The Atlanta Braves have placed 39-year old switch-hitting 3B Chipper Jones on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th due to knee surgery. Jones played in 126 games for the Braves last year and he was 125 of 455 (.275 avg, .814 OPS) with 56 runs scored, 18 homers, 70 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He has now played in 2,387 games in his first 18 years with the Braves and he is 2,615 of 8,597 (.304 avg, .935 OPS) with 1,561 runs scored, 454 homers, 1,561 RBIs and 149 stolen bases. Martin Prado will move in from LF to play 3B until Chipper Jones is ready to return to action. Eric Hinske and Matt Diaz will platoon in LF to cover for Prado. The Braves should be o.k. until Jones returns to action.

The Braves have signed 37-year old righty starting pitcher Livan Hernandez to a 1-year deal. He pitched in 29 games (28 starts) for the Nationals last year and he was 8-13 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He has now pitched in 475 games (474 starts) in his first 16 years in the majors and he is 174-176 with a 4.39 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. The initial plan is to use Hernandez as a spot starter and a long reliever.

The over/under for Braves’ wins in 2012 is 86.5. The Braves were 89-73 last year. The Braves are going to be without Tim Hudson for at least April due to a bad back. Chipper Jones has already had a knee surgery this spring, but he vows to be ready for the season opener. The Braves have a good looking pitching staff, but they are going to need Martin Prado and Jason Heyward to bounce back from rough years in 2011. The Marlins & Nationals have really improved over the winter while the Braves stood essentially pat. I would have to take the under on wins for the Braves in 2012.

Everything was looking good for 48-year old manager Fredi Gonzalez last year, at least for five months. The Braves melted down in September as they blew a huge Wild Card lead to the Cardinals. Gonzalez was 89-73 (54.9%) in his first year as the Braves’ skipper in 2011. Gonzalez now has a 365-352 (50.9%) record in his first five years in the majors. He has yet to make it to the playoffs in his managerial career. Gonzalez is going to have to coach up his players if the Braves are going to improve in 2012, because they didn’t add much player wise over the winter.

The Braves have dealt 27-year old righty reliever Jairo Asencio to the Indians for cash considerations. Asencio pitched in 6 games (0 starts) for the Braves last year and he was 0-0 with a 6.97 ERA and a 2.03 WHIP. He pitched in 9 games (0 starts) in his two years with the Braves and he was 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. It was good that the Braves got something for Asencio, as he wasn’t likely going to make the team.

The Braves have acquired 25-year old lefty swinging 1B/OF Christian Marrero from the White Sox for cash considerations. Marrero played in 115 games in AA-ball last year and he was 123 of 420 (.293 avg, .861 OPS) with 70 runs scored, 12 homers, 59 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He has now played in 644 games in his first six years in the minors and he is 657 of 2,310 (.284 avg, .813 OPS) with 318 runs scored, 62 homers, 348 RBIs and 40 stolen bases. Marrero will likely start the 2012 season in AAA-ball for the Braves, but he might help them at some point in the year.

23-year old lefty swinging Jason Heyward had a brutal sophomore slump in 2011 for the Braves after having a very impressive rookie year in 2010. Heyward played in 128 games for the Braves last year and he was 90 for 396 (.227 avg, .708 OPS) with 50 runs scored, 14 homers, 42 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. He has now played in 270 games in his first two years with the Braves and he is 234 of 916 (.255 avg, .789 OPS) with 133 runs scored, 32 homers, 114 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Heyward had 6 errors and 4 assists in 122 games in RF for the Braves last year while showing below average range. I look for Heyward to bounce back big time in 2012 with the bat.

34-year old righty swinging Matt Diaz can give Heyward a break against tough lefty starters in 2012. He played in 116 games for the Braves & Pirates last year and he was 66 of 251 (.263 avg, .625 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 0 homers, 20 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Diaz has now played in 527 games in his first six years with the Braves and he is 433 of 1,420 (.305 avg, .810 OPS) with 175 runs scored, 41 homers, 181 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. Diaz has now played in 675 games in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 519 of 1,755 (.296 avg, .780 OPS) with 201 runs scored, 43 homers, 212 RBIs and 33 stolen bases. Diaz had 3 assists and 1 error in 54 games in RF last year but he showed pretty poor range.

