Atlanta Braves great Chipper Jones is celebrating his 46th birthday on Tuesday. As he spends the next few months patiently awaiting his day in Cooperstown, let’s take a look at the incredible accomplishments of his Hall of Fame career.

In just over two decades in professional baseball, Jones grew from fresh-faced youngster to face of a franchise with Atlanta. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 amateur draft and became one of the greatest switch-hitters in baseball history, won the World Series as a rookie in 1995, was named National League Most Valuable Player in 1999 and made eight All-Star appearances.

His place among the all-time greats…

Hot Corner: Chipper Jones becomes the 17th third baseman elected to Cooperstown.

Circling the bases: Jones is currently 33rd on the all-time home run list with 468.

Take a walk: Chipper’s 1,512 bases on balls rank 16th on the all-time list, just ahead of Lou Gehrig (1,508).

Getting aboard: He ranks 54th all-time with a .4011 on-base percentage, just behind Rickey Henderson’s .4012.

Elite company: Chipper is one of only 13 players with 400 HR and a .400 OBP. He is the lone primary third baseman to do so. That list includes: Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Jimmy Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Mel Ott, Manny Ramirez, Babe Ruth, Frank Thomas, Jim Thome and Ted Williams.

Even more elite company: Jones is one of just 10 players with a .300 average, 2,500 hits, 500 doubles and 400 home runs. The others: Hank Aaron, Miguel Cabrera, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Jones is one of just four to do all of that for just one club (Williams, Gehrig and Musial are the others).

Number one: Chipper Jones and Ken Griffey Jr. are the only two No. 1 overall draft picks elected to Cooperstown.

Facing the aces: As of 2017, Chipper Jones faced just five Hall of Fame pitchers during his career.

Randy Johnson: .349 AVG with 6 homers (17K) in 47PA.

Pedro Martinez: .204 AVG with 3 HR and 10 RBI in 59 PA (10K)

Tom Glavine: .188 AVG with 1 HR in 37 PA (2K)

Greg Maddux: .375 AVG with 1BB/1K in 8 AB

Trevor Hoffman: .227 AVG with 1 HR in 25 PA.

His place among switch-hitters…     

Anything but average: Chipper Jones’ .3034 batting average is third best among switch-hitters, behind Hall of Famers Roger Connor (.3164) and Frankie Frisch (.3161) and ahead of Pete Rose (.3029) and Roberto Alomar (.3029) among the Top 5 in that category. Those five men are the only switch-hitters with a career batting average of .300 or better.

Slashing his way to greatness: Chipper is the only switch-hitter in baseball history to post a career slash line of .300/.400/.500, turning in a .303/401/.529 mark. Only 22 players in baseball have ever produced that line.

Model of consistency: Chipper Jones batted .303 as a LHH (7686 PA) and .304 as a RHH (2928 PA). He is the only switch-hitter in modern baseball history (post-1900) who is documented to have batted .300 from both sides of the plate – not Mickey Mantle, not Pete Rose, but Chipper Jones. Historical batting splits are incomplete for Frankie Frisch, who batted .316 from 1919-1937.

Long gone: Jones’ 468 homers place him third place behind Mickey Mantle (536) and Eddie Murray (504).

Home run history: He is one of just five switch-hitters with 400 home runs. Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira joined that club after Jones retired.

On-base percentage: Jones’ .401 OBP is the 5th best all-time among switch-hitters, trailing Mickey Mantle (.421), Roy Cullenbine (.408), Lance Berkman (.406) and Lu Blue (.402). His OBP is third best by a switch-hitter since 1950, behind Mantle and Berkman.

Chipper and Mickey: Jones and Mantle are the only two switch-hitters in baseball history with 400 homers and a .400 on-base percentage.

Bring ‘em home: Jones’ 1,623 RBI are second most all-time for a switch-hitter, behind only Murray’s 1,917.

Power and speed: Chipper is one of just 14 switch-hitters to post a 20 HR/20 SB campaign. He is one of just six switch-hitters to do so more than once.

Free passes: Chipper’s 1,512 walks are third all-time among switch-hitters, trailing Mantle (1,733) and Pete Rose (1,566).

His place in Braves history…

Only Hank Aaron (3,076) has played more games in Braves history. Chipper’s 2,499 games played rank just ahead of Eddie Mathews (2,223) and Dale Murphy (1,926).

Jones is second in franchise history with a .401 OBP (Billy Hamilton posted a .456 mark from 1896-1901), but Chipper was head and shoulders above the rest for well over the last century of Braves baseball.

Chipper (.529) is third on the slugging percentage leaderboard, behind Hank Aaron and Wally Berger. His .930 on-base plus slugging is second best, behind Aaron (.944). Pretty good company there.

Chasing Hank: Jones is second only to Aaron in hits, extra-base hits, doubles, RBI, runs scored, runs created, total bases, plate appearances, at-bats, times on base, sacrifice flies and intentional walks.

Trotting and walking: Chipper ranks third on the franchise list in home runs with 468, behind Aaron (733) and Mathews (493) and is the franchise’s all-time leader in bases on balls with 1,512.

