Braves set record, win 23rd straight Medlen start

The Braves have gone more than two years without losing a game started by Kris Medlen. If they can still say the same a month from now, Chipper Jones' final season might indeed have a magical conclusion.

Medlen extended a record-setting run of perfection and helped the Braves celebrate Jones' final regular-season home game with a 6-2 win over the Mets in front of 50,635 emotionally charged fans at Turner Field on Sunday afternoon.

Braves set record, win 23rd straight Medlen start

Braves Clinch Wild Card Playoff Berth

Braves AJC Celebration Slideshow

Braves blast Phils on way to playoffs

After essentially having their way with the Phillies during the season's first five months, the Braves encountered some struggles this month. But with 10 games remaining this season, they are hoping that they have finally delivered a decisive blow to their division rival's postseason hopes.

Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward led the barrage that forced Roy Halladay to make one of the earliest exits of his career and watch helplessly as the Braves completed their 8-2 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday afternoon.

This victory combined with the Brewers' loss to the Nationals allowed the Braves to reduce their magic number to clinch a playoff berth to three. They remain positioned at the top of the National League Wild Card standings with a six-game lead over the second-place Cardinals.

Braves take big step toward playoffs, hurt Phils

McCann's 10th-inning sac fly keeps Braves hot

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has not completely altered his approach to managing a game. But the manner in which he has utilized closer Craig Kimbrel over the past few days proves he is willing to try some unconventional approaches in an attempt to make sure this season ends much more pleasant than the last.

Gonzalez found himself breathing a sigh of relief on Sunday afternoon after Brian McCann's sacrifice fly provided the Braves a lead that Peter Moylan would not relinquish in a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Mets.

McCann's 10th-inning sac fly keeps Braves hot

Hudson leads Braves as they get closer to Nationals

The Braves desperately needed someone to fill in the gap left by Brandon Beachy once he went on the DL for the rest of the year, and Tim Hudson has done exactly that for the team to this point in the season.

On August 26 Hudson went seven strong innings while giving up only one run on five hits to go along with three strikeouts as well, and he pitched about as well as one could expect out of him.

Hudson was able to keep the ball down throughout the entire night with velocity in the low-90s, and as a result induced more than a dozen ground balls for the game.

Hudson dominates as Braves inch closer to Nationals

Chipper Jones not the oldest of the Braves anymore

Chipper Jones and his surgically repaired knees were out of the Braves lineup Saturday at San Francisco, the second game he missed through the first six on a 10-game trip that began in Washington.

“Just old,” said Jones, 40, as he suited up for the 1:05 p.m. game, the third in a four-game series against the Giants.

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Atlanta Braves blog by David O'Brien

Late moves, better batting can make Braves a contender

Some late roster additions and emerging bats have the Atlanta Braves looking like a contender again this year, though most experts are picking them third or fourth in the NL East race. Despite the lack of huge offseason moves, GM Frank Wren has quietly assembled a strong all-around squad with player health again likely to be the only obstacle between the Braves and the playoffs.

Late Moves, Energized Bats Have Braves Looking Like a Contender Again

Avoiding Injuries Again Key to Braves’ Pitching Success

The Atlanta Braves' roster is a virtual rerun of last year's team, so it's no surprise that the team will likely rise or fall on the strength of a similar situation: the health of a pitching staff prone to injury.

The Braves are known for having a solid pitching staff year after year, augmented with a few good, consistent bats on offense. This has been their key to success for two decades now. Unfortunately, as in the case of last season, it has increasingly become a contributing factor in their inability to lockup a playoff position.

Avoiding Injuries Again Key to Braves’ Pitching Success

Braves should start Simmons over Pastornicky at shortstop

The battle for the next Atlanta Braves starting shortstop is currently being waged in spring training by two 22-year-old rookies, projected starter Tyler Pastornicky and the oncoming Andrelton Simmons.

At the beginning of spring training, it looked as if the starting job at shortstop, recently vacated by Alex Gonzalez, who signed a free-agent deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, belonged to heralded minor leaguer Tyler Pastornicky. However, the recent emergence of fellow rookie shortstop Andrelton Simmons has shaken up the outlook for the 2012 Braves starting lineup.

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Braves Should Start Simmons Over Pastornicky at Shortstop

Chipper We Love You, But It's Time to Quit

Longtime Atlanta Braves superstar third baseman Chipper Jones said that he is unsure if he can make it through this year playing for Atlanta.

"I've said it a million times, it's hell getting old," Jones told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "I don't know if I can make it through this year."

Chipper, who turns 40 years old next month, has a contract through this year that provides a player option next year if he meets certain goals. After talking about retirement last year, Jones is currently playing in an option year that is paying him $14 this year in guaranteed money.

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Chipper Jones Talks Quitting -- and He Should

Braves' Freeman Insists He's Ready to Play After Injury

Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman says he feels fine despite an early spring training injury, and Braves fans hope that last season's Rookie of the Year runner-up is back on track. Freeman, who will be counted on as a big part of the Braves' offense this year, suffered a partially dislocated right kneecap during a fielding drill on Feb. 28.

"My knee feels great now," Freeman told the Atlanta Journal Constitution, insisting that he's ready to move on and start playing baseball. Freeman hit .282 in his rookie year, with 21 home runs and 76 RBIs in 157 games, a season that saw him barely losing out to teammate Craig Kimbrel for NL Rookie of the Year.

