LOS ANGELES – The Braves are trying to trade utility infielder Alberto Callaspo, who was scratched from the lineup shortly before Monday's series-opening loss to the Dodgers.
Pedro Ciriaco started in place of Callaspo at third base, and it wasn’t until several hours later, during manager Fredi Gonzalez’s postgame news conference, that any announcement was made about the reason for the lineup change.
““I get a phone call just before BP (batting practice) that there’s a chance for a potential trade out there, and I think it’s still going on,” Gonzalez said, in reply to a reporter’s question about the late lineup change. “We don’t want him to get out there and get hurt, so that was the reason that he got taken out of the lineup at that point.”
Callaspo, 32, has hit just .206 with three extra-base hits (one homer), a .293 OBP and .545 OPS in 123 plate appearances over 37 games. He hasn’t been the player the Braves anticipated they signed him in December to a one-year, $3 million contract, though his performance in a career-worst 2014 season with Oakland (.223 with a .580 OPS in 404 PAs) was along the same lines as his current performance.
Asked about being scratched from the lineup, Callaspo said he was told, “’There might be a possible trade, so let’s see what happens tonight.’”
Had the Braves let him know later whether something might happen by Tuesday?
“No, they didn’t tell me that,” he said. “They just said, ‘Let’s wait until tomorrow and see what happens.’”
Callaspo has played in 28 games at third base and four at second base, and the Braves don’t need his weak offensive production now that Jace Peterson is entrenched as the every-day second baseman and third baseman Chris Johnson is coming off the 15-day disabled list this week.
After going 8-for-17 with a double and two RBIs in his first seven games for the Braves, Callaspo is 14-for-90 (.156) with two extra-base hits, six RBIs and a .450 OPS in his past 30 games. That includes 3-for-28 (.107) in his past eight games.
