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Thursday, February 21, 2008
Shaking out the Braves roster
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just drinking coffee and waiting to watch a workout after The Speech. Bobby Cox is delivering it now, after we were asked kindly (yeah, right) to leave the Braves clubhouse and shut the door on the way out, or words to that effect.
So a couple of things to clean out the notebook this morning while we wait.
Roster breakdown: Can’t get enough of this stuff here, I know. So let’s hit it.
This Braves camp is a bit different in that there are so many candidates for the last few spots on the roster, because there’s a few different ways it could go.
GM Frank Wren cited starting pitching, bullpen, backup catcher, and utility and/or outfield backup as the areas still undecided. “And I can’t say today how any of the four are going to turn out,” he said. “We probably have 20, 21 [hopefuls] and we’re looking for four to win battles in certain areas.
“There are a lot of potential parts, no question. The good thing is, you’re talking about talented guys…. We feel like there’s 21 legitimate candidates for our 12-man pitching staff. We have not been [in that situation] in recent years.”
Much of the pitching staff is already settled, of course. Barring injuries, you can pencil in John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and Tom Glavine in some order at the top of the rotation, and Mike Hampton will be in one of the back two spots if he’s ready to go.
In the bullpen, five spots will be filled by closer Rafael Soriano, right-handers Peter Moylan, Manny Acosta and Tyler Yates, and lefty Will Ohman.
That leaves one rotation spot (two if Hampton doesn’t make it to the post) and two bullpen spots, with lefty Chuck James facing competition from rookies Jair Jurrjens and Jo-Jo Reyes and from Jeff Bennett. I’ll go with Jurrjens as the early leader in that race, but that could obviously change if someone dominates in spring games.
Among the relief candidates are three who are out of options: Blaine Boyer, Chris Resop and lefty Royce Ring. I’ll wait to see them in some games before handicapping that race.
In the field: Do you keep Scott Thorman as a backup 1B and pinch-hitter, considering he isn’t likely to play more than a few games at 1B unless Mark Teixeira’s hurt, and Thorman hit .186 (35-for-188) with six homers, 54 strikeouts and a .229 OBP after May 19?
He was 10-for-43 (.233) with two homers and one walk as a pinch-hitter last season.
Thorman’s a good soldier, a great dude, popular in the clubhouse, all that good stuff. And he’s not a terrible defensive 1B. Oh, he’s also out of options, no small consideration. But again, he’s not playing 1B unless Teixeira gets hurt.
The Braves say he made strides as a pinch-hitter late in the season, and he’s obviously got immense natural power. But unless they believe Torman can really be a solid pinch-hit threat, or he’s a good enough OF to play there from time to time, or that he’s an answer at 1B if Teixeira leaves as a free agent after next season — then it could be argued that the roster spot could be better served.
Expect to see Thorman play some OF this spring, either to showcase him for possible trade or for the Braves to determine if he can play there.
The Braves already have four OFs with the expected platoon of Matt Diaz/Brandon Jones in LF, Mark Kotsay in CF and Jeff Francoeur in RF, so they really don’t need another pure OF as long as Kotsay is healthy.
If he gets through spring and looks like he can play 140 or more games, the Braves could rely on one of their utility men to play CF, either Omar Infante or perhaps Brent Lillibridge (another reason I think Lillibridge has a good chance to make the team, particularly if Infante’s on the DL to start the season).
It’s not as if they have a lot of options for backup 1B, by the way. But since Teixeira is expected to play every day, basically, they could get by with h Infante, Diaz or backup catcher Javy Lopez as the backup 1B.
But if Teixeira were to get hurt and be out for any stretch, the Braves would need a 1B, and they don’t have one major league-ready to bring up from the high minors. And if they played Lopez there for any length, they’d have to have Diaz ready to bring in as an emergency catcher (Diaz can do that; he’s caught in instructional league).
Confused yet? This is what Wren meant by so many “moving parts.” A lot of these decisions have to be made in concert, not in a vacuum (how about that terminology at 10 a.m.? Yes!)
Speaking of Javy Lopez…. I think you can pencil him in. Realizing we are still a week away from the first game, the impression I get from looking at Lopez and talking to people in camp is that he’s in great shape and can help this team off the bench.
He’s improved his defense from below-average at the height of his Braves slugger days to at least serviceable, and probably a tick or two above that. Again, let’s see how he holds up playing games this spring. But so far, he’s made a good impression.
Watching him hit balls the other way with an easy swing in batting practice, I couldn’t help but think, how did this guy get cut by the Rockies after hitting close to .400 in early exhibition games last spring? (I think in complete sentences like that, making me unusual.)
But then I remembered that he really was pretty brutal defensively in recent years, and not until motivated to make this comeback did he hunker down and get to work honing his rusty defensive skills. As Eddie Perez pointed out, at one time Javy Lopez was a young catcher with very good defensive ability.
So pencil him in as the backup catcher, perhaps even backup 1B. Sorry, Brayan Pena fans (and I’m one; how can you not be?). I just don’t see him making this team.
As much as has been written about his versatility, Pena isn’t a major league utility man. He’s a switch-hitting catcher with a little power. Not a great defensive catcher, but serviceable.
Somebody could use him, and he’s out of options. If the Braves can get anything in trade, I think he’s gone this spring.
Even if Infante begins on the DL, it might be tough for Pena to open the season on the Braves roster. Martin Prado or Lillibridge seems more likely for such a role, but again, it’s early. Let’s wait to see how these guys do in some games.
Going back to Thorman, to answer my own question, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he’s on the team, especially if he can play a little in the OF and not be a liability out there.
OK, the meeting’s over and they’re out on the field doing some warmup sprints now, so I’m gonna leave it off here. Discuss among yourselves and I’ll try to add anything I can to the discussion. But again, it’s early.
Hey, let’s wake up to a tune by the mighty Clash.
”LOST IN THE SUPERMARKET” by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones
I’m all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
A guaranteed personality
I wasn’t born so much as I fell out
Nobody seemed to notice me
We had a hedge back home in the suburbs
Over which I never could see
I heard the people who lived on the ceiling
Scream and fight most scarily
Hearing that noise was my first ever feeling
That’s how its been all around me
I’m all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
A guaranteed personality
I’m all tuned in, I see all the programs
I save coupons from packets of tea
I’ve got my giant hit discoteque album
I empty a bottle and I feel a bit free
The kids in the halls and the pipes in the walls
Make me noises for company
Long distance callers make long distance calls
And the silence makes me lonely
I’m all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
A guaranteed personality
And its not here
It disappear
I’m all lost
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