Cox makes tough decision to demote Conrad

By David O’Brien

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Brooks Conrad did more than anyone could have expected in his first stint with the Braves, but it wasn’t enough to keep them from sending the 29-year-old rookie back to the minors Thursday.

Conrad was optioned to Class AAA Gwinnett to make room for second baseman Kelly Johnson, who was activated from the disabled list two days before his injury-rehab stint was to expire at Gwinnett.

Conrad hit .344 (11-for-32) with two triples, two homers and eight RBIs in 14 games for the Braves.

When asked if he was surprised to be sent down, Conrad smiled and said, “Yeah, a little bit, but you know, it wasn’t that big a deal. I guess it’s a way they can keep everyone.”

The Braves kept veteran pinch-hitter Greg Norton and backup shortstop Diory Hernandez and didn’t have to use an option to send Johnson to Gwinnett, which they would have needed to do if they didn’t either activate him from the DL or trade him before Saturday.

Manager Bobby Cox said hot-hitting Martin Prado would continue as the regular second baseman and Johnson would be his backup. Cox doesn’t want to disrupt things with the offense, which is finally clicking of late.

“I’ll get [Johnson] in as much as I can,” Cox said, “but right now I can’t fool around with Chipper [Jones] and Prado and the guys.”

When Jones or first baseman Casey Kotchman is out of the lineup, Prado can move to either position.

Norton was kept despite hitting only .111 (5-for-45) with no homers and four RBIs before Thursday.

Cox was asked if the decision to send down Conrad was difficult.

“Very,” he said. “I thought about it all night. He did very well. But this way, we keep everybody.”

Norton led the majors with three pinch-hit homers and 18 pinch RBIs in 2008, batting .316 in 57 pinch at-bats for the Braves and Seattle.

Entering this season, he led major league pinch-hitters with 13 homers and 64 RBIs since the beginning of the 2001 season.

But he’s struggled mightily in 2009. Still, Cox (like most managers) prefers to have a veteran pinch-hitter. There’s still a lot of season left, and the Braves believe Norton can help in the stretch drive.

“I’ll just go down and do my thing and hopefully get another shot up here,” Conrad said. “It was a great few weeks. I was glad I was able to come up and contribute to the team. We played good baseball.

“It’s going to be an exciting second half for the Braves. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully I can be part of that.”

Johnson feels rejuvenated

Johnson returned after hitting .308 with two doubles, two triples, two homers and 16 RBI in 13 games at Gwinnett.

He lost his starting job with the Braves after hitting .214 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 68 games and was placed on the DL and sent to Gwinnett three weeks ago.

“Everything worked out,” Johnson said. “I got to take care of my wrist first, and once I got back, that felt way better, and I just worked on some stuff with my swing.”

Johnson said both wrists bothered him at times since last season, particularly the right. He got cortisone injections in a few spots in that wrist, then rested four days before playing at Gwinnett.

He understood Prado would continue as the regular second baseman.

“The guys have been so hot, you don’t want to mess with it at all,” said Johnson, who joked, “But maybe I’ll slip a laxative into Prado’s coffee once in a while.”

Johnson hit .196 with two homers, 13 RBI and a .267 OBP and .299 slugging percentage in his last 60 games before the DL stint, including 7-for-65 (.108) with one RBI in the final 22 games.

“I had every opportunity,” he said. “I’m not making excuses. I wasn’t doing it. I wasn’t right. I had a really bad June. It was a tough month, a tough first half. That’s the way it goes.”