Jun/25/08 05:59 PM Filed in:
Ryan Braun
ATLANTA -- A minor hand
injury could be contributing to a rare -- and
relative -- cold streak for Brewers left fielder
Ryan Braun.
Braun went 3-for-8 in Games 1 and 2 of a series in
Atlanta that concluded Wednesday afternoon, but still
entered the finale hitting .240 with two RBIs and 10
strikeouts in his previous seven games. Braun was
hitting .256 this month, though he had contributed six
home runs and 17 RBIs.
He has been getting treatment for soreness in the meaty
part of his right hand between his thumb and forefinger
for about a week. Braun cannot trace the source of the
injury, but believes he irritated a ligament on a swing
during the Brewers' last homestand.
"I'm just trying to get by right now until I get
healthy," Braun said. "I feel OK, but not great.
"The good thing is that everybody is contributing," he
said. "It's not a case that I need to carry the team or
Prince [Fielder] needs to carry the team. It's a lot
easier when everybody is contributing and that's why
we're winning games."
Brewers manager Ned Yost wondered why anyone would
think Braun -- hitting .287 this season with 20 home
runs, 57 RBIs and a chance to start next month's
All-Star Game -- was slumping in the first place.
"He's an incredible, talented kid, but you can't expect
him to get three hits every night," Yost said. "If he
goes his little 1-for-4 with a single or a double, he's
not having a little bump in the road."
Braun said he is swinging the bat, "OK, but not great,"
and declined the notion that his ups and downs this
season are related to the growing scouting report on
him.
"Anybody who brings that up as an excuse, I just don't
get it," Braun said. "I think the scouting report is
based more on individual pitchers' strengths. If you
get guys who throw real hard, they'll probably
challenge you with more fastballs. If you get finesse
guys, they'll throw more off-speed pitches."
Braun has not missed any time because of the soreness
in his hand. He did leave a game for a pinch-hitter on
June 19, when the Brewers had an 8-1 lead in the eighth
inning. He has started every game since May 25.
"Everybody has something. The hardest thing in this
game is staying healthy," Braun said. "You just deal
with it when things come up. The bottom line is that
everybody deals with it and you have to make the most
of it."
(mlb.com)