Spring Training for Major League Baseball is a little under a month away. I have been waiting for it since the 2012 World Series when the San Francisco Giants battled the Detroit Tigers.
The Giants whomped on the Tigers during what I thought was going to be a competitive series. But I was wrong. Yet, when the series ended I wanted more and wanted to see the next two teams that will be battling for the Commissioner’s Trophy.
This season I feel my Atlanta Braves will be the surprise team and a threat in the
MLB. They will battle the Washington Nationals for the number one seed in the NL East and I feel they have the right players to make a push for the World Series.
About eight weeks ago they signed B.J. Upton from the Tampa Bay Rays for five years. Then a few days ago Atlanta went after his brother, Justin Upton from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a seven player trade. His contract is up in the 2015 season, which means the two brothers are with the Braves for at least three years, including this season.
Justin and B.J. are both under the age of 28 and will make up two-thirds of the Braves talented outfield. The last spot is the very young right fielder Jason Heyward (23), who recently won a Gold Glove in 2012. Their outfield is composed of speed and power.
They have a roster that has a chance to compete for the World Series. They have the slugger Dan Uggla. If he is constant all season long, without a slow start in the beginning, he can help propel the Braves young talented defense of Freddie Freeman (23) and Andrelton Simmons (23).
With a good pitching staff, the Braves will be in every game as long as their offense can score runs. Atlanta has the potential to be a 100-plus winning team with the help from Tim Hudson, Brandon Beachy and Kris Medlen. Then you have the superb closer in Craig Kimbrel who can come in and shut down the others teams offense.
This Braves team can make the 2013 playoffs and if things go their way, possibly win it all.
