Atlanta Braves cut Spring Training roster down by five

Mar 13, 2014; Jupiter, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Todd Cunningham (20) makes an unsuccessful diving attempt against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Braves 11-0. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

Early this morning, theAtlanta Bravescut five players from the spring training roster, sending four down to AAA Gwinnett and AA Mississippi. The cuts leave the Braves roster, as of now, at 40 men.

The move will send relief pitchersJuan JamieandLuis Vasquez, top catching prospectChristian Bethancourtand outfielderTodd Cunningham(happy birthday, Todd!) out to Duluth, while shortstopElmer Reyesis headed to Mississippi.

Probably the most surprising out of these moves is the sending down of Luis Vasquez, who the Braves picked up over the winter after a strong season in the winter Dominican League, but had to sit out a few games due to a visa issues, as well as a strained lat muscle. He pitched in yesterday’s game against theNew York Yankees, in which he went 3.2 innings and only allowed two hits, but did walksixmen and allowed two runs to cross the plate.

The AJC’s David O’Briennoted in an article this morningthat Vasquez was having some problems with his command, and those six walks yesterday proves it. A month or two in Gwinnett should get him the extra work (or, rather, the work he missed at the beginning of the spring) he needs to join the big club, and I expect him to be the first call made if someone in the bullpen goes down.

Bethancourt and Cunningham shouldn’t be in Gwinnett for long, either, as they should be the first players to get called up in the case of, say,Gerald Lairdcomplaining again and gets benched, orJordan SchaferorTyler Pastornickygoing on the 15 day DL.

The Braves roster is starting to take it’s final shape, and opening day is just around the corner. As some mistake December for,thisis the most wonderful time of the year.

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