Braun's Thumb

[DuWayne Steurer]

Power looks ok today.

 

EDIT: The first two were wall scrapers.....might not have been out in other parks, that third one was an absolute SHOT.

[PrinceFielderx1]

and what's the problem again?

[yfinn6]

Was it a thumb problem, or was it a "I'm off to a slow start so something must be wrong" problem. Braun is having himself a, well, decent afternoon.

[homer]

This must make Buster Olney very sad and for that I am grateful.

[SRB]

3-for-5, 3 HR, 7 RBI? Looks like Braun finally took my advice and put a band-aid over that thumb. Problem solved.

[PrinceEatMeat]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/254459731.html

 

Actually, it sounds like Braun made a few changes that paid off. Both to the padding and his swing.

[502 to Right]

I'm not ready to declare victory. Something that bothers him after 5 months off is a problem.

[dlk9s]

Was it a thumb problem, or was it a "I'm off to a slow start so something must be wrong" problem. Braun is having himself a, well, decent afternoon.

 

Come on.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I'm not ready to declare victory. Something that bothers him after 5 months off is a problem.

 

Based on the article I posted above, I am encouraged. He has seemed to find a solution to manage the pain at the plate reasonably well, between a new way of padding and adjusting his swing. If that continues to work, the only real problem will be the blisters and bruises he gets from playing the field. He'll likely have to continue taking regular days off, but that isn't as bad as it could be.

[yfinn6]

Was it a thumb problem, or was it a "I'm off to a slow start so something must be wrong" problem. Braun is having himself a, well, decent afternoon.

 

Come on.

 

Eileen?

[502 to Right]

I'm not ready to declare victory. Something that bothers him after 5 months off is a problem.

 

Based on the article I posted above, I am encouraged. He has seemed to find a solution to manage the pain at the plate reasonably well, between a new way of padding and adjusting his swing. If that continues to work, the only real problem will be the blisters and bruises he gets from playing the field. He'll likely have to continue taking regular days off, but that isn't as bad as it could be.

 

 

Today was encouraging but I'm not going to be convinced for at least a month, or more. The fact that he has a problem that needs to be managed after 5 months off is deeply troubling.

[PrinceFielderx1]

It's not troubling if it doesn't affect his numbers. If he puts up another excellent season we can put this issue to bed. To be honest he's been bothered by this for multiple years now and still puts up excellent seasonal stats. Why is this such a big issue?

[502 to Right]

It's not troubling if it doesn't affect his numbers. If he puts up another excellent season we can put this issue to bed. To be honest he's been bothered by this for multiple years now and still puts up excellent seasonal stats. Why is this such a big issue?

 

 

The problem started last year. He sucked after the injury occurred and then he was suspended. So I wouldn't say he has put up excellent seasonal stats with this injury.

[SoupTown]

I am stumped. In the first or second inning when Braun dove and caught the line drive he thumped the ground with his open right hand in happiness. My first thought was: 'oh, if you have pain so bad you cannot write or shake hands, how can you thump the ground'. Then he ran off twirling the ball in his right hand with a smile. I was confused. Three home runs later, I am more confused.

 

Obviously it is NOT what it is.

 

I did notice the home runs were kind of wall scrapers, the ones that go into the third row, not the 30th row.

 

I don't know what to think. But you cannot hit three MLB home runs in on game if you are finished.

[PrinceFielderx1]

It's not troubling if it doesn't affect his numbers. If he puts up another excellent season we can put this issue to bed. To be honest he's been bothered by this for multiple years now and still puts up excellent seasonal stats. Why is this such a big issue?

 

 

The problem started last year. He sucked after the injury occurred and then he was suspended. So I wouldn't say he has put up excellent seasonal stats with this injury.

Technically he's been injured for a lot longer than that with nagging injuries, but that hasn't really affected him. His stats prove that.

[Nottso]

We all know that Braun will now be questioned about doing so well, with a dose of PED suspicion added in. I wish he'd just run with it and answer with things like:

 

1. I sacrificed a live chicken.

 

2. Since I can no longer use modern medicine, I sold my soul to the devil.

 

3. I'm actually a robot.

[3and2Fastball]

He eliminated the front leg kick, which is helping him get the bat through the zone quicker. Simple mechanics. Well, simple after you've taken 100,000 elite level swings!

[Roderick]

I am stumped. In the first or second inning when Braun dove and caught the line drive he thumped the ground with his open right hand in happiness. My first thought was: 'oh, if you have pain so bad you cannot write or shake hands, how can you thump the ground'. Then he ran off twirling the ball in his right hand with a smile. I was confused.

 

It sure seemed to me he was high-fiving everyone really hard with his right hand.

 

I know if my thumb was injured I wouldn't be doing that with that hand. I would use my other hand (or close my fist or something) just in case a teammate slapped me in the wrong spot.

 

Makes me confused also.

[Oxy]

We all know that Braun will now be questioned about doing so well, with a dose of PED suspicion added in. I wish he'd just run with it and answer with things like:

 

1. I sacrificed a live chicken.

 

2. Since I can no longer use modern medicine, I sold my soul to the devil.

 

3. I'm actually a robot.

 

That would outstanding. Especially now that his credibility is completely shot, it doesn't matter what he says anyway, right? Might as well have fun with it and take on a new persona. Unless he goes all Mark Mcgwire and is plays it humble and contrite for the rest of his life. That's no fun though.

[Nottso]

We all know that Braun will now be questioned about doing so well, with a dose of PED suspicion added in. I wish he'd just run with it and answer with things like:

 

1. I sacrificed a live chicken.

 

2. Since I can no longer use modern medicine, I sold my soul to the devil.

 

3. I'm actually a robot.

 

That would outstanding. Especially now that his credibility is completely shot, it doesn't matter what he says anyway, right? Might as well have fun with it and take on a new persona. Unless he goes all Mark Mcgwire and is plays it humble and contrite for the rest of his life. That's no fun though.

 

Oddly enough, I think such an approach might get a lot of fans off his back. And after the third or fourth time he made a fool of a "hard hitting interviewer" with it they might just back off as well.

[dlk9s]

I am stumped. In the first or second inning when Braun dove and caught the line drive he thumped the ground with his open right hand in happiness. My first thought was: 'oh, if you have pain so bad you cannot write or shake hands, how can you thump the ground'. Then he ran off twirling the ball in his right hand with a smile. I was confused. Three home runs later, I am more confused.

 

Obviously it is NOT what it is.

 

I did notice the home runs were kind of wall scrapers, the ones that go into the third row, not the 30th row.

 

I don't know what to think. But you cannot hit three MLB home runs in on game if you are finished.

Nobody said he was finished. He just has a serious nerve problem in his thumb that has been causing him problems. Obviously it was feeling a bit better yesterday. Perhaps the day off prior helped.

 

I highly, highly, doubt he invented his injury to explain poor performance. If he did, he's got management and doctors in on the ruse, as well.

 

Some days it's bad, some days it's not. Some days he can manage the pain, some days he can't. Some days it hurts and he still does well, some days it feels good and he does poorly.

[3and2Fastball]

Some days it's bad, some days it's not. Some days he can manage the pain, some days he can't. Some days it hurts and he still does well, some days it feels good and he does poorly.

 

I think it is more that he adjusted his hitting mechanics than it was less pain yesterday. MLB hitting is all about evolution, adjusting either to pitchers or your own physical condition. He changed around the padding on his thumb and eliminated the high leg kick.