2014 gwinnett braves season preview

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Longtime Gwinnett resident, Snitker, takes over as G-Braves manager

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Page 1: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview
Page 2: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

2 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

G-Braves in the GDP

The Gwinnett Daily Post’s print cover-age of the Gwinnett Braves is just the start of the coverage offered by the GDP.

Beat writer Ben Beitzel, with the team since its move to Gwinnett, supplements the daily print coverage online, giving readers an active source for breaking news, roster changes, pre-game notes and analy-sis and thoughts all on www.gwinnettdaily-post.com.

Beyond the blog, the GDP’s Twitter ac-count, www.twitter.com/gdpbraves, is the fastest source for scores, in-game informa-tion and links to new online posts, stories and other G-Braves related news. The Twitter account is also the best way to ask questions and provide feedback.

On the radioFrom the first pitch the Gwinnett Braves

ever threw, Tony Schiavone has been behind the microphone and for the sixth season of G-Braves baseball the longtime broadcaster is back.

Every Gwinnett Braves game will air live, though the source is up in the air after WDUN 550-AM decided not to partner with the G-Braves for the sixth season to air every game. Games will at least be available on www.gwinnettbraves.com.

WSB sports director Schiavone, the former professional wrestling announcer, tweets on G-Braves and other topics at www.twitter.com/tonyschiavone24.

INSIDE• G-Braves 2014 schedule and promotions ................................ 3

• Seating chart, ticket options and directions to Coolray Field ........ 4

• Coaches bios ......................... 6

• New manager Snitker at home in Gwinnett ................................ 7

• Top Braves prospect Bethancourt just a few hits from Atlanta .........8

• Schlosser making steady strides through organization ................. 9

• Likely candidates to see time with the G-Braves this season ....10-11

• Prospect Northcraft surviving recent trials ............................. 12

• Big-hitting LaStella has strug-gled to stay on the field ........... 13

• Brookwood grad Sims ready to get back on fast track .............. 14

• Graham hoping to make up for lost 2013 season ..................... 15

• Individuals were highlight in forgettable 2013 ...................... 16

• Arms races continues in IL, off the field ................................... 17

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Page 3: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 3 •gwinnettdailypost.com

Page 4: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

4 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

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Page 5: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 5 •gwinnettdailypost.com

Page 6: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

6 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

AT THE HELMBrian SnitkerPosition: ManagerAge: 58Home: LilburnBack-ground: A member of the Atlanta Braves or-ganization since 1977, Snitker returns to his managerial duties with the Gwinnett Braves after spending six seasons as the third base coach of the Atlanta Braves … Managed his first team in 1982 with Class A Anderson in the South Atlantic League. … Played catcher in the Braves minor league system for four seasons. … In 17 seasons as a minor league manager across all levels, Snitker compiled a career record of 1,140-1,145. … Led the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to back-to-back Class A-Advanced Carolina League Championships in 1999 and 2000. … Two-time Carolina League manager of the year.

Marty ReedPosition: Pitching coachAge: 52Home: Albemarle, N.C.Back-ground: Enters his fourth year as Gwin-nett Braves pitching coach after spending previous two with Class AA Mississippi Braves … He watched over the development of Julio Teheran and Mike Minor, both major league pitchers with the Atlanta Braves… Spent 10 seasons with the L.A. Dodgers, including working at the team’s minor league pitching coordinator from 2006-08 … Spent three seasons as the head coach at Pfeiffer University and was on the staff at the University of Tampa when the program won consecutive Division III National Championships.

Jamie Garey IngramPosition: Hitting coachAge: 43Home: ColumbusBack-ground: Spent the past four seasons as the hitting coach for the Class AA Mis-sissippi Braves. … M-Braves ranked third in Southern League in batting average in 2013 under his guidance. … Replacing Jaime Dismuke, the only hitting coach of the G-Braves, who replaces Ingram in Mississippi. … Drafted by the Los Ange-les Dodgers out of Middle Georgia Community College in 1989, playing 14 years as a professional, includ-ing three seasons in the major leagues. … Oversaw the development of current Atlanta Braves Evan Gattis, Tyler Pastornicky, Andrelton Simmons and Joey Terdo-slavich.

Page 7: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 7 •gwinnettdailypost.com

Snitker coming homeHe’s not from Gwinnett

County, but Brian Snitker’s been here long enough to earn honorary citizenship.

The new manager of the Gwinnett Braves has lived in Gwinnett and the Lilburn area long enough to send his children to Brookwood High School and have his parents also live in the county. His mother lives “literally five minutes” from Coolray Field. So if Snitker was going to make a career move out of major league baseball, coming home is the best path to take.

“This is a great op-portunity for me,” Snitker said of becoming the third manager of the Gwinnett Braves. “I get to live at home. It was a good fit for me.”

Following last season’s playoff exit to the Los An-geles Dodgers, the Braves decided to not retain one-year manager Randy Ready and general manag-er Frank Wren and Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez told Snitker their plan for the team’s third base coach of the past seven seasons.

“At the time, I didn’t have to stay,” Snitker said. “I could have gone some-where else and pursued another major league job or a job with another organization. In talking to Frank and Fredi, I have been here (with the Braves) for 37, 38 years. I am get-ting to that age where I am not looking to start over anywhere.”

Snitker knows no other organization. A 1977 draft pick by the Braves, Snitker played four professional seasons before transition-ing to coach in 1981 and taking his first managerial

position in 1982. Snitker managed for 17 of the next 24 years spanning every level of the minor leagues. He lived the change of baseball from his first locker of a “nail in a wall” to the palatial playing grounds enjoyed at most levels, Coolray Field a prime example.

“Nobody says anything bad about it here,” Snitker said.

Snitker believes his experience both as a minor league manager and major league coach is one of his biggest assets as he pre-pares to sit in the big office for the first time since 2006 in Richmond, Va. He speaks calmly, telling anec-dotes, a very baseball way of communicating. He har-kens to the times he spent with former Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox before games talking in the radar room just off the home dug-out and he chose his No. 4 because Luke Appling wore the same number. At 75, Appling worked for Snitker when he managed in Class A Anderson.

“I was young and reac-tive,” Snitker said of his first managerial experi-ence. “(Appling) was

always there and he would keep a lid on me a little bit. That first year was, it was fun. We were playing baseball.”

But Snitker knows that version of baseball van-ished over his career and has lived the new version in the big leagues.

