The Braves are sending Ian Thomas to Triple-AAA Gwinnett to make room on the roster for Gavin Floyd – who was activated from the disabled list Sunday – but also with a clear purpose in mind. They want the rookie left-hander to develop a slider.
Thomas had been primarily fastball, change-up and the occasional curveball.
“Rog and I were talking about, about a week ago, a slider,” said Thomas, of pitching coach Roger McDowell. “Bring that in the arsenal. I think that might be a better pitch for my repertoire in the future and at this level.”
Thomas said he used a slider some in high school and college at Virginia Commonwealth. He scrapped it, though, when he couldn’t get comfortable with it mechanically. This time around he knows he’ll have better instruction on how to throw it properly.
“I didn’t want to learn a wrong way, throw it and put myself out a year, tearing my elbow,” said Thomas, when talking about his hesitation to throw a slider earlier in his career. “(Learning) the proper way of throwing it - that’s the most important thing with a slider because it puts a lot of stress on your elbow.”
By starting, Thomas can throw more pitches and get a feel for the breaking ball. He is scheduled to throw three innings or 45 pitches Tuesday for Gwinnett against Buffalo.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Thomas took the news well when he and McDowell met with him Sunday morning.
“It’s life,” Thomas said. “It’s part of the game. I knew there was going to be a roster move, but best bet is I still get to play.”
Thomas, 27, spent three years pitching in the independent leagues in Winnipeg, Ont. before signing with the Braves in 2012. He hadn’t played above the Double-A level before making the Braves’ opening day roster this spring.
Thomas allowed only one run through his first eight major league appearances and was starting to appear in closer games and bigger situations. He gave up two bloop hits Thursday in Miami, both of which led to runs, and he was charged the loss in a 5-4 game. Thomas walked two batters in 1/3 inning Friday night against the Giants before being replaced by Anthony Varvaro.
“It’s hard to work on your secondary pitches when you’ve got second and third you’ve got to face Bryce Harper,” Gonzalez said. “You got to get him out.”
Both pink backpacks are taking a hiatus from the Braves clubhouse as rookie reliever Gus Schlosser is back in Gwinnett in the starting rotation and now Thomas will be too. But those are two arms the Braves will keep a close eye on as they progress in Gwinnett. And the backpacks will likely make a reappearance walking out to the Braves bullpen to the amusement of fans and the veteran relievers.
“The big word is trust,” Thomas said. “I want them to trust me, and when that time comes to call down on the farm to bring me back, I’ll be ready.”
With Floyd slated to start Tuesday, the Braves are down to six pitchers in the bullpen, including only one left-hander. But Gonzalez said he feels like he can cover with left-hander Luis Avilan and Jordan Walden, who has been historically tough on left-handers. Left-handers are hitting .206 against Walden for his career vs. .235 by right-handers.
“I think the way our bullpen is right now, you need a long guy and a legit long guy,” Gonzalez said. “And David (Hale) can give you that spot. You feel that Walden can get left-handed hitters out. He’s done it in the past. And Avi is our guy and he’s been our guy.”
