ATLANTA -- Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez and Nationals manager Matt Williams had differing opinions regarding Andrelton Simmons' slide that injured Yunel Escobar in the Braves' 8-4 victory Monday night. But as they prepared for Tuesday's game, both skippers said they did not expect the incident to have a carryover effect.
"There was no malicious intent at all with Simmons," Gonzalez said. "I've been quoted in articles about how bad of a baserunner he is, and we make fun of him because he thinks he's invisible."
The often overaggressive Simmons seemed to think he had the power of invisibility as he ignored third-base coach Bo Porter's stop sign while racing from first base to third base after Doug Fister made an errant pickoff throw during Monday's fifth inning.