Usually, the retaining of a utility man wouldn’t seize that a lot consideration. Charlie Culberson returning to the Atlanta Braves is one other story.
Jon Heyman of the New York Submit reported on Friday that the Braves had signed Culberson to a minor league deal. As Culberson is able to enjoying nearly wherever on the diamond, he’s the proper bench piece. Nonetheless, it’s his conversion to the mound that makes his return to Atlanta noteworthy.
Place gamers convert to the mound on a considerably frequent foundation. The likes of Tim Wakefield, Kenley Jansen, and Trevor Hoffman had been all place gamers earlier than their profitable transition. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of those switches to the mound happen within the minor leagues. Whereas gamers corresponding to Ben Chapman, Anthony Gose, and Jimmie Foxx turned pitchers late of their careers, it’s a a lot rarer incidence.
Culberson has an opportunity to search out success in a bullpen function. He has been clocked as excessive as 94 MPH along with his fastball, a pitch that sits round 90 MPH and has strong sinking motion. His slider has respectable depth. Culberson has allowed ten baserunners and only one run in his 7.1 innings, a decent exhibiting for a place participant on the mound. The potential is there for Culberson to turn into a precious piece of the Braves’ bullpen.
These conversions don’t all the time work. The Padres had tried to show Christian Bethancourt right into a two-way participant earlier than scrapping that concept. And but, it’s value taking a low-risk likelihood. The 34-year-old Culberson could nicely have a second act in his main league profession, turning into a decent reliever who can even play wherever wanted.
