work in progress.

Additionally, B.J. Upton's bat remains a problem.  He adds a lot to the team defensively in center field, but he is only batting .216.  My expectations for him have become so tempered that I would be happy if he could get his average up to .230 and keep it there.  If he did that, I think he would be able to hit 15-20 home runs with the same amount of stolen bases.

There are bright spots on offense.  Justin Upton is hitting .301 with 13 home runs and Freddie Freeman is being Freddie Freeman.  Lead-off hitter Jason Heyward has found his stroke the last couple of weeks and has his average up to .246.  If he can keep improving, he can be the threat we desperately need at the top of the line up.

As we enter the season's third month, the Braves are fortunate to be playing in the league's weakest division. None of the teams have shown a sign of putting it all together and getting on a sustained hot streak.  If this continues, the divisional winner might be able to do it with only 85-88 wins.  And if a team from this division wants to make the playoffs, it will have to win the East.  At this point anyway, it doesn't look like the division will be good enough to produce a wild card team.

The Braves are off to a hot start, so why can't I relax?

It's late April, and the Atlanta Braves are off to a hot start.  So, all is well, right?  I guess so, but I just can't seem to relax when it comes to this year's team.  True, we are in first place, and the pitching and defense have been good.  However, when I look at the team, I see many holes.

My anxiety may be a holdover from spring training when the team suffered key injuries.  Starting pitchers Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy were lost for the year, and a third pitcher (Mike Minor) has been on the disabled list all season (though he is expected to return next week).

I guess the problem is I am waiting for our rag tag starting rotation to go poof.  Seriously, who expected Aaron Harang to be 3-1 with a 0.85 earned run average at this point?  Also, the entire starting rotation has an ERA under three.  Even if all these guys have good years, there's no way we can continue at this pace.

Also, the offense continues to live and die by the home run.  When we are hitting them, life is good.  When we are not, we are incapable of manufacturing runs.  For example, our starting pitchers appear allergic to bunting.  At this point, they have only managed to lay down three successful sacrifice bunts.  Call me crazy, but I think a major league player (even if it is just a pitcher) should be a skilled bunter.

Additionally, the top of the batting order is a concern.  Jason Heyward is not a prototypical lead-off hitter and has only hit around .200 so far.  He is certain to improve, but I wonder if leading off is a big distraction.  B.J. Upton as the number two hitter does not help me sleep better either.  We all know what a disaster last season was for him, and he is not exactly the contact hitter needed for the two hole.

The good news offensively is that Freddie Freeman is knocking the cover off the ball, and Evan Gattis and Justin Upton are not far behind.  Freeman and Gattis are both hitting over .300, and Justin is not far below it.

Maybe I just need to relax.  The baseball season is a marathon and not a sprint, and it's too early to get worked up about some of the things I have whined about. If there is anything I've learned about baseball, it is that a person should soak it in when his team is in first place whether it is in April or September.

Success comes and goes like the wind in baseball.

Braves need to stay healthy, reduce strikeouts to win divisional title

Be more consistent.

The Atlanta Braves have led the National League Eastern Division from day one this season, but all may not be as good as it seems.  The Braves were hot in April, opening the season with a 12-1 record.  This has been good enough to put them in first place, but the going has not always been easy.

Since mid-April, the team has only been slightly above the .500 mark.  The primary reasons for this inconsistency have been injuries and an up-and-down offense.  The Braves have also benefitted from the woes of the Washington Nationals.  The Nationals were the consensus pick to win the division but have sputtered around the .500 mark all season.  However, the Nationals have too much talent to keep floundering like that, meaning the Braves must pick up the pace to win the division.

Injuries have hurt the Braves a lot.  First baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Brian McCann, and right fielder Jason Heyward have all spent time on the disabled list.  Plus, right before the all-star break, the entire starting outfield was injured and missed time.  Though more focus has been on the injuries the Nationals have experienced, the Braves have been right there with them when it comes to important players missing time.  In addition, the team received two potentially devastating injuries when relievers Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flarety went down with season-ending elbow injuries.  The bullpen has remained a strength (leading the National League in ERA for a large portion of the season), but one has to wonder if any wear and tear will emerge as the season progresses.

As for the offense, the team has lived and died by the long ball and have repeatedly demonstrated the inability to manufacture runs when the home runs are not happening.  Simple techniques like hitting behind the runner and executing sacrifice bunts have been a struggle.  Because of this, too many dry spells have doomed the team at times.

The most consistent hitters have been Freeman and third baseman Chris Johnson.  Both have hit above .300 for most of the season while McCann surged right before the all-star break.  That surge is likely why he was selected to the N.L. all-star team as a late injury replacement.

