Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez likes what he sees from Paul Janish. The Braves traded for the shortstop --who was toiling away with the Cincinnati Reds in AAA -- after starting rookie Andrelton Simmons hit the DL.
After Janish went 3-for-5 and made a key relay throw that prevented Andre Ethier from scoring, he singled in the 11th to let Juan Francisco come to the plate and deliver the winning RBI. Gonzalez was raving about the shortstop after the game:
“He had a great night but I appreciate him. The hits, those are great things to do but I appreciate the hell out of him defensively. The stuff he can do. The relay to cut the runner out at the plate with two outs.
"Nice game on his part, and I know him and Walk have worked hard to get a swing where he’s not an out. And he’s not by any means of the imagination and like we always say, he’s not here to win a batting title, he’s here to help us win on defense. And he’s done that. Whatever we get offensively out of him is a plus.”
Janish is hitting just .227, but his solid defense in a loaded lineup is all the Braves are asking for until Simmons returns. Nights at the plate like Friday night are just icing on the cake.
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