Braves to be cautious with Hudson: Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell said the team will be cautious with Tim Hudson, who is coming off November back surgery, to help ensure he will be healthy for the summer and stretch run. GM Frank Wren has already hinted that Hudson might not be ready for the start of the season. "We'll progress as the doctors say he can progress," McDowell said, as reported by MLB.com. "Whether it's the middle of April or first of May, we'll probably be a little more cautious so that we can have him at the end. There's no reason to rush things and then have a setback." (Updated 01/30/2012)
Injury Report
Back - Questionable for start of spring training (Updated - 1/5/12)
Fantasy Analysis
Apparently Hudson's recovery is going well, but the Braves are well aware that he is an aging veteran, so it might take a little longer for him to recover these days. What McDowell is saying is nothing new. It's just disappointing to hear it from another party. Hudson has won 33 games the last two seasons and still pitches at a very high level when healthy. But perhaps there is now a little risk to drafting him because he is coming off major back surgery. Still view Hudson as a mid-rotation Fantasy arm on Draft Day. (Updated 01/30/2012).
02/02/2012 12:21 2012 Draft Prep: Our 12-team, mixed Rotisserie draft
It's time for owners to start looking ahead to Draft Day. We get you off and running with our 12-team Rotisserie mock draft. Check out the results!
02/02/2012 06:55 2012 Fantasy outlooks: Atlanta Braves
Last season was especially painful for the Braves -- really just the final month. But Atlanta brings back a stable of Fantasy heavy-hitters and our Scott White says now all they need is a bit of better luck in his team outlook.
01/20/2012 15:45 GM: Braves confident despite lack of offseason moves
There has been no flashy free-agent signing, no blockbuster trade this offseason for the Atlanta Braves. General manager Frank Wren says there also has been no panic.
If you thought Tim Hudson's 17 wins and 2.83 ERA in 2010 were too good to be true, perhaps you were right. He had only 16 wins and a 3.22 ERA in 2011. The word "only" there is sarcasm, of course. Hudson was more or less the exact same pitcher from one year to the next, actually improving his strikeout and walk rates in 2011. In fact, the former was his highest since 2001, when he was a 26-year-old pitching the Athletics into the playoffs at a time before anyone had ever heard the word "Moneyball." Now 36, Hudson is pitching as well as he ever has, which kind of makes you wonder if he was in more pain than he let on prior to his 2008 Tommy John surgery. In any case, he's healthy now and has emerged as an innings eater for an Atlanta team that once again figures to be a contender. If you're still jaded by his early years in Atlanta, when he struggled with his command, get with the times and recognize that he's back to being a perennial Cy Young contender and, at worst, a No. 3 starting pitcher in Fantasy. (Updated 1/5/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
= probable start