2011 Quick Fire Predictions

It’s not really worthwhile having a blog unless you have an opinion so these are my unprepared quick fire picks for the upcoming baseball season.

NL Rookie of the Year: Brandon Belt, 1B, San Francisco Giants

AL Rookie of the Year: Kyle Drabek, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

NL Cy Young: Josh Johnson, SP, Florida Marlins

AL Cy Young: Jon Lester, SP, Boston Red Sox

NL MVP: Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

AL MVP: Carl Crawford, OF, Boston Red Sox

NL West Champ: San Francisco Giants

NL Central Champ: Cincinnati Reds

NL East Champ: Atlanta Braves

NL Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies

NL Champion: Philadelphia Phillies

AL West Champ: Oakland A’s

AL Central Champ: Chicago White Sox

AL East Champ: Boston Red Sox

AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays

AL Champion: Boston Red Sox

World Series Champion: Philadelphia Phillies

PLAY BALL!!!!!

Major League Major Preview: The NL East

NL East

When Cliff Lee shunned bigger money in Texas and New York to sign where he was truly happy in Philadelphia everyone thought the NL East was all sealed up. As time as gone on over the Spring the perception has changed somewhat, the Phillies have hit some injuries with both their All-Star second baseman and closer set for the DL. While the Phillies and Braves are set to battle it out for the division the Marlins remained competitive despite giving up their power hitting second baseman to a division rival, the Nationals have shown they aren’t afraid to spend money along with an obscene two years of draft talent and the Mets seem to finally be approaching the end of their futility.

Philadelphia Phillies

Without doubt the Phillies possess the best rotation in baseball and the best since possibly the mid-90’s Braves rotation. The success experienced by Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels for the duration of 2010 gave a glimpse of what a full season of this rotation can provide, especially now that Roy Oswalt is bedded into his surroundings and Cliff Lee is back where he feels comfortable. While the pitching has improved the offense has regressed with both the loss of Jayson Werth and the injury to Chase Utley. Despite the size of Citizens Bank Park don’t expect many runs to be scored there.

Star- Roy Halladay. The best pitcher in baseball Halladay built himself a legend in his first season in Philly. A perfect game and postseason no-hitter in the bag from 2010 the comfort Halladay should feel from his second season as Philadelphia’s ace could potentially make him better. He won the NL Cy Young with a 21-10 record with a sparkling 2.44 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 250.2 innings.

Top Prospect- Domonic Brown OF. A potentially five-tool player Brown has incredible physically possessing a body that has been compared to a young Barry Bonds or Darryl Strawberry. Brown had the opportunity to take the opening right field job vacated by Jayson Werth but constant tinkering with his swing that resulted in a poor Spring Training that was ultimately ended by a broken knuckle. Brown should be back in the Majors this year but looked like he needs more Minor League seasoning.

Win Total- 92. The rotation guarantees that this will be an elite team but the potentially patchy offence could hurt the Phil’s.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves come off their first postseason appearance since 2005 with an improved line-up thanks mostly to the offseason theft of Dan Uggla. General Manager Frank Wren traded utility infielder Omar Infante and lefty reliever Mike Dunn to the Florida Marlins for Uggla who has hit thirty home runs in each of the last four seasons. If they can get a full season out of Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and Jason Heyward the Braves hope to have a potentially explosive offence. The rotation includes 2010 comeback player of the year Tim Hudson and one of the potential breakout players of 2011 in Tommy Hanson and could very easily go toe-to-toe with the mighty Phillies staff.

Star- Brian McCann. It seems that finally this has become Brian McCann’s team. The 27-year-old catcher begins his seventh Major League season and will hope to bounce back from what has been two years of eye problem resulting in reduced production. Expect his average to return closer to his career mark and for another 20 homer season. His presence in the locker room also deserves praise for his growth.

Top Prospect- Julio Teheran RHP. The top pitching prospect in baseball Teheran is still a couple of years away from the big leagues: he will begin 2011 as a 20-year-old. With three above average pitches and a slight build he has been compared to Pedro Martinez but some supporters claim he is more advanced at that age. Likely to split 2011 between AA and AAA he has the stuff to challenge Tommy Hanson for the role of staff ace.

Win Total- 93. Homerism I hear you say? Maybe some rose color glasses affect this number a tiny bit but I do truly believe the Braves have the team to beat out the Phillies in the division.

Florida Marlins

Expect the Marlins to be exactly what they have been for the majority of the last decade: a .500 wins with young talent but not enough budget to push them over the top. Thanks to their financial restraints they traded away the power bat of Dan Uggla for two affordable serviceable Major League players. Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez give the Marlins a couple of serious stars but the line-up seems to be a couple of years away from genuine contention despite their talent. This could still be a breakout season for young players like Mike Stanton and Logan Morrison while the signing of Javier Vazquez could either be a great pick-up or a huge problem for the Marlins.

Star- Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez produced at an All-Star level once again in 2010 hitting .300 with 21 home runs and a .378 OBP. His season last year was overshadowed by his perceived role in the firing of former manager Fredi Gonzalez. After booting a ball into left field Hanley proceeded to loaf after it allowing runners to advance, after being benched he then attempted to show Gonzalez up in the media with his comments. Whether he actually had a role in Jeffrey Loria firing Fredi is not clear but in this case perception meant as much as fact.

Top Prospect- Matt Dominguez 3B. One of the best defensive players in the Minor Leagues Dominguez could fill the hot corner for almost any Major League team; he has some questions to answer at the plate however. He will begin the year at triple-A and look to prove himself against higher level pitching. His average Major League could translate into plenty of double in the cavernous Sun Life Stadium.

Win Total- 82. A slight improvement from last year but only slight, this is not just a team but an entire organisation built to play .500 ball.

New York Mets

The firing of Jerry Manuel and movement of Omar Minaya has got Mets fans hoping for a future much brighter than the last two decades. While this year should be another poor one the organisation is shaping up to make improvements in 2012 and beyond. The loss of Johan Santana hurts but with the likelihood of contending being small they have no reason to rush him and would prefer to see Santana healthy in 2012 than pitching in 2011. Ike Davis provided some highlights in a sold rookie campaign while the big free agent pick-up in Jason Bay did not have the effect the front office was hoping for.

Star- David Wright. After suffering through a horrendous concussion in 2009 Wright bounced back in 2010 with what can be described as a very solid year. He hit .283 with 29 home runs while playing excellent defensive third base and further established himself as the best third baseman in the National League.

Top Prospect- Jenrry Mejia RHP. Mejia has been on the fast track since arriving in the Mets organisation back in 2007 but that looks to be coming to an end this year. After pitching at five levels of pro ball in 2010 Mejia may spend more time at the Triple-A level as the Mets attempt to see if he can be an effective starter. His current career high in innings is 81 and it remains to be seen if his raw stuff plays at the front of the rotation or back of the bullpen.

Win Total-77. Nobody expects this team to be good and a lot of pundits are expecting them to finish below the Nationals, it could very well happen.

Washington Nationals

The highest spending team in the NL East this year aren’t quite ready for the return on that investment but they are starting to blood some younger players that might be effective for them for a very long time. The huge free agent signing of Jayson Werth away from the division rival Phillies was a statement of intent by the Nationals but was offset by the losses of Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham. The injury suffered by uber-prospect Stephen Strasburg put a major dampener on the end of 2010 but having Tommy John surgery at this point of his career might not be that bad for the 2009 number 1 pick.

