Fade to Brian

When an AL team backs up the truck for McCann Braves fans won't remember the injuries or second half slumps. As big and strong as Gattis is, I wonder if catching every day will do the same to him. Will be interesting to see Bethancourt, even if he only plays here and there. Perhaps right now Fredi should rest Brian two or three days a week instead of just the day game after a night game.

If things don't change, what are the chances Fredi sits BJ and Uggs in the playoffs? Even though it was a tough play, when Uggla wasn't able to come up with that double play grounder up the middle yesterday my immediate reaction was to ask why he is playing if both his offense and defense weren't contributing. Friday night both Joe Simpson and his favorite Twitter-verse were taking BJ to task for backing off that ball in the gap that part-time outfielder Gattis had to track down.

Heard Joe Simpson trot out an idea: bat Uggla at the top of the lineup. Joe thought it might help Uggla to keep his mind on going to the opposite field, and keep his hands in. Perhaps Joe had just read that Chris Davis article in Sports Illustrated.

Speaking of Gattis, that was some pounding he administered to Hamels yesterday. Hopefully he can stay in the groove.

I was Hample-like that day, but there were others doing the same thing. In fact, standing in line waiting for the gates to open, both in Gwinnett and down at the Turner Field dollar ticket line I've seen the same group of "bobble-heads" waiting around with me.

Some people seem to employ elderly family members and children/teenagers to rack up large quantities of bobbleheads. Many exit the stadium after securing their valuable package. At the Gattis event on my treks through the parking lot I noticed several doing the same thing. One guy had been behind me in line, and we had chatted about the security measures at the gate.

I have daydreamed about road-tripping to Cincinnati or St. Pete for a game and often check their promotion schedules, but it usually remains a daydream. The Brewers have ten bobblehead games this year, including dolls of a couple of former players. Saw where the Dodgers had a Don Sutton bobblehead night against the Braves. Found a Kimbrel bobblehead at a thrift store and brought it in to work, and it has stayed on my desk. Leaving bobbleheads in a hot car melts the glue that holds the spring from the head to the body.