Francoeur out of lineup for third-straight day

Chicago — Jeff Francoeur is out of the Braves lineup for tonight’s series opener against the Cubs, the third consecutive game the right fielder has found himself on the bench while hotter-hitting teammates Matt Diaz and Garret Anderson get the starting nods at the corner-outfield positions.

“I don’t make the lineups, so I just do the best I can to be ready,” said Francoeur, who until Sunday had not missed consecutive starts since his 2005 rookie season, other than for a three-game demotion to the minors last season.

Manager Bobby Cox said he would try to get Francoeur back in the lineup Tuesday against the Cubs.

Diaz made his third start in a row in right field, with Anderson in left. Until recently, Diaz and Anderson had split the left-field duties, while Francoeur started 75 of the first 80 games in right.

Diaz, Anderson and center fielder Nate McLouth have all enjoyed recent hitting surges, while Francoeur has, for the most part, continued to struggle much as he did during 2008.

Francoeur was batting .244 with five homers and 33 RBIs before Monday, and his .277 on-base percentage was tied for the fourth-lowest among National League lineup regulars.

“Of course I want to play,” Francoeur said. “I’m not happy about it. But I can’t do anything about it. Like I said, I don’t make the lineups out. …

“I’ve got all the confidence in the world. I know I can play. Sometimes things just don’t work out the way you want them to. Every ballplayer wants to play. Just have to be patient and wait my turn, whether it’s here or somewhere else. I don’t control that.”

In 56 games since May 2, Francoeur had a .256 average with two homers, 17 RBIs and a .261 OBP and anemic .289 slugging percentage.

In that same period (since May 2), Anderson hit .296 with five homers, 30 RBIs and a .430 slugging percentage in 50 games, and Diaz hit .380 with two homers, 12 RBIs and a .554 slugging percentage in 40 games.

Francoeur showed encouraging signs when he hit .313 with seven RBIs in a 13-game stretch through June 25. But in eight games since, he was 4-for-24 with one RBI, no walks and six strikeouts.