Star- Ryan Zimmerman. If David Wright is the best second baseman in the NL than Zimmerman is a very close second to him and by far the superior defensive player. Zimmerman hit over .300 for the first time in his career in 2010 whilst also hitting 25 home runs in a line-up that didn’t proved him with much protection. Expect him to be even better this year, he has the potential to start in the All-Star game.

Top Prospect- Bryce Harper OF. If you haven’t heard of Bryce Harper then you probably shouldn’t be reading this blog. The power hitting 18-year-old out of the College of Southern Nevada has all the potential in the world to be one of the best players in baseball. His raw power is completely unmatched and he could 50 home runs on a regular basis when he arrives at the big league level. He still has plenty to learn and was baffled by off-speed and breaking pitches in Arizona Fall League but has plenty of time to learn his craft both at the plate and in the outfield.

Win Total- 73. The rotation leaves a lot to be desired and, outside of Zimmerman and Werth, the offense could be very patchy. Still a long way to go until this team reaches a competitive level.

Major League Major Preview: The AL East

The eastern divisions are both filled with great players and really good teams, both contain the favourites for the World Series and plenty of postseason experience. Most major broadcasters are accused of having an ‘eastern bias’ and both the NL and AL East are examples of why that might not be bad thing. Here’s why:

AL East

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox come off a year they considered a major disappointment despite winning 89 games. They have tried to right the perceived wrongs of 2010 by going out and getting the biggest free-agent who is not a pitcher and then trading for one of the five best first basemen in all of baseball. They will also receive full season from some crucial players that missed time in 2010 thanks to a variety of injuries, Terry Francona and Theo Epstein also hope that their expensively assembled pitching rotation will be more effective than it was for the majority of last year.

Star- Dustin Pedroia. Pedroia is one of those players that missed significant time in 2010 thanks to a broken foot. Despite only playing 75 games for the Sox the 2009 MVP still hit a respectable .288 with a .367 OBP and 12 home runs. With Chase Utley beginning the season on the DL Pedroia should use 2011 to solidify himself as the best second baseman in the Major Leagues.

Top Prospect- Jose Iglesias SS. Iglesias won’t light up any it up with the bat but what he lacks in hitting ability (it’s not much, he should be MLB average) he makes up for with his defensive ability. He has quick feet and hands along with a strong body which results in numerous webgems. He has hit .295 in barely one season of pro ball and, if he works on his plate discipline, could be a number 2 hitter and end the Red Sox inconsistency at short.

Win Total- 98. The additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez make this club the best in baseball by quite a margin. The only potential hiccups will stem from either Josh Beckett or John Lackey struggling again.

New York Yankees

The Yankees weren’t quite the World Champions of 2009 thanks in large part to wildly erratic pitching. The acquisition of Javier Vazquez didn’t work as Brian Cashman and the Yankee front office hoped while the promotion of Phil Hughes from bullpen to rotation was one of the most successful roster moves in recent years. The Yankees missed out on all the big name free agents as, like the Rangers, they were blindsided by Cliff Lee’s decision to sign with the Phillies. It is easy to forget with all the coverage and melodrama that this is still the most successful franchise of our time, it just doesn’t feel like their year.

Star- It’s almost impossible to choose with the Yankees plethora of talent by special mention should be made of CC Sabathia. The workhorse ace almost single handily held together the Yankee rotation in 2010 and will be hoping that Aj Burnett and other back him up a little this year.

Top Prospect- Jesus Montero C. Montero has shown the Yankees brass that he can hit and has a bright future on one condition: he finds his best position. Many scouts feel Montero is too much of a liability to be an everyday player behind the plate but it is impossible to envision a 23-year-old DH. He will start 2011 in the minors working on his defense.

Win Total- 88. I expect the Yankees to be very similar to the 2010 Red Sox, still a superpower but one that loses the arms race to the other powerful teams in the AL East. Expect to see a major issue involving ownership hit the Yankees at some point this summer.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles were like a new team after Buck Showalter was named their new manager in July and had a far more successful second half as they went 34-25. The Orioles are still very much a developing team that is maybe 2 or 3 years away from reaching its full potential. The young crop of players are lead by 24-year-old lefty Brian Matusz who struggled some in his rookie year going 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA but pitched a lot better than his record suggests. Their rotation includes four pitches 26-years and under and has another in the system, Zach Britton, that should make this one of the better rotations in the AL. The acquisitions of Derek Lee, Vlad Guerrero and Mark Reynolds improve the Baltimore offense to make them respectable without being competitive.

Star- Choose between Adam Jones or Matt Wieters depending on their 2011 seasons. Both are young players the Baltimore organisation believes but, especially Wieters, could approach the end of the big league clubs patience.

Top Prospect- Manny Machado SS. The number three pick in the 2010 draft that has outstanding hitting ability with five-tool potential. Machado showed great abilities as a contact hitter as he struck out only 3 times in 36 professional at-bats. Machado has been compared to Alex Rodriguez which is probably a little hopeful but expect for the young shortstop to make his share of All-Star games.

Win Total- 75. This is very much a work in progress for both Showalter and the Orioles and winning over 70 games should be viewed as a great achievement for them. Expect to see gradual improvement from Baltimore not a Tampa Bay like rise.

Tampa Bay Rays

It is not often a team loses its star player and entire bullpen and lives to tell the tale but the Rays should still be right in contention thanks to years of intelligent drafting and favourable trades. The loss of Carl Crawford is undoubtedly a big one and it will affect the Rays but the signing of Jonny Damon at least means he is replaced by an established Major Leaguer. Matt Garza was traded to the Chicago to make room in the rotation for phenom Jeremy Hellickson while also adding more top prospects to the Rays seeming endless supply.

Star- Evan Longoria. Longoria seemed to settle into who he will be for the rest of his career with the 2010 season, hitting .294 with a .372 OBP and 22 home runs. While he may not be the monster A-Rod like hitter that Tampa Bay fans would like he will still be one of the premier players at his position and a genuine leader for a young Rays team.

Top Prospect- Jeremy Hellickson RHP. Hellickson has already proven that he can pitch at the big league level with a small cameo at the end of 2010. In 10 games that included 4 starts the 23-year-old went 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 36 innings. Whilst he has four pitches that he can throw for strikes his most effective offering is a low-80’s change-up that gives him an effective weapon against lefties.

Win Total- 93. I think that despite losing some big pieces the Rays production line is so efficient now that they are affected significantly less than other teams. The three games lost on last year reflects Crawford leaving while Hellickson replacing Garza is a virtual wash.

Toronto Blue Jays

If there is one team in baseball that it is difficult to pigeon hole it is the Jays. They were one of the most surprising teams in the game last year, experiencing an almost unprecedented power surge that saw Jose Bautista hit over 50 home runs. They also produced some of the most intriguing young pitching talent that included Brett Cecil, Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and latterly Kyle Drabek. A lot of the Jays season rests on how Aaron Hill bounces back from a down year while a repeat of last years fireworks from Bautista seems unlikely.

Star- Jose Bautista. After six less than average big league seasons Bautista exploded as a 30-year-old hitting 54 home runs while playing 161 games. Bautista was an especially dangerous hitter at the Rogers Center where he hit .282 with 33 of those long balls. His career up until this point suggests that his 2010 season will be more of an aberration than a recurring thing but it vaulted Bautista to unprecedented heights.

Top Prospect- Kyle Drabek RHP. The son of former Major Leaguer Doug Drabek the 23-year-old righty will look to prove why the Blue Jays were finally willing to trade Roy Halladay. After dominating Double-A for 27 games last year Drabek jumped straight to the Major Leagues making his debut on September 15^th. While he wasn’t at his best at the end of a long season he still pitched to a quite respectable 4.76 ERA giving up three earned runs in each of his three starts. If Drabek can develop his cutter and change-up to go with a plus fastball and hammer curveball then he should be a top of the rotation talent in Toronto for quite a while.

