While the Los Angeles Angels and Miami Marlins have been creating headlines with their signings of Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Jose Reyes, countless teams have been slow movers. Among those teams are the Atlanta Braves. The Braves stopped playing ball once the calendar changed to September this past season, leaving fans hoping for money to be spent and changes to be made.

To start the offseason, the Braves ate a big portion of Derek Lowe’s contract and shipped him to Cleveland for Chris Jones. Jones pitched for Single-A Kinston in 2011, going 7-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 43 games. The Braves also saw their ace, Tim Hudson go under the knife to fix his ailing back. Add in the doubt to the health of Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens, and the Braves rotation could be quite different in 2012.

Since the Braves season ended, rumors started about possibly trading Jurrjens and/or Martin Prado. While those rumors haven’t led to anything as of yet, for the right price, both could see themselves playing elsewhere next season. What moves have actually been close this far for the Braves?

Earlier in the offseason, the Braves picked up the option on infielder Eric Hinske, while declining the option on center fielder, Nate McLouth. Hinske hit .233 with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs, while McLouth hit .228 with four home runs and 16 RBIs. McLouth has never been able to get going in Atlanta, and was expendable with the acquisition of Michael Bourn.

Relief pitcher Peter Moylan and utility infielder Brooks Conrad were both non-tendered contracts, making them free agents. Moylan appeared in just 13 games last season, spending most of the time on the disabled list. He was 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA. Conrad, the 2010 playoffs goat for the Braves had a terrible season, hitting just .223 with four home runs and 13 RBIs.

The Braves appear to be looking at prospect Tyler Pastornicky as their starter at shortstop, as they allowed Alex Gonzalez to sign with the Milwaukee Brewers. The defensive stud suffered through a horrible offensive campaign, hitting just .241 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs.

In a division that has seen the Washington Nationals improve over the years, Miami and the Philadelphia Phillies improve this offseason, the National League East could be a scary division to play in. Atlanta needs to start making moves soon, or they could see a fourth place finish in 2012.

For access to Atlanta Braves season recaps from 1990-present, a look at trades that changed Braves history, or a look at the greatest award winners in team history, go here for easier access.

More from this contributor:

All-Braves Team

Top Athletes to Return from Retirement and have an Impact

Braves 2012 Starting Rotation

Remembering Skip Caray

Rise and fall of Andruw Jones

Hobson Lopes has been a life-long Atlanta Braves fan, thanks to TBS, and can be followed on Twitter @HobsonLopes.

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Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann is on the 2011 Silver Slugger team, selected by major league coaches and managers as the top offensive producer at his position in the National League.

The rest of the NL team: 1B Prince Fielder, Brewers; 2B Brandon Phillips, Reds; 3B Aramis Ramirez, Cubs; SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies; OF Ryan Braun, Brewers; OF Matt Kemp, Dodgers; OF Justin Upton, Diamondbacks; and P Daniel Hudson, Diamondbacks.

The American League team: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox; 2B Robinson Cano, Yankees; 3B Adrian Beltre, Rangers; SS Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians; OF Curtis Granderson, Yankees; OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays; OF Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox; C Alex Avila, Tigers; DH David Ortiz, Red Sox.

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By Mark Bowman, from MLB.com

Atlanta Braves

Brian McCann (The Associated Press)

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ATLANTA — Brian McCann endured one of the worst six-week stretches of his career after returning from the disabled list in August. But his late-season slide did not keep him from becoming the first player to win five Silver Slugger Awards while playing for the Braves.

McCann joined rare company Wednesday when it was announced he won his fifth career Silver Slugger Award. It marks the fourth consecutive year the Braves catcher has been bestowed with this honor, which is given to the top offensive performer at each position in both the National and American Leagues.

With just six full Major League seasons under his belt, the 27-year-old McCann becomes the sixth catcher to win at least five Silver Slugger Awards. The others are Mike Piazza (10), Ivan Rodriguez (seven), Lance Parrish (six), Gary Carter (five) and Jorge Posada (five).

This marks the seventh time in the past nine years that a Braves catcher has won a Silver Slugger Award. Javy Lopez grabbed the honor in 2003, and Johnny Estrada won it in ‘04. McCann won his first in ‘06.

Tom Glavine and Dale Murphy stand as the only other players to win four Silver Slugger Awards while playing for the Braves.

Even with his late struggles, McCann ended this past season with a .270 batting average, 24 home runs and a .817 OPS. He led all Major League catchers in home runs and ranked second in OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) to Arizona’s Miguel Montero (.820).

It took McCann some time to find his power this year, as he totaled just seven extra-base hits (two home runs) through May 16. But with some help from his older brother Brad, a former minor league player, the catcher righted himself and went on a tear that provided reason to wonder if he might hit 30 homers for the first time in his career.

McCann batted .323 with 16 home runs and a 1.013 OPS during a 53-game stretch from May 17 until July 26, the day he strained his left oblique muscle and altered the course of his season.

Anxious to begin helping his teammates again, McCann returned to the Atlanta lineup on Aug. 14. Over the next six weeks, it would become apparent that he returned far too soon.