That’s the good news.  There has been plenty of bad news.  B.J. Upton has been a bust so far, hitting below .180 for most of the season.  Second baseman Dan Uggla once again has struggled.  His first two seasons with the team ended with a batting average in the .220 to .230 range, but this year he has not been able to even do that.  He has gotten his average above .200 lately, but when he does not hit home runs, he provides little of substance to the offense.

Also, Justin Upton and Jason Heyward have been streaky.  Upton began the season with a bang, hitting 12 home runs in April, but since then, he has wavered.  Heyward was sidelined early with an appendectomy and really did not start hitting consistently until June.  During a 36-game stretch in June and July he hit .280.

As the season unfolds, the Braves biggest helper could be the schedule.  In an unusual occurrence, the team does not have anymore long road trips to the west coast.  As a team in the east, this is especially significant as the grind of the season wears on.  For the rest of the season, the furthest west the team will go is St. Louis.

The bottom line is the division is there for the taking, and it likely will be a two-team race.  The Phillies could still be a player, but the potential for that may be how they handle the trade deadline at the end of the month.  If the Phillies are sellers, they will likely not be a big factor down the stretch, leaving just the Braves and Nationals.

So, the Braves need to pick up the pace.  If the team can avoid more critical injuries and can consistently put the ball in play, a divisional championship could be the result.

My excitement highest for start of Braves season since 1974

I know it is a stretch to say this is the most excited I have been for the start of an Atlanta Braves season since 1974, but I feel that way.

As a boy back then, Hank Aaron was on the verge of passing Babe Ruth to become the home run king. I remember the disappointment I felt when the 1973 season ended and 'The Hammer' was stuck at 713. It was a long winter indeed, but fortunately, we did not have to wait long for Aaron to get the deed done when the 1974 season started.

He pasted a homer off Cincinnati's Jack Billingham on April 4 to tie the Babe at 714, and then, of course, he took the Dodgers' Al Downing deep on April 8 to break the record. It was a remarkable accomplishment, but unfortunately for fans, it was only a brief oasis as the Braves struggled mightily from then until the ‘90s. Only the Western Division title in 1982 brought relief.

The Braves have had tons of success in the last twenty years or so, but I cannot recall the sense of anticipation I am feeling since back in 1974.  Maybe I should plead guilty to being a fan who caught a bad case of complacency as the team won 14 consecutive divisional titles. Sustained excellence can take the edge off even the most devoted fans.

The Braves won 94 games last year and look locked to produce a strong season. Seriously, what is not to like?

The outfield has the potential to be the best defensive outfield in the National League. Jason Heyward won his first Gold Glove award last year, and Justin and B.J. Upton both have range (along with Heyward) that will make it difficult for batters to find the outfield gaps.

First baseman Freddie Freeman is emerging as one of the better players at his position. Despite seeing his batting average drop to .259 last year, his swing is too sweet to remain that low. A batting line-up including Freeman, Heyward, and the Upton brothers is formidable, and if this group does not deliver a combined 100 home runs, it will have to be considered a major disappointment.

At third base, the retirement of Chipper Jones leaves a void so it only seems logical that a platoon would be needed to plug it. Both Juan Francisco and Chris Johnson have power and should bring stability with Johnson chipping in at first base on occasion as needed. A combined 20 home runs is not out of the question for this platoon and their free-swinging ways should produce a nice breeze on sultry nights at Turner Field.

Of course, there are concerns. As much upside as shortstop Andrelton Simmons has, it remains to be seen what he can do during a 162-game stretch especially if he hits lead-off.  Also, second baseman Dan Uggla’s power followed his batting average south last year as he struggled with 19 home runs. At this point, anything gotten from Uggla will have to be considered a bonus and expectations for him should be cautious.

As for the pitching, the Braves have arguably the best bullpen in baseball, and if the offense can just get them the lead by the sixth inning, they will win a lot more than they lose. Craig Kimbrel had 88 saves in the last two seasons, and he will be set up by stalwarts Eric O’Flaherty, Jonny Venters (who is currently experiencing elbow problems), and Jordan Walden.

As for the starters, can Kris Medlen continue his hot streak (10-1, 1.57 ERA last year)? Probably not to the degree from last year, but he appears capable of big things. Though aging, Tim Hudson still looks dependable and capable of delivering 15 wins.  Underrated Paul Maholm is dependable, and if Mike Minor can pitch for the entire season like he did in last year’s second half, he should be on everybody’s fantasy team.