Win Total- 85. This is perhaps one of my more optimistic estimates but I have some confidence in it anyway. I think the Jays rotation gives then the edge over most AL teams and should keep them competitive in the toughest division in baseball.

Major League Major Preview: The Central.

Today’s preview focuses on the central divisions, I don’t know whether I am leaving the best till last but that’s the way it seems, while there may be better teams in the West and East of the country these could be the two most competitive divisions in all of baseball. Both divisions produced 90 game winners an MVP and several other candidates. Once again these two divisions will produce a good selection of quality teams and also some significantly below average organisations.

AL Central

Minnesota Twins

The Twins have been one of the most consistent organisations in the sport the last few years and have built a nucleus of players that almost guarantees they will contend on an annual basis. They are centred on the MVP talents of Joe Mauer who is ably backed up by Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer, Delmon Young, Denard Span and Jason Kubel. The only question in the line-up is rookie second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka making his US debut after a very productive career in his native Japan. Coming off the most productive season of his career the Twins hope he will prove why they were so ready to let go of Orlando Hudson and JJ Hardy. For the first time in recent memory the Twins have also assembled a pitching rotation, headed by the rejuvenated figures of Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano, that is worthy of being called a contender.

Star- Joe Mauer. Coming off his MVP season in 2009 Mauer struggled with some nagging injuries coming out of Spring Training before settling in and delivering another huge season, hitting .327 with a .402 OBP. Expect 2009 to have been the exception rather than the rule as far as Mauer’s home run totals go.

Top Prospect- Kyle Gibson RHP. Another home grown Minnesota kid the Twins took Gibson in the first round of the 2009 draft after a stress fracture in his arm caused him to fall to them at the 22^nd pick. He doesn’t feature the kind of fastball you would expect someone of his 6’6 stature to but he has a plus slider and change-up, he has similar ability to make pitches as Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey but Gibson has far superior stuff.

Win Total- 82. A significant drop in wins by the Twins but, while other teams have improved they appear to have stood still. A better White Sox team will take some wins from the Twins and playing in an unusually deep American League will hurt their standing.

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox solidified their line-up by re-signing Paul Konerko and strengthened with the addition of power bat Adam Dunn. While those two could hit 100 homers between them it will be the other pieces of the line-up that decide the south siders destiny for 2011. Gordon Beckham will look to bounce back from a pretty terrible sophomore slump and rookie third baseman Brent Morel should improve the club both on offense and defense. The health of Jake Peavy is perhaps the biggest factor for Chicago, if healthy Peavy could prove the difference between October baseball and October golf.

Star- Mark Buerhle. Despite the presence of Konerko and Dunn it is the 32-year-old veteran lefty who remains the face of the team. His between the legs flip to first for a ground ball out on Opening Day in 2010 remains one of the White Sox most memorable moments.

Top Prospect- Chris Sale LHP. Sale already arrived at the Major League level last year and collected his first big league save on September 1^st. A fastball/slider pitcher Sale has the stuff to be successful at either the front of the rotation or the back of the bullpen.

Win Total- 84. I know the White Sox are a fashionable pick but I am working on the assumption that they get at least half a season out of Peavy and the Sale replaces Edwin Jackson in the rotation at some point. They have the power to narrowly edge out the Twins.

Detroit Tigers

The Tigers contended for 90% of 2010 before falling away towards the end of the season and project to be there or there about once again. The addition of Victor Martinez to the line-up gives them another power bat to slot in with Magglio Ordonez and the troubled Miguel Cabrera. Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch enter the season in their second big league seasons and with the potential to form two thirds of a dynamic outfield for the foreseeable future. The rotation remains a weakness despite the presence of Justin Verlander, after him the Tigers lack any stand out pitching.

Star- Miguel Cabrera. Despite his off-field issues this Spring Cabrera comes in to the season after finishing second in the AL MVP balloting. After hitting .328 with 38 homers in 2010 Cabrera has put his demons to one side and lit up Spring ball with a .324 average and 4 long balls.

Top Prospect- Jacob Turner RHP. Turner is a power pitcher with both a two and four-seam fastball, both of which reside in the mid-90’s. In 2009 his $4.7 million bonus set a record for a high school pitcher, a record since broken. While Turner won’t reach the Major Leagues at quite the rate Rick Porcello did he has a far higher ceiling for when he does arrive.

Win Total- 80. Slightly worse than 2010 but in a very strong division, I can’t see any way for the Tigers to pass the Twins and White Sox but they will still be a very competitive team.

Cleveland Indians

The Indians have come a long way since their last division championship in 2007, unfortunately they have travelled a long way in the wrong direction. After trading away CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee in 2008 and 2009 the Indians almost permanently hoisted the white flag over Progressive Field. Luckily the Indians are the first of the two bottom dwellers in the AL Central that has a very bright future. Any success the Indians have in 2011 will depend on Matt Laporta establishing himself as a genuine Major Leaguer and Carlos Santana progressing into the star he is set to be. The Tribes lack of top quality pitching will only become more obvious as the season goes on.

Star- Shin Soo Choo. While it may be one of the Indians top prospects taking this spot very soon 2011 is still Choo’s time in Cleveland. Quietly he is one of the most consistently productive players in baseball, he is coming off the back of back-to-back .300 average 20 home run and 20 stolen base seasons.

Top Prospect- Lonnie Chisenhall 3B. Since being drafted in 2008 Chisenhall has done one thing and one thing only in the Indians farm: hit. Whilst he only has average defense and range in the field Chisenhall’s bat allows any deficiency to be overlooked. Chisenhall mashed in 12 spring training games, hitting a round .500 with 2 home runs expect him to be in the Majors as soon as his service time clock runs out.

Win Total- 67. Perhaps a tiny bit high for the Indians but this is a slightly worse Indians team than in 2010, it may be the last of the Tribes bad teams if all their young talent plays out in the big leagues.

Kansas City Royals

If the Indians are excited for the future the Royals must be in uncontrollable ecstasy. For the first time in the recent past Royals fans can see the light at the end of the tunnel, while they will start the season with Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francouer in the outfield it could be the last season for a long time the Royals are irrelevant. Unfortunately while the future is very bright they will have to get through 2011 to get to it, after winning 67 games last year this year could be worse for a very poor Major League roster. The most worrying part is the pitching rotation that is far and away the worst in the AL if not all of baseball, it is possibly the only rotation that won’t have a single ERA under 4.00.

Star- Billy Butler. Butler begins 2011 as a 24-year-old with three full years of Major League experience, a .299 career average and 55 career homers. He is coming off a career best year in which he hit .318 with a .388 OBP and 15 round trippers. One of the least recognised players in baseball.

Top Prospect- Eric Hosmer 1B. One of the most hyped prospects in recent years Hosmer is a power hitting first baseman who profiles as the Royals long term three hole hitter. His advanced approach has been compared to Joey Votto’s and, at only 21 years of age, Hosmer has plenty of time to develop into the kind of player Royals fans have dreamed of. The Royals farm system is ranked the best in baseball by Baseball America and they will start the season with all of their top-10 prospects 22-yers-old or under.

Win Total- 65. The 2011 Royals will be exactly what the 2010 Royals were: uninspiring, uncompetitive and plain uninteresting. It will be the last time for a long time.

