THE 25TH MAN: There are several who could fill the last available spot, or who could fill other spots if some of the above are traded off. This will most likely go to an infielder, but could go to a fifth outfielder, a backup catcher (moving Brayan Pena to a utility role), or, though very unlikely, an eighth reliever.
The contenders for the 25th spot (or spots vacated by trade):
TYLER YATES (RP) - Yates has had a rough spring, to say the least. Eight earned runs in six innings pitched would doom just about anyone's chances in competing for a roster spot, but Bobby Cox likes him, so we'll see. He's walked nine in six innings, and issued an additional pass by hitting a batter, but most of his outs have been groundouts, and he hasn't issued a round-trip ticket so far this spring, even if he's only had six innings. I can see Ring being traded to Detroit for a non-roster player to make room for Tyler Yates - after all, the team did re-sign him this winter, when they could have sent him packing.
BRENT LILLIBRIDGE (INF) - With the way the 'Bridge collapses in the face of major-league sliders the fact that he has minor-league options, and Martin Prado passing the test at shortstop,, Lillibridge is not really likely to make the opening-day roster unless someone important is injured.
JOE BORCHARD (1B/OF) - While barely serviceable with the glove--okay, his defense is almost painful to observe, Borchard has an outside shot to make the team primarily as a pinch hitter, and could serve as emergency backup at first base and the outfield corners, especially if Thorman is traded. I consider him highly unlikely for the opening-day bench if Scott Thorman still has a tomahawk on his chest.
JOSH ANDERSON (OF) - While Anderson was, until recently, considered the front-runner for fourth outfielder, Gregor Blanco's stellar Spring has dimmed Anderson's hopes. Unless he really puts on the gas in the next week, Anderson will start his season in Virginia, and if Anderson does make the roster, Blanco will not--they are too similar to both fit on the same bench.
THE CATCHER DILEMMA:
Three remaining hopefuls are in a race to serve as Brian McCann's second, but it looks less and less unlikely that the roster may actually have room for three backup catchers this year--if one of them is Brayan Pena.
BRAYAN PENA (C) - Due to his options status (he doesn't have any) and the fact that several teams are hard-up for catching, Brayan Pena is a use-him-or-lose-him player. Even if the Bravos feel a burning need to have one of their other three catcher candidates win the backup job, switch-hitting Pena could well make the opening-day bench as a second utility player. Pena can back up at both infield corners, as well as the outfield corners, without totally embarrassing himself, and this combined with his switch-hitting ability makes him a baseball version of a Swiss Army knife. I can't see this roster without him, but he is included in the discussion of the "25th man" because if one of the other catcher candidates makes the roster, Pena will certainly fill the final spot as resident jack-of-all-trades.
CORKY MILLER (C) - A 32-year-old journeyman, Miller has a career major-league OPS of .611, and has never spent an entire season on a major-league roster. I say, why start now? In the majors, his average is below the Mendoza line. Don't look for Corky Miller in Atlanta unless there's a big injury, and it could take more than one injured catcher to get him promoted.
CLINT SAMMONS (C) - Sammons has been described as a classic catch-and-throw guy, but I'm not sure. While he's probably the best defensive catcher of the bunch, I think his hitting only seems like a negative in the light of the superb offense of the rest of the Atlanta roster. I think Clint Sammons could be excellent trade-bait, but I don't think he's got only the weakest of chances at cracking the 25-man roster out of camp.
So far, based on the cuts made on March 22, my predictions are right on. In fact, only one of the players cut Saturday even got a mention on this list:
JAVY LOPEZ (C) - At the start of Spring training, the only person who didn't think Javy had the job locked down was Javy himself. Over the last few weeks, his lackluster performance, both at the plate and behind it, has convinced the rest of us. If Lopez makes the roster, t will be because his name will drive nostalgia-based ticket sales.
Lopez's fate was sealed Friday night, along with Brandon Jones, Jordan Schafer, Jo-Jo Reyes, Francisley Bueno, Jorge Campillo, and Ryan Drese, none of whom I thought possible for the opening-day roster, even though Brandon Jones and Jordan Schafer have been heavily talked about among speculative fans.
