Scouting Report: Atlanta Braves

Chipper Jones admits that he had a bad season in 2009, but figures on rebounding in 2010. The veteran Altanta Braves all-star believes that the Braves can contend for the NL East this season.

Chipper Jones has never had back-to-back bad seasons, and he is not expecting that to change now. He knew while he was going through his hitting slump last season that his problems were mechanical, because of the way the ball was rotating when it was put in play.

But even with Jones being so un-Chipper-like, the Braves had opportunities late in the season to make the playoffs. And that's what Jones expects in 2010.

"I think we can contend for the Eastern Division," he said at season's end.

Of the NL teams that did move on to the postseason, Jones noted, "We split with Colorado. But every other team who's in, we beat in the season series. I didn't have a good year. (Brian McCann) had a solid year; I don't think he would say he had a great year. You bounce back with a couple of good seasons out of me and Mac in the middle of the lineup next year -- not even counting some of the additions we make in the offseason -- you're talking about a few more games in the standings."

Assuming young pitchers such as Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson perform as they showed they could.

"There's no reason to believe that those guys won't continue to do the things that they did," Jones said. "Those guys really got a grasp of how to pitch and how to keep the team in the ballgame. A couple of them are only going to get better."

Chipper Jones career stats

Year	Tm	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG
1993	ATL	8	4	3	2	2	1	0	0	0	1	1	.667	.750	1.000
1995	ATL	140	602	524	87	139	22	3	23	86	73	99	.265	.353	.450
1996	ATL	157	693	598	114	185	32	5	30	110	87	88	.309	.393	.530
1997	ATL	157	679	597	100	176	41	3	21	111	76	88	.295	.371	.479
1998	ATL	160	707	601	123	188	29	5	34	107	96	93	.313	.404	.547
1999	ATL	157	701	567	116	181	41	1	45	110	126	94	.319	.441	.633
2000	ATL	156	686	579	118	180	38	1	36	111	95	64	.311	.404	.566
2001	ATL	159	677	572	113	189	33	5	38	102	98	82	.330	.427	.605
2002	ATL	158	662	548	90	179	35	1	26	100	107	89	.327	.435	.536
2003	ATL	153	656	555	103	169	33	2	27	106	94	83	.305	.402	.517
2004	ATL	137	567	472	69	117	20	1	30	96	84	96	.248	.362	.485
2005	ATL	109	432	358	66	106	30	0	21	72	72	56	.296	.412	.556
2006	ATL	110	477	411	87	133	28	3	26	86	61	73	.324	.409	.596
2007	ATL	134	600	513	108	173	42	4	29	102	82	75	.337	.425	.604
2008	ATL	128	534	439	82	160	24	1	22	75	90	61	.364	.470	.574
2009	ATL	143	596	488	80	129	23	2	18	71	101	89	.264	.388	.430
16 Seasons		2166	9273	7825	1458	2406	472	37	426	1445	1343	1231	.307	.406	.541

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

News, notes and quotes

--Second baseman Martin Prado proved his worth at second base by unseating incumbent Kelly Johnson in the middle of last season. Prado won't similarly oust Chipper Jones, but he could prove to be the best option to back up Jones long-term. In that scenario, pencil in INF Omar Infante at second base.

--Right-hander Kris Medlen doesn't necessarily face more competition for a spot in the bullpen with the signings of LHP Michael Dunn, RHP Scott Proctor and RHP Jesse Chavez because he is capable of both multi-inning long relief and closing.

--Tommy Hanson will be concentrating this season on mixing in his changeup, having command of all four pitches and stopping the running game.

--Jordan Schafer has begun swinging the bat now that he has recovered from surgery on his left wrist. In January, Schafer began taking swings in the Turner Field batting cage, the first time since last April 10 he had no pain doing so.

--Outfielder Jason Heyward, widely regarded as the Braves' best prospect and one of the top prospects in baseball, will be given a shot at winning the right field position in spring training.

The numbers game: .963 -- Jason Heyward's on-base-plus-slugging percentage last season, playing at three minor league levels.

He said what?  "It'll be the same. It will be the last one, but it will be the same: stressful, enjoyable, however you want to call it." -- Manager Bobby Cox on what he expects his final season to be like.

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