The Braves bring the best record in baseball into their first series against the National League East rival Nationals on Friday. The lineup has been productive despite dealing with its share of injuries and slow starts, while the pitching staff has been better than advertised. That combination has Atlanta riding a six-game win streak as they head to Washington.

Leading things off…

The changes in the lineup were prompted more by injuries than by necessity. Andrelton Simmons’ swollen thumb sidelined him for the final two games of the Cubs series and led to a brief renaissance for B.J. Upton at the top of the order.

Despite some quick results – reaching base in six of nine plate appearances – Upton was unable to continue that trend during the Marlins series. After a 14 at-bat hitless streak, he was given the day off on Wednesday.  With Simmons back atop the lineup and getting on base at a good clip (4-for-12, three runs, two RBI vs. Miami), the experimentation with the leadoff spot is likely over for now.

Right after that…

The struggles of B.J. Upton have somewhat distracted from the slump that Jason Heyward finds himself in to open the season.  Hitting second in the order, Heyward has provided just two hits – both in the April 3 win over Philadelphia – in 28 at-bats.  He was given the day off on Tuesday and will be looking to snap out of his current 0-for-21 skid when the series against the Nationals opens on Friday.

Gattis cleaning up…

The loss of Freddie Freeman to the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique (a move made on Sunday) has opened the door for rookie Evan Gattis to bat cleanup for the last four games. The burly catcher belted key home runs on Tuesday and Wednesday and is now batting .391 (9-for-23) with three homers and six RBI in his six starts overall this season.

Just in case his Spring Training numbers didn’t provide a big enough sampling of Gattis’ run-producing potential, then feel free to take a look at his tear through the minor leagues. In exactly 162 games played between 2011 and 2012, he batted .315/.387/.604 with 44 doubles, 40 home runs and 138 RBI in 691 plate appearances. Gattis earned his catchy nickname (“El Oso Blanco”) after hitting .303 with 16 homers 53 games for Zulia in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Maholm certainly pitching like a #2 starter…

Atlanta has gotten the best pitching in the majors (1.89 ERA through its first nine games), another key to the club’s early success. Tim Hudson, Kris Medlen and Mike Minor were expected to be the club’s featured trio. Rookie Julio Teheran turned into one of the bigger stories in Spring Training, which allowed veteran left-hander Paul Maholm to ply his craft in relative obscurity.

There has been nothing obscure about his first two outings, however.

Maholm, who was acquired from the Cubs prior to last season’s non-waiver trade deadline, is currently enjoying the best stretch of his career. Since a start for Chicago on June 29, 2012, Maholm has made 20 appearances (19 starts) and turned in an 11-5 record with a 2.27 ERA in 126.1 IP.

He closed out Grapefruit League play by not allowing an earned run in his last 24.2 IP, and has continued to mow down hitters to open the regular season.

The lefty has won his first two starts, tossing 12.2 shut-out innings in the process. Only two pitchers in baseball have a longer scoreless streak to start the season. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has 16 innings, and Giants veteran Barry Zito has worked 14 frames without allowing a run.

Though sometimes rainy and a touch chilly, the Atlanta Braves opened the season in the exact fashion one would have imagined after taking one look at the lineup – power with a side of strikeouts. The latter could not stop the former from helping to propel the club to three wins in its first four contests, however.

One Upton thriving, the other is scuffling…

Justin Upton finished Spring Training with a power surge which he carried right over to the regular season. He homered in each of the first two games of the Phillies series before Cliff Lee kept him in the yard on Thursday. Not to worry, Upton was right back at it against Scott Feldman of the Cubs, connecting for his third homer of the season in the  bottom of the first inning. He is 4-for-13 with three homers and five RBI’s in four games thus far.

“It’s even more fun seeing him hit in the cage,” said shortstop Andrelton Simmons. “You just watch and try to pick up stuff from him. He’s really talented and he has a nice swing, everything is nice and smooth. He’s going to do this all year.”

Brother B.J. is having a more difficult time in his first few games in Atlanta. Opening the season against the Philadelphia trio of Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Lee is seldom a recipe for offensive success, and is a big reason why the Braves center fielder is still looking for his first hit. Upton is 0-for-14 with nine strikeouts. He was hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored a run on Friday against Chicago.

