— When Martin Prado started at four different positions during the justcompleted four-game series in San Francisco, it was much more than just a novelty act. The value of his versatility is strengthened by the fact that the Braves are confident he can capably handle himself defensively at each of these positions.
“That is never a concern,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
“You feel good with him in the infield and he’s worked hard to make himself a good outfielder. He has not played a lot of shortstop, but you do not worry when he’s there. He’s a real asset.”
Prado started in left field during Thursday night’s opener against the Giants and then spent the next three games positioned at either shortstop, third base or second base. This marked a first for a Braves player since Jerry Royster started at four different positions from Aug. 10-14, 1984.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” Prado said.
“This year, I’m just enjoying myself, trying to be a good teammate, working hard and trying not to complain. I’m happy with where I’m at. I feel blessed that I can do a lot of things to help the team win.”
Prado has made the majority of his starts (99) this year in left field. He has made 20 starts at third base and six more at second base, the position he played when he was selected to play in the 2010 AllStar Game.
Four months later, he learned he was moving to left field to accommodate Dan Uggla, who had been acquired from the Marlins.
With Uggla struggling to escape a slump that has followed him for nearly three months, there might be even more opportunities for Prado to play second base during the remainder of the season. He said he will not be opposed to playing a variety of positions as long as he remains in the lineup on a daily basis. He started 123 of Atlanta’s first 129 games.
“It’s easiest for me to just be ready to play anything in the game,” Prado said.
— Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said there will not be any surprises among the players the Braves add once rosters are expanded in September.
Shortstop Andrelton Simmons will be among those added once he is cleared to begin playing for the first time since he fractured his right pinkie finger on July 8. Because the Minor League season will conclude on Sept. 3, Simmons will likely play in some playoff games during his rehab stint. Class A Advanced Lynchburg and Class A Rome could both be in the playoffs.
Speedy outfielder Jose Constanza and backup catcher J.C. Boscan are expected to be among the position players. If Jack Wilson is healthy, he also could be among the additions. Wilson has been sidelined since dislocating his right pinkie finger on July 13.
Gonzalez said he will likely add two or three pitchers. Relievers Cory Gearrin and Anthony Varvaro are definite candidates. There is also a chance the Braves could promote both of their top two pitching prospects, Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran. Delgado made 17 starts for Atlanta before being sent to Triple-A Gwinnett just after the All-Star break. Still regarded by many as one of the game’s elite pitching prospects, the 21-year-old Teheran has posted a 5.60 ERA
in 25 starts for Gwinnett.
— Before the Braves began their current 10-game road trip, manager Fredi Gonzalez told his players he was proud that they had not allowed themselves to be negatively influenced by last year’s late-season collapse.
Four losses and five days later, some Braves fans began to worry about the possibility of traveling down the same devastating path again this year. But some of that panic was put to rest Sunday night when a suddenly rejuvenated offense backed Tim Hudson’s strong effort and helped secure a split of a four-game series with a 7-1 win over the Giants.
“It was important to at least come out of here with a split,” Hudson said. “Anytime you lose the first two games of a four-game series, it’s really tough to come out with a split. But we were fortunate to come out and get some runs early.”
The Braves drew a pair of walks against a shaky Tim Lincecum in the two-run first inning and saw Juan Francisco display his impressive power with a long third-inning home run. But the tone of the evening was set by Hudson, who took advantage of some shadows while allowing just one run and five hits.
“I think he would have done that even if the shadows weren’t that bad,” Braves catcher Brian McCann said. “He was really pounding the bottom of the zone. He had all his pitches working. He was pretty much doing whatever he wanted to do.”
With wins in the final two games of this four-game series, the Braves strengthened some of the confidence that had been tested when they lost Friday night for the sixth time in a span of seven games. At the same time, they moved to within 4 1/2 games of the first-place Nationals, who were swept by the Phillies this past weekend.
“It was a day where you definitely had to come out and pound the strike zone,” Hudson said. “It wasn’t exactly easy to see from a hitter’s point of view. It was my job to pound the strike zone and try to make them hurt me that way and not give them free passes.”
Once a Bay Area favorite during his days with the A’s, Hudson has now helped the Braves win eight of his past 10 starts against the Giants. One of the losses came at the beginning of the 2010 season, when Billy Wagner surrendered a game-tying ninth-inning home run. The other occurred the same year in the Division Series game that Atlanta fans and Brooks Conrad have tried hard to forget.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy knows what a tough opponent Hudson is.
“He pitches in and out with the breaking ball and changeup,” Bochy said. “He knows what he’s doing. You know you’re going to have your work cut out when you’re facing him, and he had a good game.”
Jason Heyward has also proved to be quite successful against the Giants, especially while playing in San Francisco. After sitting out the opener of this four-game series, he homered in each of the three final games. His latest came in the ninth inning when he and Freddie Freeman teamed to hit back-to-back solo shots on consecutive pitches.
Heyward has six home runs in 38 career at-bats at AT&T Park. That is his highest total at any ballpark located outside of Atlanta.
“He needs to move out here, but still play for us obviously,” Hudson said. “I’m saying stay out here during the offseason, work on that home run stroke and then come jack some home runs at Turner Field.”
There was a festive feel in the Braves clubhouse as the team prepared to travel to San Diego to begin a three-game series Monday. After McCann said, “Good game,” Hudson responded with, “I pitched pretty well, too.”
Hudson was referencing the two-hit performance he had with a pair of singles, including one that was lost in the sun. That simply added to the frustrations experienced by Lincecum, who threw 90 pitches while surrendering three runs in five innings. The twotime Cy Young Award winner has an uncharacteristic 5.30 ERA through 27 starts.
Lincecum might have escaped his 32-pitch first inning unscathed with some good fortune. But Martin Prado’s basesloaded chopper proved to be too soft for the Giants to turn a double play. McCann then followed with a bloop single that sparked his three-hit night and gave Hudson a 2-0 lead before he threw his first pitch.
Francisco added to the lead with a fourth-inning solo home run that sailed over the centerfield wall and led Gonzalez to question how many might have been hit that far in this ballpark’s history. Slick-fielding shortstop Paul Janish added to Atlanta’s lead with a two-run triple in the sixth inning.
Hudson surrendered three hits through the first six innings and then minimized damage after giving up two singles to begin the seventh inning.
—The Padres celebrated Chipper Jones’ final visit to San Diego with an on-field tribute just before the start of Monday night’s game. Former closer Trevor Hoffman participated in the ceremony, which featured Jones receiving a personalized surfboard.
—David Justice, a member of the Braves’ Hall of Fame, stopped by the clubhouse before Monday night’s series opener against the Padres. Justice lives just outside of the San Diego area.
—Pat Kelly, who served as the Braves’ Triple-A manager from 2003-05, was in attendance for Monday night’s game to see his son, Casey Kelly, make his Major League debut. The elder Kelly took time to renew acquaintances with some of the Braves during batting practice.