A busy Braves Monday

Position change for McCann? Chipper back in camp and Glavine throws strikes.

Tom Glavine threw a simulated game for Atlanta Monday, the lefthander’s first “game action” since last September. The soon –to-be 43 year old Glavine spent time on the disabled list for the first time of his career last season and the 300-game winner is looking to start the season as the team’s 5th starter. Glavine tallied 26 strikes in 38 pitches. His final stat line read two hits, one run, and two strikeouts in two innings of work. Glavine is tentatively scheduled to pitch again on Saturday.

Third baseman Chipper Jones is back in Braves camp after leaving Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Jones apparently reaggravated an oblique strain he suffered earlier in the WBC, and he will receive treatment from Braves trainers. Jones expects to be back in the Braves spring training lineup by the end of the week with manager Bobby Cox predicting next week.

If Garrett Anderson’s calf injury doesn’t heal and Matt Diaz proves he cannot hit righthanders, Bobby Cox now has another option for leftfield: Brian McCann. The three-time All-Star catcher for Atlanta was inserted into leftfield in Team USA’s elimination game against the Netherlands over the weekend. Injuries have taken its toll on Team USA and manager Davey Johnson was forced to move McCann into left for the ninth inning. In the team’s previous game, McCann drove in the Americans only run in an 11-1 loss to Puerto Rico. Braves pitcher Javier Vazquez started the game for Puerto Rico and picked up the win, his second of the WBC.

The Braves made several more moves in its quest to trim the roster down to 25. One day after releasing starter Phil Stockman, the team reassigned 8 players to minor league camp. RHP James Parr, Todd Redmond, Stephen Marek and Luis Valdez were all optioned to AAA-Gwinnett, while Francisley Bueno, Mariano Gomez, Phillip Britton and Matt Kennelly were sent to the Minor League camp. Parr and Redmond are expected to headline the Gwinnett starting rotation, possibly with Tommy Hanson. Britton and Kennelly are both catchers in the Braves system.