NL Central

Cincinnati Reds

The defending NL Central champions return one year older and one year better. While they were throttled by the Phillies in the postseason it was just a success for the Reds to get into the play-offs after several years outside. With Joey Votto winning the NL MVP the Reds have put together a team that perfectly mixes young home grown players, like Votto and Jay Bruce, with wily productive veteran, see Scott Rolen and Brandon Phillips. The pitching staff would be the jewel of almost any other teams crown but for the Reds it is almost somewhat of an afterthought despite the presence of Bronson Arroyo and the emergence of Jonny Cueto, Mike Leake and Edison Volquez. The Reds will be one of the most exciting teams in baseball this season because of their young talent both on the mound and at the plate.

Star- Joey Votto. It’s impossible to look past Votto coming off the back of his incredibly successful 2010 season. He had career highs in average, home runs, the obsolete stat of RBI, walks and OBP at an obscene .424 mark. Whilst it is difficult to see anything other than regression from Votto he will still be one of the top 10 hitters in National League.

Top Prospect- Aroldis Chapman LHP. Chapman very possibly already has the best fastball in the major league, obliterating speed guns at any Major League park he visited. After signing a six-year, $30.25 million contract the Reds expected an awful lot of Chapman and in 15 big league games he delivered, including the fastest pitch ever recorded in Major League history at 105.1 mph on September 24^th.

Win Total- 90. An improved division is the main reason the Reds drop one win from their 2010 total, I still expect them to collect another postseason berth and potentially go much deeper into October.

St Louis Cardinals

With the ominous spectre of the Albert Pujols contract situation hanging over the Cardinals 2011 season they will either do as they have through Spring Training and ignore it or, more worryingly, be crushed under the weight of Prince Albert’s impending future. They have plenty other good players to be distracted by the Pujols situation but the injury to Adam Wainwright that will cost him all of 2011 will do more damage than any contract negotiations.

Star- Albert Pujols. Despite the lack of a long-term deal going into the season Pujols is still the best player in the game. In 2010 he completed his tenth straight season of hitting over .300 with 30 plus home runs, 100 plus RBI’s and an over .390 OBP. He will be all kinds of beastly all over again.

Top Prospect- Shelby Miller RHP. Miller began building himself a mythology as a 19-year-old in his second pro season, for a low-Class A Quad Cities play-off game Miller promised a shutout before pitching seven scoreless innings that included a career high 13 strikeouts. Miller has three potentially plus-pitches including a mid-nineties fastball that some scouts believe is ready for the Major League today. He could be in St Louis as early as 2012.

Win Total- 86. Despite the loss of Adam Wainwright the introduction of Kyle McClellan into the rotation should solidify it for the Red Birds to match their total from 2010. Expect to see the Cardinals attempt to acquire a starting pitcher at some point, McClellan’s career high in innings pitched is 75.2, something to keep your eye on.

Milwaukee Brewers

The acquisitions of Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum to add to a rotation already including Yovani Gallardo seemed to transfer the Brewers from middling to contending almost overnight. Despite Greinke beginning the year injured he should return by the end of April and provide the Crew with an early season boost. This will also likely be Prince Fielders last season in Wisconsin and, if the Brewers are out of contention come July don’t expect to see him finish the season in a Milwaukee jersey.

Star- For once the Brewers have plenty of individuals to choose from and it really is the collective starting rotation that should star for the Crew. Both Greinke and Marcum are switching from the American to National league, expect to see their numbers make the necessary adjustment.

Top Prospect- Jake Odorizzi RHP. Odorizzi is the top of a farm system rated the worst in all of baseball. A very pitcher heavy top ten prospect list is lead by the 6-2 righty who was drafted in 2008. An extremely poised 21-year-old Odorizzi will begin the year at High-A as a 21-year-old, the Brewers won’t rush him and will probably keep him in AA should he be promoted.

Win Total-85. Despite the huge improvement it’s impossible to envision the Brewers ousting both the Reds and Cardinals at the top of the NL Central. Their four and five starters don’t match up well with their division opponents and that may be the difference between third and first in a very tight division.

Houston Astros

The Astros were one of the least inspiring teams of 2010 suffering through poor contracts, injuries and Minute Maid Park. Unfortunately nothing has changed with the calendar. The Astros ended the season with some nice young pieces including corner infielders Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace. Michael Bourn remained one of the best center fielders in baseball who, despite finishing with a .265 average and .341 OBP, finished with 52 stolen bases while being caught only 12 times. J.A Happ was also effective when he arrived as the centrepiece of the Roy Oswalt trade to Philadelphia.

Star- Hunter Pence. Pence is really only the star because there were so few options, he has both power and speed could well be in line for his first 20-20 season.

Top Prospect- Jordan Lyles RHP. Lyles profiles as a number 3 starter as he lacks a power fastball, sitting between 88-93. It is his slider and change-up that are true plus pitches grading at 60 and 70 on the 20-80 scale respectively. Despite not winning a job out of Spring Training expect to see Lyles in an Astros uniform before the end of 2011.

Win Total- 71. For all the reasons last year was a disappointment expect this one to be even more so. Another poor farm system indicates that, unless the Astros look to deal Wandy Rodriguez and/or Michael Bourn, this may be exactly who the Astros are for the foreseeable future.

Chicago Cubs

One of the most enigmatic clubs in all of baseball the Cubs seem to be stuck in a funk that is much more about the 2000’s and much less about anything that happened in the 1920’s or 40’s. The Cubs have gone hard to improve on a poor 75 win season in 2010 that also included the unexpected and emotional retirement of manager Lou Pinella. 2011 will be Mike Quade’s first season as Cubs manager and he has been handed a potentially excellent rotation, the returns of Ryan Dempster and a seemingly stable Carlos Zambrano as well as the acquisition of Matt Garza give the Cubs three proven Major League Starters. Combined with Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner the rotation alone makes the Cubs an intriguing club in the NL Central.

Star- Starlin Castro. A little bit of a left field choice but Castro was amazing as a 20-year-old rookie, hitting .300 in 125 games he was one of the few bright spots for the North Siders. Expect to see him establish himself further at the big league level as one of the premier hitting and fielding shortstops.

Top Prospect- Brett Jackson OF. With the trade of Chris Archer to the Rays in exchange for Matt Garza it is the speedy outfielder who becomes Chicago’s defacto top prospect. Jackson profiles as a highly efficient Major League centerfielder with above average speed and decent defensive skills. The Cubs are confident Jackson will have a permanent role in their team in 2012 but hope it may be earlier.

Win Total- 78. Only a slight improvement for the Cubs but what I see out of them is a set-up season. This should be a transition year as Quade builds a team in his image, there will undoubtedly be some issues to be eased out in the process.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Where to begin with the poor Pittsburgh Pirates. Whilst being regarded as one of the worst teams if not the worst they have done little to rebuild through the draft and trades like Kansas City and have taken root as the miniscule-budget losing franchise. Especially painful for Pirates fans is seeing the success their cross-State rival Phillies have had while the Pirates front office and ownership have scuffled and failed to significantly improve their team. The introductions of Neil Walker, Jose Tabata and Pedro Alvarez gave the Pirates fans something to turn up to PNC Park for.

Star- Andrew McCutchen. The highlight reel centerfielder has really taken over the role of Mr Pirate since his debut in 2009. In both of his Major League seasons he has hit .286 with a combined 28 home runs and 55 stolen bases. While his numbers aren’t eye popping at least they are consistant.

Top Prospect- Jameson Taillon RHP. The 2010 number 2 overall pick profiles as a Josh Beckett like front of the rotation starter. At 6-5, 223 pounds it is unlikely that Taillon will add much physically but will likely fill out, he still has a lot to learn about the game and pitching, he already flashes three potentially plus pitches including a 93-97 mph fastball. The Pirates are in no rush with Taillon wanting to make sure they get every dime out of their $6.5 million bonus they paid him at the August 16^th deadline.

