G-Braves' speed in attack serving Gwinnett well

It's summer in north Georgia, which means two of the area's favorite pasttimes are in full force -- hitting the lake and watching some baseball.

So allow me to speak to the fan that likes both.

If the Gwinnett Braves were a vessel on Lake Lanier, they would be more like a jet ski and less like a power boat.

These G-Braves are built for stolen bases and aggressive base running... home runs are just a bonus.

Don't get me wrong, there is some pop in the lineup. First baseman Mauro Gomez and outfielder Stefan Gartrell are both legit power threats, and one or both could wind up on the International League All Star team. But for the most part, it's the pesky smaller guys that really make the offense go, and Gwinnett has plenty of them.

The team might be a little shorter on the little guys after Jordan Schafer got the call up to the big leagues in Atlanta (with some good reviews, by the way), but there is still quality at the top of the order. Braves fans have gotten to know Matt Young and his ability to hit for average and steal some bases. Young has become that player that is easy to root for, with his high baseball IQ and his hustle and is on the verge of being a mainstay in the big leagues. But G-Braves fans are just now starting to see what outfielder Jose Constanza can do -- and they should be enjoying it.

The reigning IL Batter of the Week, Constanza put the team on the back of his 5-foot-9, 150-pound frame, leading the G-Braves to six wins on an eight-game road trip through Toledo and Indianapolis. On the trip, he batted just under .600, had an on-base percentage just under .650 and stole five bases. With that much action at the top of the lineup, it's no wonder Gwinnett was able to get hot and catch the Durham Bulls for first place in the South Division.

Constanza is starting to get attention, not only from the Braves, but from national media as well. And for good reason. Through the first 66 games of the season, his .351 batting average and 17 stolen bases are among the top of the International League. His game comes with some flare on the field, plenty of character off the field, and he has become one of the most exciting players in the league.

Gwinnett manager Dave Brundage knows just how to use a guy like Constanza as well. Under Brundage's command, the team is allowed and sometimes urged to steal bases, take extra bases on base hits, and really push the tempo with the legs.

If Constanza gets on first base, rather by hit or walk, he immediately becomes a distraction for the opposing pitcher. And that's where the big guys like Gomez and Gartrell come in to take advantage at the plate -- with just a little less focus from a pitcher, he might serve up a juicy pitch for one of the big guys to launch.

As the game of baseball swings away from power hitters and back toward baserunning and "small ball," guys like Jose Constanza should be in more demand. And for a club like the Atlanta Braves, which has missed a true leadoff hitter since Rafael Furcal left town, its abundance of speedy, pesky hitters in the minor leagues is not a bad thing.

Schafer is on top of Atlanta's lineup at the moment and Young has proved himself to be valuable, as well. But Constanza could be waiting in the wings.

For now, though, he'll continue to motor around the bases for the Gwinnett Braves.

-- Judd Hickinbotham contributes both radio and web pieces for Jacobs Media and is a play-by-play announcer for the Gwinnett Braves.