Braves changes are few but 'dramatic'

<p>It is possible that when the Atlanta Braves leave spring training in late March, they could have at least six of the eight position players and possibly the same top five starting pitchers as when they closed the 2005 season.</p><p>But for the Braves, who begin spring training Thursday when pitchers and catchers report to the Disney's Wide World of Sports facility near Orlando, Fla., the few changes are major.</p><p>"I think there have been dramatic changes," said Braves general manager John Schuerholz. "We lost our leadoff hitter and shortstop and lost the guy who was our closer and anticipated to be our closer. We lost our pitching coach. Those are dramatic changes that our organization has to deal with."</p><p>Braves manager Bobby Cox said Wednesday the only pitcher not expected to be ready for Thursday's first workout is non-roster invitee Jeff Bennett, a reliever who pitched for Milwaukee in 2004.</p><p>"Bennett had a little elbow problem in the early throwing program," Cox said.</p><p>Bennett, a right-hander, spent the 2005 season at Triple-A Nashville. He was 1-5 with a 4.79 ERA for Milwaukee in 2004.</p><p>When position players are scheduled for the first full-squad workout on Feb. 22, Edgar Renteria, acquired from the Boston Red Sox, will be the new shortstop.</p><p>The Braves wanted to keep shortstop and leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Cox says the team was fortunate to acquire Renteria for third base prospect Andy Marte.</p><p>"We got a really solid guy," Cox said.</p><p>"He's as solid as they come. He's been a great player. John did a magnificent job of replacing Furcal within three or four days."</p><p>Renteria is not expected to hit leadoff.</p><p>No matter who hits leadoff, the Braves will be left with less speed atop the lineup. Second baseman Marcus Giles, who has been the No. 2 hitter, and left fielder Ryan Langerhans are the top candidates to hit leadoff.</p><p>If Kelly Johnson beats out Langerhans for the starting job in left field, Johnson could hit leadoff. Cox says he thinks Johnson eventually will be a No. 3 hitter.</p><p>Renteria could hit almost anywhere in the lineup.</p><p>"He's a great number two hitter or fifth hitter," Cox said. "He's hit everywhere in the lineup. We'll let that work itself out in the spring."</p><p>The only other position change is at catcher, where Brian McCann, a part-time starter as a rookie last season, will replace Johnny Estrada, who was traded to Arizona.</p><p>New pitching coach Roger McDowell, who has the difficult task of following the long reign of Leo Mazzone, spent the last two weeks getting to know his pitchers in voluntary workouts at Turner Field. McDowell, younger and more laid-back than Mazzone, has made a strong first impression, especially with the team's large group of young pitchers.</p><p>"This particular camp is probably more beneficial than most because Roger has had the opportunity to acclimate himself to the deliveries of each of these pitchers, to put a face to an arm," said Schuerholz of the early throwing program. "He's been watching DVDs and looking at statistics. Now he can humanize these guys. So it's probably been more beneficial than any camp we've had in 16 years, from that standpoint."</p><p>McDowell's most important task this spring will be finding a closer.</p><p>Dan Kolb, Chris Reitsma and Kyle Farnsworth shared the closer's job in 2005. Only Reitsma returns.</p><p>Kolb was sent back to Milwaukee in a trade for reliever Wes Obermueller. The Braves wanted to re-sign Farnsworth and make him the closer, but instead Farnsworth signed with the Yankees.</p><p>Reitsma will have the first chance to win back the closer's job, but Schuerholz says his scouts will continue to look for available relievers.</p><p>"Bobby is going to have to decide on his lineup to decide who's the leadoff hitter and decide who the closer is going to be, so we have some spots on this roster and on this team that are going to be big decisions," Schuerholz said. "But we have plenty of time and feel we will be able to get it done in spring training."</p>

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