From spare part to star

In Atlanta, Martin Prado saw playing time when Chipper Jones was on the DL, and he excelled as a slap hitter. When Jones returned, Prado found himself as the odd man out, still a valuable utility player. Even so, Prado strived for a starting spot and ended up in Miami where he had a shot at being the every day third baseman.
After 42 games played, Prado has proved he is no fluke. He moved to the top of the order, and is hitting .335, good for second on the team behind Randy Winn and 9th highest in the American League. He also leads the team in doubles, triples and is second in runs and hits. He clearly has a little bit of work to do with his plate patience, with 32 strikeouts to 14 walks, but h ehas quickly emerged as the lead off hitter, despite the presence of former leadoff men Randy Winn and Coco Crisp on the roster.
Prado keyed the Palms win in Minnesota last night with a Grand Slam, his third homer of the season. He has the day off on Saturday, squaring off against Twins starter Francisco Liriano

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