Eric Hinske and Jose Constanza can also handle playing RF. Hinske played in 16 games in RF for the Braves last year and he had 1 assist and 0 errors while showing below average range. Constanza played in 16 error-free games with 0 assists while showing off out of this world range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RF IN 2012: B+

29-year old lefty swinging Michael Bourn will be the starting CF for the whole year in 2012. He played in 53 games for the Braves last year and he was 63 of 227 (.278 avg, .674 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 1 homer, 18 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. Bourn played in 158 games overall for the Astros & Braves last year and he was 193 of 656 (.294 avg, .734 OPS) with 94 runs scored, 2 homers, 50 RBIs and 61 stolen bases. Bourn has now played in 716 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 649 of 2,391 (.271 avg, .694 OPS) with 363 runs scored, 13 homers, 158 RBIs and 234 stolen bases. Bourn had 3 errors and 6 assists in 156 games in CF last year while showing slightly below average range. The Braves should benefit from Bourn’s speed at the top of the batting order in 2012.

28-year old lefty swinging Jose Constanza will likely back up Bourn in CF in 2012. He played in 42 games for the Braves last year and he was 33 of 109 (.303 avg, .724 OPS) with 21 runs scored, 2 homers, 10 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. Constanza also played in 86 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 104 of 333 (.312 avg, .712 OPS) with 47 runs scored, 1 homer, 25 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. Constanza played in 4 error-free games in CF for the Braves last year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CF IN 2012: B

28-year old righty swinging Martin Prado had an off year for the Braves in 2011. He played in 129 games for the Braves last year and he was 143 of 551 (.260 avg, .687 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 13 homers, 57 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Prado has now played in 527 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 566 of 1,929 (.293 avg, .775 OPS) with 274 runs scored, 42 homers, 216 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Prado played in 100 games in LF for the Braves last year and he had 6 assists and 3 errors there while showing off poor range. The Braves hope that Prado will improve both defensively and with the bat in his second year as their starting LF.

34-year old lefty swinging Eric Hinske will be Prado’s top backup in LF in 2012. Hinske played in 117 games for the Braves last year and he was 55 of 236 (.233 avg, .713 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 10 homers and 28 RBIs. He has now played in 248 games in his first two years with the Braves and he is 127 of 517 (.246 avg, .757 OPS) with 62 runs scored, 21 homers and 79 RBIs. Hinske has played in 1,244 games in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 912 of 3,613 (.252 avg, .771 OPS) with 538 runs scored, 134 homers, 503 RBIs and 61 stolen bases. Hinske played in 32 error-free games in LF for the Braves last year and he had 1 assist while showing poor range there. Hinske is an excellent bench player as he is versatile in the field and he’s a clutch hitter.

34-year old Matt Diaz is also on hand for duty in LF if needed. He played in 17 games in LF last year and he had 1 error and 0 assists while showing poor range. He is a solid hitter off the bench though. 28-year old Jose Constanza could also get some P.T. in LF in 2012 for the Braves. He played in 17 games in LF for the Braves last year and he had 1 error and 0 assists while showing out of this world range. He is also a good hitter.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE LF IN 2012: B

The Braves have acquired 27-year old righty swinging infielder Greg Paiml from the White Sox for cash considerations. Paiml played in 108 games in AA-ball for the White Sox last year and he was 78 of 360 (.217 avg, .572 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 2 homers, 32 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. He has now played in 535 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 464 of 1,870 (.248 avg, .644 OPS) with 220 runs scored, 14 homers, 176 RBIs and 54 stolen bases. Paiml’s best position defensively is shortstop, but he can also handle playing 2B and 3B. The Braves needed more infield depth in the organization, so this deal makes sense for them.