Atlanta Braves: 5 Bold Predictions for the Team's 2011 Season

Bold Prediction 1: Mike Minor wins the fifth starting spot

The Braves are two games into their Spring Training schedule and Brandon Beachy is already yearning for a do-over.

Beachy, who is competing for the fifth and final starting spot in the Braves rotation, pitched 2 innings of Sunday’s game against the New York Mets in which he gave up two runs on three hits. Beachy threw a scoreless fifth inning before getting into a jam in the sixth, which was capped off by a David Murphy two-run double.

Mike Minor and Rodrigo Lopez, also competing for the roster spot, pitched two scoreless innings apiece. Minor, the pre-Spring Training favorite for the spot, retired all six batters that he faced without much trouble. Lopez allowed one hit and one walk.

Although it is still early in Spring Training, look for much of the same to continue throughout the next month. Minor will continue to impress, as the main question surrounding him entering camp is whether or not his arm will hold up all season, not whether or not he can pitch effectively.  Beachy will improve, but start the season in Triple-A Gwinnett. Lopez will pitch himself out of the competition in the next few weeks.

Bold Prediction 2: Craig Kimbrel is an All-Star

When closer Billy Wagner announced he would not return in 2011, questions began to surround the Braves bullpen. Late in the season, Craig Kimbrel became the front-runner for the position, but entering Spring Training, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez hinted that he plans to use Kimbrel and Jonny Venters in a dual-closer role - similar to that of Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano from years past - until one of them emerges as a dominant closer.

However, all did not start well for Kimbrel in Orlando. In his first appearance of the spring, Saturday against the Mets, Kimbrel allowed two runs, two hits and two walks, all while blowing the Braves’ 2-0 lead in the fifth inning.

Not all of the damage was Kimbrel’s fault, as utility man Brooks Conrad committed an error to prolong the inning.

Despite the early spring damage, Kimbrel will regain control of his upper-90s fastball, ultimately leading to more strikeouts and less walks for the rookie southpaw. He will be the club’s closer by early April and lead the NL in saves in time for the All-Star game.

Bold Prediction 3: Dan Uggla and Chipper Jones each surpass the 100 RBI plateau

The 2010 season saw Braves-newcomer Dan Uggla bat in 100-plus runs for the first time in his career. He had flirted with the number in each of his first four seasons in Florida before posting 105 last season.

But with his arrival in Atlanta, Uggla has guaranteed that he will bat with more runners on base. The Braves lineup is much more consistent and reliable than that of the Marlins. He will average more at-bats per game as well, consequently increasing his chances of 100-plus RBI.

Chipper Jones last batted in 100-plus runs in 2007, when he finished the season with 102 RBI. Prior to that season, Jones had had 100-plus RBI seasons, each season, from 1996-2003.

In Jones’ 95 games last season - a season shorted by injury - he finished with 46 RBI and a .265 batting average. He started off incredibly slow and even made headlines when he announced he would retire if he continued playing poorly, but he found his swing mid-season and hushed his critics.

Jones will have a big year for the Braves if he can stay healthy. In his first action of Spring Training, Jones had a hit and a take-out slide against the Mets. Jones would not have returned if he wasn’t healthy, so look for him to finish with 100-plus RBI for the first time in three seasons.

Bold Prediction 4: Freddie Freeman will win the Rookie of the Year

In the Braves’ first Spring Training game, Freeman went 3-3, hitting a double to each field.

Freeman, 21, drove the ball to right field in his first at-bat before hitting two, two-out doubles to left and center field while hitting sixth in the Braves’ lineup.

After turning heads with a long home run off of Phillies ace Roy Halladay last season, look for Freeman to embrace his role with the team and hit more than 10 home runs and drive in 70-plus runs. He will be a vital asset at the bottom of the Braves’ lineup, where they will need him to continue to hit effectively.

Bold Prediction 5: The Braves will ride Eric Hinske’s playoff streak and clinch a second consecutive postseason berth.

Hinske, who has been the postseason each of the past four seasons, has been a good luck charm for each of the four teams he’s finished the season with. The Red Sox, Rays and Yankees all made it to the World Series with Hinske on their roster and last season saw Hinske’s Braves make the postseason as well.

By re-signing Hinske, the first team able to do so since his playoff streak began, the Braves will make the playoffs thanks in part to Hinske’s strong play coming off the bench and veteran leadership skills in the clubhouse.

He has already made his presence known this spring, hitting a home run in his first game, the first of many in 2011.