LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Braves' clubhouse in the Wide World of Sports complex is littered with new acquisitions who are gunning for the fifth spot in the rotation, a group of highly-touted young arms and veterans.
It's a crowded field, and holdover James Russell, who has spent the bulk of his five-year career in the bullpen, is working to remain a part of it.
"They just told me to come in and be ready to be stretched out," the left-hander said before Sunday's workout. "I'm preparing like I'm competing for a fifth starting spot and I have that mindset."
Heading into the winter, there was every reason for Russell to think that way.
He and David Hale entered the winter being viewed as options to join a staff that was losing Aaron Harang and Ervin Santana, with the odd man out likely assuming the long-relief role.
But that list of contenders for the staff grew with deals that brought in Manny Banuelos and Mike Foltynewicz and the signings of Wandy Rodriguez, Eric Stults and Chien-Ming Wang and then Hale was traded to the Rockies along with Gus Schlosser to the Rockies on Jan. 30.
Russell, though, hasn't spent much time thinking about how those acquisitions and Hale's trade could impact him.
"I don't read to far into it," he said. "I control what I can control and that's going out and competing on the field."
Among a strong group of candidates, Russell is hurt by a lack of experience opening games.
He's made six career starts and just one since 2011 as he threw the first four innings of last season's final game against the Phillies on Sept. 28.
Russell was solid in that outing, allowing two hits with four strikeouts and a walk but he didn't factor into the decision as Atlanta lost 2-1. He ended the season at 0-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 57 2/3 innings with 42 strikeouts and 20 walks.
He would spend the offseason preparing as he would to start, beginning with ramping up his throwing program and altering his weight training.
"Just changed it a tad, did more long tossing and make sure I was up to strength," he said. "(I) did a lot more leg workouts this offseason and just made sure my base is stronger."
Approach aside, Russell has never pitched in more than 4 2/3 innings in his major league career and hasn't been a consistent part of a rotation since 2008 when with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in the Cubs' system.
Acquired last year on July 31 to be the left-handed specialist the Braves sorely needed, Russell continued to put together a body of work that seems more suited for long relief.
In all Russell threw more than an inning 11 times last year (not including the one start), with five of those coming with Atlanta and has 34 such appearances in his career.
Still, Russell arrived at spring training with his sights on joining the rotation.
It's too early to draw any conclusions from any observations, but during Sunday's drills, Russell was the only pitcher asked to throw between a visual aid: two wooden poles with three pieces of string strung across them.
Russell will get his chance and a move to the staff would at least add another wrinkle to the offseason moves as he, four-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel and Luis Avilan were the only players on the roster who ended 2014 as part of the bullpen.
"Whether it happens or not is beyond me," Russell said. "I just can control what I do what I do on the field and whatever happens with the front office guys and (manager) Fredi (Gonzalez) and (pitching coach) Roger (McDowell) is whatever is going to happen."
Follow Cory McCartney on Twitter @coryjmccartney