So, the excitement is there. Can the Braves deliver on such promise? Time will tell.

New St. Louis Cardinals uniforms are first rate

A good retro look...

A recent trend in Major League Baseball has been the addition of alternate uniforms by teams.  For example, the Atlanta Braves added a uniform worn only during weekend home games last year.  It was a cream-colored uni based on what the team wore in 1966, and it was a big hit.  

The St. Louis Cardinals recently announced a new uniform addition that also has a nice retro feel to it and will be worn during home games on Saturdays next season.  This Yahoo! article goes more in-depth about it, and the most interesting aspect of the uniform is that it presents something new while still embracing the team's tradition.  The Cardinals have as much tradition as any team in the National League, and it is nice that the team was able to achieve this.

Well done, Cardinals.

Childhood Memories No. 1: Baseball and Fritos

Without a care in the world...

For whatever reason, this is one of my favorite childhood photos.  Taken circa 1973, I am sitting on a garbage can on my grandmother's back porch.  I am eating a bag of Fritos while snazzily dressed in an Oakland A's t-shirt.  I was only seven or eight at the time, but I do not remember the A's being my favorite baseball team during my early childhood.  However, the A’s were dominant during this time period, winning three consecutive World Series from 1972-74.  Good times...

Washington Nationals emerging as team to beat in National League

The Nats are kickin' tail right now.

Oh, how things can change in only a few weeks in baseball. Back on May 15, I posted a story about the National League in which I pointed out that there was no clear frontrunner to win the pennant. I focused mostly on the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, and Los Angeles Dodgers because they were leading their divisions and playing good baseball. Despite this, I left the door open because the season was still young and others could emerge. All three of those teams continue to do well, but two other teams have really kicked it into high gear.

The Washington Nationals currently have the best record in baseball (72-44) and are blossoming right before our eyes. After years of struggling since relocating from Montreal, they appear set to be a good team for several years. Through June and July, they played well, and I kept expecting them to fade. However, that has not happened (27-11 record since July 1) primarily because of excellent pitching led by Stephen Strasburg (13-5 record, 2.90 ERA, 166 strikeouts). Much has been made of the fact that the Nationals will likely shut him down once he hits the 160 innings pitched level. He had Tommy John surgery in late 2010 and the team does not want him pitching too much as he builds his elbow strength. He should hit that level in mid-September, which is near the end of the regular season. If the team continues on its current winning pace, it should have no problem securing a playoff berth (though his absence could be problematic after that). Still, the Nats are far from a one-man team. The pitching rotation is solid, and the team can score. The Braves remain hot on their heels (5.5 games behind) so the race for the Eastern Division crown should remain a tense one for weeks to come.

The other team emerging is the Cincinnati Reds. Despite losing their best player Joey Votto for several weeks, the team has been red hot since the all-star break. The Reds have one of the best bullpens in the National League, and if their starters can just get to the seventh inning with a lead, then the team is in the enviable position of having several fine relievers. The bullpen is anchored by closer Aroldis Chapman who brings it at 100 mph most nights. Right now, he has 28 saves and an ERA slightly above one. As Votto prepares to return, the offense will be getting a significant jolt just as we are entering the homestretch of the regular season. The Pirates and Cardinals are chasing the Reds in the Central Division, but it appears to be the Reds to lose at this point. Of course, a lot can still happen, but even with the Reds in control, the Pirates and Cardinals are in the thick of the race for the NL’s two wildcard berths.

In the Western Division, the San Francisco Giants and the Dodgers are slugging it out. The Giants have great starting pitching, while the Dodgers made several moves before the trade deadline to solidify their position. The Arizona Diamondbacks have made some noise about joining the race, but they get hot then fade.

The Nationals and Reds will be fun to watch as the season winds down. Can they hold it together? Maybe, but there is a lot of good baseball being played in the National League right now. At this point, the Nationals look like the strongest team. It is all coming together for them as we head down the homestretch.

Rangers still team to beat in the American League? Maybe...maybe not...

Three straight AL crowns for Texas?

The Major League Baseball season is a marathon and not a sprint.  Even the best teams have struggles that can last for weeks.  Back on May 14, I posted a message stating that I thought the Texas Rangers were the team to beat in the American League. Since then, they have remained in first place in their division and have the second best record in the league, but they have wobbled some.