“He’s coming along,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez. “You see the at-bats and the swing is getting there. Everybody gets into one of those things, whether it’s in July or August. All those guys that win batting titles, they go in little slumps somewhere down the line. It just so happens that B.J.’s is the first four games of the season, but he’s fine.”

Gattis starts career with a bang…

The Evan Gattis story was one of the most talked about topics of the spring. His raw power and incredible journey back into baseball captured the attention of fans and teammates alike. It seemed only fitting that the slugging catcher would belt a home run in his Major League debut.

“Did you guys think anything else was going to happen? Didn’t surprise me one bit,” quipped Gonzalez.

Gattis, 26, connected against Halladay on Wednesday to become the seventh Atlanta player to homer in his first big league game.

“Couldn’t have planned it,” said Gattis. “Just excited and happy, a little emotional after the game when I got the lineup [card] and my home run [ball] back. It’s just too cool.”

His teammates were not only thrilled about the home run, but also shared some praise for his overall performance.

“Oh, that’s awesome for him,” said right fielder Jason Heyward on Wednesday. “Really happy for him. Roy Halladay is not a bad one to have your first homer off of… but, I feel like he did a good job behind the plate tonight too.”

Teheran primed for first start of the season…

Another man who enjoyed quite a run through the Grapefruit League was righty Julio Teheran. He will make his first start of 2013 on Saturday evening against the Cubs.

Teheran, 22, benefited from a trip to winter ball in the Dominican Republic after a disappointing season in Triple-A Gwinnett (7-9, 5.08 ERA in 26 starts). He began utilizing a two-seam fastball and pitching with more of a plan after meeting his pitching idol Pedro Martinez. Those two things transformed him back into one of the top prospects in baseball.

While it appears Gonzalez will divide time pretty equally between Gattis and Gerald Laird behind the plate, the manager did say he intends to pair the rookie Teheran with the veteran Laird.

“I think Laird and Teheran will be locked in,” said Gonzalez. “I like that. They’ve had some pretty good success in spring training… and you’ve got a guy that’s handled situations behind the plate.”

Teheran and Laird worked together throughout a spring which saw the 22-year-old righty turn in a 1.04 ERA in 26 innings. He struck out 35 batters while allowing just seven hits as well.

“He’s got that breaking stuff and a changeup that’s come a long way, but I think the pitch that’s really putting him over the edge is that two-seamer he’s learned to locate and throw in the zone,” said Laird. “When you can establish a pitch like that with his velocity, you’re going to get a lot of ground balls and that’s huge.”

The Atlanta Braves have assembled a young and dynamic outfield in hopes of positioning the club to contend in the National League East for years to come.

Not many teams get the opportunity to bring together a trio of former first-round draft picks, all moving toward the prime years of their respective careers, all under team control for at least three seasons and all patrolling the same outfield together.

The Braves became more athletic, while adding young players with power, speed and defense. General manager Frank Wren worked diligently to bring in the best talent available. His revamped outfield gives Atlanta a new identity just one season after franchise icon Chipper Jones retired.

While they have yet to play a single regular-season game together, brothers B.J. and Justin Upton, along with Jason Heyward, all figure prominently into the future of the team. The 2013 season could be the start of great things in Atlanta.

Jason Heyward announced himself loud and clear to the baseball world with a three-run home run in his first major league plate appearance.

The fast start was tantalizing, but the dedication and hard work that Heyward exhibited to get his career back on track in 2012 has the Braves even more excited about what his future holds.

At the tender age of 20, Heyward finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, while earning All-Star honors in 2010. Unfortunately, a strained ligament in his left thumb slowed him down around mid-season and caused him to miss out on the All-Star experience.

Heyward launched his career with a strong rookie slash line of .277/.393/.456 with 18 home runs, 72 RBI and 83 runs scored in 142 games.

However, his second season followed a script that has been handed to many a rising star. It is known as the “sophomore slump.”

It was certainly not pretty, nor was it indicative of his talent level. Heyward ended 2011 with a batting line of .227/.319/.389 while connecting for just 14 home runs in 128 games.

Those numbers led to some obvious questions.

Can Heyward bounce back? Which Heyward will the Braves see in 2012?

With those questions in the air, Heyward discussed his struggles with Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last spring.

