Braves Report

Deep within man dwell those slumbering powers; powers that would astonish him, that he never dreamed of possessing; forces that would revolutionize his life if aroused and put into action.
- Orison Swett Marden

Who will be this year’s Peter Moylan, Buddy Carlyle, Matt Díaz, or Willie Harris? Whose career will Bobby Cox help resurrect? Who’s the guy to come from nowhere to earn a roster spot and make something happen? The Braves have always seemed to have a knack for picking up a given-up-for-dead veteran that finds his way onto the big league club. The afore mentioned are simply a small list (maybe I’ll try to make a complete list with Hammond and others), but here are four who might fit the mold:

Joe Borchard (.205 career BA, .284 career OBP, .352 career SLG, 26 career HR)

This 29 year old outfielder has trekked from the Chicago White Sox to the Seattle Mariners to the Florida Marlins to the Atlanta Braves. That’s quite an extensive résumé for someone selected with the 12^th pick of the first round of the 2000 draft. Early reports compared him to Adam Dunn, but obviously, that never panned out. After breaking his right foot, Borchard has never been the same player, and his power has dipped. Yet, the Braves decided to take a risk on him and signed him to minor-league contract.

So far this Spring Training, Borchard has hit .444 with a .889 slugging percentage. He has 5 doubles and 8 RBI in his first eight games. While it is still way too early to see this as anything more than a hot streak, he has certainly put himself back on the map. With a glut of possible outfielders, Borchard may not make the team, but his ability to play first and the outfield and switch-hit may make him a decent option off the bench. If someone gets hurt or struggles, he may make an appearance.

Ryan Drese (34-39 career W-L, 5.31 career ERA)

Drese is a 31 year old, right-handed starting pitcher that began his career in Cleveland, then was traded to Texas, then was selected off waivers by Washington, and finally was signed by the Braves in August 2007. Originally selected in the fifth round of the 1998 draft, Drese has never really had much success at the major league level. His peak performance came in 2004 when he went 14-10 with a 4.20 ERA and 207 2/3 IP with the Texas Rangers. However, he followed that up with a 5.78 ERA the following season.

So far this Spring Training, Drese has only pitched 3.1 innings, and he doesn’t figure to be anywhere near the mix for the final spot in the rotation. Yet, a few injuries and a good start in AAA can earn him a Buddy Carlyle-like mid-season promotion. Don’t be surprised if Cox attempts to work his magic and get Drese to win a few games for the big-league club, but Drese’s most likely promotion will come as a reliever when a few inevitable injuries pop-up.

Matt DeSalvo (1-3, 6.18, 18 BB, 10 K)

The 27 year-old DeSalvo was signed as an undrafted free-agent in May 2003 by the New York Yankees. Despite being unnoticed coming out of Marietta College, he quickly rose through the system due to his advanced command of his pitches. Using a good fastball, good curve, and exceptional change-up, DeSalvo had no trouble climbing through the minors. However, in 2006 after a back injury, his control faltered, and his ascent stopped. After a brief debut in New York, he was non-tendered in December and signed with the Braves a week later.

Spring Training has already had its up-and-downs for DeSalvo. During his first outing, he walked five batters but recovered nicely his second and third time around throwing two perfect innings each time. Cox doesn’t like inconsistency or walks, but he likes DeSalvo’s stuff and demeanor. DeSalvo will likely start the season in a promising young Richmond rotation, but don’t be surprised if DeSalvo has finally recovered from his back injury and is ready to go. A mid-season call-up due to injury could be DeSalvo’s ticket to a full-time gig, but he needs to regain the control he showed early in his career.

Chris Resop (3-2, 5.48, 26 BB, 27 K)

Resop is another reliever who has bounced around the league a little bit. Drafted in 2001 in the 4^th round by the Marlins, Resop was shipped off to Los Angeles in exchange for Kevin Gregg, and then, in October 2007, he was claimed off waivers by the Braves. At 26 years-old, Resop isn’t old, but he has pitched in three seasons with limited success. He pitched 22 innings with a 3.38 ERA but had 16 BB to go along with 10 K, so he’s another pitcher whose control needs to be monitored.

So far so good in Spring Training concerning his control (4 K, 0 BB, 5 IP), but he has given up two runs. Again, it is too early to tell how these players truly perform based upon the limited time so far. Anyway, a mid-90’s fastball is enough to keep a guy noticed, and his curve is developing. He’ll probably start in AAA, but like Drese and DeSalvo, injuries in the bullpen could give him the call-up if his control improves.

Let it be known that a few games and innings do not represent a player’s performance, but either does a month of limited action. I’ll report back on these players at the end of the month, but I figured I would throw out a few names to look out for. It always excites me when guys come out of nowhere, but because I hate surprises, I’m trying to ruin it for everyone. Just kidding … but seriously.