MIAMI—While preparing for his team's series against the Marlins, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was going down the opposing lineup when he got to second baseman Dee Gordon.
Gonzalez noticed Gordon, a lefty, was hitting .427 against right-handed pitchers.
“I (think), ‘He’s squaring off on right-handed pitchers,’” Gonzalez said.
Then Gonzalez looked and saw Gordon was hitting .424 against left-handed pitchers: “So then I wonder what he’s hitting (overall).”
The answer: .426, best in the majors by 57 points over Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez entering Friday. Gordon also led the majors with 58 hits and added to that total with hits in his first two at-bats on Friday.
Gonzalez said he hadn’t noticed Gordon’s hot hitting because it’s not relevant to him until the Braves have to face Gordon. Also, the Marlins just returned from playing seven games on the West Coast.
“Quiet,” Gonzalez said of Gordon’s season so far. “Nobody is even talking about him.”
The Marlins acquired Gordon in a seven-player trade in December. He was known for his speed during his four seasons with the Dodgers—he had 64 steals in 2014 while getting his first extensive playing time—but hit a modest .272.
“That little son of a gun, he’s a good player,” Gonzalez said. “From all the players they got this winter, when they made that trade and got Dee Gordon, I thought that could be very good for them.”
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