The Braves played their 20th game of the season Friday, and manager Fredi Gonzalez still hasn’t used the same lineup.
That’s not even including the pitcher. The Braves haven’t the same lineup in the first through eighth spots in the order (or first through ninth for three interleague games Toronto).
Gonzalez nearly ended the streak Tuesday. Nearly. Cameron Maybin was in center field, batting eighth, after Eric Young Jr. played center and hit eighth Monday. Otherwise, it was the same with a different pitcher.
“I tried my darndest today to make it (the same),” Gonzalez said, smiling. “I got close. I had Young penciled in the eighth hole, and I said, you know what? It’s going to be, like, 10 days in a row facing a right-handed pitcher, and Maybin hasn’t had a start in a while, and we’ve got Julio on the mound, why not put in our best defensive center fielder? So everything’s the same except Maybin.
“Believe it or not, I had a little thought process in it.”
Gonzalez added, “Last year the complaints were, ‘It’s the same lineup every day.’ So you can’t win…. Sooner or later – and hopefully a lot later than sooner – between 12:30 and 1:30 (p.m.) there’s going to be a poll out where fans can put in a lineup that they want.”