Home and away: He hit .314 at home (5,304 PA) and .293 (5,310 PA) away, just a six PA difference.

First major league hit: September 14, 1993 vs. Reds, infield single against Kevin Wickander

First major league home run: May 9, 1995 vs. Mets, solo-shot against Josias Manzanillo

Last major league hit: October 3, 2012 vs. Pirates, single against A.J. Burnett

Last major league home run: September 2, 2012 vs. Phillies, walk-off against Jonathan Papelbon

His home run exploits…

Who gave them up: Chipper Jones hit 468 home runs against 323 different pitchers in 37 different ballparks.

Most Home runs vs. any pitcher: 7 vs. Steve Trachsel (87 PA)

One and done: There are 15 pitchers that Chipper Jones faced just once and hit a home run against: Edwin Almonte, Carlos Castillo, Steve Colyer, Horacio Estrada, Kevin Gryboski, Mike Judd, Brandon Knight, Daniel McCutchen, Jeff Nelson, Henry Owens, Troy Percival, Steve Rain, Matt Reynolds, Pete Walker and Joel Zumaya.

Home and Away: 259 of his home runs came at home, with 226 at Turner Field and 33 at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. The other 209 came at 35 different road parks, with 19 at New York’s Shea Stadium.

Switch hitting: 361 of his home runs came while batting left-handed, 107 while batting right-handed.

Clutch hitting: He hit nine walk-off home runs, 40 game-tying home runs and 161 go-ahead home runs.

Multi-homer games: Chipper had 39 two-home run games and one three-homer game.

By defensive position: Chipper hit 389 of his home runs while playing third base, 63 while playing left field, seven as a designated hitter, six as a shortstop and three as a pinch-hitter.

By batting order position: Chipper hit 353 of his home runs while batting third, 98 hitting fourth, seven batting sixth, four batting fifth and three from the ninth spot (all of his pinch-hit home runs).

Runners on: Chipper hit 267 solo-homers, 143 two-run homers, 52 three-run homers and 6 grand slams.

His other noteworthy numbers…

Favorite opponent: New York Mets, against whom he hit .309 with 49 HR and 159 RBI in 245 games.

Most Hits vs. pitcher: 26 vs. Livan Hernandez (92 PA)

Total pitchers faced: Chipper Jones faced 1,308 different pitchers in his career (257 of those just once).

Pitcher perfect: Chipper Jones is batting 1.000 against 115 of the 1,308 pitchers he faced.

Free pass: Chipper Jones drew a walk in his only plate appearance against 37 different pitchers.

Take your base: Over the course of his 18 full seasons, Chipper Jones was only hit by pitch 18 times. Only one pitcher hit him twice – Carlos Zambrano.

 

All statistics are courtesy of Baseball Reference.

The Atlanta Braves boast perhaps the most pitching-rich farm system in the game, but some young position players are starting to make the rest of baseball take notice.

Among those men is Rome Braves outfielder Drew Waters. The local product from Etowah High School in nearby Woodstock, Georgia, was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft and received high praise from Braves officials across the board.

Waters, 19, embarks on his first full season of professional baseball and it begins in the South Atlantic League. The switch-hitter slashed .278/.362/.429 with 14 doubles, four home runs, 24 RBI and six stolen bases in 50 games at two Rookie-level stops last season. The tools are tantalizing, but the intangibles may help Waters go a long way as well.

I had a chance to catch up with Waters as Rome opened up the 2018 season. In just a few short minutes, it was easy to see why Atlanta is so high on this young outfielder. And you might be pleasantly surprised to discover what former Braves player has already had a big impact on Waters’ fledgling career.

Grant McAuley: It’s your first full season of pro-ball, but of course you got your feet wet last summer. Making the jump from high school, what were your impressions of your first year and how much have you been looking forward to getting back out on the field?

Drew Waters: It was definitely a learning experience for me. I had to learn a lot of things, especially at the plate. I’m facing a lot better competition. Guys not only throw the fastball at 95, but they also locate and spot up two other really good pitches, so I had to learn how to hit all three pitches. There’s a couple of things in my swing that I changed this offseason that I think will give me a lot of success for this season.

GM: Yeah, baseball is a constant game of adjustments. That’s something you well know, and I guess you’ll find out more about as you climb in the system. It’s a pretty good group of guys that you’ll have here in Rome this year. I know this isn’t necessarily your backyard, but its not too terribly far away from Woodstock. It has to be kind of nice to have a full season where you can play in the same region as your family…

DW: Yeah, I am really looking forward to it. I think a lot of success comes with having a good foundation and to me my family is my foundation. With them being able to come to a lot of the games and to be there to support me throughout the season, I think I’ll be able to have a great season.

GM: Walk me through last year, I mean it’s not even been a full year since you were drafted by Atlanta. This is a team you had the experience of growing up watching and being a fan of. How surreal was that to have the Braves be the team that chose you?

DW: I’ll definitely say it was a quick year. I went from winning the state championship, to graduation, to all of a sudden my name being called by the Atlanta Braves in the second round. When I got to put on the uniform, I was like, this is what I’ve been dreaming about since I was a kid. So, it was a surreal moment and I’m grateful that I’m playing for the Braves.

