The Braves rotation may be set, but the bullpen? That’s another story.

Manager Bobby Cox and pitching coach Roger McDowell are confident enough with their starters to be able to more or less map out the season—barring injuries—slotting each one for an optimal start and figuring out rest days as the season winds down.

No such luxury with the relievers.

The expected closing tandem, left-hander Billy Wagner and right-hander Takashi Saito, had trouble finding the strike zone in their earliest spring training outings. Wagner rebounded to the point where he was working on throws to first base during his appearances. Saito’s stuff had been there, but his fastball command had not been consistent.

Major League Baseball has a rich history of nicknames, but not all nicknames are created equally. The league is currently flooded with lazy, uninspired nicknames that are, more accurately, abbreviations that hold no real meaning.

Some, for instance A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) and Arm-Ram (Aramis Ramirez) are better left without meaning. Both monikers are better suited to something you would find in the adult section of the video store. Other nicknames are stretches or just sound ridiculous. Jimmy “J-Roll” Rollins comes to mind.

To set some basic ground rules, this list is limited to players that have adopted their nicknames as their first names. This eliminates guys like “Big Hurt” Frank Thomas and “Big Unit” Randy Johnson

Our second rule is the “Topps Test”. If the player in question has their nickname printed on the front of a baseball card, they pass the “Topps Test”.

All players must have played the majority of their career after 1985, ruling out classics that I may touch on at a later date (maybe in a Nickname Hall of Fame).

All nicknames that are variations of a given players actual name are ruled out. This rule prohibits the new standard nickname, as well as Trot Nixon (his real name is Christopher Trotman Nixon).

Without further ado, here are the greatest true nicknames in baseball over the past 25 years.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander Jair Jurrjens managed to make his spring debut, anyway. Jurrjens threw two scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday before the game was called after three due to showers that washed away the exhibition slate in Florida. Jurrjens had been struggling with inflammation around his right shoulder and manager Bobby Cox decided to be cautious.

Atlanta Braves right-hander Jair Jurrjens managed to make his spring debut, anyway. Jurrjens threw two scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday before the game was called after three due to showers that washed away the exhibition slate in Florida. Jurrjens had been struggling with inflammation around his right shoulder and manager Bobby Cox decided to be cautious.

Every year, some unheralded rookies come out of nowhere and end up playing a big role in a team’s season. Be it due to injury, poor performance or a trade, it’s almost certain that some player who was expected to spend the year in the minors ends up helping the big league club.

Here, I have picked out 15 rookies who could potentially help the Atlanta Braves in 2010.

Before I start, let me say that Jason Heyward isn’t included in this list. Not because I don’t think he will make an impact, but because at this point, I guarantee that if he stays healthy he will make an impact (likely as the starting right fielder on opening day).

Also, I’m not saying that every one of these rookies will make an impact. In fact, that really isn’t possible since some of these players are second (or third) options after other rookies prove ineffective or get injured.

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If you haven’t heard the name Jason Heyward yet, you’re clearly not reading or watching any coverage of 2010 Spring Training.

Heyward has been the offensive story of Spring Training so far (with all due respect to Milton Bradley , he’s not the offensive we’re talking about here). Heyward is the unanimously named No. 1 prospect in baseball, even ahead of Washington’s Stephen Strasburg . He doesn’t turn 21 until early August, but he might be an impact fantasy player you should seriously consider this year.

The only problem with considering Heyward is when to select a rookie phenom.

First, let’s talk about what Heyward brings to the table for the Atlanta Braves .

MLB.com says, “He’s got great bat speed, with the ability to hit for average and power. He has an excellent knowledge of the strike zone. He’s got a plus arm from the outfield, runs well and is an excellent base-runner.”

ESPN’s Keith Law says, “Heyward will be a middle-of-the-order bat with power and patience while playing above-average defense in right with a plus arm. He has an advanced approach at the plate… strong, quick wrists that let him commit later to pitches while still driving the ball to all fields. He gets good leverage in his swing and has plenty of loft to eventually produce 30-plus homers a year, and so far hasn’t shown any tendency to expand the zone because he’s trying too hard to hit for power.”

Baseball America says, “Jason Heyward, Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year, will give the lineup a major jolt when he arrives in 2010.” BA also put Heyward on the cover of their 2010 Top 100 Prospect issue.

The guy can hit. Last year in Double-A—and again we must emphasize that he was only 19 until August—Heyward put up exceptional numbers in only 362 at bats. He hit 16 home runs, drove in 63, and stole 10 bases in 99 games. Another great plus, which Law mentions, is his eye; he walked as many times (51) as he struck out last year. His .402 OBP is exceptional, but his .963 OPS is what jumps off the page.

