Braves Beat Reds 7-4, Simmons Hero
By Jeff Schafer
Before we get deep into this post I’d like to start off with the topic of B.J. Upton. Yes we gave him the huge offseason contact for him to be the Atlanta Braves starting center fielder for 5 years. Yes we know he has struggled before at the start of the season hitting, and has never been a batting average hitter. And yes, he had a great spring training hitting over .300 BUT the guy has something wrong mechanically/confidence…something with his swing!!
Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
In my option, right now, they can’t keep continually hitting Upton at the top of the order or for that matter IN the order.
Fredi Gonzalez should give the hot hitting Jordan Schafer the nod to play center field tonight. He blasted a pinch hit home run last night in helping the Braves beat a really good baseball team. When giving the opportunity to play this year, Schafer has a .278 batting average and a .447 on base percentage. A .447 OBP and we aren’t playing this guy?? Instead we are playing a guy who has struck out 40 times already and hitting .148 and OBP of .231 in 31 games??
Whatever is wrong with B.J. isn’t going to be fixed by continually going out and whiffing on everything. I think it’s time to sit him for a few games and stay in the batting cage to try to fix his swing….
Last night the Braves saw their All-Star catch Brian McCann return to their lineup. Even though he didn’t get a hit last night, it was surely nice to see in back in the uniform. Evan Gattis hit another rope last night for a double and also picked up another RBI. Justin Upton picked up a two hit night as did Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla. But the real hero of the night came from our young short stop.
Anrelton Simmons blasted two home runs and acquired four RBI’s in the win last night. He has made great adjustments to his swing since the first weeks of the season. He told reports after Monday’s stellar night “I’m feeling better, getting my timing back. That off day, that rainout we had really helped. I spent some time in the cage, talked to the coaches, Justin helped quite a bit too and I feel right where I want to be right now. I’m right where I want to be.”
Coach Fredi Gonzalez commented on his star short stop “He’s swinging the bat good but for me he makes his RBIs and his batting average on the field. And he doesn’t have to hit .300. He could hit .250, .260 and be really a force to be reckoned with.”
The Braves will face Cincinnati Reds pitch Home Bailey on Tuesday as the Braves send out Kris Medlen. Game time is scheduled at 7:10pm ET.