PITTSBURGH — Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez sat scuffling second baseman Dan Uggla for Tuesday night’s opener against the Pirates.
It’s the first time all season Uggla has been out of the lineup, but after going 2-for-21 (.095) in the first five games of the Braves’ road trip to drop his season average to .185, Uggla conceded a breather was good.
“I couldn’t argue my way back into the lineup today,” said Uggla, who talked to Gonzalez about it on the plane ride from Arizona on Sunday night. “It’s one of those things where he could tell I was really frustrated, and he wanted to let me have a little break.”
The fact that it came after an off day Monday and in a game the Braves already were playing without Nate McLouth and Jason Heyward, both of whom are on the disabled list, gives an indication of the depth of Uggla’s slump.
He hit only .202 in April, in his first month as a Brave following his offseason trade and subsequent signing of a $62 million extension. He’s traditionally a slow starter, but more than three weeks into May the “it’ll come” argument has lost merit. His .185 average is third worst in the National League among qualified everyday players.
So Gonzalez is trying a mental break.
“Give him a breather ...” Gonzalez said. “Even though you get a scheduled off day [Monday], it’s not the same as playing a game and having an off day, sitting in here, watching a game, kind of relaxing.”
A day off is rare for Uggla period. He averaged 156 games per year in his five seasons with the Marlins and had played in almost every inning of every game this season, with the exception of the eighth and final defensive inning in Friday night’s 9-0 loss in Anaheim.
Schafer starts in center
Jordan Schafer returned to the Braves’ lineup Tuesday night for the first time in almost two years, getting the start in center field for the injured Nate McLouth.
Schafer hadn’t played in the majors since May 31, 2009, just three days before the Braves traded for McLouth and effectively gave up on the notion that Schafer was ready to play center field every day.
Schafer had injured his left wrist just four games into that season and futilely tried to play through it. He has spent the better part of two years working his way back from the ensuing surgery. He also has gained some perspective.
“All the stuff I’ve been through has been pretty crazy, but I think it’s made me grow up a lot where I think I’m more mature now mentally,” Schafer said.
One way that might show up is in his approach. Schafer said unlike his first two months in the majors in 2009, when he struck out 63 times in 167 at-bats, he’s focused on staying within himself, getting on base and using his speed to his advantage.
Schafer, a leadoff hitter throughout his career, homered in his first major league at-bat in Philadelphia and acknowledges that got him off-track from the start.
“Hitting a home run the first at-bat was one of the worst things besides the injury that happened to me because it got me out of my element,” Schafer said. “It got me trying to be somebody I wasn’t.”
Hudson on track to start
Tim Hudson is progressing well in his recovery from back stiffness and is on track to make his next scheduled start Monday against the Padres, Gonzalez said.
Hudson returned to Atlanta over the weekend to have his back evaluated after giving up eight runs in only 3 2/3 innings Friday night.
Gonzalez said Hudson played catch Tuesday and came away encouraged that he would be ready to go Monday as planned. Hudson was originally scheduled to pitch Wednesday in Pittsburgh, but the Braves will call up Mike Minor to replace him, giving Hudson a few more days to rest.