“The game is the same, but the players are differ-ent,” he said. “Nowadays we tell them, ‘You better keep that (phone) on. If you are in a bar and it’s too loud, I am calling the next guy on my list.’

“We make moves now on the bus at midnight.”

Snitker doesn’t promise or preach any specific style of managing. He likes to steal bases, if he can, but won’t force a style. Win-ning is a priority, unless player safety or develop-ment trumps a strategic move. He knows the purpose of the minors.

“It’s always player development. It’s all about the players in the minor leagues,” he said. “They are the central point. They are why we are here. They are the reason we have jobs.”

And this job, gets him a bit closer to home.

By Ben Beitzelben.beitzel@ gwinnettdailypost.com

Gwinnett Braves manager Brian Snitker shares a laugh with general manager North Johnson during a media event held at Coolray Field this winter. (Photo: Kyle Hess)

Page 8: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

8 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

Touted Bethancourt just a few hits away from Atlanta

Evan Gattis will take over for the departed Brian Mc-Cann as the Atlanta Braves’ regular catcher this season, but it may be for just one year.

Although Gattis was one of the top feel-good stories in baseball as a rookie, Chris-tian Bethancourt has been the catcher the Braves have been waiting on for years.

The 22-year-old from Panama has been touted as a top prospect almost since he signed at age 16 and will start this season just a step away from Atlanta in Class AAA with the Gwinnett Braves.

“He can catch and throw at the major league level right now,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said two springs ago.

Bethancourt, ranked as the No. 82 overcall prospect by MLB.com and the sixth-best catcher, is just now, though, starting to show that he could be almost ready offensively.

The right-handed hitter had a .277 average with a career-high 12 homers last season for Class AA Missis-sippi

The Braves began rework-ing Bethancourt’s swing after the 2012 season and the results have been positive.

“He made some pretty dra-matic changes mechanically, and it took him a while to get comfortable,” Atlanta general manager Frank Wren said of Bethancourt’s improvement in the second half of last season.

Bethancourt had a 4-for-4 game with two homers and set a Mississippi record by reaching base on a hit or walk in 40 consecutive games.

Bethancourt, the Braves’ top position prospect, hit .338 during the streak from June 13-Aug. 14 and had a .307 average with eight hom-ers and 24 RBIs in his final 39 games of the season.

“I try to get better every day and every year,” said Bethancourt, who spent September in Atlanta as an extra catcher and got his first major league at-bat. “I’ve been working hard and mak-ing a lot of progress.”

The on-base streak was something Bethancourt wasn’t even aware of as it built and built.

“I didn’t know until they showed me,” he said.

Defense, though, remains Bethancourt’s calling card. He has a cannon for an arm and cat-quick reflexes behind the plate.

“He’s very athletic,” Gon-zalez said.

The streaks that Bethancourt keeps track of are blocking balls in the dirt and nabbing runners trying to steal.

His rate throwing out runners, though, was down to about 35 percent last year after nearly 40 percent in his first season at Mississippi the previous year.

“The main thing is my defense,” said Bethancourt, who appeared in the past two All-Star Futures Game. “I keep trying to get better, and I’m starting to put everything together — blocking pitches, calling the game, throwing out runners.”

Will Bethancourt be ready to step up to Atlanta next season, if not earlier?

“I’m trying to get there as soon as possible,” he said. “But I’ve got to get ready be-fore I get there. That is what I’m trying to do.”

By Guy CurtriGhtStaff Correspondent

Atlanta Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt, left, talks to reliever Cory Gearrin during a game against the Detroit Tigers on March 2 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Photo: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

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Page 9: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 9 •gwinnettdailypost.com

Schlosser set for next stepAdmittedly, Gus Schlosser does things

a bit differently.At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, the right-

handed pitcher doesn’t attack batters with power. He tried throwing the “normal” way and once he reached college baseball the results suffered.

“I just wasn’t getting anybody out,” the 25-year-old said of his early college years at Florida Southern.

So Schlosser tried throwing with a sidearm motion and dipping down in his delivery allowed a similar reaction of his ERA.

“For me it worked out, I started throw-ing harder and started doing better,” Schlosser said. “It became kind of natural.”

Once he started, Schlosser thought back to his first pitching lessons from his father and the constant coaching to keep his arm up as he threw.

“It was natural for me to be lower,” Schlosser said. “It worked out better than I would have thought.”

In 2010, Schlosser had the highest ERA of any pitcher on the Florida Southern staff at 4.20. By the end of 2011 that number dipped down to 2.90, the low-est in the Mocs rotation. The Braves drafted him following that season in the 17th round and he began a steady climb through the organization. Each year, Schlosser took strides. He made 27 starts in 2012 with high Class A Lynchburg and started 25 games last season in Class AA Mississippi, earning pitcher of the year honors in both stops. The jump from A to AA meant a dip in his ERA, dropping nearly a point from 3.38 to 2.39 as he stepped up a level in competition.

Because of his alternative throwing motion, Schlosser’s goal is to coax as many ground balls out of hitters as he can with his sinker and slider. He also shoots to out-think each batter, or at least have a plan about attacking each one and Schlosser takes his planning to an extreme.

“I prepared when I was in high-A pretty good, but not near to the point in double-A where three or four hours before a game I watched film, looked at the lineup, the day before I write notes while charting,” said Schlosser. “I really prepared myself. That eventually helped me. As the season went on I think I got better and better and better. I felt very prepared to start, I never felt like, ‘I don’t know what I am doing. I don’t know who

this guy is.’ I was always prepared.”Starters typically chart pitches on off

days, but not all take notes on the hitters while sitting in the stands with the radar gun. As he saw the same hitters over and over as the season drug out, Schlosser watched for changes in their approaches, embracing the mental ferocity of starting pitchers.

“You know exactly what a guy’s plan is,” Schlosser said. “He can change that, obviously, but then you adjust.”

Though he’s always started, Schlosser’s preparation may pay off with a big-league chance at least early this season. A non-roster invitee to the big league camp for the second year, Schlosser had a 1.93 ERA after his first 9 1/3 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts.

And it’s the preparation that put Schlosser in the spot to succeed. He spent his offseason resting and then strengthen-ing his body and arm. He forced himself to be patient with his throwing program and quieted his mind for a few days.

“By the end of the season you are mentally fried and everybody usually is,” Schlosser said. “It takes a week or so to finally relax. I was waking up ready to go everyday even though I was home. It’s just mentally tiring.”