GM: As you embark on this first full season of pro ball, has there been anybody that you talk to or leaned on? Because it is a grind. It’s not the 162, but the 140 not a joke either.

DW: One of the main guys I like to talk to is Fred McGriff. I got to play for him when I was coming up through travel ball, when I got to play on the Braves’ scout team. So, me and him stay in touch, especially now that I’m playing for the Braves. He’s been a great mentor for me, just telling me I’ve got to keep working and it’s not easy, especially your first season. You’ve just got to continue to grind it out and do what you’ve got to do for your body. Whether that’s getting in the training room early or getting your lifts in every week, you just gotta stay on top of everything to stay healthy and stay strong throughout the season.

GM: I talked to Brian Bridges back on draft day, when you guys were selected, first Kyle Wright and then yourself. I had no idea that you had played for McGriff. That had to be a pretty interesting connection, and I’d imagine that’s more or less what may have put you on the Braves radar in some ways.

DW: Yeah, it’s actually funny. A lot of the mock drafts had me going before the Braves second pick. And the day before the draft, Fred McGriff was texting me and saying, “Oh, you better sign with the Braves.” But I knew deep down that the Braves would be a good pick for me, just because a lot of the affiliates are right by my house and being able to stay home and play in front of the hometown crowd is just something you dream of. So, I was super excited about playing for the Atlanta Braves.

GM: Walk me through the winter for a moment. I know you don’t have a terrible lot of time when it comes to the offseason. Seems like it goes by pretty quickly, but were there some things you keyed in on? You mentioned a little bit about tightening up the swing and working on a couple of things there, what in specific were you spending your time on this winter?

DW: One of the major things is when I was hitting last season, especially late in the season when my body started to get tired, I just tried to do too much and I got into a bad habit of having bad posture in my swing. What I mean by that is when I’d go to load, I’d kind of hunch up with my upper body and when I do that my head would turn with it, causing me not to be able to see pitches. So, I was chasing a lot out of the zone, which led to a lot of strikeouts. This offseason I really focused on my posture and on my upper body, just to make sure that I’m not chasing pitches and so my swing path is where I want it to be. And then another thing is my lower half, I am working on calming things down so I can hit all three pitches more efficiently.

GM: As you get into the season, everyone’s goals, of course, are to stay healthy, win baseball games and develop or evolve as players. Some of these guys you got a chance to get in the trenches with last year. Who in particular did you get to play with that you are looking forward to getting back out there this year with?

DW: Honestly, I’m looking forward to playing with all of the guys. You hear some guys talk about their organization and how they don’t really enjoy being around the guys, but in the Braves organization everyone is a great guy. It’s a lot of young talent, a lot of pitchers, but I really think there’s a lot of great position players that are coming up through the organization, especially on this team. There’s also a lot of sleepers. I think the biggest one that caught me off guard was Jean Carlos Encarnacion, our third baseman. A lot of people didn’t really know who he was until last season. I didn’t even know who he was, but then I started playing with him over the course of the season. I got called up to Danville and got to play with him there. Just watching him play and watching how he goes about the game, he really caught my attention. He’s going to be a really good player.

GM: To follow up on that, there is a lot of talent in the organization. I am sure for players, whether position players or pitchers, it has to be a lot of fun to surround yourself with those kinds of guys with that kind of talent to raise the competition level beginning in the spring…

DW: I mean, when you’ve got an organization like the Braves, everyone pushes everybody. I think right now a lot of people focus in on the pitching prospects, just because everyone hears all the great pitchers that are in the organizations, but there’s really just as many good position players as there are pitchers, but just the position players are younger. I personally think that we’re going to have a lot of good position players come up through the organization that’ll make an impact in the big leagues.

ATLANTA — Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman received a scare on Wednesday night when he was once again hit by a pitch on the left wrist. The team announced tests came back negative and Freeman avoided what could have been another prolonged stint on the disabled list.

Freeman exited Atlanta’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning after being plunked by reliever Hoby Milner. Freeman was struck by an 89 mph fastball, grimaced and immediately departed the field. The pitch hit Freeman in virtually the same spot as the one that landed him on the disabled list in 2017.

Freeman underwent X-rays, but the results weren’t immediately made available following the game. He was reevaluated on Thursday morning and the team has deemed him day-to-day, but he was right back in the starting lineup in the series opener against the New York Mets.

After running the initial tests on Wednesday night, Freeman went home with the indication from doctors that he had avoided refracturing the same wrist that cost him 44 games last season. He underwent CT scans on Thursday morning to confirm there were no breaks.

Despite two strikingly similar incidents inside a calendar year, Freeman is not planning to change his stance or utilize any radical wrist guards. He believes it’s simply a risk that every hitter runs each time they step in the box.

“There’s nothing you can really do,” said Freeman. “This is how I hit. It’s how I stand and I’m not changing it. I’ve just got to get out of the way.”

Freeman is batting .288 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 17 games this season. He is among the major league leaders in walks, on-base percentage and wins above replacement.

Additionally, Freeman said he has already heard from Milner, who apologized for hitting him with an errant pitch.