At this point, the Rangers lead the Western Division by 6.5 games and have withstood serious surges from the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics. After a slow start, Albert Pujols (24 home runs, 76 RBI) has been scorching for the Angels, plus the emergence of rookie phenom Mike Trout (.344 average, 21 home runs, 36 stolen bases) has made them an exciting team to watch. Couple that with the A’s remarkable run in July that saw them go from having a losing record to being in the thick of the wild card race and the division has become hotly contested. Also, during this time, the Rangers struggled some. Their inconsistency was mirrored by the sputtering of their best player Josh Hamilton. After a strong start that saw him land on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Hamilton cooled off in June and July.  He hit below .200 during that time, but now appears to be breaking out of his funk. Though the Rangers still are the team to beat in the division, expect it to be quite saucy going down the stretch.

As I mentioned back on May 14, I bought into the Detroit Tigers in the preseason. With their pitching and sluggers Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera, the pieces appeared to be in place. The pieces are still there, but they remain slightly behind the Chicago White Sox in the Central Division. I still believe the Tigers will win this division. There is just too much firepower there. However, both the Tigers and White Sox will make the playoffs.  The second place team will nab one of the American League's two wildcard berths.

In the Eastern Division, the New York Yankees continue to lead, and I do not foresee anybody getting in their way. Yes, I understand the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays continue to hang around. The Yankees have actually struggled somewhat since July 1 (20-16 record), but I do not see a Red Sox/Braves type collapse heading down the stretch.  Simply too much offense for the Pinstripers.

So, are the Rangers still the team to beat in the American League?  I think so, but not as strongly as I felt in May. I cannot shake my Tigers' fixation.  I am sticking with the Rangers right now, but I could flip flop at any time.

Jose Canseco is today's cautionary tale

I found this note on page 20 of the August 13, 2012, issue of Sports Illustrated: "$20,850 -- Assets listed in court last week by former slugger Jose Canseco, who filed for bankruptcy, claiming $1.7 million in debt."

During the prime of his career, Canseco made millions of dollars a year.  Now, he is worth less than me financially.  If that note is correct, he only has assets totaling $20,000 with debts nearing $2 million.  I do not mean to make light of his situation, but it is hard to fathom how somebody who had so much money can have so little.  I know this happens frequently, but I guess he is a cautionary tale of what can happen.  It can happen to all us (even those of us who never had all the money Canseco did).

Back when his whole future was in front of him...

Summer's best aspect: Baseball and the Atlanta Braves

In the last couple of weeks, it has been unbearably hot. Though this is a problem that will come and go with the season, there is one aspect of summer that makes this time of year particularly sweet.

Yes, it is baseball season, and the pennant races are about to crank into high gear in Major League Baseball. As I write this, I can already hear the sighs of exasperation from people who do not like the game. They say the season is too long and the games are too boring.

Well, those people are wrong – dead wrong. I have loved the game since I was a boy, and I do not anticipate my heart changing anytime soon.

Major League Baseball survives even though its own caretakers have done their best to kill it in the last couple of decades. Bloated salaries, steroids, labor stoppages, and court cases have dropped a big wet blanket on the joy that goes along with the game.

Still, it perseveres almost in spite of itself. A reason it survives is because it is unlike most sports in several ways. The most important difference is that it allows fans the chance to develop a day-to-day relationship with their favorite teams.

Sports like football play once a week, while others play only two or three times a week. However, most major league teams play at least six games a week. Because of this, the bitter disappointment of last night’s loss can be wiped away within 24 hours. Or the momentum developed through a previous night’s win can be built upon very soon.

This constancy allows fans to become deeply invested in the performance of their teams. A win can make a person’s day. A loss can cause a person to turn the television off and roll over and go to sleep.

In this instant communication age we live in, the daily routine of baseball provides plenty of fodder for discussion. The fortunes of a team seemingly changes many times because of this.

My favorite team, the Atlanta Braves, is an excellent example of this. We are only three months into the season, and the team has already experienced a whole lot of ups and downs.

The team opened the season with four consecutive losses and looked bad doing it. When reading the Internet message boards, a person would have thought the world was coming to an end. People wanted to fire the manager, trade players and send others back down to the minor leagues. People thought this failure was certainly a continuation of 2011’s late-season collapse.

Then, the team got on a hot streak. The Braves won 26 of their next 38 games. The offense put up big numbers, the bullpen was solid, and the starting pitching held its own. When I visited those same message boards, all was great. Talk of winning the World Series was in the air.

Then the team dipped again in May, losing eight games in a row. A lot of the same problems from early April resurfaced and so did a lot of the complaints from the fans. Since then, the Braves have been a wobbling kind of machine that has been inconsistent. This has left fans frustrated or excited depending on the night.

