Atlanta Braves: A Look into the 2012 Lineup

For most of the 2011 season, the Atlanta Braves were among the top teams in baseball. But injuries, paired with the constant struggles of a few players, seemed to catch up with them in the worst of ways.

I don't need to recap the late collapse Atlanta suffered—we've heard about it enough by now. Now it's time to turn the page and look forward to what next year may potentially look like for the Braves. 

Atlanta will be dumping a lot of salaries this offseason.  $1.2 million from George Sherrill, $7 million from Kenshin Kawakami, $2 million from Scott Linebrink, $2 million from Peter Moylan, $2.5 million from Alex Gonzalez and $6.5 million from Nate McClouth. All totaling about $22 million (assuming they don't re-sign any of these players). 

They'll also be picking up increases in salary from a number of other players that will practically offset the money they're getting rid of. 

So will they be able to make any moves? General Manager Frank Wren has already said that the 2012 team salary of about $90 million will be about the same, maybe a little higher.

With that being said, I've put together a 2012 lineup that features not a whole lot of change, but does feature a new face.

1. Michael Bourn- CF

Michael Bourn might have been the biggest pickup of the 2011 trade deadline for any team and was without a doubt the biggest pickup for Atlanta.

He'll be back in a Braves uniform for at least one more year and should have another great year hitting leadoff.

2011 Statistics: .294 BA, 2 HR, 50 RBI, .349 OBP, 61 SB

2. Marco Scutaro- SS

The shortstop position is one that the Braves need to upgrade.

While Alex Gonzalez fielded the position in a Gold Glove-caliber fashion, his bat more than struggled for a majority of the season—until he turned it on late. 

A lot of people are already turning to young prospect Tyler Pastornicky as the Braves shortstop for 2012, but I don't see it happening quite yet. There are a few reasons why.

First, Atlanta is going to sign an experienced shortstop this offseason no matter what happens.

Whether they bring back Alex Gonzalez or pick up someone else, they aren't going to let Pastornicky sit on the bench as a backup. They want him playing as much as he can.

Second, the Braves can't afford to have another .230 season from their shortstop, and with Pastornicky being as young as he is, he might not adapt so well right away.

If that was the case, they also wouldn't want him to take a step backwards by getting sent back down to the minors and having to rely on a backup.

Looking around the league at who could replace Gonzalez (if they choose to do so), Marco Scutaro seems like the ideal guy.

Scutaro's ability to field the ball well, make contact and get on base is a combination Atlanta has been missing from their recent shortstops as well as their No. 2 hitter in the lineup.

The Red Sox may allow him to explore free agency, but I would expect them to try and get something in return for him. The Braves have the prospects to make a deal, and with Scutaro turning 36 soon he seems like the perfect bridge to Pastornicky.

2011 Statistics: .299 BA, 7 HR, 54 RBI, .358 OBP

3. Freddie Freeman- 1B

Freeman proved to be what the Braves were hoping he would be—a solid major league hitter.

Freddie has nothing to worry about as far as starting at first base next year.

The real question is where will manager Fredi Gonzalez use him in the lineup? 

We saw him penciled in in a few different spots in 2011, but I think he's the perfect three-hole hitter for Chipper to pass the torch to.

Let's hope he has the same success there as the future Braves Hall of Famer had.

2011 Statistics: .282 BA, 21 HR, 76 RBI, .346 OBP

4. Dan Uggla- 2B

Dan Uggla certainly had Atlanta fans worried for much of last season before he seemingly snapped out of a season-long slump with a 33-game hitting streak.

Don't look for him to struggle again in 2012, though.

Dating back to his rookie season in 2006, Uggla's batting average seems to fluctuate from season to season; .282, .245, .260, .243, .287, .233, while his home runs stay consistently in the 30's.

If this trend continues, look for him to have an MVP-caliber year in 2012.

2011 Statistics: .233 BA, 36 HR, 86 RBI, .311 OBP

5. Brian McCann- C

2011 provided Brian McCann with another All-Star selection.

The selection was his sixth in a row, making him the only Brave to be selected an All-Star in his first six full seasons.

On July 26, McCann injured his oblique muscle while trying to throw out a baserunner.

After spending over two weeks on the disabled list, McCann hit just .203 to finish the year.

While McCann denied being restricted by his injury, you have to imagine he was bothered by it a little. 

With plenty of protection in the lineup, if the veteran catcher can get healthy this offseason, he should be on his way to another big year for Atlanta.

2011 Statistics: .270 BA, 24 HR, 71 RBI, .351 OBP

6. Chipper Jones- 3B

Chipper bounced back from a 2010 campaign that made him question retirement with a very solid year. 

The 39-year-old Jones was moved around in the lineup in 2011, something that he has not been familiar with for the majority of his career.

Chipper has already announced he will be back in 2012, but he doesn't want to discuss anything after that.

With Chipper's age and the emergence of Freddie Freeman, Jones will slide down in the lineup next year, but he's still a threat to opposing teams.

2011 Statistics: .275 BA, 18 HR, 70 RBI, .344 OBP

7. Martin Prado- LF

Prado, an All-Star in 2010, was off to a hot start in 2011 until staph infection in his right calf forced him to the disabled list. 

While many fans are worried the 2011 Prado numbers are more realistic, I'm not buying it. I think he returns as the starting left fielder and has a much improved year.

Prado is known as a hard worker, so look for him to have a big year as he tries to right his 2011 wrongs. A healthy season may even result in another All-Star selection.

Prado and Scutaro are both great options for a No. 2 hitter, but with Prado's low on-base percentage, I feel more comfortable having Scutaro start the year there.

2011 Statistics: .260 BA, 13 HR, 57 RBI, .302 OBP

8. Jason Heyward- RF

A lot of eyes will be focused in right field when spring training rolls around as well as on the Braves front office this offseason. 

Heyward, who became an immediate fan favorite in 2010, had inexplicable struggles in 2011.

Those struggles have led to GM Frank Wren to make concerning statements regarding the young Heyward's future as a starter.

"He’s going to be in a battle unless he continues to progress at a good rate. It’s not a given he’s our right fielder. We’re going to go into the offseason (keeping) in mind that we’ve got to have offensive production from right field. And we didn’t get that this year," Wren said in an interview with AJC's Dave O'Brien.

I don't think that's just a scare tactic for Heyward to work harder this offseason, but I do think we'll see him in right field for the Braves in 2011. 

If Heyward can bounce back and show he's ready to be the star player people prematurely labeled him as, he will completely change this Atlanta team.

2011 Statistics: .227 BA, 14 HR, 42 RBI, .319 OBP