“Hoby actually already texted me,” said Freeman. “He reached out, so I really appreciated that. It was very nice of him to do that. Obviously, it was a 2-2 count and he tried to go in. I understand; it’s just part of the game.”

The Atlanta Braves have leaned heavily on pitching to execute what is now a four-year rebuilding plan. Nowhere has that been more apparent than in the June amateur draft. Though first-round picks typically attract the most attention, it was a fourth-rounder from 2016 that may have been the breakout pitching prospect in the system last season.

Bryse Wilson, 20, was selected out of Orange High School in Hillsborough, N.C., where he was a two-sport star and one of the state’s top prep prospects. The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder has a fastball in the low-mid 90s and took great strides establishing the rest of his arsenal for Rome last season.

He finished 10-7 with a 2.50 ERA that ranked second in the South Atlantic League. Wilson struck out 139 batters against just 39 walks across his 137 innings as well. That performance silenced the contingent that may have felt Wilson could be better suited to be a reliever.

Perhaps the best performance of his season came on July 8, 2017, when he fired a 9-inning shut-out at West Virginia. Wilson surrendered five hits with no walks and struck out seven while using a career-high 105 pitches to finish the gem. One month to the day later, Wilson racked up a career-best 11 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings against Augusta.

I had a chance to catch up with Wilson at the close of spring training to get his thoughts on the 2017 campaign and what he hopes to accomplish this season, beginning in the High-A Florida State League.

Grant McAuley: You had a really productive first full season. Now that you’ve had a chance to look back on all that and reflect, what are your memories and takeaways from 2017?

Bryse Wilson: I think the biggest memory was the complete game. That was a lot of fun, but I think a lot of the takeaways were all the things I learned by being with the guys I was with and just having a good time.

GM: It was a great starting staff for Rome (Wilson, Ian Anderson, Joey Wentz). How does that comradery and even the competion amongst the guys benefit you?

BW: It’s nice because it helps everybody to be a little bit more comfortable. We all get along. We all help each other and push each other and want the best from each other. It’s just great to have all these guys around and be able to work with them every day.

GM: Walk me through the winter for you. It came after throwing the most innings in any season of your life. How did you approach the time off?

BW: For me, it was a lot of rest. I took about two weeks off from lifting and then got back into it. I started throwing in late December and got back into that. It was a good offseason.

GM: Spring training is all wrapped up. How’d it feel getting back on the mound and facing live hitting again?

BW: I’m just feeling good. Stuff feels good and I’m learning to pitch a lot better, with more command. I think I’m just trying to have another good season like I did last year and just keep pitching and put my team in the best position to win.

GM: You mentioned pitching with more command. That’s obviously a focus. Are there any other things, whether it’s mechanically or mentally, that you’re looking to improve?

BW: I’m just trying to get more consistent with everything. You know, location. Just throwing the slider and changeup and being able to replicate those. Throw them on both sides of the plate and be able to be more consistent so I can pretty much throw whatever pitch whenever I want.

Wilson made his 2018 debut on Monday for the Florida Fire Frogs. Working on a pitch count of 65, he fired 3 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out five. Though he did allow five hits, a walk and a hit batsman, Wilson kept Fort Myers off the board.

The new Braves front office appears to be taking a more cautious approach when it comes to rapidly promoting prospects. With success in Florida, Wilson figures to reach Double-A Mississippi at some point this sesaon and he could be closing in on SunTrust Park before 2019 comes to a close.

ATLANTA — Unlike some clubs, the Atlanta Braves were expecting runs to be a little harder to come by this season. That has not been the case thus far, however. Atlanta is suprisingly the highest scoring team in baseball at the moment, averaging over eight runs per game in the early going.

It’s a small sample size, but it certainly qualifies as a pleasant surprise.

The Braves are making this magic happen with contributions up and down the lineup. They’ve won back-to-back series to open the season and scored a major league-best 48 runs through the first six games. Atlanta is also leading MLB with a .297 team batting average. Those numbers are buoyed by two big-time, blow-out wins against the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals, but this lineup has shown the ability not only to string the hits together, but to get them when they count.

Atlanta is batting .450 in 60 at-bats with runners in scoring position as a team on the young season. No one has been more destructive to opposing pitchers than Freddie Freeman.

He’s taking his walks and also making the most of his chances to drive in runs. Freeman set a franchise record by walking 10 times through the season’s first five games, a total that leads the majors and a trend that may not change any time soon.

When he’s not busy walking, Freeman is 6-for-7 with RISP with a pair of home runs. That fine work has helped him compile a National League-best nine RBI through his team’s first half a dozen games.

Freeman’s name appears all over the NL leaderboard. In addition to leading the league in RBI and walks, he’s tops with a .621 on-base percentage and eight runs scored as well. After having an MVP-caliber season derailed by a wrist injury in 2017, it appears that Freeman is picking up right where he left off.

Unsung heroes

The Braves made a handful of moves before setting their 25-man roster for Opening Day, among those was adding veteran infielder Ryan Flaherty. He was cast off by the Phillies despite a strong spring, but his good play in March was a sign of things to come.