I do not see that type of fan interaction on a daily basis in other sports. Though some might argue how good this is, it does make baseball unique.

July 4 is the unofficial midway point of the season and much excitement is yet to unfold.

My advice is to pick a team and enjoy. Just don’t pick the Yankees.

The National League frontrunner is...

Though I think the early frontrunner in the American League is the Texas Rangers, I am far less certain about the National League.  There are at least three teams that could emerge as the team to beat.  Of course, it is early in the season so other teams could bound to the front, but right now, I am focused on three.  One of those teams is my beloved Atlanta Braves, but since I have bored you all in other postings about them, I will keep my comments on them brief.  The Braves continue to roll early in the season, including a sweep of defending World Series champion St. Louis last weekend.  It was a statement series for the Braves because the Cardinals aced them out of the last playoff spot last year en route to the title.  If the Braves keep hitting, I like their chances.

The Cardinals also deserve a good, hard look. The Cards and the Braves rank one-two in runs scored in the league. Never underestimate an organization that is used to winning.  The Cardinals have the most World Series titles in the National League (11), and intangibles like this give a good team an extra edge.  Also, the Central Division is hardly as competitive as the Eastern Division where the Braves play. Seriously, who else is good in the Central?  Milwaukee won it last year but have bumbled and stumbled so far this year.  The loss of Prince Fielder has left a gaping hole. After them, who else could emerge there?  The Cubs? Pirates? Astros? You get the point.  If the Brewers do not pull it together, the Cardinals could coast to the postseason.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been red hot in the Western Division.  Strong starting pitching and Matt Kemp have been enough.  Of course, Kemp is dealing with a hamstring injury so a bumpy road could be ahead in the short term.  Again, the Dodgers have a similar, enviable situation like the Cardinals – they play in a relatively easy division.  The San Francisco Giants have good starting pitching but cannot score consistently.  The San Diego Padres stink and are definitely in rebuilding mode.  The Colorado Rockies are fun to watch because the ball is jumping out of Coors Field more than in recent years.  High scoring games are entertaining, but their pitching staff may be in shreds by July.

So, it could be the Dodgers...or the Cardinals...or the Braves...or somebody else.

Texas Rangers looking like the team to beat in the American League (so far)

We are fast approaching the one-quarter point of the Major League Baseball season, and the Texas Rangers look powerful as they attempt to repeat as American League champion. Heading into the season, I thought the American League race looked like a four-headed beast.  The Detroit Tigers earned a lot of pre-season hype, mostly because of the strength of their pitching and the addition of free agent Prince Fielder. I must admit that I hopped on that bandwagon, but it has not worked out so far. The Tigers are a respectable 17-17 and are only one game out of first place in their division, but they really have not caught fire. Obviously, there is a lot of baseball left to be played, but at this point, it looks like the sum of their parts are not equaling a whole.  They play in a weak division, and if nothing else, that probably guarantees a divisional title.

Additionally, the Eastern Division is not as strong as in previous years. Sure, there is a lot offense there, but the pitching staffs of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox often resemble a rag-arm factory.  The Yankees task got that much tougher when closer Mariano Rivera was lost for the season with a knee injury.  The class of that division may turn out to be the Tampa Bay Rays. Anchored by David Price, the team has a formidable starting pitching rotation.  Evan Longoria is their best hitter, and his batting average was .327 when he was lost to a hamstring injury.  He is expected to return in a few weeks, and if the Rays can tread water until then, expect them to be the likely winner of the division.  I know the Baltimore Orioles are currently leading, but I do not expect them to hold on.

However, the class of the American League is the Texas Rangers.  I don’t know why so many people shied away from them before the season. True, their pitching took a hit when C. J. Wilson signed with the Angels in the offseason. However, his loss has been absorbed, and when the team is hitting, they cannot be stopped.  The team is currently 23-12 and already leads their division by five games.  The big story has been outfielder Josh Hamilton who is hitting .402 with 18 home runs and 44 runs batted in.  He is being touted as a triple-crown contender, and why not?  He is knocking the crap out of the ball, and if he stays healthy (easier said than done with him), he should have a marvelous year.  Japanese import Yu Darvish has replaced Wilson nicely.  He already had five wins with a 2.84 ERA.  Will he sustain this?  Typically, new pitchers benefit from their anonymity the first time they go through the league then struggle when teams get a second look at them.  This could happen to him, but he appears to have good tools.

The season is long, and I will revisit this topic again.  However, the Rangers look strong and exciting.

