2 Traits of Bryce Elder's That Stand Out to Braves Manager Walt Weiss

Eyes are on Bryce Elder as the Atlanta Braves look to sort out their starting rotation ahead of the regular season. He's been an option they've turned to quickly in the past for better and for worse.

Once an All-Star for the team, he's come to know the shuttle between the majors and the minor leagues as well as anybody. Even during times when he was pitching well last season, the Braves utilized one of this options.

To his credit, he's been able to find a way to take things day by day the same way he always does. That ability to stay poised isn't lost on those who have been watching him pitch.

"Mentally tough kid," manager Walt Weiss said. "Been through a lot. The highs have been really high, and he's had some low lows, but he's the same guy every time he takes the ball. You'd never know one way or the other."

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In his final seven starts of the season, he turned the corner. Elder pitched to a 2.82 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP and 41 strikeouts across 44 2/3 innings. That strong finish has had Weiss looking to see what Elder can bring to the table going forward.

"He's in a good place mentally," Weiss said on Wednesday. "I think the confidence is higher. He's feeling good about how he finished last year. He's feeling good about how he's coming into camp."

Along with his ability to tough it out, another key trait made it possible: being healthy. Elder made 28 starts for the Braves and clocked 156 innings, both leading the team. They went hand in hand to give him a chance to find lasting time in the majors.

"I was able to stay healthy and eat the innings," Elder said in September. "So, I think that's the biggest deal, just knowing you're going to be here, knowing this start, this was bad, I can work on it next week. I'll work on it in the next week, leading up to the next start. It's not like I'm going to Triple-A and then work on it, and the game is completely different.

That health factor is going to play a big role in his chance to earn that spot in the starting rotation.

"There's been tremendous value in durability, and Bryce has been very durable. So, that's another box to check with him."

The big challenge is still ahead. He needs to stand out once the games get underway. He needs to beat out anyone else who could be vying for that spot and could prove to be impressive.

But he has a headstart having been there before. The motivation of being out of options will help too. He had a strong finish to last season, but this could still potentially be it. He could see himself being designated for assignment and potentially finding himself elsewhere.

How many chapters remain for Elder with the Braves is to be determined. There is no checking how many pages there are, as you can with a book. It's not finished being written yet, and he still has his part in determining what is put to paper.

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