The Braves start and finish with pitching, and this year’s staff is anchored by free agent acquisition Derek Lowe. Lowe is a proven winner that is also a heady veteran that should be able to help the youngsters around him. Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens, and Kenshin Kawakami are all penciled in to be in the rotation. Tom Glavine also returns to his old stomping grounds to give added depth.

Brian McCann has developed into one of the best catchers in the league, especially at the plate. The tough young catcher can hit with any catcher in the league, and is quickly becoming a weapon that can be used higher in the lineup. David Ross is a capable backup as well.

One of the biggest question marks right now is how quickly Garret Anderson can adapt to the National League. If he can provide that steady bat in the middle of the lineup that the Braves are hoping for, they might just contend. The Braves have some good talent to work with, and adding a proven guy like Anderson is sure to help.

The continued development of Kelly Johnson, Casey Kotchman, and Yunel Escobar in the infield is another key to the Braves fortunes. Chipper is steady, if not a bit fragile, and his bat is still among the best in the league. Each of these players has an important role to fill, and they will be needed to perform if the Braves can advance and compete for the National League title.

The Atlanta Braves are a bit of a long shot is the division to say the least. The last three seasons have been bitter disappointments for them, and they are looking to exercise those demons. If the Braves can control their mistakes, and keep the pitching steady, then they should be able to generate enough runs to win consistently. If they struggle on the mound, however, they will quickly see a repeat of last year’s results. With the addition of Lowe and Anderson, however, I doubt that will be the case.