All the Braves’ regulars have yet to report to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., for spring training but enough are showing up early to get a good news fix if you’re a Braves fan.
Here are some items you might have missed Monday from the AJC’s team. We’ve got the Braves covered every day:
1. Homecoming: It broke late in the day, but former Baby Brave Jeff Francoeur of Parkview High is coming home. He signed a minor-league deal and will go to camp with the Braves with what appears to be a final shot in the majors. Braves GM John Coppolella said: "We are excited to bring Frenchy back home and he will have a tremendous opportunity here. He brings leadership, experience, makeup, and most importantly, talent."
2. New kid on the block: Ender Inciarte, who was acquired from the Diamondbacks in the offseason, spoke for the first time about the deal and about joining his deceased father's favorite team. You can also see 10 things to know about Inciarte here.
3. Rocker controversy: The AJC's Craig Schneider has a story on former Braves relief ace John Rocker. Years after a baseball career defined by hot-headed remarks and attacks on political correctness, Rocker is once against embroiled in a firestorm. The controversy centers on his involvement in a real estate deal to build a $22 million apartment complex in north Florida. While the details of the dispute are complicated, Rocker's signature inflamed rhetoric still shines through. Speaking Monday with the AJC, Rocker talked about the company he is suing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District in Atlanta. He called them a "vulture capital" group and at one point referred to them as "these clowns."
4. 3B candidate: Former Georgia Bulldog and longtime major-leaguer Gordon Beckham got to camp early, took grounders at third base and declared he's aiming to win the job. He'll apparently get an early look there to see if he can outduel several others.
5. Hot tickets: The AJC's Tim Tucker reports on the fast-selling tickets for some games in the final season at Turner Field. The finale against the Detroit Tigers in October is already a sellout.
