After one game in the leadoff spot, Jordan Schafer was back in the eighth spot Sunday, and it looked to be the right choice.
The rookie struck out three times Sunday, all with runners in scoring position to make that six strikeouts in his past two games. Schafer struck out swinging on three pitches in each of his last two at-bats Sunday. The scouting report is apparently getting around.
"Guys up here, they're not stupid," Chipper Jones said. "They know how to scout hitters, and they have found his hole. His hole is just above the hands, middle up, and he's having a hard time catching up to it. Until he shortens up and puts the ball in play more consistently, he's going to continue to struggle."
Manager Bobby Cox chose to drop the left-handed hitting Schafer back to the eighth spot against Houston left-hander Wandy Rodriguez. He put right-handed Omar Infante back in the leadoff spot, where he is hitting .448 (13-for-29). Infante was 2-for-4 there with a walk and a run scored.
Infante played second base for the third time in four games. Cox is either going with the hot hand --- Kelly Johnson went 2-for-3 Saturday but is only 6-for-42 (.143) in his past 12 games --- or he's trying a platoon at second base. The irony there is that Johnson is hitting .308 against left-handers and only .170 against right-handers.
For Schafer, he can take some confidence that Cox gave him a shot at the leadoff spot Saturday. But he might have some work to do to get back up there.
"When he puts the ball in play, he's got a really good average," Jones said. "It's just the strikeout, and the timing of the strikeouts. There are times when he absolutely has to put the ball in play and let his God-given talent help him."
Anderson: No rehab
Garret Anderson has only 25 at-bats in the Braves' first 24 games, so the Braves thought a minor league rehabilitation outing was in order before he returns from the disabled list Tuesday from his quadriceps strain.
Anderson elected not to go, as is his right, but it comes as a surprise considering the Gwinnett Braves are so close.
Anderson said Sunday he felt like he hadn't missed enough time to warrant it.
"Bobby Cox asked me, and I said no, I didn't need one," Anderson said. "I did it [when on the DL] in 2007 because I missed 50-60 games. This is a little different."
Anderson ran the bases over the weekend to test his sore quadriceps and said it's holding up. He expects to be ready for Tuesday against the Mets.
Anderson has played in only 10 games with injuries to both his calf and his quadriceps.
