Clippings Sunday, March 20, 2016 Braves.com

Fredi happy with Teheran's latest tuneup

Likely starter attacks zone, throws strikes

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | March 19th, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. -- Whenever Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has been asked if he is ready to officially announce Julio Teheran as his Opening Day starter, he has responded in the manner that you would expect if he had just been asked whether each half-inning will consist of three outs again this year.

Since trading Shelby Miller to the D-backs in December, the Braves have essentially had no choice but to give Teheran a third consecutive Opening Day start. Now they can only hope that the right-hander continues to distance himself from last year's struggles and pitches as effectively as he did through most of his outing in Saturday afternoon's 3-2 loss to the Yankees.

"I thought it was a solid outing, I really did," Gonzalez said. "I'll take that outing and continue going forward and keep stretching him out. I liked what I saw. "

After cruising through the first three innings against a left-handed-heavy Yankees lineup, Teheran endured a three-run fourth that reminded them of his struggles against lefty hitters and the fact that his success is reliant on defensive assistance. Mark Teixeira's sharp grounder eluded Nick Swisher's glove at first base and Chase Headley's opposite-field double proved that Hector Olivera still needs to get used to balls that slice off of a lefty's bat.

"That's the thing with pitching and young pitching, you've got to catch the ball," Gonzalez said. "If you don't, pitch counts go up and you can put them in stressful situations."

Teheran surrendered six hits and three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. The outing was not as dominant as his start Monday, when he faced one over the minimum in four scoreless innings against the Rays. But outside of the fourth, his latest Opening Day tuneup did at least provide the Braves more hope that this year might be different for Teheran, who produced a 4.04 ERA over 33 starts last year. His primary nemesis was left- handed hitters, who produced a .893 OPS against him.

With this in mind, it was beneficial for Teheran to face a Yankees lineup that enabled him to face six hitters who were batting from the left side. He retired five as he proved perfect through the first two innings and had allowed just one lefty to reach safely before he opened the fourth by walking Didi Gregorius.

While facing 14 left-handed hitters Saturday, Teheran allowed four hits (including those awarded to Teixeira and Headley in the fourth), issued one walk and a batter. He hit Jacoby Ellsbury on the hand with a pitch that indicated he is making a concerted effort to once again consistently come in on left-handers, with the hope that his two-seam fastball won't leak back over the plate as consistently as it did last year.

"Other than the fourth inning, when I had to work a little bit, I was making all of my pitches," Teheran said. "I think I did pretty well. That [fourth] inning, even though they got a couple base hits, I was attacking the zone and throwing strikes. That's what matters right now. I know I didn't make it through the fifth inning, which was the goal for this game, but I feel pretty good."

Given chance, Garcia aims to run with it

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | March 19th, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. -- As a 30-year-old Minor Leaguer who seemingly did not have enough power potential to compensate for his defensive woes, Adonis Garcia stood as nothing more than an offensively capable emergency option until the Braves essentially exhausted all of their other third-base options last year. When the Braves traded Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe to the Mets on July 24, they knew they had no desire to utilize Chris Johnson as their starting third baseman. But they had no reason to anticipate what they would receive when they instead gave this role to Garcia, who had been released by the Yankees at the end of .

"Some things happen for a reason," Garcia said, with Braves bullpen coach Eddie Perez serving as an interpreter. "I knew I was just going to continue playing the same way. I didn't change anything. I knew I had some power. I knew I could hit the ball better and when I got released, I knew I was going to have the opportunity to go play for somebody else."

Still, even if a change of scenery served as an elixir, there was no reason to expect Garcia would hit 10 homers in 191 at-bats and join Bob Tillman as the only players in Braves history with double-digit homers in less than 200 at-bats in a season. He had just 21 homers in 1,096 Minor League at- bats, and just three of those came in 331 at-bats at Triple-A Gwinnett last year.

"It was not too surprising because the last year I played in Cuba, I hit [21] homers," said Garcia, who left Cuba in 2011. "I knew I was going to hit homers at some point."

Though it remains to be seen whether Garcia can maintain last year's power pace, the Braves have seen enough from him offensively to take a chance despite his 10 errors in 96 chances at third last year.

