The defense has not been pretty lately, but it isn't because Braves players are coasting, knowing they're out of the pennant race. The two defensive plays that cost them the win Thursday against the Mets occurred because players were playing out of position.
Martin Prado, who made a difficult stop on a ball, then had a tough toss for an out to left-hander Will Ohman covering first, is not a first baseman. The error was really Ohman's because he realized, too late, that he had to cover first and he took his eye off the ball. And Omar Infante, who lost a ball that fell in to allow the game-winning run to score in the bottom of the ninth, is an infielder, not an outfielder.
Prado was filling in at first base for the injured Greg Norton, who isn't a first baseman either. Norton, a switch-hitter, was signed by the Braves to be a bat off the bench. This is the state of things at first base following the trade of Gold Glove first baseman Mark Teixeira.
The outfield is in transition as well. Center fielder Mark Kotsay was signed as a one-year bridge to Jordan Shafer, who was rising rapidly through the minor leagues until he was hit with a 50-game suspension for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program -- he was caught using human growth hormone.
And Matt Diaz, who was platooning with Gregor Blanco in left field, has been out since May 27 when he tore up his left knee crashing into an unpadded section of the outfield wall at Miller Park. That pushed Infante to the outfield while Blanco has spelled Kotsay, whose back needs a day off periodically.
CARDINALS 18, BRAVES 3: RHP Charlie Morton exited after pitching 1 1/3 innings, the bases loaded and the Braves down 4-0. The overused bullpen was stuck with the wreckage and made it worse as the Braves' season continues in free-fall.
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