The Braves instruct players from the time they are minor leaguers to avoid sliding head-first whenever possible - at any base, but especially at home plate.

They go so far as to fine players $50 for the home-plate infraction in the minor league system, because they want to avoid injuries such as the broken arm sustained by Texas Rangers star Josh Hamilton in a head-first slide at the plate Tuesday.

Still, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said it would not surprise him to see a player from some team, perhaps his own team, slide head-first at home plate within 24 hours of the headline-making Hamilton incident.

"I guarantee you everybody who's worn a uniform has been told since they were in high school, Little League," Gonzalez said. "But the biggest news in baseball the last two days is Josh Hamilton breaking his [arm], and I guarantee you there's a play at the plate today where you'll see somebody slide head-first."

Gonzalez didn't know whether the Braves had been instructed during spring training not to slide head-first, but he said they didn't need to be because they've had it drilled into them since they came up through the minors.