Dan Uggla took out the lineup card to the umpires Thursday -- without his name on it. Uggla, who is hitting .179, was given the night off by manager Fredi Gonzalez.''He's going to manage [Thursday],'' Gonzalez said, half joking. ``He's going to sit here next to me [in the dugout]. He's going to call the shots. He's going to have fun [Thursday].''

 

Gonzalez is hoping a day off will be the elixir for Uggla.

 

''This game is about having fun,'' Gonzalez said. ``Let's not commit suicide with every at bat.''

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/baseball/story/500679.html

 

Whoever managed yesterday's ballgame was asleep. Nolasco clearly didn't have it at all last night. After Chipper hit his second homer of the night, Fredi should have come and gotten him.

Yeah, because our 0 runs really kept us close.

I don't care if we scored 0 or if we were up by ten runs. If you see your guy does not have it, you take him out.

I don't care if we scored 0 or if we were up by ten runs. If you see your guy does not have it, you take him out.

 

Yep, never want to have your bullpen in shape for a close game. Lets put them in early!

It's not like they knew when Chipper went deep (I believe with 2 outs in the 5th) that the next 2 batters would do it too.

 

And ultimately, its not like it mattered.

We weren't just managing for this game, but for the next two. With Smoltz owning up on us, and Nolasco already giving up 3 runs going into the 5th, there was no point to taxing the bullpen. He then gave up 3 home runs in that inning, all with two outs. All he needed was a hard hit shot to the warning track to get out of it. At that point, absolutely no reason to tax the pen.

 

If it was Olsen and Hendrickson pitching the next 2 games, I would agree the naysayers. But with Miller and Badenhop, that pen needs to be very well rested.