Braves hand shortstop over to Tyler Pastornicky

Baseball season is right around the corner, and no major leaguer will face any more pressure in spring training than Tyler Pastornicky. The Atlanta Braves are handing the untested rookie the starting job at shortstop on a team that missed the playoffs by only one game last year.

Patornicky's sole experience in the major leagues was a call-up in a game he didn't play-last season's final game versus the Phillies in which the Braves were eliminated from the postseason by the margin of one inning after the team had an epic September collapse. One of the Braves biggest problems was a lack of offense, and weak hitting free agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez was not resigned.

Since the Braves made no significant moves to bring anyone else in that means the starting shortstop job for the big league club falls squarely on the shoulders of the talented but untested Pastornicky, a pesky hitter with great speed and a good glove whom scouts seem divided on as to his major league potential.

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Braves Gamble Handing Starting Job to Tyler Pastornicky