Morning Chop: Atlanta Braves News 3/7/14
The Braves are bringing a sufficient number of major leaguers to Fort Myers today
FORT MYERS — A day after we learned of the stink the Marlins are raising about the Red Sox not bringing a sufficient number of major leaguers on their long road trip to Jupiter, the Braves are traveling here to Fort Myers to face Boston. Here’s who is making the trip:
Teheran, Zimmermann each throw 3 scoreless innings
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Julio Teheran worked around six base runners to match Jordan Zimmermann with three scoreless innings and lead the Atlanta Braves to a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
Teheran, who won 14 games as a rookie last season, gave up four hits, walked one, hit another and threw a wild pitch. But he now has five scoreless innings against the Nationals this spring after allowing just one run while winning his final two starts against them last season.
“I was getting a little bit in trouble and just tried to make better pitches,” said Teheran, who threw 36 strikes in 53 pitches. “My slider was good, but I was missing with my fastball.”
Zimmermann struck out four, giving up two hits and one walk. The 19-game winner from last season struck out Freddie Freeman on a slider with runners on first and third to end his final inning.
Gus Schlosser Making Statement for Spot in Atlanta Braves’ Bullpen
For the most part, Fredi Gonzalez had an idea of what his team was going to look like in 2014. Part of spring training, though, is for managers like Gonzalez to get looks at younger talent and fill in the final roster spots.
With players leaving the team like Eric O’Flaherty and Luis Ayala along with an injury to Jonny Venters, the Atlanta Braves are looking for a pitcher or two to step up in the spring and take their places on the major league roster. Through the first week or so of spring training, there have been a few pitchers who have impressed the Gonzalez, but there is one in particular causing a stir in the locker room.
In two appearances so far, Gus Schlosser has impressed the Braves’ coaching staff. Gonzalez does realize that it’s early in the spring to be making surefire decisions but had this to say about the 25-year-old reliever to the team website: “We’ll see how the spring develops, but so far he’s been the talk of the coaching staff.”
Beachy Still Question Mark?
Brandon Beachy is being counted on heavily by the Braves this season to start and win games. You read articles in the media about what Beachy will do in 2014 and it is like a given he will have a very successful season.
Until Beachy is able to throw free and easy, I am concerned about whether he will approach his pre-injury production level.
Beachy was expected back mid-summer last season, but didn’t make his first start until July 29. He then hung it up August 20 after only making five starts. Beachy really wasn’t close to 100%, in my estimation, as he wasn’t able to snap off his breaking pitches. Rather than the trademark Beachy hard breaking curveball, he was relying on a slow, lollipop curve.
Then he had another surgery to clean up the elbow…