Atlanta

Jason Heyward started his Major League Baseball journey on Opening Day in 2010 with a home run on his first swing—at the age of 20.

He went on to have one of the better rookie years in recent memory, including ending up with the fourth highest on-base percentage (.393) in the National League.

It is official. Football season is over, the groundhog did not see his shadow, the snowy weather has been ushered out with warmer temperatures and spring training camps are opening.

All of this can mean only one thing: Baseball season is almost here.

With the beginning of baseball season comes the start of fantasy baseball drafts. Last year, I joined a fantasy baseball league called Strat-O-Matic Baseball (for the Richmond Strat-O-Matic Baseball League...find out more on www.rsbl.org).

The Atlanta Braves have always prided themselves in having a great minor league system.

Unlike the Yankees and Red Sox, who just go out and buy other teams' players, the Braves consistently develop their young talent through their minor league teams.

Braves such as Jason Heyward, Brian McCann and Tommy Hanson are all examples of the quality training that players receive in cities such as Lawrenceville and Rome.

Last season, the Atlanta Braves became the envy of the league, when MLB.com named Jason Heyward as the top prospect in their annual listing of the Top Prospects in Major League Baseball.

Rafael Soriano, the best relief pitcher on the free-agent market this year, has reached a three-year deal with the New York Yankees worth about $35 million. The Yankees have opted for Soriano since their initial interest in Kerry Wood didn’t develop into a deal and they’re better off for it.

With the majority of the country under a snowy blanket, it is nice to think of spring training being not too far away.

This tune-up to the baseball season is normally a laid-back, low-pressure month in which fans get a closer look at their team in a comfortable, and warm, environment.

With a strong emphasis on young talent and question marks in the outfield and on the bench, the Atlanta Braves seem to be opening spring training with what may be some very strong competition.

If you had to name the three players in Major League Baseball who have been associated with the term “contract extension” over the past three or four seasons, who would you name?

In articles like this, many websites will provide readers with the best overall prospects at any given position, but the intention here is to focus on those prospects that are likely to provide the greatest fantasy impact for the 2011 season; thus, while Oakland 1B prospect Chris Carter may have some long-term potential, he won’t be on my list because he is blocked—at least in the short-term—by Daric Barton.

Ditto for Yonder Alonso in Cincinnati.

Philadelphia has just acquired another ace in Cliff Lee. The lefty has arguably been one of the best postseason pitchers of all time. Lee will be joining a rotation that already consists of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. 

The Cliff Lee signing has put together one of the greatest pitching staffs in recent memory.