But that’s all part of the work for Schlosser, whose next step on his natural rung is the Gwinnett Braves, even as he eyes brighter lights and biggest challenges.

“They tell us, especially in the big leagues, they have shown us a couple of examples. There are scouting reports on everybody, there is video on everything you do,” Schlosser said. “You really have to know that I am adjusting, so are they. They always call it a big chess game and it really is. Last year helped me realize that I need to adjust, see that they are adjusting to me, and constantly working at it. Everybody is talented. Who is going to be able to make the adjustments once you are up there.”

By Ben [email protected]

Gus Schlosser pitches in a game last season with the Class AA Mississippi Braves. (Photo: Mississippi Braves)

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Page 10: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 11 •gwinnettdailypost.com10 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

THE LINEUP Thirty players in Atlanta’s system likely to fit in with the Gwinnett Braves this season

Position: OutfielderAge: 30Height/weight: 5-9, 150Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicHow acquired: Signed as minor league free agentWorth noting: Played 31 games with Atlanta last year season. ... Hit .257 with the big league club ... In 83 games with the G-Braves hit .276 with 21 stolen bases.

Position: OutfielderAge: 25Height/weight: 6-0, 200Birthplace: Sarasota, Fla.How acquired: Sixth-round selection of the Atlanta Braves in 2010Worth noting: Made Major League debut last season with a call up on July 4 ....In 56 games with Atlanta hit .215 while serving often as a defensive replacement ... Prior to promotion, hit .318 with 18 home runs with G-Braves.

Position: RHPAge: 24Height/weight: 6-2, 225Birthplace: Dos Palos, Calif.How acquired: Drafted by the Braves in the seventh round in 2011.Worth noting: Ranked No. 10 prospect in Braves organization. … Was 6-7 with a 3.16 ERA in 2013, splitting time between Class AA Mississippi and the G-Braves. … Struck out 137 batters.

Position: RHPAge: 32Height/weight: 5-11, 205Birthplace: Pinar del Rio, CubaHow acquired: Signed as a free agentWorth noting: Pitched in Cuba before defecting and signing with the Washington Nationals in 2010. … Started 16 games over three seasons for the Nationals, going 1-5 with a 5.80 ERA. … Started 24 games in 2013 with Class AAA Syracuse going 8-8 with a 3.87 ERA.

Position: OutfielderAge: 31Height/weight: 6-0, 210Birthplace: St. Louis, Mo.How acquired: Signed by the Braves midseason last year.Worth noting: Played collegiately at Georgia Tech. … Attended Marietta’s Pope High School. … The switch-hitter hit .284 in 98 games with the G-Braves in 2013, including five homers.

Position: LHPAge: 27Height/weight: 6-3, 215Birthplace: Reading, Pa.How acquired: Included in trade with Chicago Cubs for vet-eran pitcher Rodrigo LopezWorth noting: Made 51 relief appearances last season with the G-Braves, including five saves. … Posted a 2.76 ERA with 103 strikeouts against 51 walks. … Southern League mid-season all-star in 2010 and 2012.

Position: First base-manAge: 28Height/weight: 6-5, 245Birthplace: Guanare, VenezuelaHow acquired: Signed as free agentWorth noting: Hit .249 with 28 home runs in 2013 for the G-Braves. … Named to IL mid-season All-Star team and 2013 Venezuelan League most valu-able player … Named International League’s rookie of the year, was a member of the IL all-star team and was a minor league organiza-tional all-star in 2012.

Position: OutfielderAge: 25Height/weight: 6-0, 200Birthplace: Jackson-ville, Ala.How acquired: Drafted by Braves in 2010Worth noting: Ranked No. 17 prospect in Braves organization. … Made Major League debut last season, hitting .250 in eight games in Atlanta. … Hit .265 with the Gwin-nett Braves, including five triples. …2012 Southern League all-star and minor league all-star.

Position: OutfielderAge: 27Height/weight: 6-3, 210Birthplace: Paw Paw, Mich.How acquired: Signed as a free agentWorth noting: Hit .243 over two levels in 2013, splitting time between Class AA and AAA in the Philadel-phia Phillies organiza-tion. … Named MLB.com organizational all-star for Philadelphia in 2011.

Position: RHPAge: 24Height/weight: 6-0, 185Birthplace: Livermore, Calif.How acquired: Drafted by Braves in 2011Worth noting: Made just eight starts last season with Class AA Mississippi before missing the year with an injured shoulder. … Ranked No. 6 prospect in organiza-tion. … Named 2012 top pitcher in Braves organization after go-ing 12-2 with a 2.80 ERA in 26 starts with 110 strikeouts and just 34 walks.

Position: RHPAge: 23Height/weight: 6-4, 230Birthplace: Tucson, Ariz.How acquired: Drafted by the Braves in the second round in 2009Worth noting: Ranked No. 16 prospect in Braves organization. …Went 8-8 with a 3.42 ERA with Class AA Mississippi in 2013, striking out 121 batters. … Led the Carolina League in with 160 strikeouts in 2012.

Position: ShortstopAge: 30Height/weight: 6-2, 190Birthplace: Raleigh, N.C.How acquired: Signed as a free agent during 2013 seasonWorth noting: Hit .333 in 13 games with the G-Braves last sea-son and .256 overall in Class AAA. …Played in 15 games with the White Sox last year hitting .222. Played collegiately at Georgia Tech.

Position: RHPAge: 29Height/weight: 6-1, 160Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican RepublicHow acquired: Signed as a free agent in 2012Worth noting: Was 2-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 54 appearances for the G-Braves in 2013. … Pitcher began his career as a shortstop in the Boston organi-zation.

Position: Second basemanAge: 25Height/weight: 6-1, 190Birthplace: West Chester, Pa.How acquired: Drafted by Braves in the fifth round in 2010Worth noting: Split time between Class AA Mississippi and Gwinnett last season, hitting .254 across both levels. … Made Major League debut in August last season, playing in four games and going 2 of 6 with two runs scored.

Position: LHPAge: 29Height/weight: 6-0, 185Birthplace: Culiacan, MexicoHow acquired: Signed from the Mexican League mid-season in 2012Worth noting: Went 3-3 with a 5.77 ERA in 12 starts with the G-Braves in 2013. … Mexican League mid-season all-star in 2011.