Flaherty, 31, is batting .435 (10-for-23) with six runs scored while serving as Atlanta’s primary third baseman thus far. Though he was added more so for his versatility, Flaherty is enjoying his first time in the NL. He began his big league career with the Orioles in 2012 and has played every position but catcher in his six years in Baltimore.

Preston Tucker came over in a December trade with the Houston Astros, had a great spring for Atlanta and parlayed that perfromance into regular playing time in left field. Much of the media and fan focus down in Orlando was on top prospect Ronald Acuña Jr., but when he was reassigned to the minors, left field became a place for Tucker to find regular at-bats for at least a couple of weeks.

He’s run with that opportunity thus far. Tucker is batting .421 (8-for-19) with a home run and five RBI. His three-run blast on Tuesday helped the Braves launch a comeback against the Nationals. Then he did it again against Max Scherzer on Wednesday, clocking a three-run homer that sent the Braves to an eventual 7-1 victory. Tucker also contributed a pair of game-tying RBI-singles against Philadelphia.

Up and down the lineup

The Braves would love to see the speedy duo of Ender Inciarte and Ozzie Albies get on track ahead of Freeman. They have the potential to be a dynamic force at the top of the order.

Albies broke out with a three-hit performance on Tuesday, snapping out of a 2-for-20 start to his season. Inciarte is 6-for-26 to open the year and has already collected five RBI in the first six games. He’s looking to follow up a 200-hit season in which he captured his second consecutive gold glove award.

Veteran outfielder Nick Markakis will be counted on to pick up some of the RBI chances that may quite literally be taken out of Freeman’s hands when and if opposing teams decide to pitch around the Atlanta first baseman. Markakis belted a game-winning home run on Opening Day to beat the Phillies, the first of what the club hopes will be many big hits from the 13-year pro. Markakis logged a team-high 270 at-bats with runners on-base last season. That may very well be the case if he is entrenched in the middle of the order again in 2018. Acuña’s arrival could and should change the lineup dynamic in a number of ways, however.

Further down the order, Dansby Swanson is working to erase the memories of a challenging rookie season. He stumbled out of the gate a year ago, but is hitting .318 (7-for-22) with three RBI and three runs scored through five games. Swanson collected three hits against Philadelphia on Friday and already has a trio of multi-hit performances. For comparison, he did not have a multi-hit game until April 29, 2017. That was 22 games into the season.

The early returns from the Atlanta offense are providing reasons to be encouraged from a depth perspective as well. The Braves are getting contributions from several players as they wait for Acuña’s inevitable promotion, the return of both Johan Camargo and Tyler Flowers from injury. Put it all together, and the Braves may just find a way to score runs at a greater frequency than even they’d expected.

ATLANTA — It goes without saying that two games into a Major League Baseball season is too soon to hit any kind of panic button. But the Atlanta Braves have been dealt an early blow behind the plate.

And it’s a blow that will also be felt in the middle of the lineup.

Veteran catchers Tyler Flowers and Kurt Suzuki were each forced from their first starts of the season. It started on Opening Day, when Flowers was lost to an oblique strain suffered in his first at-bat. That landed him on the 10-day disabled list. Then the following night, Suzuki was hit by pitch in the right palm and made an early exit.

While the team is hopeful Suzuki will only miss a few days, there is no timetable for Flowers’ return. Oblique injuries vary by case and severity, but typically take a few weeks to heal and can be a lingering problem if not handled properly.

“I’ve had teammates over the years try and rush it to get back and they end up dealing with it for an entire season, so I definitely don’t plan on doing that,” Flowers said of his first bout with an oblique issue. “I think we’ll be as aggressive as we can be. I don’t want this to turn into multiple months when it could be something significantly shorter if we kind of take our time throughout the process.”

The Braves’ veteran catchers were two of their most productive players last season. The duo combined for 31 home runs and a team-leading 5.2 WAR between them in 2017. The absence of one, or both men, will have a direct effect on the bottom line of production in the Atlanta lineup, which was already light on power entering the season.

Outside of Freddie Freeman, the Braves entered this season without a single hitter that surpassed the 20-home run plateau in 2017 and only one man, Nick Markakis, who’d ever done so at any point in his big league career. However, the last time he did so was 2008.

As the club is currently constructed, Markakis remains one of the men who will be most heavily depended upon in the middle of the order. He delivered a game-winning homer in the season opener and logged the most at-bats with runners on base of any Atlanta hitter in 2017.

“Nick had a really good spring, worked his tail off,” said manager Brian Snitker. “He’s a guy that I trust every night. He’s going to show up and give you everything he has. He’s been through the wars and it makes him the pro that he is.”

The Braves will need more from the middle and bottom of the order, however.

The team stands to get a power boost from top prospect Ronald Acuña Jr. at some point, but that can hardly be counted on to solve all the lineup’s needs. Without Flowers and Suzuki for any length of time and with third base still not settled, there are currently a few more questions than answers in the Atlanta lineup.

Then there’s the effect the loss of Flowers and Suzuki could have behind the plate and with the pitching staff, which must forge new partnerships with different battery mates. Both men received high praise from Braves pitchers last season. But now the staff will be entering some unfamiliar territory of sorts.

