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Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Frenchy needs exit, stage WBC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As embarrassing as it might be, the Braves would benefit from an early exit from the World Baseball Classic by Team USA.
Jeff Francoeur needs some at-bats to get ready for his second season and he isn’t getting them in the WBC.
The right fielder is the only player not to start a game for Team USA and he hasn’t played at all in the second round. Francoeur was 0-for-3 in the first round.
Now the U.S. doesn’t play again until Thursday, when it must beat Mexico to have a chance to advance to the semifinals.
The Braves, who have publicly backed the WBC, keep insisting that Francoeur will have enough time to get ready for the season in the final 10 days of camp. But they also expected the 22-year-old to play more in the WBC.
In contrast, the absence of Chipper Jones hasn’t been a problem for the Braves at all.
Without Jones around, Wilson Betemit has gotten a chance to play nearly every day at third base and he has hit in all 11 games. Is any team watching for a possible trade?
Leading closer candidate Chris Reitsma made his Grapefruit League debut on Monday after returning from the WBC, where he played for Canada. He was so-so and it is certainly a possibility that Joey Devine could move past him by the end of camp.