Braves' Freeman Insists He's Ready to Play After Injury

Braves deal with Hanson wreck on first day of spring training

After a season filled with injuries in 2011, the last thing the Atlanta Braves wanted to deal with is more of the same this year. 

Unfortunately, that is exactly how things started off when pitcher Tommy Hanson wrecked his car driving to the first meeting of spring training. Hanson said that he blew a tire rounding a curve in the one-car accident.

Hanson's wreck occurred around 7 a.m. Monday and the star pitcher still made it to a morning team meeting, although he was sent to the hospital immediately afterward to be checked out for a possible concussion. 

The first spring training workout for pitchers and catchers was scheduled for 10 a.m., but Hanson was on his way to the doctor by then. 

Injury-weary Braves Deal with Hanson’s Wreck on First Day of Spring Training

Hanson wrecks car on first day of spring training

Tommy Hanson and the Braves got a scare Monday morning when the pitcher drove off the road in a one-car accident that left him with a possible concussion. The Braves were awaiting test results.

The incident occurred at about 7 a.m., three hours before the Braves’ first spring-training workout for pitchers and catchers at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports on the edge of Disney World outside Orlando.

Hanson wrecks car on first day of spring training

Jason Heyward to Yankees Trade Rumors

The Atlanta Braves suffered an epic collapse down the stretch last season and missed the playoffs by one game, but they haven't made any significant moves in the offseason to upgrade the team.

That may be why the latest rumor making the rounds is such an explosive one. Bleacher Report is suggesting the Braves may trade promising young right-fielder Jason Heyward to the NY Yankees for a group of impact players.

This isn't a trade likely to happen, but there are several reasons the rumor is gaining traction. 

One is the Braves complete collapse in September, exposing them as a team that has solid starting pitching and possibly the major leagues' best shut down bullpen with middle relievers Eric O'Flaherty and Johnny Venters setting the table for closer Craig Kimbrel. The idea that the Braves would want to pick up a couple of reliable bats isn't so crazy.

Braves hand shortstop over to Tyler Pastornicky

Baseball season is right around the corner, and no major leaguer will face any more pressure in spring training than Tyler Pastornicky. The Atlanta Braves are handing the untested rookie the starting job at shortstop on a team that missed the playoffs by only one game last year.

Patornicky's sole experience in the major leagues was a call-up in a game he didn't play-last season's final game versus the Phillies in which the Braves were eliminated from the postseason by the margin of one inning after the team had an epic September collapse. One of the Braves biggest problems was a lack of offense, and weak hitting free agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez was not resigned.

Since the Braves made no significant moves to bring anyone else in that means the starting shortstop job for the big league club falls squarely on the shoulders of the talented but untested Pastornicky, a pesky hitter with great speed and a good glove whom scouts seem divided on as to his major league potential.

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Braves Gamble Handing Starting Job to Tyler Pastornicky

Kudos to the Braves farm system

For at least the last two decades, the Atlanta Braves have been known to have a healthy farm system and produce a lot of big league prospects. That's largely how the Braves, as a medium-market franchise, have remained contenders for so long.

With a payroll typically around $90 million, pretty close to the league average, you would expect them to be about an average ball team in the long run.

Kudos to the Braves farm system

Braves try concessions deal to boost attendance

After a year which saw an epic collapse that cost them the postseason, the Atlanta Braves haven’t made any significant changes to their roster. Instead, they have come up with the idea of offering season ticket holders a 33 percent discounts on food and beverages (excluding alcohol) as a way to try and spice up the lackluster attendance figures.

All breaks for Braves fans are welcome, of course, but promoting this discount right after Wren has declared there will be no major offseason addition to the team is poor timing. It is certainly not likely to help attendance figures anywhere near as much as, say, ten more wins a year by the now perennial almost-there Braves.

Braves Try to Boost Attendance Through Concessions Deal Instead of Roster Moves

Brave re-sign Jurrjens, avoid arbitration

The Atlanta Braves avoided arbitration entirely for 2012 by signing the last of their eligible players including starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens, which means GM Frank Wren is mostly standing pat by bringing his 2011 squad back for a one year shot at the playoffs before quite a few changes are due.

Jurrjens was brought on board with a $5.5 million deal. The Braves have also reached agreements with centerfielder Michael Bourne and lefty reliever Eric O'Flaherty, and previously came to terms with outfielder/infielder Martin Prado.

Braves Re-signing of Jurrjens indicates they will stand pat for 2012

Braves reach deal with Prado

The Atlanta Braves avoided arbitration with outfielder Martin Prado, agreeing Friday to a $4.75 million contract for 2012, and also brought back utility infielder Jack Wilson with a scaled-down deal.

Prado, who made $3.1 million last season, is a versatile player who could be the long-term replacement at third base when Chipper Jones retires. He moved to left field in 2011 and slumped a bit, batting .260 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs. Before that, he had three straight years hitting above .300.

Braves reach deal with Prado

Braves interested in Cody Ross?

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Atlanta Braves have some interest in Ross but "would want the price to keep coming down." The word from the AJC is that Ross "wants something in the neighborhood of the two-year, $10 million deal that Dave DeJesus got" from the Chicago Cubs. But it's hard to see that happening.