Flowers recognized as much when talking to reporters after being placed on the disabled list.

“To go through all spring and develop those relationships working together and all the time you spend down there to prepare for that game and everything, you know it’s tough,” said Flowers. “Now just be patient, work hard and try and get back.”

Veteran Chris Stewart signed early in the spring and will be the first man to get a chance for playing time with Flowers on the DL. An MRI showed no broken bones in Suzuki’s right hand. so he could be back sometime early next week. Should he require a quick trip to the disabled list, things may get a little dicier behind the plate for a while.

Stewart made his first start for Atlanta in Saturday’s 15-2 win over the Philadelphai Phillies. He went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. The 36-year-old is beginning his 12th big league season and has carved a solid niche as a capable back-up catcher. He’ll be relied upon more heavily in the weeks to come, however.

“His catch-release, the way be blocks, you know he’s been around for a long time, so he knows how to call a game too,” Snitker said of Stewart’s skill set following Saturday’s game. “He’s good for our pitchers and it’s just nice to see him contribute with the bat.”

In order to create some depth at the position, Atlanta swung a trade with the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, acquirng catcher Carlos Perez in exchange for infielder Ryan Schimpf. Perez, 27, owns a .224/.267/.332 slash line in 184 games with the Angels over the last three seasons, but played just 11 big league games with L.A. in 2017. He was designated for assignment when the Angels added Shohei Ohtani to the Opening Day roster.

Perez will join the Braves in time for their series opener against the Washington Nationals on Monday and figures to serve as Atlanta’s third catcher for the time being with Flowers on the DL. If Suzuki is forced to join him there, the addition of Perez could loom larger.

Opening Day brings with it the renewed optimism of a brand new season. All 30 clubs get a blank slate and embark a journey they hope will lead them to October baseball.

The Atlanta Braves opened their 53rd season since relocating from Milwaukee prior to 1966. That means they’ve trotted out 53 Opening Day lineups, with a host of names rotating on an annual basis.

Some of these men are synonymous with Braves baseball. Others require a much sharper mind to recall their time in Atlanta.

 

Catcher (27 different players)

Despite having two of the best catchers in franchise history play for Atlanta, the Braves have still seen some serious turnover behind the plate as well. In fact, six different men have started at catcher on Opening Day in the last six years alone. Tyler Flowers kept it from being seven is as many years, but his injury forced Kurt Suzuki into action in the second inning.

Inaugural season: In 1966, Joe Torre became the first man to crouch behind the plate for the Atlanta club. He went on to a great career as a player and even more success as a Hall of Fame Manager.

Most OD starts at catcher: Javy Lopez (7) Brian McCann (7) Joe Torre (4) Biff Pocoroba (4) Bruce Benedict (4)

Did you know: Dale Murphy was Atlanta’s Opening Day catcher in 1979. That’s the same year he’d transition out from behind the plate permanently at the behest of Hall of Fame skipper Bobby Cox.

 

1st Base (28 different players)

Freddie Freeman made his eighth consecutive Opening Day start for Atlanta, the most in franchise history at the position. Prior to that, Atlanta had 11 different 1B in a 12-year span from 1999-2010.

Inaugural season: Lee Thomas was a former All-Star slugger with the Boston Red Sox, but his stay in Atlanta was brief. It lasted just 39 games before he was traded away. Thomas went on to a successful second career as a front office executive and was the general manager of the 1993 Phillies team which beat a 104-win Atlanta team in the NCLS that season.

Most OD starts at first base: Freddie Freeman (8), Chris Chambliss (5), Fred McGriff (4), Orlando Cepeda (4)

Did you know: Dale Murphy was Atlanta’s Opening Day first baseman in 1978. Though he was still primarily a catcher, the Braves were looking for ways to get his bat in the lineup. Throw in all three outfield spots and Murphy started at five different positions in his career on Opening Day for the Braves.

 

2nd Base (23 different players)

Glenn Hubbard is the standard bearer for Opening Day at the keystone position in Atlanta. He started seven straight from 1981-1987 and eight overall. Ozzie Albies, who just turned 21 years old in January, just became the 23rd different second baseman to start a season opener for Atlanta and the youngest ever to do so.

Inaugural season: Frank Bolling was the first second baseman in Atlanta history. The two-time All-Star and 1958 Gold Glove Award winner retired after that 1966 season.

Most OD starts at second base: Hubbard (8), Lemke (5), Giles (5), Millan (5), Uggla (4)

Did you know: Davey Johnson went on to a long managerial career, but in 1973 he was Atlanta’s Opening Day second basemen and went on to sock 43 home runs, a franchise record for the position. He was one of three Braves teammates to eclipse 40 home runs that season. Hank Aaron and Darrell Evans were the others.

 

3rd Base (20 different players)

When it comes to the hot corner, no man in Atlanta history started more games at the position than the Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. He got the Opening Day call a dozen times and would have been far more had he not missed the first few games in 1996 and later moved to left field for a three-year stretch from 2002-2004. That contuity helped make third base one of the positions with the least amount of turnover. Ryan Flaherty joined the Opening Day club in 2018.

