eye on …
Interested to see if Phil Gosselin is in the Atlanta lineup tonight. The former Mississippi Braves standout is 4-for-8 with a home run (first career), two RBIs and three runs in the first two games of the huge Oakland series. But you never know with Fredi Gonzalez. (Why does B.J. Upton continue to play? Why does Jason Heyward bat leadoff? Why is Mike Minor still in the rotation?) Gosselin, who can play just about anywhere, could supply a spark the Braves sorely need. The 25-year-old former Virginia star (who famously homered off Stephen Strasburg in the NCAAs) earned his ticket to Atlanta this season with his showing at Triple-A Gwinnett (.344, five homers, 31 RBIs, 29 doubles). Gosselin might aptly be called a late bloomer. He didn’t have a great season in his first Double-A campaign in 2012. As the M-Braves’ regular second baseman, he batted just .242 with three homers and 46 RBIs in 128 games. He came back to Pearl for the start of the 2013 season but was displaced at second by Tommy La Stella. Gosselin played some third base and outfield and hit .243 with one homer and 23 RBIs in 59 games before he was summoned to Gwinnett in late summer to fill a roster need. Gosselin responded by hitting .266 (with a pair of homers) while playing six different positions for the G-Braves. His offense erupted his year, and Atlanta finally created a roster spot for him. Now if Gonzalez will just keep running him out there … . P.S. Jordan Schafer is batting .321 with six steals in six attempts since Minnesota picked him up on waivers from Atlanta. The former M-Braves outfielder rarely got to play other than pinch-running duty this season with the Braves but has been given more opportunities by the Twins.