Brian McCann

What an interesting opening series this has been!

The first game of the series was well played by both sides. The pitching was phenomenal and the defense was solid. 

However, some fans, including myself, were slightly uncomfortable with the offensive performance by the Braves. The lineup had only five hits and two runs, both of which are below expectations. Thankfully, Derek Lowe and the bullpen were there to bail the offense out and shut out the Nats. 

The Atlanta Braves finished the 2010 regular season with a 91-71 record, which was good enough to claim the National League Wild Card. They lost in the divisional round of the playoffs to the eventual World Series Champion San Francisco Giants in four games with every game being a one-run affair.

New manager Fredi Gonzalez replaces the legendary Bobby Cox and has a roster that should be in the playoff mix again.

Let's take a look at player-by-player projections for the 2011 Braves based on the probable Opening Day lineup.

Tier 1 – Joe Mauer

As we head toward the start of the 2011 MLB season, it’s time to start previewing the NL East.

Instead of just giving a projection for each team, I’ll rank all of the projected starters at every position, leading up to the final predictions.

The catchers are up first, and as with the division in general, the Braves and Phillies are battling for the top spot. Brian McCann and Carlos Ruiz were 1-2 in the National League in WAR for catchers this past season (and Ruiz actually had a higher wOBA), but who will perform better in 2011?

Since I first did this list, several catchers have changed teams (while the biggest name was Victor Martinez, players like John Buck, Miguel Olivo and others also packed their bags).  Let’s take a look at the impact of these moves on our rankings for the upcoming year:

As the hot stove quiets down after the major signings and trades have taken place (Cl. Lee-Phi., A. Gonzalez-Bos., C. Crawford-Bos., D. Uggla-Atl, etc.), the 2011 teams have started to take shape.  While more changes could be on the horizon, the following slides will show how I see the lineup, rotation, bench, and bullpen to look come springtime.

Begin Slideshow

As a fan of the Atlanta Braves, we have had much to complain about for the past few years.  However, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I believe we should also consider a few things that we can give thanks for as fans of this great franchise.

The fact is that 2010 was just a starting point for what should be a nice few years of success in Atlanta.  I do predict the Braves should be very competitive in 2011 and battle the Phillies again for the NL East title.  I honestly think this year the Braves should win the division as long as there are no major injuries.

It’s never too early to start looking towards Draft Day 2011, is it? 

Let’s kick off our offseason rankings taking a look at my Top 15 catchers for 2011.

Keep in mind that these will be updated throughout the offseason, depending on player movement and finalizing my projections:

As we approach the second week of the fantasy baseball playoffs and the second round of the playoff games, it’s critical to take note of those players who are white-hot and how they can help your fantasy baseball lineup from here on out.