Inaugural season: Eddie Mathews became the only man in team history to play for Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. This was his final season with the Braves. He holds the franchise record for Opening Day starts at third base, appearing there for 15 consecutive seasons from 1952-1966.

Most OD starts at third base: Chipper Jones (12), Bob Horner (7), Clete Boyer (5), Terry Pendleton (4)

Did you know: Third base belonged to Ron Gant on Opening Day in 1989. It was a position he’d never played in the minors and only done so sparingly during his rookie season the year prior. It did not go particularly well for Gant at the hot corner. He was demoted to A-ball at midseason in order to learn to play the outfield. That move paid off. He went on to become an All-Star outfielder and two-time member of the 30 home run, 30 stolen base club.

 

Shortstop (22 different players)

The Braves have enjoyed pretty regular play their Opening Day shortstops, despite some turnover in recent years. Dansby Swanson is hoping to cement his status at the position after making his second consecutive season-opening start there.

Inaugural season: Denis Menke was Atlanta’s first Opening Day shortstop. A versatile infielder who enjoyed a 13-year career, Menke spent just two years in Atlanta before being traded to the Astros in 1967. In Houston, Menke moved to second base and filled in for an injured Joe Morgan in 1968. He moved back to back to shortstop, becoming a two-time All-Star for the Astros. He and Morgan were then traded to the Reds prior to the 1972 season as the Big Red Machine was being assembled in Cincinnati.

Most OD starts in shortstop: Rafael Ramirez (6), Jeff Blauser (6), Rafael Furcal (5)

Did you know: Certainly not the biggest name, but one of the more popular men to earn an Opening Day start at shortstop was the light-hitting Rafael Belliard. He came over from the Pirates and earned the season-opening starts in 1991 and 1992. Sliding into a reserve role for the six seasons that followed, Belliard broke a decade-long home run drought with a two-run shot off Brian Bohanon of the Mets on September 26, 1997.

 

Left Field (35 different players)

If there is any one position that has become a revolving door in recent years, left field may be the place. While the trend won’t end this season, it could find an everyday guy filling the void sooner than later. Top prospect Ronald Acuña Jr. won’t be the guy to take over on Opening Day, but his arrival is nigh. Preston Tucker got the nod on Opening Day 2018.

Inaugural season: Rico Carty was one of the team’s first dynamic Latin American ballplayers. Though injuries kept him from potential Hall of Fame caliber career, Carty made the most of what playing time he got. He won the National League batting title in 1970 and set the Atlanta record with a 31-game hitting streak, later surpassed by Dan Uggla in 2011.

Most OD starts in left field: Ryan Klesko (4), Ralph Garr (4), Dale Murphy (3), Chipper Jones (3)

Did you know: When the Braves won those 14 consecutive division titles from 1991-2005, they employed nine different Opening Day left fielders, and that’s with Ryan Klesko and Chipper Jones making seven of those starts. Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders got the title streak started in the worst-to-first year of 1991.

 

Center Field (26 different players)

The Braves sent Ender Inciarte into the middle pasture again to open 2018. He patrols it well. A two-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner, Inciarte has carved out a spot at the top of the order as well. Last year, he became the first Braves player since Marquis Grissom in 1996 to record a 200-hit season.

Inaugural season: Felipe Alou came to Atlanta and immediately enjoyed the best season of his career in 1966. He batted .327, led the NL with 218 hits and belted a career-high 31 home runs. A three-time All-Star, Alou went on a to a lengthy managerial career after his playing days were done.

Most OD starts in center field: Andruw Jones (10), Dale Murphy (5)

Did you know: No one held down center field better and for longer than Andruw Jones. He took over full-time in 1998, following the departure of one-year rental Kenny Lofton. Over the next decade, Jones won 10 consecutive gold glove awards and established himself as one of the best defensive players in baseball history.

 

Right Field (19 different players)

The veteran Nick Markakis made his fourth straight Opening Day start in right field for the Braves. He follows a long line of notable right fielders. MVP’s, a Rookie of the Year, Gold Glovers, Silver Sluggers and even Hall of Fame players have suited up at the position for Atlanta. He celebrated the occasion by belting a game-winning three-run homer against Philadelphia, the first walk-off home run of his 13-year career.

Inaugural season: Who better to christen right field and the new ballpark in general than the future home run king, Hank Aaron. He arrived in Atlanta and tied his career-high with 44 home runs in that 1966 season.

Most OD starts in right field: Hank Aaron (8), David Justice (6), Jason Heyward (5), Claudell Washington (5)

Did you know: Hank Aaron also holds the franchise record for most starts at the position, totaling 16 dating back to the Milwaukee days. He made eight consecutive Opening Day starts in right field before sliding over to left, where he was playing when he broke Babe Ruth’s home run record in April of 1974.

 

Starting pitcher (19 different players)

Julio Teheran is joined elite company in the franchise’s history as he made his fifth consecutive Opening Day start. He became one of just four pitchers to start at least five season openers and the first in Atlanta history to do so five straight years.

