Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has not been tempted to give young players and September call-ups an extended look as the team finishes the season.
He said the team and regular players still have things to play. There is a .500 season still within reach. Thursday’s final home game of the season had playoff implications for the Pirates and Cardinals. Individual players are closing in on significant statistics and want to finish on a high note.
Besides, Gonzalez said, he has been holding “hidden” auditions in the final weeks. For instance in Wednesday’s game against the Pirates he brought in left-hander reliever Chasen Shreve to face Pirates left-hander Travis Snider with two outs in the seventh inning. Shreve struck out Snider and gave Gonzalez something he may call upon in the future.
“Maybe you put him in situations where next year you are thinking about using him,” Gonzalez said.
So don’t expect Juan Jaime to enter in the ninth inning instead of Craig Kimbrel.
