Arodys Vizcaino Surgery

Relief pitcher Arodys Vizcaino is slated to undergo Tommy John surgery and will miss the 2012 season and possibly some of the 2013 season.

Arodys had inflammation in his elbow the previous year, but instead of getting surgery then he decided to take some time off to rest instead (which basically delayed the inevitable). Unfortunately, that didn't work out well for him, as it got progressively worse when he came back and will now need surgery to take care of the problem completely. Vizcaino is one of the Braves' top pitching prospects alongside Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran and was expected to play a role in the team's bullpen this year. In 2011, Arodys pitched in 17 games for Atlanta in 2011 and had 17 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched.

While it is not good news by any means, I think the Braves will do just fine this year without Vizcaino. Besides Arodys, the Braves will still have core of their bullpen intact, with Eric O'Flaherty, Jonny Venters, and Craig Kimbrel finishing the final three innings. Aside from these guys, the team also still has Peter Moylan coming off of shoulder surgery in the offseason, Cristhian Martinez, Cory Gearrin, and possibly Kris Medlen, if he doesn't make the starting rotation.

While Vizcaino would have been a great addition to the bullpen this year, the Braves should have enough firepower to compete with the rest of the National League East this year, if not the entire National League as well. Kimbrel will be coming off of a year in which he had 127 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched, and obviously Fredi Gonzalez will be relying on him less this year to save his arm for the whole season.

The only real problem that could arise for the team heading into the regular season is if the younger starting pitchers get roughed up early on, but even if that does happen, the Braves have a good stock of pitchers in the farm system and won't have to worry too much, as opposed to the offense