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 Iron man Francoeur sits out Game 2 of twin bill
Braves right fielder Jeff Francoeur did not play in the second game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets on Tuesday night, ending the majors’ longest current streak of consecutive games played at 370.Francoeur started every game of the streak, which began on Oct. 1, 2005. But manager Bobby Cox decided to give his slumping outfielder the night off, hoping it will help turn things around. Just 1-for-14 on the homestand, Francoeur’s average has slipped to .258. “It was weird,” he said. “But I needed tonight mentally, more than anything. It was best to take the night off and just enjoy it. It’s more important that I get back on track than keeping the streak going.” Francoeur has talked his way into the lineup before, but he didn’t even try this time. He knew he needed some time off. “It’s been a mental grind,” Francoeur said. “The game hasn’t been fun. I hope I can get back out there tomorrow night and get another (streak) going.” Cox called him aside after Francoeur went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the opener, a 6-1 win for the Braves. “It was definitely the right decision,” Francoeur said. “I knew I needed it more than he did.” He started the streak at the end of his brilliant rookie season, in which he .300 with 14 homers and 45 RBIs and made the cover of Sports Illustrated. He played every game the last two years, totaling 48 homers and 208 RBIs. After bulking up over the winter, looking to improve on his 19 homers from 2007, Francoeur is off to a sluggish start. A fourth of the way through the year, he’s got 26 RBIs but just three homers. With Francoeur watching from the dugout, the Braves completed the sweep with a 6-2 victory in the nightcap. “He said he was going to sit next to me, but (pitching coach Roger) McDowell beat him to that seat,” Cox joked. “He needed the rest.” 
In News
Red Sox and othersIt's interesting to watch a team go from the underdog to the team on top that everyone tries to knock down. I am a Bostonian and sat through what seemed like endless years of sub-par Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots teams that disappointed me annually. The poor Red Sox, people thought they had a curse that couldn't be lifted. But now the Sox are World Series winners twice in three years, something I never thought I'd say! All of a sudden, the Red Sox are the mighty that everyone will want to beat. They are the bad guys now, the ones everybody wants a piece of. And it's the same thing with the Patriots. They are now hated by lots of football fans. One commentator called every game against the Pats as that team's Super Bowl. I haven't seen the Patriots this year, but I went to the Angeles vs Red Sox game 3 in the playoffs and also Game 2 of the World Series. I bought game tickets from here. This year, I think I am going to forget about sports for a while and instead check out a show, maybe Young Frankenstein. But of course you can bet you'll see me at Fenway Park or Wrigley Field during this upcoming MLB season. |
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