
Gant's ML record  Age 28 this season.

Year   G   AB     BA   OBP   SLG   HR   SB  CS
1987   21   83  .265  .271  .386    2    4   2
1988  146  563  .259  .317  .439   19   19  10  <-- 3rd Base Expt. year
1989   75  260  .177  .237  .335    9    9   6
1990  152  575  .303  .357  .539   32   33  16
1991  154  561  .251  .338  .496   32   34  15
1992  153  544  .259  .321  .415   17   32  10

In the majors for parts of 6 seasons, total playing time
approx 4.5 seasons.

Just looking at his hitting record, he's had 2 seasons of OPS
greater than .800, which is pretty good for an OF.  His
1988 season is pretty decent for a rookie 2B.  The move to
third base explains a lot of his 1989.  When he returned as an OF,
he began hitting again.  And of course, last year he slumped.

But no learning curve?  He has obviously improved his batting eye
over the years, as well as his SB/CS ratio.  As to his fielding,
he was an infielder when he was drafted, a 2Bman as he came
up through the Braves system, and then the Braves put him through
2 position changes in the space of a year.  He's an adequate OF,
although not great, and at least some of your perception of his
fielding is colored by watching him learn to play the OF at the
ML level.  (I know you're another long-term Braves fan :)

About playing 3B...IMO, that's the 2nd most DIFFICULT position
to field, after catcher.  At SS or 2B, you need more range and 
speed, but at 3B, you've got to have quick reflexes and have 
a GUN for an arm.  There are NO second chances at 3B, even when
playing sandlot softball!  Granted, I'd still put my best
overall infielder at SS, but that's because he gets more
chances, not because the job is harder.  It still amazes me
that so many teams have tried to convert other position players
to 3B.  But maybe that's because the supply of "natural" 3B is
scarce.

Finally, Gant is a player who puts pressure on himself to
perform well, and works hard to improve.  You don't get
those amazingly huge arms on that relatively small body without a
lot of weight work.  Now, whether he's been overdoing it these
days may be a valid question, as is the question of whether
he tries too hard to make something happen during each at-bat.
But frankly, if a player is going to not live up to potential,
I'd much rather they fail by trying too hard, than by not
trying hard enough.  You might be able to teach relaxation
to an adult; but at that age I don't believe you can teach
hustle.

All that said, I don't think I'd sign Gant to another long-term
contract.  He's 28 now, and I think he's free-agent eligible
in 2 years, when he'll be 30.  Given his career curve and
limitations, I wouldn't expect him to last much past 35
as a ML ballplayer.  He might surprise me here, but Atlanta's
got some talent on the farm, and I'd rather take my chances
down the road with Nieves et al.