Atlanta Braves Jonny Gomes Taking BP (VIDEO)

The 2014 Atlanta Braves outfield looked like this – Gold Glover Jason Heyward, Silver Slugger Justin Upton and B.J. Upton. 2015, an all new look.

We talked about the center field position this morning. Nick Markakis will be the Braves starting right fielder when he fully recovers from his neck surgery. And the left field spot is still TBD. Actually as we sit here on March 1st, every position is TBD except first base, shortstop, and third…unless Christan Bethancourt has an awful Spring Training and proves he isn’t ready or capable of the catcher job.

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Many are predicting the Braves will do a platoon with the left field job. The candidates for this spot would be –

Zoilo Almonte

Todd Cunningham

Eury Perez

Joey Terdoslavich

Eric Young

Jr,

Jonny Gomes

, and Dian Toscano.

If Almonte has a solid Spring Training and Markakis isn’t ready to return, he could be the Braves opening day right fielder. He, Cunningham, Young, and Perez are all in the running for the center field job.

Toscano still hasn’t reported to camp because of his paperwork with the Cuba government.

Terdo is a 26-year-old with 89 career major league at-bats. Like many of the candidates competing for the center field spot, he has lots of minor league experience which include three years with Triple-A Gwinnett.

The 11-year veteran, Gomes, looks to bring his winning ways to Atlanta. In 2008, he helped the Tampa Bay Rays reach the postseason. In 2010, it was with the Cincinnati Reds. 2012, the Oakland A’s won the AL West with Gomes helping. Won the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2013. And went back to Oakland in 2014 and made the AL playoff wild-card game.

“People have said that teams I have played for in the past didn’t have a chance,” Gomes told the media. “Look at the Rays. Look at the Reds. Look at the Athletics. I was with all those teams and no one gave us a chance. You play the game the right way, you have a chance. If you don’t set high goals you can’t reach them.”

Gomes signed a one-year contract with the Braves worth $4 million this past offseason.

“I don’t think this is a rebuilding team,” Gomes continued. “There’s a lot of talent here.”

This veteran comes to the Braves as a high-energy, great motivating player with leadership skills inside and outside the locker room.

“Nobody is going to play with more passion and nobody is going to play as hard as I do. I can bring that to this team.”

The 34-year-old will most likely be on a platoon but I would be OK if he plays on a more consistent basis than any others.

Take a look at a few of the videos that Braves beat writer David O’Brien shot from the weekend.

Next: Did Injury To Melvin Upton Improve The Atlanta Braves?

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