Will

Cunnane

The Braves may bring him back if they have injuries in the bullpen.

Cunnane had a 2.20 ERA in 12 relief appearances for Iowa. He’ll sign with another Triple-A club.

Kent Mercker has done nothing wrong, but Cunnane is now Bobby Cox’s preferred option in the ninth inning.

The Braves appear to be leaning toward going with Juan Cruz, Antonio Alfonseca, Kevin Gryboski, C.J. Nitkowski and Armando Almanza behind John Smoltz and Chris Reitsma. We really like Cruz, but at least for the start of the year, both Cunnane and Hodges look like at least as good of bets as anyone in that group. The Braves should keep both, send Cruz down to start games in Triple-A and release Alfonseca.

Cunnane failed to win a bullpen spot, posting a 5.73 ERA. Guzman, one of the team’s top pitching prospects, was impressive, allowing two earned runs in 11 innings.

Even though his only full year in the majors came way back in 1997, the 29-year-old Cunnane had been eligible for arbitration. He’s expected to have a spot in the Atlanta bullpen after an impressive late-season showing for the team last season. A good spring would make him someone to consider at $1.

Cunnane had a 7.30 ERA in nine appearances, though he gave up six of the 10 runs he allowed in one outing. There’s a chance that some team in need of relief help could grab him off waivers.

Joey Dawley can’t be happy about being passed over for promotion after his impressive season at Richmond, but Cunnane has been lights out since signing last month, pitching 21 innings without allowing an earned run. He’ll join the Atlanta bullpen, and if he has some success, it might not take him long to emerge as John Smoltz’s setup man. No one else has claimed the job.

Cunnane is 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA with the Braves, and if he continues pitching well he could find himself on the postseason roster and in a prominent setup role.

Cunnane, who now has a 1.46 ERA since being called up a month ago, should split save chances with Kent Mercker until John Smoltz returns.