The Atlanta Braves are not off to a stellar start to begin Spring Training in regards to injuries, seeing as both Tommy Hanson and Jack Wilson will miss some time due to a concussion and calf strain, respectively. While Hanson should be able to return to the mound in a few days, Wilson will likely miss 4-to-6 weeks, which means he will probably begin the season on the 15-day disabled list.
So what does this mean for the Braves?
The loss of Wilson for a few games is not a huge deal, assuming Tyler Pastornicky, who projects to be the starting shortstop, stays healthy. The club has enough off-days in the early going and should be able to avoid giving Pastornicky any days off. At the latest, Wilson should be back by the end of April, giving Fredi Gonzalez his best backup option off the bench.
Brandon Hicks has been with the organization for years and is capable of serving as a backup option. It is likely that Hicks will be given every chance to succeed in Spring Training and is the odds-on favorite to land the job for Opening Day. Drew Sutton, a non-roster invitee to camp, could also steal the job away for a few weeks with a very strong showing in Spring Training.