Right now, it appears Heyward has the inside track on the starting spot in right field to begin Bobby Cox ’s final season in Atlanta, and his left-handed bat could find a comfortable spot somewhere around Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus in the middle of the Braves’ batting order. If he can replicate the 450-foot home run he hit early in Spring Training in Atlanta and continues to draw comparisons to a young Ken Griffey, Jr ,  he’ll be a name you see as much on SportsCenter as anyone in the game. This puts Jason Heyward up there with our top fantasy baseball sleepers .

Now that devil’s advocate argument: how much stock can you put in a kid ?

Setting expectations for Heyward to become the .300-35-100 guy analysts say he will eventually be would be naive. Every rookie has hot and cold stretches, and the biggest adjustment that young hitters need to make comes after there’s an established major league scouting report on him; pitchers will adjust to him, and then he’ll need to show what he’s worth.

The Braves should have a pretty decent batting order this year, with Jones and Glaus headlining a group that includes Nate McLouth , Brian McCann , Melky Cabrera , and Yunel Escobar . Don’t buy into what you see in Spring Training too much, but if you’re looking for a fourth outfielder late, Heyward is a worthy gamble. He has the greatest upside of any rookie coming out of Spring Training this year, and his position in a veteran lineup should help him grow into a major league powerhouse.

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In this day and age where hype overshadows pragmatism, dented cars mean more than practicality and age tends to mean more than relative production, it’s no wonder that Atlanta Braves centerfielder Nate McLouth is being glossed over.

In a fantasy era where steadiness means boringness, owners would much rather go with a player like B.J Upton or Andrew McCutchen than settle for the “sure-commodity.”

I’m not going to disagree with taking the two players ahead of McLouth, the point is we often become overly enamored by a player’s excitement instead of appeasing ourselves with a less risky alternative. Let’s take a look at McLouth’s 2009 season, which was split between the Pittsburgh Pirates (45 games) and the Braves (84 games):

507 At Bats
.256 Batting Average (133 Hits)
20 Home Runs
70 RBI
86 Runs
19 Stolen Bases
.352 On Base Percentage
.436 Slugging Percentage
.281 Batting Average on Balls in Play

Just because the Pittsburgh Pirates, a symbol of baseball futility over the past two decades, jettisoned McLouth doesn’t mean that fantasy owners should ignore the benefits of drafting someone like him, despite the drop-off in production.

Sure, McLouth has had his fair share of leg injuries throughout his career. In fact, 2009 was marred with some hamstring injuries, which definitely curtailed his impact. He also was fitted for contact lenses during the offseason, so there could be another source of his mild disappointment last year—he hit .239 in night games and .295 in day games.

Even with better vision, I’m not going to all of a sudden call him Pablo Sandoval at the plate.

McLouth will not hit .300.

An average around .270 is pretty much all you’ll get from the 28-year-old.

He has a career .284 BABIP; last season’s finished at .281, so it’s really right on the mark. The highest BABIP McLouth has produced is a .299 mark in the 2007 season, though he batted just .258 then due to a 23.4 percent strikeout rate and an inflated flyball rate of 52.8 percent.

With that being said, McLouth’s core batted ball rates remained relatively constant last season. He hit groundballs about 40 percent of the time, the highest in his career, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a faster player.  

It leads me to believe that less of them squeaked through the infield for base hits. The line-drive rate dipped a bit to 16.3 percent, but it’s pretty much on par with his 18.6 percent career average.

And most importantly for his power numbers, his flyball rate stayed in the low 40s, the lowest mark since 2006, but his HR/FB rate remained a strong 11.4 percent.

McLouth has always struggled more against lefties than righties, with a three-year average of .249/.322/.384 against left-handers and one of .271/.365/.498 against right-handers.  

Last season his limited effectiveness against lefties vanished to a .230/.309/.379 level. Nonetheless, we can expect a slight improvement this season. 

Despite the injury concerns and a weaker batting average, McLouth has a skill-set that plays up to the level of other five-star potential sluggers, just don’t expect him to really provide a strong batting average.

Besides that, it is all there for McLouth: moderate power, plus-speed and adequate on-base skills. He had 62 runs in 2007, 113 runs in 2008 and 86 runs in a less-stellar 2009.  Even after a down year, McLouth is a good bet for about 90 runs this season.

More of a late-bloomer, McLouth did not become fantasy-relevant until his 2007 season when he was 26.

McLouth has played almost four complete seasons at the major league level and at age-28 is really about to hit his peak. It shouldn’t shock owners then—it’s entirely possible for McLouth to turn more of his doubles into homeruns. McLouth has had 20 or more doubles in the past three seasons, with 46 two seasons ago and 27 in 2009.

His ability to hit for power, doubles and homeruns, allows him to be a rare run-producing leadoff/second-place hitter. In 2008 McLouth drove in 94 and last season he knocked in 70. I’d bank on a number in between that for this season.

