MLB Baseball: Are the Atlanta Braves Possibly Favorites in the NL East?

The transition from the Bobby Cox era to the Fredi Gonzalez era appears to be going smoothly for the Atlanta Braves, who are currently standing first in the Grapefruit League standings at 7-2. 

Wins and losses in spring training may seem less important; however, the Braves' staggering number of runs scored, compared to the rest of the league output, is something worthy of note.

In nine games, the Braves have scored 57 runs, with the next closest team having 42 total runs.

The Braves' apparent batting success is definitely refreshing to see for fans who have contributed inconsistencies in offense to the lag behind the Phillies in the past few seasons.

Many also argue that the Phillies' batting is getting "old."

The Braves youth movement has also, seemingly, hit its stride. Freddie Freeman appears to be the future at first base for the Braves, who have not had a solidified man at that position in a few years.

Also, the re-energized batting order that will include Martin Prado, Chipper Jones, Dan Uggla and Brian McCann appears to be pretty lethal.

Health will be paramount for the Braves, who will rely on Chipper's tender condition. Fans also should enjoy a season from Jason Heyward that doesn't involve talk about this thumb.

Brian McCann is leaner, more fit and should actually have an All-Star-caliber season to follow up from last year's. His production dropped towards the end of last season, as he hit just .220 in September.

That's a microcosm of the Braves' 2010 year. They need to heat up at the right time.

If the Braves stay healthy, they should have one of the more powerful batting lineups in the NL.

The pitching staff also should be re-energized, with Jair Jurrjens returning after seeing limited action in 2010. The Braves definitely struggled in the second half of last season due to starting under developed pitching.

It's hard to find a weakness with this team's current set up, but how do they stand up with the Phillies?

That seems to be the golden question.

It's arguable that the Braves offense could very well be significantly more powerful than the Phillies; however, Philadelphia's pitching staff still might be the most imposing in MLB.

Atlanta may not be far behind, however. If Tim Hudson can continue his revived success and Derek Lowe can find his stroke, the Braves' pitching should be phenomenal. 

If the Braves pitching matches the Phillies pitching, or comes close, the Braves could very well take the division that they led for the majority of the 2010 season.

While the Phillies are packed full of veterans, their age has become a notable red flag for most pundits. Atlanta's talent might not yet be proven, but their current template definitely looks promising.

They might have the perfect combination of youthful talent and veterans that could come together to make one of the better teams the Braves have fielded in years.