Win Total- 60. I have the Pirates slightly better than last year mainly because I don’t see how they can be any worse. Baseball fans can only hope that the morbid feeling hanging around the Pirates doesn’t infect their promising young players.

Major League Major Preview: The West.

With the baseball season almost upon us it’s time to begin the over excited speculation and begin to look at the season ahead that holds so many hopes for so many teams, players, fans and businessmen. This is perhaps one of those big projects I occasionally embark on that envelops me in a storm of sandwiches, sleep and Wikipedia induced inaccuracy but I hope that it will be somewhat more interesting than some of my previous ambitious attempts. So let me lay out exactly what I intend to do, over the next three days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) I’ll preview all thirty MLB teams, not in as much depth as I would like but I’ll do my best, looking at stars, prospects and a projected win total. The total number of wins in a major league season is 2430 and my initial estimates were about 100 wins too high, I have since fiddled and an down to 30 too high but I don’t want to play too much so I’ll just let those 30 wins shake out over the course of the season. Hopefully I’m able to make this a good read and something interesting for baseball fans both avid and fair-weather. I’ll do two divisions a day one NL and one AL and to go against the grain a little bit let’s start with the Western divisions.

NL West

The NL West is the home of the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants as well as the ultra competitive Colorado Rockies, the 2010 Cinderella San Diego Padres and the enigmatic Los Angeles Dodgers who have had their legs removed from under them by the McCourt divorce enveloping the club. It is still one of the more competitive divisions in baseball one in which all four teams won over eighty games last season and could have had two teams in the 2010 postseason had it not been for the remarkable Padres meltdown. Now, on to the teams:

San Francisco Giants

It’s only right and proper to begin with the defending champs and the Giants were one of the least likely champions in recent memory. The 2010 team was built on its dominant pitching staff headed by Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain whilst being reinforced by the arrival of the organisations number 2 prospect Madison Bumgarner on June 26^th. The Giant pitching staff led all of baseball with a 3.36 ERA whilst also having the league lead in strikeouts and the joint fourth most complete games. The hitting came from all a strange collection of players with the Giants deeply indebted to Rookie of the Year Buster Posey, who didn’t make his big league debut until May 29^th, and waiver wire pick up Cody Ross. Posey batted .288 in the postseason while Ross hit .294 with 5 home runs.

Star-Tim Lincecum remains the face of the franchise despite a relative down year in which he posted a 3.43 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, both highs in a full season for Lincecum. His position is being challenged by the young catching upstart Posey who stole the show in 2010 with his outstanding rookie campaign and profiles as a potential Joe Maur type in the Bay Area.

Top Prospect-Brandon Belt 1B, Belt is regarded as the Giants top prospect and has impressed this spring hitting .306 with 3 home runs. He is a pure hitting prospect with average power and a potential Gold Glove defender at First Base but has also been athletic enough to spend time at the corner outfield positions. The lack of major league depth at first base could lead to Belt arriving at the big league level sooner rather than later, his talent suggests that he will have a Posey like impact when he does arrive.

Win Total: 93. The Giants won 92 games in 2010 and if anything are stronger with Posey and Bumgarner spending the full year in the majors, despite the improvements I can’t see where they will get many extra wins from.

San Diego Padres

The team that surprised most in 2010 is set for a slight regression in 2011 thanks mainly to the departure of the Padres premier offensive producer in first baseman Adrian Gonzalez who is now with the Boston Red Sox. The pitching is still stellar with a staff that finished second in the majors in ERA with a sparkling 3.39 mark with 20 shutouts. The infield is improved defensively with the arrivals of Jason Bartlett and Orlando Hudson while the pitching rotation remains strong with Mat Latos beginning his second full season and number 6 prospect Cory Luebke beginning his first full season in the majors.

Star-If there is one thing the Friars lack it is a genuine face of the franchise, if anything closer Heath Bell will fill the void left by Gonzalez but don’t expect Bell to willingly take the star role.

Top Prospect-Casey Kelly RHP, Kelly was acquired in the Adrian Gonzalez trade, Kelly has three plus pitched and above-average command while still being at least a year away from the majors. Kelly struggled at AA in the Red Sox farm system last year and will be looking to bounce back in 2011.

Win Total: 85. After winning 90 games last year it’s difficult to see the Padres bettering that total with a weaker offensive team. They should find it difficult to compete with both the Rockies and Giants.

Colorado Rockies

Despite an MVP calibre season from left fielder Carlos Gonzalez the Rockies failed to meet expectations in 2010 and didn’t get a full season from shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who showed superhuman strength in the final month of the season, he hit 15 home runs in September. The Rockies enter the season with a young team led by Tulo and CarGo along with potential Cy Young contender Ubaldo Jimenez leading a rotation that also include Jorge De La Rosa and Jhoulys Chacin.

Star-It’s a three way tie for star status in Denver with Tulowitzki, Gonzalez and Jimenez all making claims to being the franchise face but, mainly due to his MVP type season last year, Carlos Gonzalez is currently the man for the Rockies.

Top Prospect-Tyler Matzek LHP, He has the potential to be a genuine front line starter but is still young, not turning 21 until October and yet to pitch a full pro season. Matzek will begin the season at High-Class A with the potential to be with the Rockies as a 2012 late season call-up.

Win Total-91. An eight game improvement on 2010 reflects a full season of Tulowitzki as well as a settled rotation and the departure of some of the deadwood (Barmes and Hawpe to name two), the Rockies should hit and pitch themselves to the edge of the play-offs.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers have unfortunately become somewhat of a soap opera thanks to the divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt, the teams principal owners. Due to fighting over club ownership and funds in the organisation the Dodgers have had to stand pat in the free agent market as well as any long term contracts. Despite this they still have a core of young talent that should carry the team to a least occasional competitiveness; this core is lead by outfielders Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp along with first baseman James Loney and pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley. There is no questioning their talent physically, for the Dodgers it is all mental.

Star-Whilst it should be either Ethier or Loney both were underwhelming in 2010 that left the door wide open for Clayton Kershaw to establish himself as the Dodgers main man for now and the foreseeable future.

Top Prospect-Dee Gordon SS, Gordon is a speedy shortstop with plus defense and potentially plus hitting although he has little to no power. Gordon has compiled a .297 average in three minor league seasons; he has already compiled 144 stolen bases and is set for plenty more when he truly learns to pick his spots. Gordon should arrive in the Majors in September at the latest.

Win Total: 80. I don’t see how the Dodgers, in Don Mattingly’s first season as a Major League manager, can manufacture a season better than last year and it could be a couple of years to see the Dodgers bouncing back as a true power thanks to the damage done to the organisation by the divorce.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The only team in the division who should really struggle this year and appear to be at the beginning of a very long road back to the glory they tasted back in 2001. Despite a wealth of young talent at the big league level the Diamondbacks lack the one thing that the other teams in their division have: pitching. Dan Hudson was very good when he came over in the Edwin Jackson trade pitching to a 1.69 ERA in the 11 starts he made for Arizona but, after Hudson, there isn’t a lot to get excited about. Some people still have hope for Ian Kennedy but he is a fly ball pitcher in a home run park, Joe Saunders was mildly effective after arriving in the desert from the Angels but is a number three starter at best. The rest of the staff will be made up of two of Barry Enright, Armando Galarraga, Zach Duke or Aaron Heilman. The hitting will rely on whether Justin Upton can bounce back to 2009 form after a down year.

