For the second time in three games, Braves manager Bobby Cox made out his lineup without Jeff Francoeur in it.

Rookie Gregor Blanco was penciled in to start in right field for Tuesday night's series opener against the Cubs before it was rained out.

Blanco also started in right field Saturday at Arizona.

After the rainout Tuesday, Cox planned to use the same Francoeur-less lineup for the 1 p.m. first game of Wednesday's split doubleheader with Chicago.

He said Francoeur would be in the lineup for the second (7:15 p.m.) game.

After being benched Saturday, Francoeur played Sunday against the Diamondbacks and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, dropping his average to .226, second-lowest among National League qualifiers.

He also grounded into a bases-loaded double play, leaving him an astonishing 3-for-24 with the bases loaded, with five double plays grounded into and seven strikeouts in those situations.

Francoeur's slump began in late April and has basically continued unabated. It got him a brief demotion to the minor leagues before the All-Star break and now appears to have finally relegated him to a part-time role.

Cox didn't put it in those terms, and has said only that with several outfielders hitting well lately, he's going to "mix them up a little."

After the lineup was posted early Tuesday afternoon, Cox was asked if Francoeur would start Wednesday. "Probably," he said. After the rainout was announced, he said Francoeur would play the second game of the doubleheader.

Francoeur has hit .209 with six homers in 90 games since April 25. He hit a two-run homer in a 3-2 loss against the Cubs on June 12 and has only one home run in 176 at-bats since then.

The 2007 Gold Glove winner has hit .173 with four extra-base hits and nine RBIs in his past 42 games, and has no extra-base hits in his past 15 games.

The erstwhile Braves "Golden Boy" has been mentioned in trade rumors — something inconceivable a year ago when he was on his way to a second consecutive plus-100 RBI season.

He has regressed from 29 homers in his first full season in 2006, to 19 homers last season and nine homers and 49 RBIs through 118 games this season.

Francoeur is struggling to a great degree in two areas where he previously excelled — hitting with runners in scoring position and against left-handers.

After batting .338 with runners in scoring position in 2005, .320 in 2006, and .341 in 2007, Francoeur is worst among Braves regulars with a .186 average with runners in scoring position this season.

And after hitting .379 against lefties in 2005, .292 in 2006 and .317 in 2007, he's hitting .208 against them this season.

McCann not easing up

Catcher Brian McCann keeps saying how the Braves aren't mathematically eliminated and that they still need to play every game to win.

He's playing like he believes it, shaking off the effects of a recent concussion and playing as aggressively as ever since returning last week, not missing a beat following a one-week absence.

In his past 20 games, he has hit .366 (26-for-71) with five doubles, six homers, 21 RBI, a .477 on-base percentage and a .690 slugging percentage. He also has an improbable three stolen bases in three attempts in that period.

McCann is hitting .305 with 30 doubles and 21 homers this season, only the third catcher to hit at least 20 homers in two seasons before age 25. The others were Johnny Bench, who did it four times, and Gary Carter.