Report: Braves close to signing IF Alberto Callaspo
The Atlanta Braves are close to signing free-agent infielder Alberto Callaspo, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.
Callaspo, 31, played in 127 games for the Oakland Athletics in 2014, hitting a career-low .223 with four home runs and 39 RBIs in 451 plate appearances. His .290 on-base percentage and .290 slugging percentage were also career-lows.
Callaspo started 44 games at second base, 19 at first base -- his first time ever playing that position -- and 17 at third base, as well as 39 at DH for the A’s.
In the American League Wild Card Game loss to the Kansas City Royals, it was Callaspo’s pinch-hit single in the top of the 12th that gave Oakland the 8-7 lead it later blew in the bottom of the inning.
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Callaspo was acquired by the A’s in July 2013 from the Los Angeles Angels in a straight-up trade for infielder Grant Green.
Originally signed by the Angels as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in 2001, Callaspo made his big-league debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006. He also played for the Royals in 2008-09 before he was reacquired by the Angels in July 2010 in a trade for pitchers Sean O’Sullivan and Will Smith.
Callaspo is a career .267 hitter with 51 home runs and 354 RBI in 996 major-league games.