Position: First base-manAge: 29Height/weight: 6-4, 220Birthplace: BaltimoreHow acquired: Signed as a minor-league free agentWorth noting: Played in 81 games with Class AAA Pawtucket last season, hitting .261 with 12 hom-ers and 23 doubles. … Played 38 Major League games in 2011 with St. Louis Cardi-nals, hitting .213 with four RBIs.

Position: RHPAge: 29Height/weight: 6-0, 200Birthplace: William-stown, AustraliaHow acquired: Signed as a free agent in 2011Worth noting: Went 6-6 with a 2.95 ERA split between Class AA Mississippi and the G-Braves in 2012. … With G-Braves walked (23) almost as many as he struck out (27) in 28 appearances.

Position: Third base-manAge: 22Height/weight: 6-3, 210Birthplace: La Vega, Dominican RepublicHow acquired: Signed by the Braves as an undrafted free agent in 2010Worth noting: Ranked No. 15 prospect in Braves organization. … Named Southern League mid-season all-star in 2013. … Hit .239 with 12 home runs with Class AA Mississippi in 2013.

Position: RHPAge: 26Height/weight: 6-2, 235Birthplace: San Cristobal, Dominican RepublicHow acquired: Signed as a minor league free agent in 2011Worth noting: En-tered 2013 as one of Braves top 10 pitching prospects. … Went 2-5 with a 4.07 ERA in 35 relief appearances for Class AA Mississippi last year. … Missed 2010 and 2011 sea-sons after reconstruc-tive elbow surgery.

Position: RHPAge: 25Height/weight: 6-4, 215Birthplace: Sarasota, Fla.How acquired: Draft-ed by the Braves in the 17th round in 2011Worth noting: Went 7-6 with a 2.39 ERA in 25 starts with Class AA Mississippi in 2013. … Southern League mid-season all-star in 2013. … Named Caro-lina League pitcher of the year in 2012.

Position: ShortstopAge: 29Height/weight: 5-9, 180Birthplace: ValdostaHow acquired: Signed as a minor league free agent in 2013Worth noting: Hit .228 in 95 games with the G-Braves last sea-son. … Played in 19 Major League games in 2008 with the San Diego Padres, hitting .205 with a double.

Position: LHPAge: 29Height/weight: 5-11, 220Birthplace: Cotui, Dominican RepublicHow acquired: Signed as a free agentWorth noting: Went 0-3 with a 3.60 ERA between Class AAA’s Omaha and India-napolis … Struck out 58 over 55 innings pitched.

Position: Second basemanAge: 25Height/weight: 5-11, 185Birthplace: Closter, N.J.How acquired: Draft-ed by Braves in the eighth round in 2011Worth noting: Ranked No. 7 prospect in Braves organization. … Topps Class AA All-Star in 2013. … Hit .356 between Class high-A Lynchburg and Class AA Mississippi in 2013 with 22 doubles and five home runs. … Named to 2013 Arizona Fall League All-Prospect team.

Position: LHPAge: 26Height/weight: 6-4, 210Birthplace: Norfolk, Va.How acquired: Signed by the Braves in 2012 from the independent leaguesWorth noting: Ranked the No. 12 prospect in the Brave organiza-tion. … Split time as a starter and reliever with Class AA Missis-sippi in 2013, posting a 7-8 record with a 2.76 ERA.

Position: RHPAge: 26Height/weight: 6-4, 215Birthplace: NashvilleHow acquired: Draft-ed by the Braves in the sixth round in 2011Worth noting: Ap-peared in 18 games with the G-Braves a season ago, posting a 3-3 record with a 3.63 ERA. … Finished year with Class AA Missis-sippi, making 35 ap-pearances with a 3-3 record and .256 ERA. … Played collegiately at Vanderbilt, alma mater of Braves starter Mike Minor.

Position: RHPAge: 27Height/weight: 6-4, 175Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican RepublicHow acquired: Signed as a free agentWorth noting: Named mid-season Southern League all-star in 2013 with Class AA Chattanooga in the Los Angeles Dodg-ers organization. … Finished season with Class AAA Albuquer-que, combining the two leagues to finish 3-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 25 relief appearances.

Position: CatcherAge: 29Height/weight: 6-1, 215Birthplace: Reno, Nev.How acquired: Signed as a minor league free agentWorth noting: Hit .217 in 61 games with Class AAA Lehigh Valley in the Philadel-phia organization. … Made six appearances for the Phillies in 2013 without recording a hit in five at-bats. … For-mer third-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003.

Position: CatcherAge: 32Height/weight: 6-0, 205Birthplace: Carora, VenezuelaHow acquired: Signed as free agent in 2011Worth noting: Hit .219 in 56 games with the G-Braves in 2013. … Spent the winter in the Venezuelan Winter League, hitting .200 with a pair of home runs

Position: Third base-manAge: 25Height/weight: 6-5, 220Birthplace: Dawson, Pa.How acquired: Draft-ed by the Braves in the third round in 2010Worth noting: Hit .230 in 119 games with the G-Braves in 2013. … Turned in a .965 fielding percentage with just 10 errors on the season … Named minor league Gold Glove third baseman for 2012 season.

Position: CatcherAge: 22Height/weight: 6-2, 215Birthplace: Panama City, PanamaHow acquired: Signed as free agent in 2012Worth noting: Ranked as the Braves No. 2 prospect and their top position player. … Valued for defense, hit .277 in 90 games with Class AA Mississippi. … Was 0-for-1 with Atlanta Braves after earning a September call-up.

JoseConstanza

JoeyTerdoslavich

CodyMartin

YuneskyMaya

BrandonBoggs

RyanBuchter

ErnestoMejia

ToddCunningham

DerrickMitchell

J.R.Graham

AaronNorthcraft

TylerGreene

WirfinObispo

PhilGosselin

DanielRodriguez

MarkHamilton

AndrewRussell

EdwardSalcedo

JuanJaime

GusSchlosser

SeanKazmar

AtahualpaSeverino

TommyLaStella

IanThomas

MarkLamm

LuisVasquez

SteveLerud

JoseYepez

JoeLeonard

ChristianBethancourt

Page 11: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

12 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

Prospect Northcraft surviving recent trials

From offseason through spring training, it’s been a rough ride for Aaron Northcraft.

About the best news for the right-handed pitcher following his strong year in Class AA Mississippi was his ranking among the top 20 Atlanta Braves minor-league prospects. According to MLB.com, Northcraft ranks 16th in the organization and even that was a drop from last year’s No. 12 ranking.