Star- Upton is the only real All-Star talent on a middling team and even he struggled last year, hitting only .273, but still came close to another 20-20 season as he hit 17 home runs and 18 stolen bases. If Upton struggles again then Hudson has the potential to be a classic small market star.

Top Prospect- Jarrod Parker RHP, After sitting out all of 2010 thanks to Tommy John surgery Parker is set to restart a career loaded with potential. Despite a relatively small frame, 6-1,180lbs, Parker has a good mid-90’s fastball with a plus slider that Baseball America graded as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Thanks to the weak pitching in the big leagues Parker might not have to wait long for a Diamondbacks debut.

Win Total-65. The Diamondbacks are still in the early rebuilding stages and will be relying on new GM Kevin Towers to draft and deal well to put this team in position to win in the future. Unfortunately this is exactly the same team that lost 97 games in 2010, I don’t see any way they don’t do that again.

AL West

The division that provided the other World Series contender is also situated west of the Mississppi River with the Texas Rangers providing a similar surge to the Pennant as the Giants did in the NL. Whilst the Angels and Athletics won 80 and 81 games respectively they were never really in contention for a play-off berth while the Mariners were a trendy pick they didn’t get star offseason acquisition Cliff Lee on the field until April 30^th and were never in contention thanks to some awful hitting before further facilitating the Rangers success when they sent Lee to Arlington with a bow attached. With the improvements that A’s made and the solidifying that took place in Texas this should be an intriguing divisional race.

Texas Rangers

Coming off their first ever World Series appearance the Rangers have solidified an already solid roster without really doing any strengthening. They were blindsided by Cliff Lee’s stealth signing with the Phillies and rocked a couple of months later when franchise stalwart Michael Young announced he wanted to be traded. Whilst the Rangers management somewhat bungled the handling of Young they still go in to Opening Day with the eleven year veteran as the most expensive bench player in baseball. They have also been struck by a rash of pitching injuries with Scott Feldman, Brandon Webb and Tommy Hunter all starting the season on the DL and the Rangers racing to stretch out Alexi Ogando after deciding to keep Neftali Feliz in the bullpen.

Star- Josh Hamilton. Without doubt the AL MVP is the current face of this Rangers franchise and seems to finally have achieved the potential he has always shown. While Hamilton’s 2010 BABIP suggests he will regress somewhat in 2011 he should still produce at an elite level.

Top Prospect- Martin Perez LHP. Perez features a 91-95 mph fastball which has good sink; he also features a deceptive change-up and sharp curveball giving him potentially three plus pitches. Despite struggling in 2010 Texas still sees Perez as a frontline starter who will see time at Triple-A as a 20-year-old.

Win Total-88. A slight regression from last year but with a slightly weaker pitching staff it is difficult to see how the Rangers can win any more games than 2010 in an improved AL. A lot will depend on a potentially unreliable bullpen.

Oakland Athletics

A young Oakland team still managed to compile a .500 record despite having to suffer through 20 Ben Sheets that saw the veteran pitcher go 4-9 with a 4.09 ERA. The bright spots were the other members of the pitching rotation highlighted by Dallas Braden’s perfect game on May 9^th. Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson will be a year further along in their developing and Gio Gonzalez has the potential to be a true ace. The additions of Hideki Matsui, Josh Willingham and David DeJesus improve an offense that that was almost dead middle in both average and OBP in MLB rankings. Closer Andrew Bailey will start the year on the DL but should not affect the team too negatively.

Star-As seems to be the theme with the A’s lately there is no real star on this team but plenty of star potential. Anderson, Cahill and Gonzalez all have the potential to be elite pitchers and should take a step forward in 2011.

Top Prospect- Grant Green SS. Green heads up a relatively weak farm system (ranking 28 in BA’s organisational rankings) but is quite a prospect. While his defense is somewhat of question, he led the High-A Cal League shortstops in errors, but has a great bat. In two seasons at High-A he has compiled a .317 average in 136 games and continues to work with A’s coaches to pull the ball more and use his legs. He should arrive in the Majors in 2012.

Win Total-91. While the Rangers lose a couple of games because of the questions surrounding their pitching the A’s pick up 10 on the strength of theirs. Potentially the best rotation in the American League the additions Oakland made to the line-up should carry them to their first division title since 2006.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Angels disappointed in 2010 finishing under .500 despite having what seemed a very competitive team. The Angels haven’t changed much since last year and should be roughly the same team. Despite rumours they were interested in both Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford the Angels were never really in the hunt for either free agent and settled instead for the addition of Vernon Wells and his albatross contract. The Halos should benefit from full seasons of Dan Haren and Kendrys Morales but don’t seem strong enough to hang with the Rangers or A’s and seem built to be a .500 team in a very winnable division.

Star- Tory Hunter. Hunter isn’t exactly the huge star Lee or Crawford would have been but he has made this team his own thanks more to his personality than his on-field achievements. It may be a couple of years before the Angels true star arrives in LA.

Top Prospect- Mike Trout CF. Rated as the top prospect in all of baseball Trout should have the Angels fans flocking to Anaheim for years to come. A hitter of the highest calibre Trout also plays outstanding center field and grades at an 80 on the 20-80 scale. While he doesn’t have elite power Trout offers far more than that with genuine All-Star ability.

Win Total- 82. The Angels are what they are and were. Without any major additions to the team it is difficult to see them improving much on the 2010 season. An average 2011 should pave the way for a strong 2012 as the first of their top prospects pave the way for Trout’s arrival.

Seattle Mariners

The soap-opera that occasionally enveloped the Mariners clubhouse did a good job of hiding what a horrible team Seattle was putting on the field in 2010. Felix Hernandez aside no one on the Mariners performed at anywhere close to Major League average and the season displayed that. Ranking last in the Majors in batting average and OBP they were only saved complete humiliation by a pitching staff that produced a 3.93 ERA. 2011 doesn’t project much better for Seattle despite the fact King Felix may win another Cy Young the team is heading towards another 100 losses.

Star- Felix Hernanadez. King Felix established himself as the best pitcher in the American League at the ripe old age of 23. He led the American League in ERA and quality starts and ranked second in WHIP and complete games. The scary thing for AL hitters is that he should only get better. Ichiro remains a star stuck on a bad team and I could watch Franklin Gutierrez play center all day long.

Top Prospect- Dustin Ackley 2B. Ackley struggled in his first pro season thanks mainly to the adjustment he made to playing at second base for the first time. Despite this he is still considered one of the most polished hitter to be drafted in quite some time. The Mariners are warming the second base job for the 23-year-old who could one of the team’s best hitters if he was in the line-up tomorrow. He will however spend the first part of the season at AAA.

Win Total- 60. It is impossible to see where the Mariners would find enough offense to improve on last year and could in fact lose an extra game thanks to a weaker pitching staff. Expect Ichiro and Felix to put up monster numbers on a horrible team.

The Price of Uggla

When the Braves acquired Dan Uggla from the Marlins in December people in both the media and baseball celebrated the move as a crucial addition that could put the Braves over the top and potentially reclaim the NL East crown. When the organisation signed the slugger to a five year $62 million contract in January it was accepted that the move would prove beneficial for the Braves, even though Uggla will be a 36-year-old slugging middle infielder by the time his deal expires. The move to get Uggla from the Marlins was inspired, even more so when you consider that all the Braves gave up was a utility infielder and average major league relief pitcher. Over the last five years Uggla has been the most productive second baseman in the Major Leagues hitting 154 home runs with under 30 homers only once, and that was in his rookie year. But his power is really Uggla’s only plus skill; he is the owner of a career .263 batting average with a 349 on base percentage with practically no speed and well documented defensive frailties. So what will Uggla offer over the next five years in Atlanta?

