The Hot-Lanta Corner, Third base in Braves Camp

On a rebuilding baseball team, there is usually no shortage of positional battles when teams report to Spring Training.  The Braves have a few of their own, granted not with the marquee names a fan would want, but it certainly does add a new level of interest to the games.  The most interesting battle on the diamond in Atlanta is at third base, where a three, or even possibly four way battle for the starting job will be taking place.  Here's a look at the four contenders.

Adonis Garcia:

He impressed with his power last year (10HR in 191 ABs), although his defense leaves lots to be desired and he doesn't have much of any speed to speak of.  The Cuban defector (entering his age 31 season) is probably the favorite to win the job, as the lineup desperately needs some sort of power in the middle of the lineup to protect Freddie Freeman, but he will have to show his glove is serviceable enough  to keep pace.

Gordon Beckham:

The Georgia native and former 1st round pick (2008) has experienced more downs than ups in his career, but for his sake, here's to hoping a trip home will prove to bring some life into his bat (he's never hit over .270, and that was his rookie year).  He's an average fielder, so that will help him against the better hitting competitors for the job, but he is also popping up as a possibility for 2nd base as well, so he really will be someone to watch.

Hector Olivera:

As of now, he is slated as the starting LF for the team, although reports have come out of Braves camp that he if they can't confidently put someone else at the hot corner, Olivera could end up back where he started.  He has shown strong glove work but his side arm throwing style (think Ryan Zimmerman) is cause for concern.  He has the strongest offensive potential of any of the other players competing for the spot, but he will have to deliver this year, as disappointing results have already caused management to tug on his leash just a little bit.

Kelly Johnson:

Originally the 2nd baseman for the infamous "Baby Braves" in 2005, Johnson now finds himself locked in a battle for playing time at 3rd.  He has found himself usually put in a platoon role (he only saw 24ABs against lefties last year, vs 158 against righties), and if he were to get playing time, there's no reason to think that would not continue, especially with other platoon-worthy players competing for a spot (Garcia in particular).  He's a solid defender, so that will only help his case for a platoon.

Overall, it seems like we've got a mix of players here, but the underlying theme is common between these four:  They are all over 30, have major holes in their game, and are all trying to find a way to prove they don't just have something left in the tank, that they can provide a presence on a team that desperately needs one.