Promising outfielder hopes to finally break through

KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA - George Lombard can&#39;t escape his old sport. <br> <br> Eight years after he last picked up a football, the Atlanta Braves outfielder still gets invitations to put on a helmet and shoulder pads. <br> <br> Lombard says he thinks about it every now and then, adding that he had an NFL scout call him during the offseason, asking him if he wanted a tryout. <br> <br> No chance. After a long, hard struggle to reach the major leagues, the 26-year-old Lombard feels as though he&#39;s finally ready to stick with the Braves. <br> <br> He&#39;s having a good spring, batting .342 with two RBIs and three stolen bases heading into today&#39;s exhibition game against St. Louis. If he keeps it up, there&#39;s a strong chance Lombard will be on Atlanta&#39;s opening day roster for the first time. <br> <br> Lombard turned down a scholarship to play football at the University of Georgia, signing instead with the Braves in 1994 even though he didn&#39;t start playing baseball seriously until high school. <br> <br> So began a tedious climb to make it with his hometown team. <br> <br> Lombard has been in the minors for eight years, showing both promise (.308, 22 homers, 65 RBIs, 35 stolen bases at AA Greenville in 1998) and problems (.206 at AAA Richmond in &#39;99). <br> <br> Naturally, the Braves are intrigued by his rare combination of speed and power. But Lombard&#39;s inability to make consistent contact, one strikeout for every three at-bats has limited him to three brief stints in Atlanta. <br> <br> Lombard knows he&#39;s at the end of the line with the Braves, who are out of minor-league options on him. If he doesn&#39;t make the team this year, he&#39;ll probably wind up in another organization.