Kelly Johnson could spend some time at third when the Braves want to sit Garcia against a right-hander, and the Braves could use Gordon Beckham or Jace Peterson as a late-inning defensive replacement at the hot corner.

But it appears Garcia will at least have an opportunity to prove last year's success was not a fluke. If he is capable of extending his power surge, he could provide the Braves a right-handed power bat in the middle of their lefty-heavy lineup.

"It helped a lot, the way I played last year because I now know the big leagues and I'm going to have a better year this year," Garcia said.

Lalli, Peterson notch RBIs in loss to Yanks

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | @BryanHoch | March 19th, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. -- Starlin Castro had a pair of hits, including an RBI single, and Michael Pineda turned in a sharp effort as the Yankees defeated the Braves, 3-2, in Grapefruit League action on Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury underwent X-rays and a CT scan after he was hit on the right wrist by a Julio Teheran pitch in the fifth inning. The Yankees received good news as the X-rays and the CT scan came back negative for a fracture.

Pineda limited Atlanta to a run on four hits over four innings as he completed his third appearance (second start). The right-hander struck out four without a walk, throwing 41 of 62 pitches for strikes.

"I'm happy. I got into a little trouble in the game and I competed," Pineda said. "It's a good outing. I'm doing my work today that I'm supposed to be doing. I'm good."

Carlos Beltran, Chase Headley and Castro had run-scoring hits in the third off Teheran, who scattered six hits over 4 1/3 innings. Teheran, who is gearing up to serve as Atlanta's Opening Day starter, walked one and struck out two, hitting a batter.

Blake Lalli and Jace Peterson drove in runs for the Braves, who had cut down at home plate in the first inning on a strong throw by left fielder Chris Denorfia.

Also in the first, Ellsbury made a terrific diving catch on the warning track in right-center field to steal what would have been an extra-base hit for former Yankee Nick Swisher, who doffed his batting helmet in recognition.

"There were a lot of great things out there, other than the runs column," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "They did a nice job in the first inning, when they threw a guy out at the plate and made a diving catch against [Nick] Swisher."

Up next for the Braves: will be in the lineup when the Braves host the Tigers on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET. Atlanta starter Bud Norris will attempt to bounce back after allowing the Tigers six runs and nine hits in just three innings Tuesday.

Up next for the Yankees: Ivan Nova will make his fourth spring start Sunday when the Yankees visit the Twins in Fort Myers, Fla., with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET. Former Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks will face his old club, and Brian McCann, Headley and Brett Gardner are among the other regulars expected to make the trip. Ervin Santana will draw the start for Minnesota.

Braves claim former top prospect Biddle

Rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, lefty will go on 60-day DL

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | March 19th, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. -- Taking a chance on the upside of a former top prospect who is recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery, the Braves claimed left- hander Jesse Biddle off release waivers from the Pirates.

This has been an interesting stretch for Biddle, who will be joining his third organization within a span of six weeks. The Braves are hoping that once he completes his year-long rehab, he will regain some of the promise that he possessed when MLBPipeline.com ranked him as baseball's 56th-best prospect before the start of the 2014 season.

"We've got a lot of experience with guys who are in his situation and we've seen some really good things," Braves general manager John Coppolella said. "We had guys that went through this last year like Max Fried and A.J. Minter. [Biddle] is a former Top 100 prospect that our guys like and we'll just see what happens. You see the price of pitching out there. The more depth you can have, the better off you're going to be."

Because the Pirates placed Biddle on release waivers, he had the right to reject the Braves' claim. But when he spoke to Coppolella on Saturday, the 24-year-old southpaw said he planned to arrive at Atlanta's Spring Training complex by Monday. He will remain there to rehab throughout the season.

Biddle will not cost the Braves a 40-man roster spot because he will be placed on the 60-day disabled list.

"What you hope is that he can get back to what he was and that was a pretty good prospect with pretty high upside," Coppolella said. "This is a free add. There really is no downside for us."

Though he was one of baseball's Top 100 prospects from 2012-14, Biddle has not lived up to the expectations that were set when the Phillies selected the Philadelphia native with the 27th overall pick in the 2010 Draft. He has a 5.00 ERA over a total of 206 2/3 innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels since the start of 2014.

