PHILADELPHIA – The Braves' 38-year-old "backup catcher" has now started more games this season than the rookie who was presumably poised to take over the position.
A.J. Pierzynski, the 18-year-veteran, was in the lineup for the fourth consecutive game Saturday and the sixth time in the past eight games. It was his ninth start, one more game than rookie catcher Christian Bethancourt has started.
Pierzynski had hit safely in every game he played and had a .400 average with three homers in 30 at-bats before Saturday, while Bethancourt was 4-for-30 (.133) with two doubles and a .188 on-base percentage.
But beyond wanting to keep Pierzynski’s hot bat in the lineup, the Braves also want Bethancourt to realize he needs to be more focused in every aspect of the game when he plays, and to realize the position will not be handed to him. So far, he’s not satisfied decision makers in that regard.
Gonzalez was asked Saturday if Bethancourt had taken it well or the right way, being out of the lineup so much.
“I hope so,” Gonzalez said. “I haven’t really come back…. I’ve seen him do his work. He’s going to catch (Sunday). Like we’ve talked about before, he’s a guy we want to catch, we want to give him an opportunity. But with the other guy, you put him in there every single time, he’s played eight games and got a hit in all of them. And you see his preparation and the way he’s going about it.”
For Bethancourt, Gonzalez had this advice: “When he gets an opportunity, take advantage of it.”
