Braves Finalize Opening Day Roster
By Fred Owens
Mar 11, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves stand for the National Anthem during a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mark Bowman reports that Pedro Ciriaco and Cody Martin nabbed the two remaining Braves 25 man roster spots for opening day ending one of the most mixed up and illogical spring training roster manipulations in recent memory.
In The Beginning There Was The Roster
If you’ll think back to the beginning of spring training you remember that the roster questions surrounded the left field platoon, the second base platoon, the fifth starter and the left side of the bullpen. It was Zoilo Almonte who would share left field with Jonny Gomes, center field would be between Todd Cunningham and Eury Perez and second base would belong to Alberto Callaspo with Jace Peterson being a super utility guy.
When Mike Minor went down almost immediately, we were told that Wandy Rodriguez would be the fourth or fifth starter because he’d done so well and that Mike Foltynewicz or Manny Banuelos would battle for the fifth spot with Eric Stults. It was all set according to the talking heads except for allowing the outsiders a few shots; then it wasn’t.
So much for roster experts
Almonte couldn’t hit, Callaspo put the ball in play but without much conviction and (no surprise) couldn’t catch the ball at second base. Young decided he could play center field and proceeded to show that speed helps a lot even when your routes aren’t great. He also showed he could be a leadoff man, something the Braves haven’t had consistently for years. Peterson claimed second with his glove, his bat and by playing smart baseball.
After starting out strong Rodriguez faltered and was released. Kelly Johnson reversed that procedure and landed a spot because he got hot towards the end – not scorching hot but then he didn’t have a lot of competition after Joey Terdoslavich injured his wrist in an unassisted double play I bet he wishes he’d never made.
The Braves brought Joe Benson up and he went 7 for 17 with 3 walks and posted a line of .412/.476/.588/.1.064. Suddenly all the talk was about Benson being the right handed bat the Braves needed. Then this morning after going 4 – 4 in one game including driving in the winning run and homering off of Cole Hamels in another they reassigned Benson to Gwinnett. Todd Cunningham was sent back to AAA as well so Benson won;t get lost on the way. As they head to Gwinnett they both have to wonder what they have to do to get a shot.