Blanco hoping to stick with Braves

[HMFFL]

Gregor Blanco hopes that plenty of sticky tape on the handle of his bat will help him keep a grip on a job with the Braves.

The rookie outfielder compensates for the thinness of his 33 1/2-inch, 31-ounce bat by wrapping plenty of black tape around the handle.

"It's so tiny, I need to make it bigger," Blanco said. "I feel comfortable with it and the balance is better, too. It's helped me a lot."

Blanco, 24, spent six years in the Minors before winning a job with the Braves by hitting .326 during the Grapefruit League season.

"He's improved so much," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He used to have a long swing and strike out all the time.

"Now he hits the ball the other way and bunts some. He's playing the way he should have all the time."

With his new approach, Blanco has made the most of every opportunity this season. He was 7-for-12 in his first four starts and was back in the lineup Thursday night against Florida.

Cox is finding playing time for Blanco when he can. The native of Venezuela filled in twice for Matt Diaz in left field and made his second start for Mark Kotsay in center field in the series finale against the Marlins.

Kotsay is bothered by a stiff neck, but Blanco deserved to play anyway after sitting out the previous three games.

Blanco went into Thursday batting .444 and had also drawn four walks, giving him a .545 on-base percentage. Pretty good for someone who once struck out more than 100 times four consecutive years in the Minors.

"He's had a nice little start," Cox said.

"I choke up a little bit and just try to put the ball in play," said Blanco, a .277 career Minor League hitter. "I'm really proud of what I've been able to do."

And fans don't have to worry about his bat sailing into the stands on a swing.

Blanco, who batted .345 this winter in Venezuela, puts pine tar over the tape and also wears batting gloves.

"A lot of players used to tape their bats, but you don't see it much anymore," Braves bench coach Chino Cadahia said.

"You want a good grip," the speedy Blanco said. "I never lose my bat."

Now he just needs to hold on to a job.

Blanco beat out Josh Anderson for a roster spot this spring and hopes his Minor League days are behind him.

"If he keeps playing like this, there's no reason why he won't be around the Majors for a long time," Cox said.

Blanco is a good defensive outfielder and a stolen-base threat. Now that he has a grip on his hitting, he appears to definitely have a hold finally on a spot with the Braves.

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[lpsevier]

Dude can straight up fly on the bases.