NEW YORK – After watching the Braves produce the worst record and worst offense in the majors for the month of April, manager Fredi Gonzalez and his coaches had long discussions during the rainy weekend in Chicago and agreed that changes needed to be made.
Multiple changes.
And so, after consulting with Triple-A Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker for his opinion on players that might help the big-league team, Gonzalez took their suggestions Sunday night to top Braves baseball officials, general manager John Coppolella and president of baseball operations John Hart.
The answer from the brass was, we can make it happen.
That was the rapid germination for a roster shuffle the likes of which is rarely seen so early in a major league season. The Braves brought up three players – veteran utilityman Reid Brignac, journeyman infielder/outfielder Chase d’Arnaud, left fielder/pinch-hitter Matt Tuisosopo – from Gwinnett and dropped three from the 25-man roster including former starting second baseman Jace Peterson, optioned to Gwinnett.
Outfielder Drew Stubbs, after batting .237 (9-for-38) with one homer and 20 strikeouts, was designated for assignment, and relief pitcher John Gant was also optioned to Gwinnett.
“Three or four (moves), I think our clubhouse can handle it,” Gonzalez said of the shakeup. “I don’t think it’s a desperation move, I really don’t think that. I think we gave guys opportunity to prove themselves, and now we need to get better offensively.”
Gonzalez emphasized that the Braves haven’t given up on Peterson, hitting .182 with just one extra-base hit and a .465 OPS in his second full season. He had started just two of the Braves’ past 10 games and needs to get more playing time, the manager said.
Asked if the new trio of players might bring energy as well as help the offense, Gonzalez said, “I hope so. All these guys are high-makeup guys. Touey’s a high-makeup guy. Chase d’Arnaud has more energy than anyone; he’s already wearing me out and he’s only been here one hour. But he can play. He’s played very well in Triple-A. Touiey’s played well.
“Brignac has played well; Brignac really had a hell of a spring. He had a spring training that you could have argued he should have made that club out of spring training. So, hey, we’ve got these young men coming and hopefully they can help us.”
Brignac hit .329 with a .422 OBP in 85 at-bats for Gwinnett, and was in the Braves lineup at second base Monday. The others hadn’t produced big stats at Gwinnett, but the belief is they can help the Braves’ bench.
D’Arnaud, brother of Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud – who’s on the disabled list and rehabbing in Florida – hit .255 with eight extra-base hits (one homer) and a .300 OBP in 94 at-bats at Gwinnett. Touisosopo hit .218 with four homers in 87 at-bats.
Braves director of baseball operations Billy Ryan is on the trip with the team, and when Gonzalez discussed the ideas for personnel moves, Ryan set up a conference call Sunday with his bosses including Hart.
Gonzalez said he felt bad telling Snitker how many of Gwinnett’s veteran players he was going to ask for.
“I said, I’m sorry Snit, you might have a team to field tonight after we get done,” Gonzalez said. “He said, ‘This is what I’m here for.’… (Sunday) night is when we finally made the phone call.
“You go through the protocol, the proper channels. And everybody sees the same thing, everybody’s watching the same thing. It’s not like I’m going to come in and say, ‘I’m going to send (Nick) Markakis down to Triple-A. So (top team officials) said, OK, let’s see what we’ve got; we don’t have any roster issues. We got on the conference call, run it up the flagpole to the president of baseball operations (Hart), he goes, ‘OK, let’s do it.’”
Pitcher Mike Foltynewicz was also brought from Gwinnett to start Monday night against the Mets, a move the Braves had announced Sunday.