Well you only have to look at his statistical splits to see that Dan has been very successful in the 181 at-bats he has had in Turner Field across his career, hitting .354 with 12 home runs and 16 doubles, number that suggest Ugglas power plays well in the generally pitcher friendly confines of the Ted. As I have already mentioned he will be 36 at the conclusion of the contract, hardly when you’d be expecting someone to be matching his peak production. It’s difficult to predict how Uggla will age given the rarity of power hitting second basemen in the sport and, when you add in his powerful frame it’s almost impossible to project any physical problems he may encounter. If he does stay healthy however there is one figure from the fairly recent past who could give some indication of Ugglas career path. Jeff Kent had been in the big leagues 3 years longer than Dan Uggla when Kent turned 31 in 1999 playing in San Francisco and, like Uggla, coming off the most successful year of his career. In his first eight big league seasons Kent hit 138 home runs and had just made his first All-Star team but was yet to win a silver slugger despite ranking second in home runs amongst second basemen from 1994-1998. Kent began his 31 year-old season as a member of the Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants and as the Majors premier power hitting second baseman with competition coming from only Criag Biggio. Over the next five years of his career, from 1999-2003 Kent hit another 115 home runs, leading all second basemen by a wide margin whilst also ranking second in walks. The five year period also coincided with the four highest averages of his career as he hit .290 in 1999, .334 in 2000, .298 in 2001, .313 in 2002 and .297 in 2003.

For the first eight years of his career Kent used his plus power to separate him as an elite second baseman, much like Dan Uggla has, before improving both his average and on base percentage from his 31-year old season through 36 years. If Uggla can continue the improvements in average and on base skills then, like Jeff Kent, he can continue producing at an All-Star level for the duration of his deal. It’s worth noting that Kent didn’t make his first All-Star team until 1999 and didn’t win a silver slugger until 2000, Uggla already has won his first silver slugger and has two All-Star appearances (although I’m sure Uggla wishes it was still only one). The most important thing for a player like Uggla is to stay healthy, especially in his upper body, to maintain the natural power that his strong frame had. The protection that the bats of McCann, Chipper and Heyward provide will give Uggla plenty more hittable pitches than he saw in the relatively light Marlins line-up, and he should hit them out more than in the cavernous Sun-Fin-Life-Fish stadium down in Miami. Just a little bit of trivia to finish up, does anyone know the last time a Braves player hit 30 home runs?

Time up: Andruw Jones & Adam LaRoche both did it in 2006.

Changing the Mechanics

With the warm glow of the Florida sun shining on baseball players from every organisation I have come to somewhat of a realisation and decision; I love baseball indiscriminately, ravenously and unquestionably and, because of this, I will be focusing this blog almost exclusively on baseball with a strong Atlanta Braves tilt for the foreseeable future, it's what crave and think about for a large portion of my day. I hope it still enjoyable and that you still read, I will still comment on the Thrashers and Hawks in any major event for those two franchises. Until later, Play Ball!

The Tradability Scale

This is the first time I have tried something like this so it may be somewhat hit and miss. I set out with the intention of creating a Braves ‘No-Trade’ List basically the Braves that simply could not be traded because of importance to the team, contract or potential. I have ended up with the 15 least tradeable Braves in my opinion (which is crucial), for each I’ll give a brief overview of their numbers, any interesting additional information and then my reasoning for their position. I hope you enjoy and that my opinion will cause some debate or interest. So without further ado the first ever ‘Braves Tradability Scale’

1. Brian McCann, Catcher

McCann has been a key contributor to the Braves since his promotion to the team in 2005 when in 59 games Mac hit .278 with 5 homers, the first in his second Major League game and one more memorable one in his first play-off at-bat off Roger Clemens. In 2005 Brian also became John Smoltz’s personal catcher, a year Smoltz went 14-7 with a 3.06 ERA. In his five full big league seasons Mac has been an All-Star in all 5 including an All-Star MVP award for his three RBI appearance in the NL’s 3-1 victory in 2010, its first since 1996. McCann has a career batting average of .289 with a .360 OBP and 112 career home runs. Oh yeah, he only just turned 27. I have Heap at number one because of all the reasons I mentioned in the intro; he is the most important player on the team for both his hitting and his leadership, he is under contract for two more years for a combined $15 million with a £12 million option for 2013 and projects to hit at least .280 with 20 home runs for maybe the next five years. In short Mac is to the Braves what Jason Varitek is to the Red Sox, only better.

2. Jason Heyward, Outfielder

It was tempting to have Heyward at the top spot of this list but Heap has five years of consistent production on J-Hey who has only just completed an inconsistent rookie campaign. Like McCann Heyward began his career with a loud bang when he crushed Carlos Zambrano’s inside fastball over Turner Field’s right field wall on Opening Day. It seemed pre-ordained that Heyward would be a star and, for the majority of 2010, he was ending up with rookie numbers of .277/.393/.456 and 18 home runs. Heyward signed a one year $496,500 contract in the off season which, whilst it is still the highest number given to a Braves player with only one year’s service, should prove to be a bargain for the Braves if Heyward produces the way he is predicted to. In Heyward the Braves could well have the next baseball superstar knowing he will be very affordable for maybe the next three years. Keeping Heyward locked up proves the Braves commitment to winning and he should be the basis of a competitive team for the next decade.

3. Dan Uggla, Second Base

There are two reasons that the teams new second baseman is so high on this list; he is new and his brand new contract. Uggla arrived in the trade with the Marlins that sent utility man Omar Infante and lefty reliever Mike Dunn after being one of the most productive power hitting right handed hitters in the game. In five big league seasons Uggla has hit 154 home runs, hitting less than 30 only once that was in his rookie season when he hit 27. The contract Uggla signed with the Braves will tie him to the organisation for its duration after his was signed for five years at $62 million dollars, making him the highest paid second baseman in baseball. The last two years of the contract may prove to be a gamble for the Braves but the front office will be hoping that Dan maintains his power output and fills the power hitting role the Braves need in the middle of the line-up.

4. Julio Teheran, Pitcher

Is it realistic to have someone who is still to throw a pitch above AA ball as one of the least tradable players in the organisation? In the case of Julio Teheran yes it is. The 20-year-old Colombian is rated as one of the best prospects in all of baseball and in many places the best pitching prospect and regularly draws comparisons to a young Pedro Martinez. He pitched at three levels of Minor League ball in 2010, starting the year in Single-A Rome before moving up to High-A Myrtle Beach and finally AA Mississippi. Across those levels he pitched 142.2 innings to a 2.59 ERA with 159 strikeouts and finishing with a 3.38 ERA in seven starts at AA. Teheran projects to be a number one starter at the major league level and continues making good impressions on every individual in the organisation. We have already seen what happens when you give up a pitcher like Neftali Feliz which should be a warning against even entertaining the idea of giving up Teheran.

5. Tommy Hanson, Pitcher

It was pretty tough choosing between Hanson and Teheran for the four and five slots on this list and really I only chose Teheran because of the hype surrounding him at the moment. If each career plays out as is expected Teheran should be pitching behind Hanson in the Braves rotation for the next ten years. In his one and a half years in the big leagues Tommy has put up an incredible 3.16 ERA while pitching 330.1 innings over the past two years since he replaced Tom Glavine on the Braves roster. The young Californian has also proved himself to be the biggest of big game pitchers shutting out the Yankees and Red Sox in back-to-back starts in his rookie season before putting up a 2.04 ERA in six September starts. In the 55 career starts made by Hanson so far he has proven that he can be one of the best starters in Major League baseball even appearing to be pitching slightly cleverly this spring than before when Tommy seemed reliant on his fastball to get him out of trouble. Again Hanson is another young Brave under control for the next couple of years at a very affordable price who could be a backbone of the team for the rest of the decade.