“All of us got here by doing what we know how to do, whether it’s mentally, physically, what have you,” Heyward said. “You want to stay as close to that as possible. Keep having fun, keep trying to get better. I’m 22 years old, and I didn’t get here this quickly by not making adjustments, by not learning on the fly, by not handling pressure situations, by not knowing how fans or media might take things. I’ve done a lot of things the right way, and that’s why I am who I am and part of the reason why I’ve been successful.”

He then responded on the field by putting together a fine junior campaign.

Working to correct bad habits caused by his thumb injury, Heyward set a number of career-highs in 2012. Those included 27 home runs, 82 RBI and 93 runs scored. The expectations were largely met, though the best is likely yet to come.

Scouts and executives have long raved over the well-rounded game that Heyward possesses. Now he roams the outfield with two other men who share similar talents. The glaring difference between the three players is that Heyward is built like a tank, standing 6’5″ and weighing 240 pounds.

Though expert projections may help fans determine the numbers that Heyward is capable of on a yearly basis, he is not going into the season trying to meet some requisite statistics.

In this week’s ESPN The Magazine, Heyward shared his outlook on turning ability into results with Eddie Matz.

“I’ve got a skill set that is rare,” Heyward says. “If I can get enough at-bats, the numbers will come.”

He is not the prototypical second-place hitter, but that appears to be where Heyward will be slotted in the batting order to open the season. He has put up solid numbers while batting second during his career, and Heyward should benefit from the power-packed heart of the order that follows him.

With a budding star already in right field, general manager Frank Wren found himself in search of the correct personnel to address the team’s remaining outfield needs this past winter.

Center fielder Michael Bourn was testing the waters of free agency, while left fielder and all-around everything-man Martin Prado was slated to take Chipper Jones’ place at third base.

At least initially, this left two open slots in the Atlanta outfield.

Given his choice of center fielders on the free agent market, Wren decided to go a different route from the speedy leadoff man. He opted to sign B.J. Upton to a five-year, $75.25 million contract.

While both men have been prone to strikeouts in their careers, Upton, 28, brought a more complete package to the Braves than Bourn, whose primary skills are speed and defense. Another consideration was age. Upton is almost two years younger than Bourn, and both were seeking long-term contracts.

Upton’s career numbers with Tampa Bay have seen a batting average that has trended down from .300 in 2007, fluctuating in the .240s over the past three seasons. At the same time, his home run totals have been rising steadily since 2008.

For comparison’s sake, Upton (.336) and Bourn (.339) have nearly the same career on-base percentages. Bourn strikes out roughly once every 4.5 at-bats, while Upton fans once every 3.5 at-bats. The trade-off for Wren came in the run production department, where Upton has a much higher ceiling than Bourn and can hit in different places in the lineup as well.

Wren believed that he got the most well-rounded center fielder on the market. He discussed the decision in the press conference to introduce Upton to the media last November.

“B.J. is an outstanding defensive player who also adds the power dimension to our offense from the center field position. We have been working to increase the speed and athleticism across our team, and B.J. gives us another young, dynamic player.”

The Grapefruit League schedule has been to Upton’s liking thus far. Through March 24, he was batting .369 and had collected 24 hits in his 21 games played.

Upton talked about his time with the Braves this spring with MLB.com‘s Richard Justice.

“Just putting this uniform [on] was a thrill,” Upton said. “This is a great group of guys, and they’ve made it easy to get acclimated. They keep it loose in here. I feel like I’ve been over here forever and am having a lot of fun.”

The close of the 2012 season was a sampling of the power that Upton can provide. He belted 12 home runs in his final 30 games, and finished just two homers away from joining the 30-30 club.

Though he may be somewhat of an elder statesman in Atlanta’s outfield, Upton is just entering into what should be the prime portion of his career. Wren and the Braves are hoping that the most expensive free-agent signing in franchise history helps the team cash in during the postseason.

The final piece of this proverbial puzzle was Justin Upton. Atlanta swung a seven-player trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks to unite the Upton brothers in the same outfield.

He will move from his customary right-field spot over to left, giving the Braves a trio that possesses the kind of range that is the envy of every team in baseball. Atlanta will also reap the benefits of its power and speed in the lineup.

Last season was a down year by Upton’s standards. He was coming off a fourth place finish in the NL MVP voting in 2011, batting .289/.368/.529 with 31 homers, 88 RBI, 105 runs scored and 21 stolen bases.