But first, came his off-season.

After turning in a solid 8-8 record in 26 starts and a 3.42 ERA with Class AA Missis-sippi, Northcraft headed to Arizona for the annual fall

league and the shine of the season faded. Fast.

In seven starts, North-craft posted an 8.00 ERA and a 1-7 record. He struck out just four more (19) than he walked (15) and in 18 innings allowed a pair of home runs. Compared to seven homers in 137 in-nings with the M-Braves, that’s more than twice as many homers per inning.

“It was more of a mental thing,” Northcraft said of his Arizona troubles. “The pitching mechanics when I was out in Arizona were a little off.”

Through the winter, Northcraft said he hoped to correct his mechanics and

kept working out with his personal trainer, staying in shape and building strength for his sixth professional season. He joined the Atlanta Braves for spring training, hopeful to return to his accustomed success.

Instead he dinged his thumb doing fielding drills so early in camp that he didn’t make a spring ap-pearance on the big-league roster before cuts sent him to the back fields, where his preparation slowly began.

Northcraft, though un-happy, embraced the first real challenges in his ca-reer. Giving up 16 runs off 23 hits in 18 innings in the fall didn’t turn Northcraft off to the idea of pitching or even sour his outlook.

“It was fun,” he said about Arizona. “You get to do a lot more. You can

set guys up more than the free swingers in low-A. It’s more of a mental game where you are going to get taxed and not want to think after the game. It was an overall good experience.”

And that is the best news for Northcraft. If there’s a time to struggle, it’s in offseason games. If there’s a time for injury it’s during spring training. Even as a member of the Braves’ 40-man roster, the 23-year-old Northcraft was at-best a long shot for the big league club. His highest stop so far is Class AA and admits he needs to keep learning.

“(Arizona) helped me mentally just to be around the guys who are experi-enced and know what they are doing,” Northcraft said. “Unless you are throwing 102 and just blowing it

by guys you are going to have to adjust to the game. People get smarter, they pick up on your tendencies. They have the TV to pick up what you are doing.”

Northcraft relies more on craft than power, his four-seam fastball even sinks and he mixes in a two-seam fastball, a sinker and curveball-slider hybrid. As a young pitcher, he relied mostly on his two fastballs, but began focusing on his slider last season.

“I know I am going to need it for my main goal in the big leagues,” he said.

He also worked on holding runners on base. Stepping up to Class AA in 2013, Northcraft watched more and more runners steal off of him, even as their batting average

against him dropped to a career low .241. But for a pitcher relying on his sinking pitches to create groundballs, keeping the runners still matters expo-nentially more.

“If they see you are stopping going, stopping going, they are going to take off,” Northcraft said was one of his biggest les-sons in Mississippi. “I am a sinker guy so I get a lot of double plays but when a guy is not on first base I can’t get double plays.”

Learning, said North-craft, is the point of the minors, something he’s un-derstood increasingly more since the Braves drafted him in 2009 out of Mater Dei High School in Cali-fornia. And these recent hiccups are just another chance to improve.

By Ben Beitzelben.beitzel@ gwinnettdailypost.com

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Page 12: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 13 •gwinnettdailypost.com

With big-hitting LaStella, the key is staying healthyThe Atlanta Braves feel

they may have their second baseman in waiting. First, though, Tommy LaStella has to prove that he can stay healthy.

The 25-year-old left-handed hitter has a .327 ca-reer minor league average, but he’s never played more than 90 games in a season.

“Keeping him on the field has really been one of the challenges,” Braves general manager Frank Wren said. “But when he plays, offensively, he’s done everything we could hope and more.”

LaStella batted .343 with a .422 on-base percent-age in 81 games last year in the Class AA Southern League, setting a Missis-sippi Braves record with a

23-game hitting streak.This year he moves up to

Class AAA Gwinnett and Atlanta may not be too far in the future.

Even if veteran second baseman Dan Uggla bounc-es back, his contract runs out after next season. LaStella could be ready to take over by then, if not sooner.

“We’ve always liked his bat,” Wren said of the 2011 eighth-round pick out of Coastal Carolina Universi-ty. “He got drafted because of his bat. He reported to Rome that year and hit, and he’s hit ever since.”

That included the Arizona Fall League, where LaStella continued to impress last

year. He batted .290 with a .436 on-base percentage in 18 games and was named to the top prospect team.

That performance helped the New Jersey native move up to No. 6 on MLB.com’s list of top Braves prospects and No. 9 in the Baseball American rankings.

Then he more then held his own at the plate in Grapefruit League with the Braves this spring, show-ing that he could handle major league pitching.

LaStella was also able to stay injury free, something he hadn’t been able to do the last two seasons.

“It’s been frustrating,” he said. “You want to play, not sit.”

LaStella hit .328 with 27 extra-base hits in 63 games for Class A Rome after being drafted in 2011 and was looking forward to

his first full minor league season the next year.

LaStella was limited to 85 games with Class A Ad-vanced Lynchburg, though, by a pair of injuries. He was beaned early in the season and then sat out six weeks after he suffered a broken leg covering first base on a bunt.

LaStella hit .302 anyway and was hoping for better luck in 2013.

It didn’t happen.LaStella missed spring

traning and the first three weeks of the season be-cause of a sore right elbow. Then after hitting .330 in his first 26 games with Mis-sissippi, he strained a ham-string in early June, going back on the disabled list.

But LaStella was soon as hot at the plate as before, hitting .364 while putting together his streak from

July 5 through Aug. 5.LaStella reached base in

76 of 86 games and he had two at-bats or less in four of the games he didn’t reach.

LaStella had 37 walks to 34 strikeouts, continu-ing the pattern he has had since signing.

LaStella, though, isn’t just a slap hitter. He had 21 doubles, two triples and four homers, driving in 41 runs.

“I want to be aggressive, but make sure it is a pitch I can handle,” he said.

Although a little bigger, the scrappy La Stella has reminded some of former Atlanta second baseman Mark Lemke and that isn’t a bad thing.

The Braves had a lot of success with Lemke as their second baseman during the early part of their run of National League East Divi-sion titles in the 1990s.

By Guy CurtriGhtStaff Correspondent

Tommy LaStella hits in a game for the Mississippi Braves last season. (Photo: Mississippi Braves)

Page 13: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

14 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

Coolray Field fans will get to watch catcher Chris-tian Bethancourt — the At-lanta Braves’ best position hopeful — this season, but it will be awhile before the team’s top overall prospect reaches Gwinnett.