6. Martin Prado, Left Field

I may have Martin significantly higher than other fans or experts but this was a man that was the team’s MVP last season and then, in the offseason, moved to an unfamiliar position to accommodate a new player because it was the best thing for the team. Amongst other reasons for making Prado so untouchable is the fact he is a pure hitter, doesn’t have outstanding power, speed or on base ability he just hits and hits. In the three seasons that Martin has had over 500 plate appearances he has hit over .300 in each of those years posting a .320 average in 2008 and then .307 in both 2009 and 2010. It seems almost a certainty that he will start the season batting lead-off a position that saw Prado hit over .320 before moving to third in the order after Chipper Jones was injured. Throw in the fact the Prado is still only 27 and keeps himself in remarkable shape he should be hitting at the top of the line-up for the next few years. Comparisons have been made to Placido Polanco but I can also see some Nomar Garciaparra in his consistent ability to hit, with the youth of Heyward and Freeman Prado is the Braves best bet as a batting champ for maybe the next two years at least. How could you part with a piece like that?

7.Freddie Freeman, First Base

This was again a young man I had trouble slotting into the list, it didn’t seem right to have him any higher than seventh but anything lower seemed to somehow be ignoring his immense potential, especially given where I have ranked Teheran. Freeman is much more like Prado than his roommate and friend Heyward as far as hitting ability goes, he does not have a huge power swing but makes hitting look ridiculously easy. The home run that Freddie hit off of Cy Young winning Roy Halladay at the end of last season was more the exception than the rule given his swing. His ability to hit doubles was highlighted in the three doubles Freeman collected in his spring debut this month but, with the acquisition of Uggla, the need for Freeman to be a power hitter is somewhat lessened. What the Braves will look for Freeman to do is play the slick defence he has already exhibited and hit the way he has in the minors. Whilst there is a group of five or six elite first basemen in the game Freeman does not profile as a similar hitter the Pujols’ and Gonzalez’s of the world and the Braves won’t ask him to be that, but he is right up there in the second group of hitting first basemen after that and should have a long and productive career in one of the tougher positions to fill. Like Heyward he will be inexpensive for quite a while giving the Braves no reason to think losing Freeman could be a good think.

8. Chipper Jones, Third Base

Before I get into Chipper let’s just make sure we’re talking about the same player, this is the Chipper who hit .264 and .265 the last two seasons and is coming off major knee reconstruction, NOT the Chipper that won the batting title in 2008 and had 25-30 home run power. If we think back a lot of people, Chipper included, were convincing themselves that 2010 could be Jones’ last season in baseball as recently as June but, in large part thanks to hitting .400 in the month of August before his injury and also due to his incredible competitiveness, he decided to come back for another year. The perception of who Chipper Jones is will be shaped in the first month of the season and could well decide how much longer his career goes on. Chippers contract could well have seen him higher up the list but it seems safe to say that the contract or anything else would influence the Braves into trading Chipper, instead his iconic status in the organisation and importance to everything Braves means that while Chipper isn’t the least tradable Braves he is the most unlikely.

9. Jair Jurrjens, Pitcher

This may be more personal preference than actual fact given some of the rumours in the offseason but if we can ignore the injury plagued 2010 Jair is one of the top young starters in the game. It gets lost a little that JJ is still only 25 and has accumulated three full seasons with the Braves as well as a cup of coffee back in 2007 with the Tigers. Despite the fact that he posted a disappointing 4.64 ERA in 20 troublesome starts last season Jurrjens’ career ERA is still a respectable 3.52 mostly thanks to the sparkling 2009 JJ put together that finished with a 2.60 ERA and pitched 215 innings. Only a year ago he was being discussed as a potential Cy Young contender and now is hardly mentioned amongst the top tier of pitchers with many people unsure if 2009 or 2010 is the real Jair Jurrjens. At this point it is in the Braves best interests to keep him on board with the hope that 2009 will be what Jair turns out to be. If he can stay healthy the potential to have Hanson, Teheran and Jurrjens going back to back is scarier than anything the Phillies put together. Jurrjens was also signed to a one year contract in the winter, avoiding arbitration and signing for $3.25 million which could either prove to be a bargain or balance out with the savings made on Heyward and Freeman, either way he should prove to be a useful piece in a dangerous rotation.

10. Randall Delgado, Pitcher

Delgado is another one of the Braves incredible pitching prospects that could anchor a decade of pitching dominance for the organisation. Delgado began 2010 as slightly more advanced than Teheran, beginning the year at High-A Myrtle Beach and put up impressive numbers, a 2.76 ERA in 20 starts pitching 117.1 innings. He struggled a little after his promotion to AA putting up a 4.74 mark in 8 games which can perhaps be attributed to a young man having a tired arm more than anything else. Delgado projects to start the year where he finished the last, at AA, but if he experiences earlier success he could advance to join Teheran at AAA quite quickly. Despite lacking fanfare when he signed as a 16-year-old he has become as precocious as the more hyped Teheran and, like the Colombian, is a slender pitcher reliable on his fastball. So long as he controls his number one pitch and keeps it down he should experience success and progress quickly. He has number two pitcher stuff but could end up as the Braves number four, keeping players like Delgado in house prevents the Braves having to panic on the free agent market like they did in 2008.

Here are the final five of the list with somewhat less detail, I’ll just display their numbers and say why I ranked them.

11. Tim Hudson, Pitcher- 17-9, 2.83 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 228.2 innings pitched.

In the later years of his career the 35-year-old Alabama native should be the perfect bridge to the next generation of Teheran and Delgado. He is signed through the 2013 season.

12. Mike Minor, Pitcher- 3-2, 5.98 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 40.2 innings pitched.

The 2009 first round picks major league numbers a very deceitful given the long season Minor had already had in the minors. A 1.89 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 33.1 innings at AAA reflects Minors potential much more.

13. Arodys Vizcaino, Pitcher- 9-4, 2.74 ERA, 85.1 innings pitched.

Came to the Braves as part of the Javi Vazquez trade and became the third part of the Braves next pitching dynasty. Vizcaino actually improved with a promotion to AA posting a 2.39 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 71.2 innings and only 9 walks.

14. Edward Salcedo, Shortstop- .225 Avg/.307 OBP/.333 Slg.

Signed as a free agent the nineteen year old struggled in his first year in America. He profiles to be a powerful shortstop similar to Yunel Escobar. Braves hope to see improvement in plate discipline against the minor league pitching.

15. Craig Kimbrel, Pitcher- 4-0, 1 Save, 0.44 ERA, 20.2 innings pitched.

Kimbrel was perhaps the story of the Braves September as he struck out 21 hitters in 10.2 innings in the season final month. Should be Braves closer so long as he continues to improve in spring, could be the right handed Billy Wagner for the next ten years.

So there we go my 15 least tradable players in the Braves organisation. An honourable mention goes to Derek Lowe’s contract but I think the closing potential of Kimbrel deserved to be in the list more than Lowe’s bank account. There is a lot of pitching on that list which is good news for the Braves given the way baseball seems to be headed, the great thing is even outside of the Major Leagues the farm system is stacked with pitching and hitting meaning that the Braves do not need to trade any of these players to load the team. Hopefully you found this somewhat interesting and if you disagree I would love for you to tell me where I went wrong, in fact I encourage it.