Unfortunately, he was unable to duplicate those numbers in 2012. Upton struggled while dealing with a lingering thumb injury, which may have been the reason why he collected 30 fewer extra-base hits in 2012 despite playing just nine fewer games than the previous season.

While he did score a career-high 107 runs last year, Upton had just 17 home runs and 67 RBI. His .280 average and .355 on-base percentage were right around his career norms, however.

Atlanta acquired a 25-year-old impact player who is under team control for three seasons. This was a move made specifically to address the absence of longtime No. 3 hitter Chipper Jones.

Wren pulled off the deal with the Diamondback to bring Upton and Chris Johnson to Atlanta for Martin Prado, Randall Delgado and a trio of prospects, knowing his team was starting a new chapter.

The Atlanta GM discussed his thought process with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution‘s Mark Bradley.

“You only had to look down in the stands and see the number of No. 10 jerseys to know whose team it was. We knew we were going to be transitioning, and we were looking for that player throughout the winter. And quite frankly, in free agency we didn’t find that young superstar player that you could wrap your arms around and say, ‘This is a key building block for the future.’ That’s what made this trade so intriguing for us, and that’s why we stayed on it for almost two months.”

Manager Fredi Gonzalez told Joe Lemire of Sports Illustrated that he believes his club has found the player it needed to fill the void.

“He was the guy we were missing for Chipper Jones,” Gonzalez said. “We’re going to miss that presence of the old No. 10 in the lineup, but now we have him.”

The January trade also provided Justin with the unique opportunity to play alongside his older brother.

“This is a special day for my family,” he said during his introductory press conference. “It’s a great opportunity. I’m excited to put this uniform on and play for this organization.”

Gonzalez realizes what his two new outfield additions are capable of, and shared his impressions of managing against the Upton brothers with Lemire.

“I remember those guys being involved in a lot of rallies,” Gonzalez said. “I saw B.J. either hit a double or hit a home run or make a great catch from the outfield to save a rally. With Justin Upton, you felt uncomfortable when he came up to the plate in certain situations.”

It’s worth noting that B.J. and Justin will become the fifth set of brothers to play for the Braves in the same season. Hank and Tommie Aaron did so for parts of seven seasons from 1962-1971. Knuckleballers Phil and Joe Niekro joined forces in 1973-1974. Rick and Mickey Mahler pitched together in 1979, while J.D. and Tim Drew teamed up back in 2004.

Reed Johnson was one half of Atlanta’s July trade deadline deal with the Chicago Cubs last season. His value as a backup outfielder who can play all three spots gives the team some flexibility when constructing the remainder of the reserves.

A 10-year big league veteran, Johnson owns a .311 lifetime batting average against left-handed pitchers. That helped him supplant Matt Diaz as the reserve outfielder who routinely wears out lefties when called upon.

Johnson, 36, batted .290 between the Cubs and Braves a season ago, while putting up excellent numbers as a pinch-hitter. He led the majors with 18 pinch-hits in 2012 and batted .419 off the bench.

Jose Constanza, 29, dealt with a work visa issue that kept him from reporting to camp until March 15. He has gotten into nine games, but has just 12 spring at-bats thus far. He did his offseason in the Dominican Republic for a stint in winter ball.

The lefty-swinging Constanza adds the valuable speed asset off the bench, and would likely serve as Atlanta’s primary pinch-runner. He spent six years in the Cleveland Indians’ system before seeing big league time with Atlanta the last two seasons.

Constanza has batted .313 with 37 steals in 174 games at Triple-A Gwinnett over the past two years, but figures to have earned the opportunity to contribute off the bench again this season.

It was not long ago that Jordan Schafer, 26, was ranked the Braves’ No. 1 prospect by Baseball America. Things could have come off the track completely in 2008, when he was suspended for 50 games due to suspected HGH use, but he bounced back in a big way the following year.

Schafer made the big club out of camp in 2009 and homered in his first big league plate appearance, but a wrist injury and other assorted issues have altered his career path. By the time his rookie season was over, he was batting just .204 and found himself in the minors the next year.

Atlanta eventually traded Schafer to the Houston Astros in 2011 as part of the package that landed Bourn. His time there was not without incident, however. Schafer was arrested last winter and charged with felony possession of marijuana in October of that same year.