Atlanta Braves off to an encouraging start

Back on February 3, I wrote about my optimism regarding the Atlanta Braves chances this season. So far, nothing has happened to curb my feelings. At this writing, the Braves are 13-8 and all phases are clicking. The offense leads the National League in runs scored. The starting pitching has been rock solid (except for Jair Jurrjens who has been sent to the minors). The bullpen has also been reliable. I know the Braves played well for most of the season last year before collapsing in September. Still, I like how this team is cut. Since two wild card teams now make the playoffs in addition to the three divisional winners, I really like the team’s chances for post-season play.

Since I'm in a baseball kind of mood....

"My own little rule was two for one. If one of my teammates got knocked down, then I knocked down two on the other team." -- spoken by Don Drysdale, who pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1958-69.

That guy could have pitched for my team any time.

I'm feeling optimistic about the Atlanta Braves in 2012

For Atlanta Braves' fans, the conclusion to the 2011 season was a nightmare come true. The team experienced a harmonic convergence of problems in September that resulted in the team being eliminated from post-season play on the final day of the regular season. The hitters could not hit, the starting pitchers could not pitch, and the bullpen collapsed because of overuse. It was a miserable time.

However, the 2012 season is just around the corner, and I am feeling good about the team's chances. While I have a small concern the team might experience a hangover from last year and struggle, I do not think that will happen. The pieces are in place for a good season.

I am encouraged about the offense for several reasons. First, centerfielder Michael Bourn will be with the team for the entire season. He was acquired in a late-season trade last year, and he paid dividends. He gives the team an excellent leadoff hitter who hits for average and has speed. For the entire season in 2011, he hit .296 with 61 steals. Plus, his defense brings stability to the most important position in the outfield.

Next, second baseman Dan Uggla will almost certainly have a better season. Though he wound up leading the team in home runs (36) and RBIs (82), his batting average was miserable until mid-July when he was hitting .175. He rallied to hit .233 for the season, but he left tons of runners on base in the first half of the season. Expect that to change.

Third, Jason Heyward will be much better. After a breakout rookie season in 2010, he struggled with injuries and just about everything else last year. He only hit .227 with 14 home runs and 42 RBIs. Again, expect that to change. He is young and simply has too much talent to be a one season flash in the pan.

Toss in Freddie Freeman, Brian McCann and Chipper Jones, and the offense should be a consistent producer all season. 'Potent' would be too strong a word to use, but I would settle for a 'solid' offense. With the pitching the team has, that should be good enough.

Tim Hudson will anchor the rotation this year (though back surgery will likely have him out until May) and was strong again in 2011 with 16 wins and a 3.22 ERA. Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurjjens pitched well, but injuries curbed their contribution in the second half of the season. Brandon Beachy led the team in strike outs and Mike Minor looks ready to be a permanent member of the staff.

Craig Kimbrel had 46 saves as a rookie, but the entire bullpen showed cracks down the stretch after having been used too much. Could this happen again this year? Between the injury concerns regarding Hanson and Jurrjens and the inexperience of Minor, it could. If nothing else, last year’s problems could help guide the team through the challenges of this year.

The bottom line is I am a realist. The Philadelphia Phillies are the best team in the National League Eastern Division. Barring any type of collapse by them, the Braves are playing for second place. However, the Braves should be in the thick of the playoff race this year.

If not, it is going to be a long spring and summer.

Hope and the Pittsburgh Pirates

In many ways, good news has been in short supply in recent weeks. There has been political chaos, child murder cases, stifling heat, and media scandals.

Other than for cynics and pessimists, we have been going through a depressing stretch. Then again, cynics and pessimists are probably depressed in some way all the time, but that is a different story for a different time.

Even outlets we use to escape the problems of every day life have had strife. Sports are an outlet many people use, but the labor problems in the National Football League were an irritant for most of the year.

However, if we keep looking there is good news to be found. An excellent example of this is the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball.

The Pirates are one of the most storied franchises in that sport, but since 1993, the team has been a laughingstock. Perennial losers, the Battling Bucs have been cannon fodder for most of the National League.

But this year, the team has improved. So far this summer, the young team has held its own in the Central Division and remains in competition for first place. Will this continue? It is too soon to tell, but my advice to Pirates' fans is to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Though I have been an Atlanta Braves fan for most of my life, I must admit a soft spot for the Pirates. As I became aware of baseball as a boy in the early 1970s, Pittsburgh was a team I gravitated toward.

This was likely because of the death of their remarkable right fielder Roberto Clemente. Clemente was killed on New Year's Eve 1972 while rushing supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

To this day, I do not totally understand why his death impacted me. In fourth grade, I remember doing a book report on a Clemente biography. It was a thick book authored by Kal Wagenheim, and it was a formidable undertaking compared to some of my other classmates.

