Chipper is out and this is probably the best news for the Atlanta Braves. A team that was relying on a .260 hitter over the last 1 1/2 seasons to bat in the number 3 hole was not good. Now the team can put a much more productive lineup on the field. It may have took some injuries to save Bobby Cox this year. The Braves manager is now coaching in his last days as a MLB coach. It’s been a very disappointing time for Cox and the Braves; while in Atlanta. The team has only managed to win one World Series in the last 20 years and even that was a bit shaky. A lot of clubs would take a World Series title every 20 years, but when you get to the post season 14 times and only win once? It’s proof that Bobby Cox never was anything special and a Ted Turner bought team in a sport where the biggest spender gets the best players.
Martin Prado will be allowed to come back in a few days, if his broken finger is better. The Braves will need him, if they hope to hold off the charging Phillies team in the NL East Race. I know when the Braves take on the Dodgers Friday night, this should be how their starting lineup should look:
1. Omar Infante 3B
2. Melky Cabrerra RF
3. Brian McCann C
4. Matt Diaz LF
5. Eric Hinske 1B
6. Brooks Conrad 2B
7. Rick Ankiel CF
8. Alex Gonzalez SS
9. Tim Hudson P
I know Bobby Cox will not play it this way. If Jason Heyward is available to play, I might still go with this line up, just to see how they would do. If I was going to insert Heyward in right field for Cabrerra; then I would move Conrad or Hinske to the 2nd spot and let Heyward hit 5th or 6th in the line up.
There should be some clear roles in the line up now; which I know Cox won’t see it, as he thought Gonzalez was a good fit in the 3rd spot yesterday in Houston. Infante should lead off every game. Even when Martin Prado returns, still let Infante be the lead-off guy with Prado hitting 2nd. Brian McCann is your everyday guy in the 3rd spot of the order; while Matt Diaz would be an everyday cleanup hitter (4th). Alex Gonzalez must bat 8th every game; unless he starts to get hot, but clearly the weakest hitter right now, despite being the team’s leading home run hitter. Glaus stays on the bench and Hinske is given a chance to be the everyday first baseman; while Matt Diaz becomes the team’s permanent left fielder. I like Ankiel in center, but Cabrerra is available for back up duties there and can be your top bat off the bench.
I think the Chipper Jones injury now gives the Braves team a real chance at holding off the Phillies in the National League East Race. Let’s see what production we get from the 3rd base position, because we know for the last year and a half, only a few home runs and a .260 batting average has came from that spot. Now I get a real shot to prove, that I can coach better than Bobby Cox, because Chipper would be riding my bench right now. If the 3rd base position hits .270 and puts up 3 home runs from now until the end of the year, then I win!