Despite that, he was given the opportunity to hit at the top of the order and show the Astros what he could do last season. Schafer stole a career-high 27 bases, but hit just .211 in 106 games.

Atlanta claimed Schafer off waivers from Houston on November 1, 2012. It was an interesting move that brings him back to compete for a reserve role with the Braves.

Schafer has seen his ups and downs, and he discussed them with Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“I could’ve handled some stuff better in Houston … I think I’ve grown as a person. I think sometimes I needed to be knocked down a little bit to get back and get my focus straight. This game is humbling. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that I was knocked down.”

This will likely be last call for Schafer in Atlanta, though he could see time in Triple-A as well. While he did benefit from extra playing time because of Constanza’s absence in camp this spring, he batted .228 in 24 games through March 24.

His speed and defense remain assets, and Schafer would have to be placed on waivers if he does not make the club. It’s likely that he will see big league time unless or until Constanza is ready.

Braves win 17-10 slugfest over Phillies

What went down: It was a crazy day of baseball from the outset, with plenty of high-scoring innings to go around. Kris Medlen tossed a clean first frame, but both offenses came out swinging after that. The Braves plated six runs in the first inning, highlighted by Justin Upton’s towering two-run homer off Rodrigo Lopez. Atlanta’s offense pounded out 19 hits, including two home runs from Upton, and blasts by Freddie Freeman and Juan Francisco.

These two lineups  put up 27 combined runs, with Atlanta managing to make a winner of Medlen despite the fact he allowed nine runs in five innings of work. The bullpen had an easier time of it, allowing just one run in the final three innings.

Medlen (1-1) had some success with his changeup, but his curveball was hanging and his fastball stayed in the middle of the strike zone. Those factors led to the Phillies plating five runs in the top of the second. Philadelphia got to him again in the fifth inning, scoring four runs, including a two-run home run by Dominic Brown. Medlen was charged with nine runs – all earned – on 14 hits. He did not walk a batter while striking out four, throwing 62 of his 84 pitches for strikes.

What stood out: The power displayed by Justin Upton was definitely the featured attraction. He belted two home runs, and had 6 RBI, scored three more runs and drew a walk. That brings Upton’s average up to .292 this spring. He talked about how something has clicked for him at the plate after working to establish a daily routine in the cages. Older Brother B.J. Upton had a hit and scored a run as well. Freeman’s home run was an embarrassing moment for Phillies left fielder Darin Ruf. He actually got to the ball on the fly, but slapped it over the wall for a two-run shot.

Francisco continues to make his case to be the team’s starting third baseman. Three more hits, including a home run and three RBI on Monday strengthened his claim. Not to be outdone, Chris Johnson checked in to play some first base, had a hit and drove home a run as well. Francisco is hitting .354 with 5 homers and 11 RBI, while Johnson is batting .347 with 3 HR’s and 9 RBI.

News and notes: Closer Craig Kimbrel made his first appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic on Saturday. He worked a perfect seventh and notched a strikeout… Righty reliever Jordan Walden threw pain-free batting practice on Monday and could appear in Wednesday’s game against the Pirates… Medlen contributed had two hits, including an RBI-single in Monday’s victory.

Up next:  The Braves are off on Tuesday. They welcome the Pirates to town on Wednesday, with Lefty Mike Minor making the start.

Braves down Mets, 2-1 on St. Patrick’s Day

What went down: Each team used a solo home run to get on the board. The Mets struck first, as Jordany Valdespin hit Julio Teheran’s second pitch of the game over the right field wall. Chris Johnson tied the game in the top of the fourth, victimizing Jon Niese for his third homer of the spring.

Teheran (2-1) turned in another impressive outing. The lead-off home run was his only notable mistake of the day (6IP, 3H, 2BB, 7K). He threw 83 pitches, 56 of which were strikes. Teheran lowered his Grapefruit League ERA to a miniscule 1.35.

The bullpen followed with three scoreless innings.  Luis Avilan and Dusty Hughes bridged the gap to the ninth, where Anthony Varvaro closed things out for his second save of the Spring.