When he does, though, it will be an interest-packed homecoming.

Brookwood graduate Lucas Sims, the Braves’ first-round draft pick in 2012, is on the fast track to Atlanta, with a stop in Class AAA possible as early as 2015.

Sims, who turns 20 on May 20, is ticketed to start this season with Lynchburg of the Class A Advanced Carolina League, with a move up to Mississippi of the Class AA Southern League before the end of the season possible.

The right-hander won his last eight starts for Class A Rome last year and finished among the South Atlantic League leaders in numerous pitch-ing categories.

Sims was second in the 14-team league in ERA (2.62) and WHIP (1.11), tied for second in victories with a 12-4 record and was fourth with 134 strikeouts in 116 2/3 innings. Oppo-nents hit just .203 against him.

Along the way, Sims moved up the MLB.com prospect rankings. He took over as the Braves’ top prospect before the season

was over and goes into this year ranked No. 60 on MLB.com’s Top 100 overall list.

“We’re very happy with his progress,” Atlanta gen-eral manager Frank Wren said.

The Braves took it slow with Sims a year ago, start-ing him out in the bullpen to conserve his innings. This year, though, most of the limitations are a thing of the past.

“We were very patient with him early in the sea-son last year, making sure he got well grounded,” Wren said.

The strategy obviously

worked.“I’m ready to roll,” said

Sims, the 21st overall pick in 2012. “I’m excited about getting started again. Hopefully I’ll have a great year.”

Sims, who was 8-1 with a 1.19 ERA as a senior as Brookwood reached the state championship series against Parview, received a bonus of $1.65 million to pass up a scholarship to Clemson and sign with his hometown team.

“I enjoy having the op-portunity to do what I love for a living,” Sims said. “It’s something I don’t take for granted.”

Gwinnett fans could get to see Jason Hursh, ranked behind Sims among Braves pitching hopefuls, before the end of the season. The right-hander was Atlanta’s first-round pick last June out of Oklahoma State and the 22-year-old could begin this year at Missis-sippi.

The pitching pipeline to Atlanta isn’t as full as usual because of quick promotions to the majors and injuries. The Braves, though, still have two highly rated young arms in Sims and Hursh on the way.

PROSPECT RANKINGSMLB.com and Baseball America don’t com-pletely match when ranking the Braves’ best prospects, but at least they agree on the top two. Here is the comparison:

MLB.com Top 201. Lucas Sims RHP2. Christian Bethancourt C3. Jason Hursh RHP4. Jose Peraza SS5. Mauricio Cabrera RHP6. J.R. Graham RHP7. Tommy LaStella 2B8. Victor Caratini C9. David Hale RHP10. Cody Martin RHP11. Kyle Kubitza 3B12. Ian Thomas LHP13. Johan Camargo SS14. Carlos Salazar RHP15. Edward Salcedo 3B16. Aaron Northcraft RHP17. Todd Cunningham OF18. Kyle Wren OF19. Shae Simmons RHP20. Alec Grosser RHP

Baseball America Top 20

1. Lucas Sims RHP2. Christian Bethancourt C3. J.R. Graham RHP4. Jason Hursh RHP5. Mauricio Cabrera RHP6. Jose Peraza SS7. David Hale RHP8. Victor Caratini C9. Tommy LaStella 2B10. Cody Martin RHP11. Edward Salcedo 3B12. Josh Elander OF13. Victor Reyes OF14. Joey Terdoslavich OF15. Shae Simmons RHP16. Carlos Salazar RHP17. Kyle Wren OF18. Johan Camargo SS19. Wes Parsons RHP20. Tanner Murphy C

Wren off to fast start in pros

Jonathan Schuerholz, taken in the eighth round of the 2002 draft when his father was Atlanta general manager, didn’t make it to the majors.

General manager Frank Wren’s son, an eight-round pick last year, may play for his father’s team in Atlanta, though.

Kyle Wren, a speedy outfielder, was drafted out of Georgia Tech last June and had an out-standing first half season that covered three minor league levels.

Wren, 22, hit .335 and stole 35 bases in 53 games, mostly with Class A Rome. He will start this season at Class A Advanced Lynchburg or Class AA Mississippi.

A left-handed hitter, Wren also had 17 extra-base hits and his on-base percentage was .391. He walked 19 times com-pared to 24 strikeouts.

Although his play-ing career stalled in Class AAA, Jonathan Schuerholz is still with the Braves organization, where father John is now team president.

The younger Schuer-holz, with a promising non-playing career seem-ingly ahead, moves up to manage Class A Rome this season after two years with Danville of the rookie Appalachian League.

By Guy CurtriGhtStaff Correspondent

Brookwood’s Sims back on fast trackBy Guy CurtriGhtStaff Correspondent

Atlanta Braves prospect Lucas Sims answers questions during a media event held at Coolray Field earlier this year. (Photo: Kyle Hess)

Braves’ pitching prospect could be in Gwinnett by 2015

Call 770-963-9205 or visit www.gwinnettdailyopst.com to subscribe to the

Gwinnett Daily Post.

Page 14: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 15 •gwinnettdailypost.com

Graham hoping to make up for lost 2013 seasonJ.R. Graham turned

heads last spring, light-ing up Grapefruit League scoreboards with fastballs nearing 100 mph.

The right-hander’s 2013 season ended in May, though, and the former top Atlanta Braves pitching prospect was among the team’s first-round cuts this year.

Now the 24-year-old California native is trying to build back full strength in his shoulder and re-capture a little of his lost velocity as well as luster.

Graham remains a prime prospect, just not the can’t-miss pitcher he once was rated. He is ranked No. 3 among Braves hopefuls by Baseball America and is No. 6 on the MLB.com list.

The fourth-round draft pick in 2011 out of St. Mary’s University showed

the expected rust in his first three Grapefruit League outings this year, but didn’t

allow a hit or run in his final two before being sent to minor league camp.

“It’s really encouraging that my arm is healthy and it was getting better each time out,” Graham said. “It’s just a matter of main-taining the strength in my shoulder and making sure I’m not doing too much in the weight room and on the field, throwing-wise. Now, it’s a matter of just trying to keep everything intact.”

Graham will start the season at Gwinnett as an option for either the rota-tion or bullpen while he works his way back.