McCann batted .180 with six home runs and a .638 OPS in 37 games after returning from the disabled list. His batting average dipped from .306 to .270, and his slugging percentage from .514 to .466 during that stretch.

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Nov 2, 2011 – On Wednesday All-Star catcher Brian McCann became only the third Atlanta Braves to win four or more Silver Slugger awards, joining Tom Glavine and Dale Murphy as the only members of the esteemed fraternity. McCann hit .270 with 24 home runs and 71 RBIs on the season as the Braves missed the playoffs by one game.

The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. Here is the full list of players who won the award this year.

For the latest news and analysis on the Braves off-season, head over to Talking Chop, and for more information on baseball’s hot-stove season, check out our MLB news hub.

Read More: Brian McCann (C – ATL), Atlanta Braves

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(Sports Network) – R.A. Dickey tries to pitch the New York Mets to a series
win over the Atlanta Braves this evening when the National League East
combatants play the rubber match of a three-game series at Citi Field.

Jose Reyes’ eighth inning error proved costly in the Mets’ Friday night loss,
but the talented shortstop atoned for his mistake on Saturday, as his three-
run triple highlighted a five-run seventh inning and helped lead New York to a
5-0 win.

Dillon Gee (6-0) scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings to get the
win, while Justin Turner and Jason Pridie each drove in a run in the pivotal
frame for the Mets, who have won two of their last three.

“I think the confidence factor is pretty high right now, just knowing that the
guys keep picking me up each time I go out there,” said Gee. “You have to give
credit to the guys that play defense behind me.”

Jair Jurrjens (7-2), the NL’s Pitcher of the Month for May, got the loss as he
was charged with four runs — three earned — on six hits with six strikeouts
over 6 1/3 innings for the Braves, who had a two-game winning streak stopped.

Tonight, New York will turn. Dickey, who is a miserable 2-6 on the season with
a 4.39 ERA. Dickey was brilliant in not giving up a run over the first seven
innings of his last start on Tuesday against Pittsburgh, but the wheels came
off in the eighth, as he allowed three runs and was saddled with the loss. The
knuckle-balling right-hander did strike out a season-high 10 batters in the 7
2/3-ining effort.

“Anytime that you know you’re capable of better, it hurts,” Dickey said. “And
it’s tough. But that’s the nature of the beast.”

Dickey is 0-2 in six games (three starts) against the Braves with a 5.56 ERA.
He actually threw a scoreless inning of relief against them earlier in the
year.

Getting the call for the Braves tonight will be right-hander Tim Hudson, who
is 4-4 on the year, but 0-2 over his last four starts. Hudson did not get a
decision on Monday against San Diego, despite allowing just one earned run
over six innings to lower his ERA to 3.75.

Hudson has faced the Mets 20 times and is 13-6 against them with a 3.41 ERA.

Atlanta took two of three from the Mets earlier in the year.

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NEW YORK — In a season full of key injuries and negative financial news, the New York Mets have found a bright spot: Dillon Gee.

The unheralded rookie is pitching like an ace.

Gee outdueled Jair Jurrjens to remain unbeaten this season and Jose Reyes hit a bases-loaded triple, leading New York past the Atlanta Braves 5-0 on Saturday night.

“I was really impressed because it was a game that we needed some zeros,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “He’s proved that he can pitch at this level and have success. All he does is give you quality outings.”

Pinch-hitter Jason Pridie snapped a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the seventh and the Mets took advantage of an error by shortstop Alex Gonzalez to score five times in the inning.

New York’s struggling bullpen finally preserved a lead, too, with Pedro Beato and Tim Byrdak combining for two perfect innings to close it out.

“Better than the last few I watched,” Collins said.

The Mets set an unwanted major league record Friday night: Their last six home losses have all come in games in which they led in the seventh inning. The bullpen had a 10.57 ERA over the previous 12 games.

Gee (6-0) won his fourth straight start, needing only 85 pitches to get through seven innings before he was lifted for a pinch-hitter. Showing smarts and poise again, he allowed four hits and walked two while finishing with a pair of strikeouts.

“He was definitely on top of his game. He was basically doing anything he wanted tonight,” Braves slugger Chipper Jones said. “Fastball in and out. Changeup, bottom dropping out of the changeup. Cutter, which is something we were seeing for the first time. Just really, really kept us off balance.”

Indeed, Gee said he fiddled with a cutter while warming up in the bullpen and used it in a game for the first time. He threw five of them and got three outs with that pitch.

Gee became the first rookie in club history to win his first six decisions in a season as a starter. Jon Matlack, the 1972 NL Rookie of the Year, opened 6-0 with one win out of the bullpen.

“I think the confidence factor is really good right now,” Gee said. “I’m glad to be helping the team. I don’t read too much into it. I’m pitching to contact, changing speeds.”

The right-hander had to be sharp in his matchup with Jurrjens, the National League pitcher of the month for May. The two of them came in with the top winning percentages in the league.

New York has won all eight of Gee’s starts this season, making him the only pitcher who has made at least five starts without his team losing any of them.