Because of this, I have been following the events in Pittsburgh this year with interest. With only a $45 million payroll, the team has already won series against big market teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox.

While $45 million seems like a lot of money (and it is), it is chump change compared to the budgets of those teams, which have payrolls in the hundreds of millions. We are witnessing a classic example of the little guy sticking it to the big guy. And who does not love that?

I am most excited for the Pirates' fans. It is a wonderful experience when a person loves a bad team for a long time and then that team turns it around.

I experienced this with the Braves. For most of the '70s and '80s, the Braves were bad. When I say 'bad,' I mean the team was awful in some seasons. Especially in the late '80s, the team seemed to flirt with 100 losses each year.

That all turned around in 1991 when the Braves won their division and played for the National League championship. Who did they play? Ironically, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates of the early '90s were excellent and provided the last whiff of baseball success for that franchise until now.

The Braves beat the Pirates for the National League championship in both 1991 and '92. The Braves are in contention for the playoffs this year, too. It would be additional irony if they met in the playoffs, and the Pirates got to even the score for what happened two decades ago.

I would not like that, but it would be a great story.

Baseball is a glorious rite of spring

Some people like the winter, but do not count me among that group. I used to like the winter a lot when I was a boy, but as time passed, I grew to resent it more and more.

The recent winter was like putting a cherry on top of a very bad hot fudge sundae. Normal winters are bad enough, but the cold and snow we experienced until mid-February made me anticipate spring like a prisoner yearns for freedom.

The bottom line is that is gone, and that is fine with me.

Springtime brings many joys with it. The most obvious one is the rebirth of nature as life replaces death. However, this is not the focus of this column.

I want to talk about Major League Baseball. Roll your eyes if you must, but spring does not start for me until the first pitch is thrown on opening day as it was on March 31.

Many people do not like baseball. They say the games are too long and meander at a pace guaranteed to cure insomnia. Living in the instant gratification society that we do, I can understand why many feel that way.

After all, if our dinners are not microwaved to a sizzle in five minutes or the problems of the day are not solved in a tidy 30-minute television program, we think something is terribly wrong.

If that is truly the mindset of the day, then three-hour baseball games must seem like trying to read War and Peace to some people.

Additionally, the Major League Baseball season covers 162 games and that is way too long for many. For many sports fans, they would prefer to have 162 pro football games and only 16 baseball games. Of course, this is impossible because there would be dead football players from Miami to Seattle if that season was significantly lengthened.

Sometimes baseball players do not do themselves any favors when it comes to how people perceive their sport. We still live in the shadows of the steroids' era, and we are currently dealing with court cases involving two of baseball's greatest players.

Slugger Barry Bonds has been in court recently because of alleged perjury the federal government says he committed when testifying before a grand jury. Pitching great Roger Clemens faces a similar trial later this summer.

It will be a major stain on the game if one or both of these men go to prison.

However, there is a lot to love about the game. My favorite part is the day-to-day nature of it. From now until October, there will be games almost every day. If it is possible to build a relationship with a sport, then baseball is the one.

It is impossible to do this with football. Football happens once a week for three hours then it is gone. Unless somebody counts the endless hot air spoken on networks like ESPN, football comes and goes like a movie.

Baseball is not that way. It gently unfolds before us and continues through the summer until it reaches its completion in early autumn. Some writers have compared the baseball season to the unfolding of a summer romance. I like that analogy because like romance the baseball season has many unexpected thrills and detours that are surprising.

I also reject the idea that the sport is boring. The most accurate adjective to describe it is 'deliberate.' Great care is undertaken when approaching the strategy of the game, and if it has the audacity to require us to be patient sometimes, then so be it.

Not everything was meant to be decided within a few minutes. This goes for sports and life.

Let's not hand the World Series title to the Red Sox or Phillies just yet

There have been some monumental player transactions during the off-season, and the biggest so far have been pulled off by the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox.

The Phillies added pitching ace Cliff Lee to its already loaded starting rotation that includes Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels. That four-man rotation is easily the best in Major League Baseball. Their fifth starter will almost be inconsequential.

The Red Sox have added slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez who played for San Diego last year and left fielder Carl Crawford who played for Tampa Bay.

Because of these transactions, most 'experts' have made the teams the favorites to meet in the 2011 World Series. While I agree that both teams are formidable, let's not crown them just yet.

After all, baseball is a sport that is unpredictably predictable. Just when we believe we have it figured out, something totally unexpected occurs.