Graham might already be an established member of the Atlanta staff if he hadn’t strained his shoul-der last May.

“Friday the 13th,” Graham said, superstitious now if he wasn’t before.

Graham was hurt throw-ing a warm-up pitch before the third inning at Class AA Mississippi.

“I felt it go,” Graham said of his shoulder. “I thought that it was just a pinched nerve. But I had nothing on the ball when I threw another pitch.”

Suddenly, his career was put on pause.

Although no major structural damage was found, Graham didn’t pitch the rest of the year. He wasn’t ready for game ac-tion in the fall instructional league in Florida, either.

Graham was ready to go at the start of spring training, but the effects of missing most of last season showed.

In five relief appearances covering four innings, he al-lowed six hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out one and walking one.

That was in contrast to last spring, when Graham didn’t allow a run over nine innings in five games. He gave up six hits, walked three and struck out five.

Still, Graham appears to have a bright future if he can stay healthy.

Graham was the Braves minor league pitcher of the year in 2012, when he went a combined 12-2 with a 2.80 ERA for Class A Advanced Lynchburg and Mississippi.

That followed his first season when he was 5-2 with a 1.72 ERA at rookie-level Danville after being drafted.

In 241 1/3 minor league innings, Graham has a 2.72 ERA and 190 strikeouts to 57 walks.

“It’s been frustrating, but hopefully it was just a speed bump on the way to the major leagues,” he said.

By Guy CurtriGhtStaff Correspondent

J.R. Graham pitches for the Mississippi Braves last sea-son. (Photo: Mississippi Braves)

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Page 15: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

16 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

Individuals were highlight in G-Braves’ forgettable ’13

Finishing with the worst record in the International League, suffering through a 14-game losing streak in early April and never enjoying a month over .500 didn’t leave many positives for the 2013 edition of the Gwinnett Braves.

The starting pitchers’ ERA was 4.13 and the relievers weren’t much bet-ter at 3.91. As a team, the G-Braves hit just .253. For the second straight season, the G-Braves ended the year with a sub-.500 record and minus a manager after the Braves opted not to retain Randy Ready after one year at the helm.

But every minor league manager stresses the im-portance of player devel-opment and on that end, the G-Braves had some successes.

The biggest was Joey Terdoslavich.

A rising star in 2012, shouldering the weight of replacing Chipper Jones at third base the following year, Terdoslavich slogged through the year piling up

errors and rarely reaching base or flexing his power potential. He was hitting below .200 when he was demoted to Class AA Mis-sissippi partway through the season.

Everything changed in 2013. Terdoslavich par-tially blamed the expecta-tions, but mostly put the lost year on a hitch in his swing he didn’t identify until his demotion.

He spent the offsea-son working to fix it and arrived back in Gwinnett with a new position, out-field, and his attitude never suffered.

By mid-season he was playing in the MLB Fu-tures Game at the All-Star Game and on July 4 joined the Atlanta Braves, going 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter against the Marlins. In 55 big-league games, the switch hitter batted .215 and he never returned to the minor leagues.

He was named the team’s most valuable play-er and was a member of the International League’s mid-season and postseason all-star teams. He hit .315 during his time with the G-Braves.

Terdoslavich was one of five Gwinnett Braves to make major league debuts in 2012, including out-fielder Todd Cunningham, infielder Phil Gosselin and pitchers David Hale and Cory Rasmus. Hale made two big league starts, going 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA. He allowed one run over 11 innings pitched. Rasmus dazzled in his first relief appearance, striking out three in 1 2/3 innings, but struggled his second time out, allowing six runs. Cunningham hit .250 in eight games and Gosselin played in four games with Atlanta.

Ernesto Mejia, the IL rookie of the year in 2012, returned to the IL all-star game and led the league with 83 RBIs for the second straight year. He set a new G-Braves single season record with 28 home runs.

But the bright spots were just that. Spots. The losing overshadowed many of the performances. The streak of losing months now sits at 11. The last time the G-Braves won more than they lost in month was April 2012 when they went 17-7.

By Ben Beitzelben.beitzel@ gwinnettdailypost.com

Atlanta Braves left fielder Joey Terdoslav-ich (25) works out prior to the game against the Detroit Tigers on March 2 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Photo: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

Page 16: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 17 •gwinnettdailypost.com

Arms race continues in International League

When the Gwinnett Braves opened the 2009 sea-son at home, they christened a sparkling new stadium and along with it plenty of enthusiasm, at least during the opening weekend.

Now, entering their sixth season, the G-Braves don’t even play in the newest stadium in their division of the International League.

The Charlotte Knights, the first team the Gwin-nett Braves played as a new organization, open a new stadium this season, leaving their old home in suburban Charlotte for a cozy spot near the center of Charlotte. The 10,000-seat stadium hopes to reverse a trend that left the Knights

at the bottom of attendance in the International League the past few seasons. The stadium has already been selected to host this

season’s Triple-A National Championship game.

Including Gwinnett’s Coolray Field, the Knights’ new stadium is the fourth

new stadium built for International League teams since 2008 when Lehigh Valley debuted its new park. Columbus opened up

a new downtown stadium in 2009. And in Scranton, Pa., the Yankees’ Class AAA affiliate spent 2012 playing its home games across New York state while its stadium was given major upgrades. On the other end, McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I., first opened in 1946 and the Red Sox just extended their lease through 2021.

But kitsch and sparkle are really the business of minor league baseball. It’s baseball for entertainment well above baseball for competition and the front offices behave as such. They can’t control the players, managers, results or weather, but they can control the experience surrounding the game. And new is the biggest change of the International League

in recent seasons. Charlotte reached the championship series in the IL in 2012 and attendance didn’t spike. They expect it to this year.

On the field is always in flux with affiliation changes and a yearly crop of new prospects. The No. 13 prospect in baseball, Pitts-burgh’s Gregory Polanco, will at least begin this season in the International League with the Indianapo-lis Indians, helping them defend their IL North Divi-sion title. The Indians also could boast top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon.

Other top prospects with the potential of an early stint in the IL include Yankees’ catcher Gary Sanchez and Tampa Bay pitcher Jake Odorizzi, who pitched for IL champion Durham last season.

