We take a look at the latest on the Atlanta Braves two center fielders in Spring Training and where they stand through the first couple of weeks.
While most Atlanta Braves fans didn’t consider center field to be much of a competition going into Spring Training, the job was technically up for grabs.
Things are a lot clearer now, but not the way you thought they’d be.
It was announced on Wednesday that Cristian Pache had picked a new number — and it just happens to be the number of a 10-time Gold Glove winner who patrolled center field for the Atlanta Braves.
I still can’t believe they haven’t retired Andruw Jones‘ number 25, but that’s a story for a different day.
Now Pache will put on that 25 and Braves fans certainly hope it leads to another career with several Gold Gloves.
Not to read too much into a jersey number, but you don’t take that number unless…
One, you have a ton of confidence in yourself
And two, you know for certain that center field job is yours for years to come.
Again, it was pretty obvious to most that when Ender Inciarte was left off the postseason roster last year and Pache was the replacement for Adam Duvall when he got injured, that the Braves were moving on from Ender and starting the Pache era in center.
And while Pache hasn’t exactly been on fire in Spring Training (2-for-11), the swings I’ve been able to see out of him from the limited exposure on TV have been impressive.
He was robbed of a home run in one game. You add that to his line and his average goes from .182 to .273 with two extra-base hits.
Pache is the starting center field and will be for a while in Atlanta.
Braves News — Inciarte Has a Hurt Thumb
Ender came into Spring Training with the mindset that the center field job was up for grabs, and he’s looked like the Ender of old in the games I’ve seen of him.
But unfortunately, his thumb hurts so bad right now that he can’t even grip the bat.
Ender Inciarte has a thumb injury that's prevented him from gripping a bat well enough to play lately, #Braves manager Brian Snitker said. Getting better, but not ready to play.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) March 11, 2021
It sounds silly to those who don’t know how the game of baseball works, but hurting your thumb is a huge deal.
And the only thing you can really do for that is do nothing.
I really hate it for Ender because I did like his at-bats that I saw. Like I wrote the other day, he still has value on this Braves’ roster — just not as a starter.
Hopefully his thumb heals up soon and he can be ready for Opening Day.
If not, then Phillip Ervin could make the Opening Day roster as a back-up outfielder. While I like his power potential coming off the bench, I’d rather have Ender as a defensive replacement for Marcell Ozuna.