looks like Sheffield will be back tonight.
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Chipper Jones returned to the starting lineup Thursday night. Gary Sheffield is expected to join him in the Braves' outfield tonight.
"Hopefully, we'll have all the guys out there at the same time for a change," said Jones, who made a quick recovery after fouling a pitch off his right calf Tuesday night.
Although he was able to pinch hit against the Expos, Sheffield hasn't started since straining his left hamstring running out a grounder in Montreal last week
"He should be ready," manager Bobby Cox said. "I just wanted to give him another day to be sure."
Despite being on crutches the night before, Jones was able to pinch hit Wednesday and returned to left field on Thursday against the Expos, going 3-for-4.
"He's always been a quick healer," Cox said. "It's hard to keep Chipper out of the lineup."
Pinch hitting with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning Wednesday, Jones flied out deep to left field.
"It felt like I had a grapefruit down there in my calf," Jones said. "It was really, really tender, but it feels a ton better."
Asked if he'd ever fouled a pitch off his right calf before, Jones said, "Not that hard."
Second base update
With Marcus Giles expected to be out about three weeks because of his severely sprained right ankle, Keith Lockhart will be the regular second baseman, backed up by Jesse Garcia.
Lockhart hopes he can duplicate 2000. After struggling as pinch hitter that year, he became the regular when Quilvio Veras was lost for the season and hit .289 in 61 games as a starter.
This season, Lockhart is 2-for-28 as a pinch hitter, but the Braves have won six of the first seven games he started, the loss coming Wednesday to the Expos.
"When you get more than one at-bat against a pitcher, you get to make adjustments," said Lockhart, who went 0-for-4 on Thursday. "That's part of the fun of playing baseball."
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Chipper Jones returned to the starting lineup Thursday night. Gary Sheffield is expected to join him in the Braves' outfield tonight.
"Hopefully, we'll have all the guys out there at the same time for a change," said Jones, who made a quick recovery after fouling a pitch off his right calf Tuesday night.
Although he was able to pinch hit against the Expos, Sheffield hasn't started since straining his left hamstring running out a grounder in Montreal last week
"He should be ready," manager Bobby Cox said. "I just wanted to give him another day to be sure."
Despite being on crutches the night before, Jones was able to pinch hit Wednesday and returned to left field on Thursday against the Expos, going 3-for-4.
"He's always been a quick healer," Cox said. "It's hard to keep Chipper out of the lineup."
Pinch hitting with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning Wednesday, Jones flied out deep to left field.
"It felt like I had a grapefruit down there in my calf," Jones said. "It was really, really tender, but it feels a ton better."
Asked if he'd ever fouled a pitch off his right calf before, Jones said, "Not that hard."
Second base update
With Marcus Giles expected to be out about three weeks because of his severely sprained right ankle, Keith Lockhart will be the regular second baseman, backed up by Jesse Garcia.
Lockhart hopes he can duplicate 2000. After struggling as pinch hitter that year, he became the regular when Quilvio Veras was lost for the season and hit .289 in 61 games as a starter.
This season, Lockhart is 2-for-28 as a pinch hitter, but the Braves have won six of the first seven games he started, the loss coming Wednesday to the Expos.
"When you get more than one at-bat against a pitcher, you get to make adjustments," said Lockhart, who went 0-for-4 on Thursday. "That's part of the fun of playing baseball."
