LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – When Braves pitchers and catchers reported to spring training Friday, they expressed an outlook markedly different than most pundits and oddsmakers have for this team.
“You guys kind of set the parameters of who’s good, who’s not,” said veteran relief pitcher Jason Grilli, who didn’t put much stock in modest-at-best predictions for the Braves. “We’re just going to go out there and try to win ballgames.”
Grilli is one of the many newcomers in the Braves clubhouse, including a horde of prospects along with some grizzled veterans, most notably the well-traveled Grilli, the consummate-professional outfielder Nick Markais, and the colorful pair of fiery outfielder Jonny Gomes and brash catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
“It’s going to be fun, man,” Grilli said. “I have no question about it. It’s going to be a lot of fun here. There’s a lot of great personalities that I think are going to mesh real well here…. We’re going to be alright. We’ve got some arms. I like that they added Gomes; that’s huge. And Markakis.
“You know, I remember being the young guy, wet behind the ears. You always were just kind of quiet and just respected that, hey, these guys have been here longer, they’re going to lead the way. Just follow the stream, man. Just follow the stream.”
Pitcher Alex Wood was asked about the lowered expectations many have for the Braves.
“It’s funny, you start seeing that stuff about projections and all that,” Wood said. “I know for me personally, and I can probably speak for everybody that’s going to in this clubhouse, those projections don’t mean anything. You’re here for one reason, that’s to win. You don’t play at this level to say, ‘Hey, let’s try and surprise everybody.’ If we do so in the process, that’s fine….
“My goal is the same as it’s always been, to come out here and to help us be the best team we can possibly be and to go as far and play as long as we can, and that’s what I’m going to try to do.”
Wood repeated something he said last week in Atlanta about what could make this team better than many expect.
“I think we have a different type of club this year,” he said, “and we’re going to play baseball the right way. That’s what’s exciting.”
Asked to clarify, Wood said, “I guess if you’ve never played it’s hard to explain. It’s especting the game, taking care of the baseball, defensively and from a pitching standpoint, and offensively. Just being a complete team, putting all three together and not worrying about yourself, worrying more about the team when it comes down to it. So I think it’s exciting. I think we have a group of guys that are team guys and it’s going to be exciting seeing the product that we end up putting on the field.”