Biddle was designated for assignment by the Phillies, then traded to the Pirates on Feb. 3. The Pirates removed the rehabbing lefty from their 40- man roster to make room for the recent signing of veteran third baseman David Freese.

Odds and ends

• Because Max Stassi will be sidelined to start the season, the Astros are looking for a backup , and they could soon call the Braves about Ryan Lavarnway or Blake Lalli. The Braves signed Lalli to a Minor League deal in January when there was concern that Lavarnway might be dealing with a significant shoulder injury. There might not be reason for Atlanta to send Lavarnway and Lalli to Triple-A Gwinnett to begin the season.

• Jose Ramirez entered Spring Training as the only Braves' player out of options and has since made a strong bid to open the season in the bullpen. The hard-throwing right-hander has surrendered four hits, issued four walks and recorded seven strikeouts over 7 2/3 scoreless Grapefruit League innings.

• Daniel Winkler improved his roster bid as he completed two perfect innings in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Yankees. After being selected in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft, the right-handed reliever spent most of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. If the Braves do not carry him on their Major League roster through the first week of June, they would need to offer him back to the Rockies.

Longtime closer Soriano opts to retire

Righty was All-Star in 2010; exits with 207 saves, 2.89 ERA

By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com | March 19th, 2016

Former All-Star closer Rafael Soriano has called it a career. Soriano, an All-Star in 2010 with the Rays, retired Saturday while attempting to earn a roster spot with the Blue Jays. Soriano topped the 40-save mark three times and retires with 207 saves and a career 2.89 ERA across 14 Major League seasons.

Soriano, 36, was signed by the Mariners out of the Dominican Republic in 1996, and he pitched his first five seasons with Seattle. Soriano logged a 2.89 ERA in 116 appearances with the Mariners and thrived in his next stop, Atlanta, where he compiled a 2.95 mark over three seasons.

The right-hander first logged a 20-save season with the Braves in 2009, and he was traded to Tampa Bay in December of that year. Soriano logged his career-best season with the Rays in 2010, when he made 64 appearances with a 1.73 ERA and led the American League with a personal-best 45 saves. Soriano spent one year as a setup man with the Yankees and then logged a 42-save season for New York in 2012, and he spent two highly productive seasons as Washington's closer in 2013 and '14. The veteran struggled last season for the Cubs, posting a 6.35 ERA in six appearances for Chicago.

The Cubs didn't sign Soriano until June last season, and he hooked on with the Blue Jays this spring on a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Soriano, a native of San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, will retire with a 24-28 record and 591 appearances in the Major Leagues.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves pitcher Gant has funky motion, good results

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

TAMPA — It’s one of the most unusual windups you’re ever likely to see, but Braves pitcher John Gant insists he wasn’t aware that he was doing it when he started.

The right-hander, who was born in Savannah but came to the Braves via the Mets in a July 2015 trade, has been impressive in spring training — 1.08 ERA, 0.84 WHIP — and put himself in contention for bullpen spot on the opening-day roster, likely as a long reliever.

It would be his first stint in the majors, and if Gant makes it there will be some befuddled big-league hitters the first time they face him. Yes, his delivery is that funky.

It must be seen to be fully appreciated, but the gist of its uniqueness is an extra step with his left foot as the 6-foot-5 pitcher is midway through his delivery. He taps his toe as he steps toward the right side of the mound and then, as if it was a false start, he rocks backward and steps forward again, this time continuing with what is otherwise a smooth – and normal — delivery.

Gant, 23, calls the extra motion a “false step” because, “I don’t know what else to call it. That’s just what I do, man. I don’t know.”

So when and why did he start using that delivery? (By the way, he only uses the extra step from his windup, not from the stretch when runners are on base.)

“I have no idea,” Gant said with a straight face.

Wait, what? You don’t remember the moment you first tried that quirky motion. Seriously?