“He’s good. He’s moving the ball in and out, up. He changed speeds,” Jurrjens said. “Everybody’s really about throwing hard these days, but what Gee did today, that’s pitching.”

Jurrjens (7-2) was cruising along until his defense let him down in the seventh.

With one out, slumping Jason Bay hit a grounder to Gonzalez and the normally sure-handed shortstop fumbled it as he tried to make the transfer from his glove to his throwing hand.

It was Gonzalez’s fourth error of the season.

“We blinked today. You can’t get mad at Gonzo because he’s saved our butts for a lot of games,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Josh Thole followed with a double to right and Jurrjens grazed Ruben Tejada’s uniform top with a pitch, loading the bases. Pridie punched a broken-bat single to right to put New York ahead 1-0.

Scott Proctor came on and Reyes ripped an 0-1 pitch into the right-field corner for his major league-leading 10th triple, prompting Citi Field fans to chant his name.

One night earlier, Reyes made a crucial error that allowed Atlanta to tie the game in the eighth inning of a 6-3 victory. A few innings before that, about 800 fans met on a pedestrian bridge beyond the right-center wall to cheer Reyes and urge Mets management to keep the All-Star shortstop, who can become a free agent after the season.

“He’s an amazing player,” Pridie said. “We’ve had a tough little run in this homestand, so it was great to tack on a few runs.”

Justin Turner added a sacrifice fly, making it 5-0.

The Braves dropped to 13-7 at Citi Field and failed again in their third attempt to move a season-high seven games over .500.

New York improved to 4-5 on its 10-game homestand.

Jurrjens allowed four runs — three earned — and six hits in 6.1 innings. He struck out six and walked none. His major league-best ERA rose from 1.51 to 1.75.

“He was pitching really well and I just wanted to keep us right there,” Gee said.

In his first nine starts this season, Jurrjens had gone at least six innings and not allowed more than two earned runs. The Braves said the only other pitchers in major league history to do that were Ubaldo Jimenez, who went 12 games last year, Randy Johnson (2000) and Lefty Gomez (1937), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

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May 30, 2011 – Atlanta opens up a three game set with the visiting San Diego Padres at 1:05 p.m. on Memorial Day. The Braves (30-24) are 3.5 games back of the first place Philadelphia Phillies and 1.5 back of second place Florida. After dropping the opener against Cincinnati, Atlanta rallied to win the final two games of the series. The Braves are 5-5 in their last ten games.

San Diego (22-31) is dead last in the National League West, seven games behind first place Arizona. The Padres took two out of three from Washington over the weekend and have won three of their last four games. The Braves took two of three from the Padres in late April in San Diego. 

Pitching Match-ups

Monday – 1:05 p.m.

Tim Hudson (4-4, 3.95 ERA)

Vs. 

Aaron Harang (5-2, 3.96 ERA)

Tuesday – 7:10 p.m.

Mike Minor (0-1, 5.40 ERA)

Vs.

Mat Latos (2-6, 4.08 ERA)

Wednesday – 7:10 p.m. 

Tommy Hanson (5-4, 2.80 ERA)

Vs. 

Clayton Richard (2-5, 4.42 ERA)

Read More: Aaron Harang (P – SDP), Tim Hudson (P – ATL), Clayton Richard (P – SDP), Mat Latos (P – SDP), Tommy Hanson (P – ATL), Mike Minor (P – ATL), San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves

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May 27, 2011 – Fresh off of a two game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Atlanta Braves (28-23) open a Memorial Day weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds Friday night at Turner Field. Atlanta finds itself 3.5 games behind the first place Phillies and 2.5 behind the second place Marlins in the National League East. Atlanta comes into the series with two thirds of its regular outfield on the disabled list. Nate McLouth is out of the lineup with an oblique injury while Jason Heyward is out with a shoulder injury. 

Cincinnati (26-25) comes into the series scuffling of late having won just two of its last 10 games. The Reds are 11-14 on the road this season and four games behind the Cardinals in the National League’s Central division. The Reds Jay Bruce has been red hot in the month of May hitting .344 with 10 homers and 27 RBI’s.  

Pitching match ups

Friday, May 27 – 7:35 p.m.

Tommy Hanson (5-3, 2.72 ERA, 61 strikeouts)

Vs.

Mike Leake (3-2, 5.70 ERA, 32 strikeouts)

Saturday, May 28 – 7:10 p.m.

Derek Lowe (3-4, 3.53 ERA, 56 strikeouts)

Vs.

Bronson Arroyo (3-5, 5.28 ERA, 42 strikeouts)

Sunday, May 29 – 8 p.m.

Jair Jurrjens (6-1, 1.56 ERA, 33 strikeouts)

Vs. 

Johnny Cueto (2-1, 2.19 ERA, 15 strikeouts)

For more on the Braves and this series, be sure and check out Talking Chop  

Read More: Bronson Arroyo (P – CIN), Nate McLouth (CF – ATL), Derek Lowe (P – ATL), Jair Jurrjens (P – ATL), Johnny Cueto (P – CIN), Jason Heyward (RF – ATL), Tommy Hanson (P – ATL), Mike Leake (P – CIN), Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves

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