Finally healthy, Jason Heyward was looking to recapture the magic of his rookie season and take a couple steps forward. Atlanta fans were looking forward to a full season of Michael Bourn leading off, patrolling center and wreaking havoc on the basepaths, as well as a full season of productivity (as opposed to a half season) from Dan Uggla.
The starting rotation was looking to gain notoriety as one of the best in baseball. And after a wonderful Hall of Fame career, Chipper was going to call it quits at the end of the season.
Things were indeed looking up for the Braves in 2012.
Half a season later, Brian McCann and Dan Uggla are hitting under .250, Freddie Freeman has fallen victim to the dreaded sophomore slump, Jair Jurrjens has been demoted to the minors, and Brandon Beachy's season has been cut short by a torn UCL and Tommy ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - MLB By Gavin Andrews