Braun passes test in return to Majors

PHOENIX -- After a short morning meeting with manager Ken Macha, Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun declared his status for the day.

"I'm back," Braun said.

Braun returned to the "A" game lineup after spending two days in Minor League camp, a move to protect against a worsening of the muscle strain in his ribcage and a possible trip to the disabled list. Braun passed that test, hitting a three-run home run off Angels closer Brian Fuentes in a Triple-A game on Sunday, and was back in left field and his usual No. 3 hole against the big league Mariners on Monday afternoon.

"The parameters for him were that he had to go out there and play seven [innings] and take all of his fielding drills and be able to throw," Macha said. "He assured me that it's going to be no problem."

Braun actually played six innings, going 0-for-3 at the plate. He was replaced by Chris Duffy in the seventh inning but said his day was a success.
"I passed the test again," said Braun, who was not sure whether he would be in the lineup again on Tuesday night against the Padres.

The Brewers were taking a very cautious approach by protecting Braun in Minor League games. The rules allow teams to backdate DL stints before the start of the season if the player has not appeared in any Major League spring games after that date.

The team allowed Braun to make the call Monday as to whether he would play. Since he appeared in the "A" game, a setback would have pushed any potential stay on the DL for Braun deeper into the regular season.

But so far, so good.

"He told me he's fine -- no problems," Macha said. "All the implications were explained to him as far as the mechanics of the DL and how that works. By going out and playing today ... it just lengthens the stay he would have to be on the DL into the season. He understands the repercussions of that."

Braun is still feeling what he called "tightness" in his intercostals, small muscles between his ribs on the right side of his lower back. He thinks he might have to manage the problem throughout the season. It's similar but much less severe than the injury he had last year during the second half.

"After having dealt with it, I really feel like it doesn't go completely away," Braun said. "I think the rest of the guys who have gone though it would say the same thing. Over the course of the year, everybody plays through pain, plays with some type of injury. It's a matter of walking that fine line of not wanting to make it worse and getting through that last bit of pain until it's back to being healthy."

Assistant general manager Gord Ash also made sure that Braun understood what he was doing.

"He tells us he's ready to go," Ash said. "The prevailing attitude was, since he missed so much of the spring [to play in the World Baseball Classic], let's get him in there with his teammates."

(mlb.com)