“I think it started in 2014 when I was in Savannah,” said Gant, who pitched for the Mets’ Single-A Savannah affiliate that season, posting a 2.56 ERA with 114 strikeouts in 123 innings over 21 starts. “One of my teammates, my catcher, Colton Plaia, I think it was the day after one of my starts when he was imitating me, kind of making fun of me doing the little false-step leg kick that I do. I said, I don’t really do that. He said, ‘Yeah, you do,’ and everybody chimed in, like, yeah, that’s what you do.

“So from that point on, I guess I kind of noticed myself doing it, and it stuck.”

The extra step or false step is almost guaranteed to elicit howls of “balk!” from fans in every road ballpark he pitches in. In opposing dugouts this spring, there have been confused looks on the faces of players, coaches and managers seeing him for the first time, as if they’re thinking, that has to be a balk, right?

But it’s not. Just because something is highly unusual doesn’t mean it breaks a rule. And in Gant’s case, it seems other pitchers haven’t done his two-step delivery dance because, well, why would they try? It’s strange and sure not something any pitching coach would ever, under any circumstances, advise a pitcher to adapt.

It’s also effective. Or at least distracting.

Funky deliveries keep hitters off-balance, and his motion also effectively allows Gant to keep the ball hidden a little longer. But he couldn’t get by with that alone, and besides, he doesn’t use it with runners on base.

He also has good stuff, including a low- and pushing-mid-90s fastball, a nasty change-up that acts like a forkball or split-finger fastball, and a pretty good breaking ball.

“Gant was pretty impressive,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after a March 13 outing when he threw 2 2/3 hitless innings against the Astros. “He’s got that Vulcan change-up that he throws against those lefties; it’s got some bite to it, some depth to it.”

Selected by the Mets in the 21st round of the 2011 June draft out of a Florida high school, Gant’s been a starter throughout his minor league career, going 30-19 with a 3.24 ERA in 74 games (71 starts). After being traded to the Braves as part of the July 2015 deal for Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson, Gant went 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA in seven starts at Double-A Mississippi, with 43 strikeouts and 14 walks in 40 2/3 innings.

In four Grapefruit League appearances this season, Gant has allowed six hits, one run and one walk with five strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings. That included 2 2/3 scoreless innings of three-hit ball Friday against the Marlins.

Braves claim lefty Biddle after released by Pirates

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

TAMPA – The Braves claimed left-hander Jesse Biddle off waivers Saturday, two days after the former first-round draft pick and top prospect was released by the Pirates.

They’re taking a low-cost, no-risk flyer on Biddle, 24, in hopes that he can recover from Tommy John surgery and become the pitcher he was once projected to be. He’ll spend the 2016 season on the 60-day disabled list and not cost the Braves a roster spot.

Biddle was a first-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2010 and a top-100 prospect as recently as two years ago. But his stock plummeted after posting ERAs of 5.84 at three minor league levels in 2014 and 5.67 in 24 starts last season in Double-A and Triple-A before elbow surgery in October.

The Pirates acquired Biddle in a trade for right-hander Yoervis Medina, and designated him for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot after signing third baseman David Freese. Biddle had the right to refuse going to the Braves after they claimed him on release waivers.

“I spoke with him and he said that he’s very happy to be here,” Braves general manager John Coppolella said. “Obviously he won’t pitch this year, so it’s something where … we’ve got a lot of experience with guys who are in his situation, and we’ve seen some real good things out of guys who went through this last year, like Max Fried, A.J. Minter (prospects coming back from T.J. surgery).

“You won’t see him in 2016, but as we keep trying to add arms and add upside, this is a guy who was a former top-100 prospect that our scouts like. Just kind of see what happens. You see the price of pitching out there, and the more depth you can have the better off you’re going to be.”

Teheran’s work undermined by 4th-inning defense

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

TAMPA, Fla. – Julio Teheran said he’s focused on getting better results against left-handed hitters this season, and against the Yankees on Saturday he accomplished that. At least until the fourth inning, when his defense did him no favors.

The Yankees used a leadoff walk and four consecutive one-out hits to score three runs in the fourth during a 3-2 Grapefruit League win against the Braves at George Steinbrenner Field.

Teheran, who’s scheduled to make his third consecutive opening-day start April 4, was charged with six hits, three runs and one walk with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Six left-handed or switch-hitters in the Yankees lineup went 4-for-12 against him with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.

