Notes: A day after beaning, Keon Broxton ready for action
A pair of matching black eyes and a swollen nose aside, Keon Broxton reported to Miller Park in good shape Friday.
"It feels a lot better than it looks, that’s for sure," Broxton said a few hours before the Milwaukee Brewers opened a three-game series against the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
"It's amazing that there’s no pain. It is just a little swollen and black and blue. My vision is good. No headaches, nothing. I feel fine. I’m just blessed, man. I’m blessed to even come back and take swings in the cage and to be able to look around and do everything."
Broxton made all the highlight shows Thursday night for the wrong reason after being hit in the face by a 93-mph fastball thrown by Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela. Broxton left the game under his own power after a couple minutes and later was diagnosed with a nasal fracture.
Hernán Pérez started in center field Friday, but Broxton made it known to manager Craig Counsell that he was available off the bench if needed.
"I just took some swings in the cage and I feel great, man," he said. "I told Couns (Counsell) if he needs me today I am ready. I can do everything. I can run, play catch, hit. I’m not scared to go back in there. I don’t care.
"It was just an accident. I’m ready, man. If he needs me, I’m ready to go."
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Counsell said he wouldn't hesitate to use Broxton if a need arose.
"He’s fortunate, we’re fortunate," Counsell said. "We get to move forward from it. Hopefully, this is going to be something that happened and we don’t have to worry about it (moving forward)."
Broxton admitted being a little taken aback by the aftermath of the beaning — a situation that could have been much worse had he not been using a protective C-flap that covered part of his left cheek.
"I looked in the mirror and said, ‘Oh, my gosh,’ " he said. "A lot of people have been telling me I look like a lion. I don’t know if you all have ever seen the 'Hitch' movie, but (it looks like) whenever he gets an allergic reaction. There have been a lot of jokes.
"It's nice to be able to joke around about this, because if I didn’t have that flap, it would have been a lot more serious than it is. I’m just blessed to be able to show up today and joke around about my face and to be able to come back out here and play."
Broxton made a plea to fellow players Thursday to consider utilizing a C-flap as a preemptive measure, and on Friday he said teammate Ryan Braun has shown interest.
"He doesn’t know if he is going to try it out or not, but he’s definitely considering it, for sure," he said. "(Eric) Thames even said he was thinking about putting it on now. Like I said, when something like that happens it scares everyone and alarms everyone. I’m pretty sure there will be a lot more people wearing it.
"There are already more people wearing it this year than last year, so I’m sure it will continue to grow."
In the mix: Utility man Nick Franklin, claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, was in uniform Friday as the Brewers went to a five-man bench for the first time.
A season ago with the Rays, Franklin displayed the type of versatility Counsell loves. He made 16 starts in left field, seven at second base, six each at first and at designated hitter and five each at shortstop and in right.
It's likely he'll bounce around with the Brewers in a similar fashion.
"I’ve played almost every position on the field," said Franklin. "I look at it as a great opportunity to help them win in whatever way, even if it means getting back there and catching.
"I’ll do whatever I need to do."
Franklin is also a switch-hitter, joining a group of Brewers reserves that normally includes three right-handed hitters (Pérez, Jesús Aguilar and Manny Piña) and one left-hander (Kirk Nieuwenhuis).
Brewers vice president and assistant general manager Matt Arnold is familiar with Franklin, having been with Tampa Bay before coming to Milwaukee, and Franklin played with Jhan Mariñez there as well. Piña was a minor-league teammate of Franklin's when both were with Seattle.
"Coming from Seattle and then being traded to Tampa and being claimed by the Brewers, it makes it that much easier solely because I’ve gone through it and I know what's expected," he said. "There's not going to be as much pressure as when I got traded to when I got picked up because now I can just relax and just go have fun."