LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- As Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton neared the entrance to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex early Thursday morning, he was overcome with great concern.

In front of him sat an overturned sport utility vehicle -- the same one that he'd helped Chino Cadahia acquire just two weeks ago.

Approximately one minute earlier, while making a left-hand turn, Cadahia's car was clipped on the backside by another vehicle that had run a red light. As his SUV flipped and skidded across the concrete, the new Braves bench coach found himself fortunate to be strapped in by his seat belt.

"I was conscious the whole way," Cadahia said. "I saw myself get hit from behind. I felt myself flip and I felt myself skid. My first thought was, 'Am I going to be able to undo the seat belt?'"

Cadahia was able to free himself from the belt and begin to make his way toward the back seat. As he did, Pendleton was able to open an undamaged door and free the 49-year-old bench coach.

"A number of things could have happened in that one," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He's lucky he had his seat belt on. I would say it saved him."

By the time Cox and other team personnel arrived on the scene shortly after 6 a.m. ET, paramedics had found Cadahia to be in good health. He was sent to a nearby hospital, where it was determined that he'd simply suffered a few scrapes and bruises.

"I'm sore and I'm happy to be alive," said Cadahia, who was back at the stadium by 9 a.m., in time to prepare for Thursday's Grapefruit League season opener against the Dodgers.

Cadahia, who had served in the Braves' Minor League system for the 11 years preceding this year's promotion, was shaken, but still able to display his always upbeat personality. He joked that his next rental car should be a Hummer.

No demands: Like Curt Schilling, John Smoltz is entering the final year of his contract. But unlike the Red Sox veteran, Smoltz has no plans to issue any sort of ultimatum toward his employer.

"There's no need for that," Smoltz said. "That's stupid."

Because of the respect he's received over the course of the past 19 years from the citizens of Atlanta and Braves fans, Smoltz says he won't make an issue of his contract. He's going to wait patiently until the organization chooses whether or not to make him an offer.

"Whenever that is, I don't know," Smoltz said. "That's not up to me."

Finally, some action: While playing two innings in Wednesday's exhibition game against Georgia Tech, Kelly Johnson never saw a ball hit his way. But he got plenty of action while accounting for four of the six outs that were recorded while he was playing in Thursday afternoon's 7-2 win over the Dodgers.

Johnson, who is playing second base for the first time in his career, received immediate action, when Rafael Furcal chopped the game's first pitch in his direction. One inning later, Johnson caught two pop flies and registered an out on another grounder.

"I think I set a record for most outs in an inning," said Johnson with a smile.

Johnson, who said he was more relaxed than he was on Wednesday, has also shown some positive signs as the leadoff hitter. He singled to begin the bottom of the second on Thursday and produced a well-hit opposite-field sacrifice fly one inning later.

"It was a big day today," said Johnson, who will start to see more time at second base as the Grapefruit League season progresses.

Escobar's daily praise: After watching Yunel Escobar produce three singles in Thursday's win, Cox didn't shower the Cuban shortstop with the same kind of praise that he has over the course of the past week. Instead, Cox decided to lump him into a group of middle infielders that he believes is very special.

As he spoke to the media, Cox said, "You guys are going to have to go out and watch those guys on Field 2."

While doing so, the skipper was saying that he's very impressed with the defensive skills that have been shown by Escobar, Martin Prado, Brent Lillibridge and Tony Pena.

"You don't see something like that all the time, with that many guys who could legitimately play in the Majors right now," said Cox, who may begin this upcoming season without any of these four players on his 25-man roster.

Willy Aybar and Chris Woodward are projected to begin the season as Atlanta's utility infielders. But because of visa problems, Aybar still hasn't reported to camp. As for Woodward, he strained his right calf while working out before Thursday's game. He's expected to miss at least a week.

Coming up: The Braves will host the Pirates on Friday at 1:05 p.m. ET on ESPN. Smoltz will make his first start. Closer Bob Wickman and left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez, who was acquired from the Pirates in January, are also expected to make their exhibition season debuts.