“In the fourth inning I got to work a little bit. I was making pitches pretty good,” Teheran said. “That inning they got a couple of base hits, but I was attacking the zone and throwing strikes. That’s all that matters…. I know I didn’t make it through the fifth inning, which was the goal for this game, but I felt pretty good.”

The hits in the fourth included an RBI double misplayed by left fielder Hector Olivera, and a ground-ball single to the right side of the infield that’s probably an out if Freddie Freeman is playing first base instead of Nick Swisher, who doesn’t have Freeman’s range.

“I thought it was a solid outing, I really did,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who was asked if Teheran might’ve gotten out of it with one or no runs allowed had the defense been better in the fourth inning. “There’s no question. That’s the thing with pitching, especially young pitching, is you’ve got to catch a ball. Because pitch counts go up and you put them in stressful situations.

“Teheran’s fine, he can cover it up. But some of the young guys may not be able to cover it up.”

Last season, left-handers hit .300 with an .893 OPS against Teheran, compared to .207/.583 by right-handers. He said his principal means of countering them more effectively in 2016 would be to use both sides of the plate, and he was pleased with that approach Saturday despite the fourth-inning runs.

“That (use both side of the plate) is what I’m trying to do, and mix all my pitches, throw everything so they don’t see only one pitch,” he said. “I think I did pretty good today. The fourth inning I was trying to do the same thing…. I made, like, two mistakes trying to go in(side).” In his previous start Monday against Tampa Bay, Teheran faced a lineup with five left-handed or switch-hitters and needed just 35 pitches (28 strikes) to work four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk.

Against the Yankees, he threw 71 pitches (45 strikes) in 4 1/3 innings, the figure bloated by the fourth inning. He faced one batter over the minimum through three innings, inducing a double-play grounder after consecutive singles to start the third inning.

The only extra-base hit Teheran allowed Saturday was switch-hitter Chase Headley’s RBI double in the fourth inning, on a fly ball that was catchable if first-year left fielder Olivera had gotten a better initial read on the ball.

“Olivera got a lot of reps out in left field,” Gonzalez said, looking at the positive side of the situation. “The one line drive early in the game, he just took a step in and the ball went over his head. But those are things that it’s hard to get during batting practice and it’s hard to get hitting a fungo to him. So we accomplished stuff. And he had a great couple of at-bats.”

Left-handed hitter Didi Gregorius drew the leadoff walk in the fourth inning, and three of the four hits in the inning came from switch-hitters, including Carlos Beltran’s RBI single lined to right field, Headley’s double and Mark Teixeira’s single to Swisher’s right, which Kelly Johnson dove to get a glove on.

Right-handed hitter Starlin Castro followed with a single up the middle for a 3-1 lead before Teheran struck out Carlos Corporan and Chris Denorfia to end the inning with two on. Teheran hit Jacoby Ellsbury in the right wrist to start the fifth inning, then got Gregorius to fly out before being replaced.

X-rays and a CT scan of Ellsbury’s wrist were negative, showing no serious damage.

Baseball America

Toussaint, Newcomb Show Signs Of Hope For Braves

By J.J. Cooper

ORLANDO, Fla.—For a time on Saturday on the Braves’ back fields, Atlanta had facing Ozzie Albies and . One field over, battled . And on a third field Ricardo Sanchez was mixing and matching pitches against a third lineup of fellow Braves.

It was one of those days when the Braves’ minor league rebuild seems ripe with possibilities. None of the prospects are finished prospects, but the potential is readily apparent.

And that’s never more true than when Toussaint steps onto the mound. Acquired last summer in a trade with the Diamondbacks that cost the Braves $10 million to take on Bronson Arroyo’s salary but little else (Arizona acquired infielder ), Toussaint is nowhere close to being big league-ready. He’s not yet mastered low . But Toussaint showed both the control troubles that bedevil him and the jaw-dropping stuff that made him a 2014 first-round pick in his sim game outing.

From the start, Toussaint had trouble throwing strikes. He walked the first two batters he faced and struggled with deep counts throughout his outing.