Atlanta’s offense was provided by the corner infielders. Johnson homered and Freddie Freeman roped an RBI-single in the sixth to plate the eventual winning run. Oddly enough, the Mets had Jordan Schafer picked off in that fateful sixth inning. He beat the throw to second, was then sacrificed to third by Gerald Laird and brought home on Freeman’s single.

What stood out: Teheran got hit hard by the first three batters, but began working his fastball down in the zone thereafter. His four-seam fastball was routinely in the 93 mph range, while he worked his two-seamer around 88 mph . Teheran mixed in his change-up and slider in as well to stay one step ahead of New York hitters. Laird drew the start behind the plate and praised Teheran’s work ethic this Spring as well as the focus and poise he displayed after giving up three hard hit balls to start the game.

Offensively, the third base battle is still a dead heat. Johnson collected three hits, including his third home run of the spring.  He also made some nice plays in the field, one coming in to field a short hop and another backhand scoop toward the line (both in the bottom of the seventh). Juan Francisco pinch hit for Teheran in the seventh and collected a single in his only at-bat of the game. Manager Fredi Gonzalez has yet to tip his hand on who the starting third baseman will be… Evan Gattis checked into the game to play left field in the bottom of the sixth inning. He was hitless in two at-bats and is now batting .378 for the Spring.

News and notes: The starting outfield trio did not make the trip to Port St. Lucie on Sunday. They got their work in at the Wide World of Sports Complex… Left fielder Jose Constanza got his first start of the spring after being delayed in the Dominican Republic because of work visa issues. He was 0-for-2 but did make a leaping catch against the wall in the first inning… Johnson’s three-hit game has his Spring average up to .333… Francisco is hot on his heels with a .326 mark in Grapefruit League play.

Up next:  The Braves return home on Monday to welcome the Phillies to Champion Stadium. Righty Kris Medlen makes the start for Atlanta. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

Braves beat Yankees, 4-0 behind Maholm

What stood out: Why not begin with the starting pitching performance? Lefty Paul Maholm did a great job of mixing his pitches and keeping the Yankees bats off-balance.  He tossed six blank frames, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out four batters. Given, this was nothing resembling the Yankees usual lineup. Still, Maholm (3-1) was incredibly efficient with his pitches, throwing 49 of 66 for strikes. He also ran his scoreless inning streak to 14 2/3 in the winning effort.

Juan Francisco homered for the second straight day, and there was no doubt about his two-run shot in Atlanta’s three-run, fifth inning rally. It bounced off the video board in right center field to put the exclamation point on the day offensively speaking. He had a pair of hits and received some praise from manager Fredi Gonzalez for some fine glove work at third base.

Justin Upton had two hits, drove in a run and scored another, while B.J. Upton had a rare hitless game and finished 0-for-4. It was a good for Jason Heyward, who had an RBI-single, a run scored and a pair of walks. Evan Gattis started behind the plate, but was also without a hit in three at-bats. He was also the recipient of praise from his manager for the way he called the game with Maholm.

News and notes: Closer Craig Kimbrel reported back to camp following Team USA’s loss to Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in Miami on Friday. He spoke highly of the experience overall, and just wished the team could avoided elimination. Kimbrel made four appearances in the WBC, allowing two runs (both in the loss to the Dominican Republic) in 3 2/3 innings… Righty J.R. Graham threw two scoreless innings to close out Saturday’s win, but was reassigned to minor league camp following the game. Graham, 23, has tossed nine shut-out innings in five relief appearances for Atlanta, but will begin stretching out as a starter on the minor league side.

Up next:  The Braves will be on the road Sunday in Port St. Lucie to take on the Mets at 1:05 p.m.  Righty Julio Teheran will make the start against Mets lefty Jon Niese.

Catcher Brian McCann has been the man calling the signs for the Atlanta Braves over the past eight seasons, but 2013 could mark the end of his tenure with the team.

The Atlanta Braves rotation has made headlines countless times over the past two decades. While this year’s starting staff has the potential to be one of the best in the National League, it is the Atlanta bullpen which may prove to be the best in baseball.

Last season, the Braves were 83-1 when leading after eight innings, a testament to the late inning stability provided by the relievers.

Boasting an elite closer and a supporting cast that is the envy of baseball executives in both leagues, the Braves enter 2013 with a definite late inning advantage. This group of relievers will be tasked with protecting the leads as Atlanta seeks to unseat the Washington Nationals on its way to a division title.