Inaugural season: Tony Cloninger was on the mound when the Braves opened their time in Atlanta. It was April 12, 1966 and Cloninger pitched a 13-inning complete game and struck out 12 batters, but lost to the Pirates by a 3-2 score in the first game in Atlanta history.

Most OD starts: Greg Maddux (8), Phil Niekro (8), Rick Mahler (5), Julio Teheran (4), John Smoltz (4)

Did you know: That franchise history Teheran just made dates all the way back to Milwaukee and Hall of Famer Warren Spahn. The lefty made six consecutive opening day starts from 1957-1962. Spahn still holds the franchise record of 10 season opening starting assignments.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is still getting used to all the hype. He just spent his first big league spring training under the proverbial microscope, heralded not only as the top prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization but all of baseball.

It’s an impressive distinction that brings with it incredible expectations.

Heading into his age 20 season, Acuña is perhaps just weeks away from making his major league debut. That will come after a well-publicized layover in Triple-A Gwinnett. Yes, his ascension to Atlanta is only a matter of time.

But this time a year ago, who would have thought it possible?

To be honest, even Acuña was surprised.

“It’s amazing and I’m definitely not taking it for granted,” Acuña said through team translor Franco Garcia. “I never imagined that it would all happen this quickly.

“It’s like I’ve said before, I always believed in myself that I could become something and that I could do something with myself as a baseball player. I always had confidence in that, but I never thought it would all happen this quickly. It’s very exciting.”

The Braves strapped a rocket to his back in 2017 and Acuña went from a player with only 40 games of experience above rookie ball to one who probably deserved a September call-up.

He posted a .325/.374/.522 slash line while belting 21 homers and stealing 44 bases in 139 games. Then he went to the Arizona Fall League and brought home MVP honors.

That reign of terror across three levels of the minor leagues earned Acuña his top prospect status and catapulted him into the national spotlight as one of the top young players in baseball.

That’s a far cry from last spring, when he was just hoping to have a full, healthy year. Acuña suffered a thumb injury that robbed him of three months’ worth of playing time with Rome in 2016. He returned in time for the playoffs and helped the club win the South Atlantic League title.

To make up for the lost time, Acuña shipped off across the Pacific and turned heads in the Australian Baseball League that winter. Needless to say, he was a big hit in the Outback and that was just the beginning of the buzz that now surrounds this five-tool talent.

Acuña got the chance to show out last spring and impressed Braves manager Brian Snitker, who said he’d have been temped to bring the young outfielder north with the big league club if given the chance.

That said, Acuña still had plenty of developing to do in all facets of the game in 2017.

“I think there’s a big difference between last year and this year,” Acuña said when asked of his growth over the past year. “I would say last year I hadn’t matured as much and wasn’t as mature as I was going into this spring training. This year, I just knew what I wanted to focus on and I knew what I wanted to work on.”

Heady stuff, but this is an ultra-talented player who climbed the minor league ladder in what felt like a fortnight and got better at every stop along the way. With his skills on display and his confidence building from experience, Acuña’s name began to receive regular mention across the industry.

Other than the one injury setback, Acuña hasn’t been forced to wait very long in his minor league career. The rapid promotions and ensuing success has given little reason to believe he has much of anything left to prove in the minor leagues.

But lessons come in all shapes and sizes.

Acuña’s current learning experience comes courtesy of the business of baseball. He’ll spend some time back in Triple-A. The club has cited development and a little bit of seasoning, but two weeks of minor league time buys the Braves an extra year of contractual control with Acuña down the line.

That decision, however, is out of Acuña’s hands. And it’s already been made.

To his credit, he’s seemingly moved on after being reassigned to minor league camp last week despite torching the Grapefruit League in his time with the big league club this spring. It certainly hasn’t affected his confidence, of which he has a seemingly endless supply. Acuña has instead turned his focus to doing any and everything he can at whatever level he may be playing. That outlook shows a considerable amount of that aforementioned maturity.

It can also be chalked up to another, equally important quality.

“Patience really,” credits Acuña. “I preached that about last spring training and the same could be said for this one as well. Being sent down, I’m trying to just practice patience and just anxiously waiting for the opportunity in the big leagues.”

That sounds great, but nobody likes waiting. Acuña is no different. He’s put in the work. He’s put up the numbers. Now he’s simply playing the waiting game.

And that’s a game he’s determined to win.

“I’m not feeling impatient at all to be honest, and I don’t think I’ll feel that way,” said Acuña. “It’s just not the right moment right now and that’s just part of the business.

“Baseball is a business and I understand that. There’s a lot of things that go into these decisions. All I can do is go down to Gwinnett, give my best effort and hope to get the call as soon as possible.”

Gwinnett opens the season with a six-game road trip before coming home for the second weekend in April. That’s just a couple of days prior to the April 14th date that Braves could feasibly summon Acuña to the majors while still gaining that coveted seventh year of contractual control.

Atlanta will return home to host the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, April 16, and all signs seem to point to the impending arrival of a certain top prospect, though the team has yet to specify a timetable.

Who knows, Acuña may never have to fully unpack his suitcase before arriving at SunTrust Park.

His phone should be ringing sooner than later.