But every now and then, Toussaint would fire a running low-90s fastball on the black of the plate (this early in minor league camp most of the Braves pitchers aren’t at their peak velocity). Or he would let loose a curveball that could cause a batter to flinch on a ball that ended up on the outer half of the strike zone.

Toussaint’s control comes and goes from pitch to pitch. That combination of stuff and shaky control made catching Toussaint a rough assignment for catcher Ruben Perez. One of Toussaint’s better curveballs went to the backstop when Perez couldn’t catch it and a couple of fastballs also got away from the young catcher.

It’s easy to see why Toussaint has walked more than five batters per nine innings during his short minor league career—the control wavers significantly. What’s much more baffling is how he’s only struck out 7.7 batters per nine innings as a pro even though his combination of mid-90s fastball, plus-plus curveball and promising changeup give him three weapons.

MEET YOUR NEW TEAM

Toussaint had three months last season to get acclimated to being a Brave. For lefthander Sean Newcomb, this month is his first to get to wear a Braves jersey on the mound.

“At first you kind of think they traded me, you feel weird about it. At first it’s a shock, but once you figure out the logistics and what’s ahead of you, it’s definitely a good thing, I’m excited about it when it’s all said and done,” Newcomb said. Newcomb, acquired in last November’s trade, saw Ozzie Albies single to start their sim game, then watched Albies steal second, steal third and score when the throw to third was wild.

It wasn’t a great start, but Newcomb settled down to strike out Dansby Swanson, batting in the No. 2 hole, and generally worked his way around trouble for the rest of his outing. Newcomb spotted his above-average curveball well at times and generated some swings and misses with his fastball even though he isn’t yet in midseason form when it comes to velocity.

Newcomb sat 88-92 mph. As he explained, he tired as the game went on because he’s been hitting the weight room hard, to try to prepare for a long season, which left him with some tired legs.

The Macon Telegraph

Atlanta Braves' talent is coming along slowly

BY BILL SHANKS

Thirty years ago, the Atlanta Braves had a new manager. Chuck Tanner was one of the most positive people in the sport. He was smiling all the time, happy and optimistic to the max.

When Braves owner Ted Turner hired Tanner after he had been fired in Pittsburgh, Tanner promised that one day there would be a parade down Peachtree Street after he managed the Braves to a title.

Well, that parade came a decade later, and Tanner had been long gone. He lasted only two-and-a-half years, and it took to manage the Braves to get that parade down Peachtree Street.

Tanner's enthusiasm is something we'll need this year. The Braves are going through the same type of rebuilding plan that was happening when Tanner was in the Atlanta dugout. But the Braves are in so much better shape this time around.

Cox had been the general manager in the late-1980s before he returned to the dugout, but when he was remaking the Braves, Cox didn't have the luxury of trading valuable veterans as the front office has in the past 18 months. John Coppolella, the current GM, used Jason Heyward, , Craig Kimbrel and most recently Andrelton Simmons and Shelby Miller in trades to rebuild Atlanta's farm system.

But with so many prospects, so many young players, it's just going to take time. The last thing a fan base wants to have is patience, but that will be required this season and maybe for a couple of more years.

This spring, one of the biggest stories has been the impressive performance of two young prospects -- Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies. Both play second base and shortstop, and they are the future of the middle infield for the Braves.

Swanson is 22 years old. The Braves somehow got him from Arizona in the Miller trade in December. Swanson was the top overall pick in the draft in June, and now he's being looked at as the next . Swanson is the next young player who could be the primary face of the franchise for years to come.

Albies is only 19 years old. He's a diminutive speedster with a great bat, a la Jose Altuve of the . Albies was only in Low Single-A Rome last season, but with his solid showing in big league camp (a .371 batting average), Albies is not too far away.

There's a good chance Swanson and Albies could take over next year when the Braves enter Sun Trust Park. They will decide who plays what position this season, but regardless who plays where, those two are a solid core of position players to build around.

We know the Braves have concentrated on pitchers in this rebuilding plan, just like they did 30 years ago. But to have two position players like Swanson and Albies will be a huge benefit.

The issue is the youth of these players. Even though both Swanson and Albies, and most of the pitchers, are very talented, how long will it take them to become comfortable major leaguers? Getting to the big leagues is one thing, but they have to be productive. That doesn't always happen overnight.

