Atlanta Braves Should Give Charlie Culberson A Chance to Start at Third
By Kit Anderson
Atlanta Braves utility man Charlie Culberson has earned a chance to start when Ronald Acuna Jr. returns. But where could the utility man fit in Atlanta?
Watching Charlie Culberson play for the Braves early this season was difficult. The utilityman hit .080 in the first month of the season and looked as awful as a hitter possibly could have. Since then he has turned a lot of heads with walk-off bombs and hitting over .300 in May and June.
It has brought his average up to a respectable .267 and has earned him a chance to start in my opinion. Once Ronald Acuna Jr. returns the utilityman will have only one possible position left to start, third base.
Johan Camargo is the current occupant and is hitting a rather uninspired .234 coming into today’s action. Camargo is struggling and doesn’t look to be the player he was last season.
He has flashed power including hitting a recent grand slam against the Jays but altogether his season has been very shaky. It is time for the Braves to give Culberson a chance to start every day and see if he could fill the hole at third base.
If not, the Braves should opt to upgrade the hot corner in this season’s trade market. Giving Culberson the chance to start will exhaust all resources on the current roster.
The minor leagues will not offer any answers either with top prospect Austin Riley recent going down with an injury.
Third base has been a hole for the Braves since Chipper Jones left to the point of attempting to move Freddie Freeman to third or trotting out the likes of Adonis Garcia and Chris Johnson.
It is hard to see Charlie being any worse than the aforementioned names and he has earned a starting role with his recent heroics and production.
Culberson deserves a shot to prove he can play every day at the Major League level. While his career indicates he cannot there isn’t any valid reason not to give Charlie a chance considering the value he has brought to the team.
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It is time to give Charlie the credit he deserves and allow him a chance to play for the job at third base.