McLouth may not offer the upside of some other outfielders in this year’s draft. He may not be the most exciting player to watch and he certainly won’t be the centerpiece on many of Atlanta’s billboards.

If there’s one thing that owners can take comfort in, it is that McLouth is a pretty safe bet and a player you can draft for a decent price who will contribute in nearly every category. 

I’d peg McLouth with a .275 AVG, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 90 R, 20 SB and 30 doubles. There might not be a better bargain out there in 2010.

What are your thoughts on McLouth? 

 What type of performance are you expecting?  Is he someone you are targeting on draft day?

Read more Atlanta Braves news on BleacherReport.com

Derek Lowe could only stare at his foot in disbelief. Longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox said he had never seen anything like it. Lowe was hampered Wednesday by a blister on his right foot, forcing him out of Atlanta's 7-6 victory over the New York Mets after just one inning. Lowe said the recurring blister on his push-off foot popped with Daniel Murphy at the plate, after he had faced two…

Last night I had the privilege of watching the Braves game on something other than my laptop (thank you, MLB Network).

From said game, which I viewed as kind of an early test for this Braves squad, against the defending National League champion Phillies, I took more than a few notes on the progress of this bunch. I came away impressed for the most part.

Having followed the sport my entire life and played it in college, I tried to look at it from somewhat of a player/scout perspective.

Here are just a few thoughts.

Patience is the key

I counted eight (two from Jason Heyward) 3-2 counts last night from the starting bunch, which is fitting given the circumstances (facing Roy Halladay) and the atmosphere (felt a little like a regular season affair). I was more than impressed with the plate discipline this team is showing in the early going of the season.

I will even go as far as discrediting one of Martin Prado’s strikeouts because the ball was clearly too far inside. Can’t help him on the others, but the way they stayed in each at-bat shows they have an approach and a method to what they are doing.

In case you didn’t know, Heyward IS the real deal

Now I have tried ad nauseam to temper my Jason Heyward enthusiasm for the sake of not sounding redundant. But last night, every at-bat was worth it.

He battled back (twice) from 0-2 counts to coax a walk out of the great Roy Halladay and Ryan Madson, the latter of whom just didn’t have it last night. He also beat out a grounder up the middle, displaying the hustle that will more than likely earn him the starting job.

With him in there, he changes the look of this lineup and makes it a lot more lethal. Color me a believer.

Hit it here Nate!

I love Nate McLouth. Seriously. I like everything about him. I liked him in Pittsburgh, hoped the Braves would find a way to get him, and when they did was beyond excited.

But let’s make one thing clear about Nate McLouth: He has a problem. It’s not his eyes, and it’s not his hamstring. It’s his inability to handle that outside pitch and take it the other way. That is something he needs to fix immediately in order to take him back to 2008 numbers and possibly beyond.

Don’t believe me? Check the pitch sequence from last night. His hits to the opposite field from the last three years are eight, 16, and nine. So it’s no wonder that maybe he should take a page out of the Curtis Granderson 2010 game plan and take a step closer to the plate. Just a suggestion.

Chipper Jones looks good

His hit in the first inning off Halladay showed two things. First, hanging on to the bat with two hands on the left side for his follow-through will pay dividends for bat speed and power.

The second showed he’s back to being able to just focus on his approach. Last year was the first I can remember him taking off-balance swings and just not looking comfortable at the plate in the second half. He had a solid single back up the middle off an in-form Halladay, and that was a good sign for old No. 10.

All in all, the Braves did pass their first test of the spring against a Phillies squad that was only missing Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez from its lineup. Granted, the score wasn’t in their favor, but Kenshin Kawakami did hang a fastball to Jayson Werth that cost him a homer, and a reliever who more than likely won’t break camp gave up five runs and the lead.

King Halladay was splendid last night and is everything as advertised. But the Braves held tough in this game and showed they do have the parts in place to make a run at the Phillies in the East.

Read more Atlanta Braves news on BleacherReport.com

The Atlanta Braves have a great tradition of drafting and developing players. No other team has had the international pressence or pre-draft scouting success that the Braves have had since the late 1980’s

Chipper Jones, Tom Glavine, Andruw Jones, Javy Lopez, David Justice, Steve Avery, and Rafael Furcal are some names that the Braves have developed from the past. Some from the present are Yunel Escobar, Brian McCann, Tommy Hanson, Kenshin Kawakami, and of course top prospect Jason Heyward.

Even with all of the success the Braves have had in signing, drafting, and developing players with no previous major league experience, there have been a few stars that have gotten away.

This list will compile the top 10 players who were in the Braves system at a young age and went on to have successful careers with other teams.

Before I show you the top 10, here are the players who receive the ”honorable mention” rank.

Ken Dayley who was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ken Oberkfell
Brook Jacoby who was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Len Barker
Willy Aybar who was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for Jeff Ridgway

Here is the 1-10, hope you enjoy!

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