And that's why the fans have to be patient. Atlanta's 25-man roster might be better than we think this season, but the win-loss record will not be as important as the development of the players who will make up the roster for years to come.

Patience shouldn't be looked at as a four-letter word with the Braves. Right now, it just has to be the behavior most fans must practice, at least for a little while longer. And maybe some of Tanner's unabashed enthusiasm is something we can learn from and use this season.

Associated Press

Ellsbury hit on wrist by pitch, but Yanks say scans negative

By MARK DIDTLER (Associated Press)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- As Jacoby Ellsbury batted in the fifth inning Saturday against Atlanta, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was being interviewed live on the YES Network telecast and spoke about the importance of keeping the center fielder and leadoff hitter healthy. Ellsbury was on the disabled list from May 20 to July 8 last season because of a sprained right knee.

''I look at last year's injury, that's kind of a freak thing. You don't expect that to happen every year,'' Girardi said.

Then he added of Ellsbury's injury history: ''That's a concern. We need to keep these guys fresh and strong.''

Two pitches later, Ellsbury was hit on the right wrist by a 90 mph pitch from Julio Teheran.

''This is what we talked about. Hold on. I'll be back,'' Girardi said, running off to check on the player.

Ellsbury left the game and went to a hospital. More than an hour after New York completed a 3-2 win, Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said a CT scan and X-rays were negative.

''How about that?'' Girardi said right after the game. ''I need to keep my mouth shut.''

There was a loud sound of the ball hitting the wrist when 32-year-old former All-Star was hit.

''He was in pain,'' Girardi said. ''It scares you. He had seam marks on his wrist. You keep your fingers crossed.''

Girardi thought back to three years ago, when Curtis Granderson broke his right forearm in his first at-bat at spring training when hit by a pitch from Toronto's J.A. Happ on Feb. 24. Granderson returned May 14. then broke a knuckle on his left hand 10 days later when hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay's Cesar Ramos. Granderson was out until Aug. 2.

Should Ellsbury be sidelined for an extended period, Girardi said Aaron Hicks would start in center.

Getting ready for his third season with the Yankees, Ellsbury made a diving catch in deep center on a first-inning drive by Nick Swisher, who tipped his helmet toward the outfielder.

Michael Pineda allowed one run and four hits in four innings for the Yankees. It's the only run he has given up in nine innings overall.

''I'm happy,'' Pineda said. ''Everything is going great.''

Chase Headley had an RBI double during a three-run fourth off Teheran, who gave up three runs and six hits in 4 1-3 innings.

The start of the game was delayed 67 minutes by rain.

STARTING TIME

Braves: Teheran had two strikeouts and a walk.

Yankees: Pineda struck out four.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Yankees: LF Brett Gardner will play in his third game Sunday against Minnesota since bruising his left wrist in last year's AL wild card loss to Houston. He is hitless in five at-bats.

CLOSING TIME

Yankees: Former closer Mariano Rivera arrived and said he will be in camp four or five days as a great instructor. He threw batting practice in an indoor cage. ... Hall of Fame closer and guest instructor Goose Gossage was back after missing a day to have a doctor clear blockage in his ear. ... New closer Aroldis Chapman allowed one run, two hits and struck out one in one inning.

HOT HITTING

Atlanta's Hector Olivera had a double off Chapman in the fifth to give a hit in 14 of 15 games.

HOMECOMING Swisher, who played for the Yankees from 2009-12, asked to make the trip. Swisher feels he is capable of playing again at a high level after batting issues in both knees the past two seasons.

MOVING DAY

The Yankees optioned OF Ben Gamel to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and reassigned him to minor league camp. RHPs Tyler Cloyd, Mark Montgomery and Vinnie Pestano, LHP Richard Bleier and INFs Jonathan Diaz and were sent to the minor league camp.

UP NEXT

Braves: Bud Norris gets the start Sunday against Detroit.

Yankees: Ivan Nova, competing with CC Sabathia for a rotation spot, starts Sunday against Minnesota. He has a 2.00 ERA through his first three starts.