Walt Weiss Expresses Confidence in Braves' Position Player Depth

With the dilemma the Atlanta Braves have found themselves in on the starting rotation side of things, it's made it easy to overlook some improvements elsewhere. The bench is deeper. They have options for the infield and more flexibility in the outfield this time around.

Even as some of the moves to add depth went down, they were able to pivot and get a reinforcement as opposed to a quick patchwork. Mauricio Dubón and Jorge Mateo were brought in for the major league roster. Kyle Farmer and Aaron Schunk are options with experience in camp. Dominic Smith can step in at either first base or in the outfield.

Each option brings a different combination of traits to the table. It also gives manager Walt Weiss his options as he decides on the final bench spot.

"There's a few ways you can go with that spot, right?" Weiss said on Saturday. "Depending on the construction of your roster, you could go with versatility, which is very valuable, and a good runner. Maybe you're looking for a bat. Maybe it's a guy like Dom Smith. There's a lot of ways you can look at that."

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It should, theoretically, allow the Braves to make more adjustments this season as it develops too.

"I tell these guys we're going to break camop with a certain. A month into the season, our team is to be very different from the team we broke camp with. It's very fluid, especially when you start talking about the bench spots."

Weiss has an aim to get these position players action in games. They may have to see action in the regular season, and they have to be ready.

"If they haven't been on the field much, you can't expect them to perform," Weiss said.

Looking to the outfield, Mike Yastrzemski is the highlight addition and already setting the tone, but some non-roster options have already stood out. Ben Gamel had a strong day in the spring training opener, belting a home run and driving in three runs.

The goal is to find a balance. On Saturday, we got our first look at how the balance could look. A couple of prospects saw action: Alex Lodise and John Gil. While not a prospect, shortstop Jim Jarvis, who was acquired in the Rafael Montero trade, has already seen playing time, too.

It was a mix of veterans looking to get back on a roster and young players looking to prove themselves. Of course, not all of them are going to see the majors this season. Some of these prospects aren't even in Double-A yet or are just getting there.

Part of the balance is seeing who can contribute on the field, but it also includes getting a look at what the future entails. That's the big part about depth. The more you have of it now and long term, the better off you'll be.

We'll focus on the more immediate goal, and it circles back to where we started with this, overcoming a battered rotation. They've done it before, but they had the offensive depth to outslug teams when they had, too. Whether or not they're back to that will also require the stars to step up. But that's just the foundation. You need to build upon that. At last, it looks like the structure on top of it is sound.

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