Team Fantasy Preview - Atlanta Braves
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Throughout the preseason, we will be previewing all 30 teams and what their rosters bring to the fantasy baseball table. This edition covers the Atlanta Braves.
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | POSITION | NAME | BATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | CF | Ender Inciarte | L |
| 2. | SS | Dansby Swanson | R |
| 3. | 1B | Freddie Freeman | L |
| 4. | LF | Matt Kemp | R |
| 5. | RF | Nick Markakis | L |
| 6. | 2B | Brandon Phillips | R |
| 7. | 3B | Adonis Garcia | R |
| 8. | C | Tyler Flowers | R |
| BENCH | C | Kurt Suzuki | R |
| BENCH | IF/OF | Jace Peterson | L |
Projected Rotation
| ORDER | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Julio Teheran | R |
| 2. | Bartolo Colon | R |
| 3. | Jaime Garcia | L |
| 4. | R.A. Dickey | R |
| 5. | Mike Foltynewicz | R |
Bullpen Hierarchy
| ROLE | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| Closer | Jim Johnson | R |
| Set-Up | Arodys Vizcaino | R |
| RP | Mauricio Cabrera | R |
Top Prospect to Watch in 2017
Swanson played in 38 games with Atlanta last season, but he is still considered a prospect at this point. He hit .302/.361/.442 last season, albeit in a small sample size. A .383 BABIP would indicate regression is coming. Don't expect him to be a top-10 SS, but he is a must-own in keeper leagues.
Who Will Drive You Crazy?
Kemp's strikeout numbers have been slowly climbing over the past few years, yet his walks have been rapidly declining. Becoming a more aggressive hitter with age is rare, as usually it is the other way around. He was great after being acquired by Atlanta, which may lead him to be overdrafted. He should still be good for 25 homers and 90 RBIs, but his batting average could dip.
The One to Own
Freeman is the real deal. He might have the most compact swing of any 30-home run hitter in the history of baseball. Once Kemp joined Atlanta and provided Freeman with legitimate protection, he went on to hit .340/.461/.680 with 16 homers, 18 doubles and 49 RBIs in the final 54 games of the season.
Top Sleeper
Dickey. You might be thinking, really? Dickey? Hear me out. He was awful last season, but in the three years prior he logged over 654 innings and sported a 3.95 ERA while pitching in the bandbox-filled AL East. Returning to the NL (specifically the offensively challenged NL East) will reduce his home runs allowed and could bring his ERA down to the 3.75 range.
(Photos courtesy Action Images)