Is Francoeur Getting Tired

He has started every game the Braves have played this year. He started in 154 games last year between the Majors and the Minors, and look what happened towards the end of the season. Was it the opposing pitchers that figured him out, or was it the grind of playing all those games that wore him out? After 107 straight games this year it may be happening already - Jeff Francoeur might be getting tired. His at-bats are looking more and more rushed, and his swing is lagging behind more and more pitches.

He wouldn't be the first Major Leaguer to succumb to the wear and tear of the daily grind that is the Major League baseball season. It's probably not helping that there's a heat wave sweeping the nation, and the Braves have been playing a large number of day games lately with more coming up - this could be taking its toll on a number of Braves.

My advice to Bobby Cox and company is to sit Francoeur down for a couple of games in a row. This would not be punishment, but merely well deserved rest. Jeff will never ask for a day off, he's too much of a competitor, but at some point it has to be forced upon him. If he wants to be the guy who plays in X number of consecutive games, then let him start that streak in a couple of years when he's figured out how to handle the rigors of a Major League season.

The ideal time to sit him is coming up this weekend when the Braves play two games against the Reds, with both games starting just after one o'clock in the afternoon. Let him rest on the days when the heat of a day game would take the most out of him. The Reds are sending right-handers to the mound on both days, and so the lineup could benefit from the left-handed bats of both Langerhans and Thorman.

With Chipper out of the lineup our team needs the full energy of Jeff Francoeur. But after 107 games without a break, his energy may be waning. A bit of bench time will give Francoeur's body time to catch up, and will put him ahead of the game the rest of the way.