For example, how many people picked the San Francisco Giants to win the title last year? None outside of Northern California.

However, they got hot at the end of the season and sprinted to the title. And, what team did they play in the Series? Yes, it was those perennial championship challengers the Texas Rangers. Of course, I was being sarcastic there. The Rangers had never won a playoff series before last year much less gone to the World Series.

This just shows that anything is possible once they start playing the games. I agree the Red Sox and Phillies will be excellent teams in 2011.

But, let's make them prove their greatness before handing out the championship rings.

Braves' roster for 2011 season taking shape

I know it's winter, but I can't resist writing about a little baseball. The Atlanta Braves finished second last year in the National League Eastern Division, and the team needs to do a lot of work if it hopes to overtake the Philadelphia Phillies in 2011.

Of course, the biggest difference in the team will be Fredi Gonzalez taking over for the retired Bobby Cox as manager. Following a legend is never easy, and it will be interesting to see how patient the fans are with him.

As for the players, the biggest acquisition so far has been getting Dan Uggla from the Florida Marlins. The power-hitting second baseman hit 33 home runs and drove in 105 runs in 2010. As part of the trade, the Braves gave up Omar Infante who did a little bit of everything for Atlanta. Infante hit above .300 for most of last year and filled in admirably for Nate McLouth in center field.

Though the Braves desperately need Uggla's power, I have concerns about McLouth taking Infante's place. Apparently, he will get the first shot at winning his old position back, and he must step it up. Unexpectedly, McLouth's offensive skills went down the toilet in 2010, and he hit only .190. If he does not rebound, the line-up will have a gaping hole in it.

However, a trio of Uggla, catcher Brian McCann, and right fielder Jason Heyward should give the team some pop. Uggla's arrival means NL All-Star Martin Prado will move to left field. Sometimes moving to another position can impact a player's offense so let's hope that does not happen to Prado.

Pitching wise, the Braves have depth in the bullpen, but who the closer will be is anybody's guess at this point. Billy Wagner retired after last season, and there appears to be no clear-cut candidate at this point.

Left-hander George Sherrill and right-hander Scott Linebrink have been added, but they both smell like set-up men. My gut instinct tells me the team may take the dreaded closer-by-committee approach that always makes my stomach queasy. I get woozy just thinking about it.

The strength of the team remains the starting pitching. Anchored by Tim Hudson, the rotation should keep the Braves in most games. Mike Minor likely will get the first shot to earn the fifth starter slot. Other than that, the starters look good to go.

Philadelphia is clearly the best team in the division, but if the bullpen and offense come together, the Braves should have a good chance to compete for another trip to the playoffs.

Atlanta Braves emerging as the team to beat in the National League East

Back on May 27, I wrote that I was starting to like the Atlanta Braves chances in the National League Eastern Division (click here to read that). Since then, the Braves have played the best ball in the division and hold a four-game lead at the All-Star break.

The Braves had five players selected for the All-Star game. Second baseman Martin Prado was picked and has hit above .320 for most of the year. He ranks near the top of many hitting categories in the National League. Catcher Brian McCann was picked again, proving that he remains one of the best receivers in the game. Pitcher Tim Hudson has had an ERA below 2.50 for most of the year. Rookie right fielder Jason Heyward was selected despite spending time on the disabled list in June and July. However, he will miss the game because of his thumb injury.

The most controversial selection was outfielder/utility man Omar Infante. Many people were up in arms because Infante is not a regular starter on the team. Personally, I do not believe he should have been selected, but he is hardly the stiff many media folks (mostly from New York) are saying he is. He is hitting above .300 and is an excellent defensive player who can play five positions. The guy can play regardless of what his shortcomings are.

Heading into the second half of the season, the Braves are in good shape to remain a divisional contender. With the return of pitcher Jair Jurjens from injury a couple of weeks ago, the starting rotation is now set in place. The bullpen should remain an asset as long as closer Billy Wagner remains healthy.

The key, as always, with the Braves is the offense. Will the team continue to produce as it has? When the team struggled in April, it was because the offense simply could not come up with a clutch hit when needed. The result was a lousy month that featured a nine game losing streak.

If Heyward returns and the offense can avoid injuries, the Braves should be fine. The Phillies are struggling because of a balky offense and erratic starting pitching (with the exception of Roy Halladay and maybe Cole Hamels). The Mets played well in June and could be a threat. Playing in a pitcher's park, starters like UT product R.A. Dickey have done well.

The remainder of the summer should be fascinating. As always, if the Braves do not win the division, let's hope the Mets do not.