By Ben Beitzelben.beitzel@ gwinnettdailypost.com

The Charlotte Knights will open their new ballpark in downtown this season (Photo: Charlotte Knights)

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Page 17: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

18 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com

You’ve been Spotted ... at the G-Braves

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Page 18: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 19 •gwinnettdailypost.com

2013 G-BRAVES STATSBATTING

Player POS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG Freddie Freeman 1B 3 10 3 5 2 0 0 2 7 1 3 0 0 .583 .700 .500 Greg Golson OF 7 13 2 6 2 0 0 0 8 1 2 1 1 .500 .615 .462 Evan Gattis C 5 21 1 7 4 0 1 1 14 0 4 0 0 .364 .667 .333 Brian McCann C 3 9 1 3 0 0 1 2 6 1 1 0 0 .400 .667 .333 Blake DeWitt 2B 2 6 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 .333 .333 .333 B.J. Upton CF 3 12 3 4 3 0 0 2 7 0 4 0 0 .333 .583 .333 Joey Terdoslavich OF 85 321 48 102 24 1 18 58 182 23 65 3 6 .359 .567 .318Jason Heyward RF 6 20 1 6 1 0 0 6 7 4 7 1 0 .423 .350 .300 Alden Carrithers 3B 90 251 34 75 14 1 3 19 100 32 27 13 4 .387 .398 .299 Tyler Pastornicky 2B 74 288 42 84 13 2 4 28 113 27 47 9 2 .354 .392 .292 Dan Uggla 2B 2 7 1 2 0 0 1 1 5 0 4 0 0 .286 .714 .286 Jose Constanza LF 83 341 39 94 7 3 0 17 107 29 49 21 9 .332 .314 .276 Stefan Gartrell OF 75 255 32 68 13 0 9 34 108 26 88 2 0 .344 .424 .267 Philip Gosselin 2B 58 207 17 55 4 1 2 15 67 12 38 1 0 .308 .324 .266 Todd Cunningham CF 116 427 60 113 13 5 2 38 142 41 62 20 7 .342 .333 .265 Tyler Greene 2B 69 250 34 64 14 2 4 31 94 18 73 10 3 .316 .376 .256 Ernesto Mejia 1B 134 489 58 122 35 1 28 83 243 48 152 8 2 .323 .497 .249 Brandon Boggs LF 119 411 48 97 19 4 7 36 145 57 124 4 4 .331 .353 .236 Corey Wimberly OF 25 77 9 18 9 0 0 6 27 4 13 3 0 .268 .351 .234 Joe Leonard 3B 119 418 32 96 22 3 0 35 124 22 91 1 2 .271 .297 .230 Sean Kazmar SS 95 272 26 62 17 1 1 29 84 18 40 8 4 .277 .309 .228 Matt Kennelly C 21 59 7 13 2 0 1 6 18 3 11 0 0 .254 .305 .220 Jose Yepez C 56 192 14 42 8 0 0 25 50 8 22 0 0 .259 .260 .219 Matt Pagnozzi C 90 290 31 61 10 1 6 31 91 21 64 0 0 .274 .314 .210 Paul Janish SS 41 135 11 28 5 0 0 12 33 13 32 0 0 .285 .244 .207 Luis Nunez SS 40 112 11 23 5 1 2 11 36 3 12 1 0 .233 .321 .205 Jordan Parraz RF 29 78 10 11 2 0 4 8 25 9 25 4 1 .230 .321 .141 Jordan Schafer CF 8 32 0 2 2 0 0 2 4 1 4 0 0 .091 .125 .063

PITCHINGPlayer W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR HB BB SO Omar Poveda 6 7 3.62 27 25 0 0 0 164.0 154 71 66 12 4 59 133 Yohan Flande 9 7 4.18 31 19 1 0 1 131.1 142 70 61 9 4 46 92 David Hale 6 9 3.22 22 20 0 0 0 114.2 123 50 41 8 7 36 77 Sean Gilmartin 3 8 5.74 17 17 0 0 0 91.0 112 61 58 12 1 33 65 Freddy Garcia 8 4 3.56 14 14 0 0 0 86.0 80 36 34 11 0 20 62 Kameron Loe 4 4 3.07 27 10 0 0 2 76.1 76 32 26 3 2 17 37 Cody Martin 3 4 3.49 13 11 1 0 1 69.2 59 30 27 6 2 31 66 Wirfin Obispo 2 4 3.53 54 0 0 0 9 63.2 46 26 25 3 5 35 70 Ryan Buchter 4 0 2.76 51 0 0 0 5 62.0 36 23 19 5 4 51 103 Juan Cedeno 0 3 3.69 47 0 0 0 0 61.0 53 28 25 1 4 30 38 Tim Corcoran 3 4 2.98 10 10 0 0 0 54.1 54 20 18 2 2 31 44 Daniel Rodriguez 3 3 5.77 12 12 0 0 0 53.0 49 36 34 3 3 38 55 Joe Bisenius 3 7 6.00 13 8 0 0 0 48.0 72 42 32 4 0 21 35 Cory Rasmus 3 1 1.72 37 0 0 0 14 36.2 20 8 7 2 1 22 48 Joe Beimel 1 2 4.36 30 0 0 0 0 33.0 34 18 16 6 2 16 24 Cole McCurry 1 1 5.73 20 0 0 0 2 33.0 44 25 21 5 1 19 25 Andrew Russell 2 5 3.86 28 0 0 0 2 32.2 29 19 14 3 3 23 27 Brandon Beachy 1 4 3.00 7 7 0 0 0 30.0 23 12 10 3 0 18 26 Mark Lamm 3 3 3.63 18 0 0 0 0 22.1 22 13 9 0 2 15 22 Pat Egan 1 1 5.60 16 0 0 0 3 17.2 22 12 11 3 0 3 14 David Carpenter 1 2 3.52 6 0 0 0 0 15.1 17 6 6 1 1 4 11 Roman Colon 0 2 6.75 7 2 0 0 0 13.1 16 12 10 2 0 3 9 Dusty Hughes 0 2 6.75 12 0 0 0 0 12.0 17 11 9 0 1 9 14 Luis Ayala 0 1 6.48 8 0 0 0 0 8.1 9 6 6 1 0 5 8 Alex Wood 1 0 1.80 1 1 0 0 0 5.0 3 1 1 0 2 2 5 Michael Lee 0 0 5.40 1 1 0 0 0 5.0 10 3 3 0 1 3 1 Brandon Boggs 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 0 0 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jordan Walden 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 0 0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Page 19: 2014 Gwinnett Braves Season Preview

20 SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2014 • gwinnettdailypost.com