Which Brave are you most excited about in 2013 and why?

[GoBraves]

There are a lot of players to be excited about in our line up this year. I thought it would a great idea if we shared the players each one of us is excited about or looking forward to watching in 2013.

You have to pick one Brave in MLB and one in the Minor leagues, and give us your reasons for your excitement! I'll start:

MLB:
I like Freddy Freeman a lot this year. I think he'll have a breakout season. After fixing his eye problems last year, the last three months of the season his BB% was 13.6%, 14.30% and 12.10% for July, August and September, respectively. his BABIP was league avg. last year but a line driver hitter like freeman should be above league avg. News is he has been working out and putting on muscle, so the power might increase. so with his new found patience and power with a line drive stroke, I think Freeman will have a great season. By the way Buster Onle agrees with me!

Minor League:
Christian Bethancourt. I'm excited to see what he does this year simply because the tools are there. With McCann's future not certain with the team, we would all love for him to step in and take over. I'm however not sold on his bat just yet. Thats why I'm intrigued to follow him in AA this year and hope for the best.

[ATL-ALL-DAY]

Martin PRADO



Atlanta Braves: Upton brothers.... Lets see

I don't follow the minors, so all I know is what u guys talk about...

[Bravo95]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw45nBcWNbQ

[GoBraves]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw45nBcWNbQ

Hahaha. Love it!

[beldugo]

MLB: Justin Upton, in the last two months of the season when his thumb injury healed he was Justin Upton again, i think he could repeat 2011 numbers this year, i expect big things from him, playing with his brother will only help so i'm excited to see him in a Braves uniform.

Minors: JR Graham, i expect him to dominate AAA and take a leap as our next top pitching prospect this year, his numbers in the minors are great he just need 2013 to be just as good so he becomes a blue chip prospect.

[GoBraves]

MLB: Justin Upton, in the last two months of the season when his thumb injury healed he was Justin Upton again, i think he could repeat 2011 numbers this year, i expect big things from him, playing with his brother will only help so i'm excited to see him in a Braves uniform.

Minors: JR Graham, i expect him to dominate AAA and take a leap as our next top pitching prospect this year, his numbers in the minors are great he just need 2013 to be just as good so he becomes a blue chip prospect.

Nice picks.. These two were my original favorites. JR Graham I think will take a huge leap this year. I picked Bathencourt out of desperation. We really need him to show up this year.

[ugafan]

I really think Jason Heyward puts it all together this year and REALLY breaks out. He's been good but not as good as I think he'll be this season.

Top 10 player in baseball.

Also, Mike Minor. Looking forward to seeing how he follows up the nice finish last season.

[baseballislife7]

JR Graham, Alex Wood, Evan Gattis and Dan Uggla
First three b/c they are prospects and am anxious to see how much each one progresses. The last one b/c unlike a lot of people I believe we will see a different Uggla this year. More talent has been brought in to bring power and Uggla thinking he is being forgot will show baseball the way he used to. I think he has a killer year.

[mgcslugger33]

Im excited most by the guys that had bad seasons (for them) last year.

McCann and Uggla

McCann will be motivated and healthy when he comes back. Much like Heyward coming back from the shoulder injury last year, I see McCann really bouncing back. People write him off, but he is still a young guy and in his prime. I think he gets back to the .280-.290/.350 with 25 hrs that we are accustomed to.

Uggla I guess im more curious than excited. Last year, from a power stand point, was an outlier. You could very well see a bounce back season from him with 28-30hrs and a .800 ops. I admittedly have some reservations about this. Now a days when power numbers drop I'm not as confident that they will come back for obvious reasons. I am, though, hopeful.

I think guys like Heyward, The uptons, and Freddie are great and will be great, but these two guys are superstars at their positions that people are writing off. These two guys at their career averages, make this line up go from good to great IMO.

[Dash86]

I absolutely want to say, "simba!!!!", but if i'm being honest - i'm pretty excited to see how Mike Minor pitches. He flashed some solid skills at points last year. JT has the 5th spot as his to lose too so that should be pretty interesting...

When it comes to the minors, i'm always excited to see the "next big" pitching prospect the Braves turn into a Top 10 minor leaguer.

[Born a Brave]

MLB Level- Andrelton Simmons(SS)- I am most intrigued to see how Simmons performs, after 166 at bats last year at the Big League Level was enough for the front office to deem him "untouchable" in Justin Upton trade talks and handed him the keys to the leadoff spot in the Braves order. Those are both quite a leap to make after 166 at bats. Braves Country certainly liked what they saw last year, but can he sustain it once pitchers get advanced scouting reports on his Major League tendencies? We shall see.... Hitting first in the lineup, in front of Jason Heyward, should provide him plenty of fastballs and strikes to look at... One thing I know for sure, I'm thrilled to get to watch a full season of Simmons defensively. He should be a regular on Web Gems.

Minor League Level- Sean Gilmartin(SP)- After the 2013 campaign, I can't imagine the Braves re-signing Paul Maholm, and there is a possibility this is Tim Hudson's final year as a Brave. If two spots open up, Gilmartin would battle with Teheran and JR Graham to fill them. I was a fan of Gilmartin's, the few times I saw him in college, and really believe he will be solid at the MLB level. It seems as though the Braves front office is more giddy about Graham, but I just have a feeling about Gilmartin.... I hope they both turn out to be big time contributors, but I'm a little more interested in keeping an eye on Gilmartin's numbers this year in the Minors..

[Fly]

Andrelton Simmons

[HowFit]

The outcome of the whole lineup. Going from a whole season of Simmons, how Upton brothers perform together in a new scenery, Heyward and Freeman becoming more productive in their 3rd, 4th year, comeback seasons of Uggla and McCann, and how Fransico fair at being possible full time at third. Instead of one individual position player, I choose the lineup...

I think our pitching will do well...

[Bravo95]

So none of you has invented a way to combine Gattis and Bethancourt yet? I thought we had some sharp minds in here?

[iamaj]

I'm most interested in watching Teheran. Been a long build up, and I want to see if he is worth the wait.