The Atlanta Braves offense has been showing signs of life over the last week or so and things are beginning to look more promising than they did when the Braves were enduring their nine game losing streak. Martin Prado has moved into the leadoff role and has provided more from that spot in the lineup than any other player that has been given that opportunity. While Prado's success in that role is encouraging for the Braves, it would still be nice to see someone that is more of a prototypical leadoff hitter step up and fill that role successfully. If Nate McClouth could turn his season around and prove himself capable of filling that role or if Jordan Schafer returns to Atlanta to fill that role, Martin Prado could return to the second spot in the lineup where I believe his bat could be even better utilized as it was at the beginning of the season.
The case has been made here previously for Heyward hitting second but Prado's success to this point in the season and Heyward's ability to drive in runs has caused me to rethink that position slightly. If someone besides Prado could fill the leadoff spot successfully then Prado should return to the second spot while Heyward could move to the third spot in the lineup. Chipper Jones could then hit fifth serving as protection for Troy Glaus, who could remain in the cleanup spot.Hinske, McCann and Escobar could then fill out the rest of the lineup. That lineup with a successful leadoff hitter seems like it could take the Braves a long this year. Of course this whole theory is reliant on someone besides Prado stepping up to fill the leadoff spot and unless Jordan Schafer makes a strong case for himself over the next several weeks in Gwinnett, it is likely that Prado will be hitting leadoff for a long time to come.
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