Streaky Keon Broxton sent down to make room for Eric Sogard

Todd Rosiak
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Keon Broxton has 14 home runs and 36 runs batted in this season but leads the National League in strikeouts with 124.

PHILADELPHIA - Keon Broxton bounced between the Milwaukee Brewers and Class AAA Colorado Springs four times last season before he finally figured things out at the plate.

Now he's going to need to demonstrate the ability to adjust again.

Broxton was optioned to Colorado Springs before Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies in order to create room on the 25-man roster for utility man Eric Sogard, who was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list after recovering from a jammed left ankle.

A strikeout as a pinch hitter in Friday's loss left Broxton with three hits in his last 50 at-bats, one in his last 27 and none in his last 12. He also struck out 22 times in those 50 at-bats, leaving him with a National League-leading 124 in 293 at-bats – a rate of 42.3%.

"The hope really is, as much as anything, to just get his confidence back a little bit," manager Craig Counsell said. "We felt like he had reached a point where we just need to get confidence back. We're confident that his offense will come back, but he needs to experience some success in a lower-pressure environment and with a little easier pitching.

"I'm pretty confident he'll have some success here and be back." 

Broxton went through extreme periods of hot and cold from the outset of the season, which began with him suffering a nasal fracture when he was hit in the face by a pitch only four games in. He also flashed considerable natural ability, such as hitting the longest home run ever at Busch Stadium last month.

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Broxton leaves with a .218 average, 14 homers, 36 runs batted in and 17 stolen bases.

"Every hitter is streaky in a way. Keon takes it to an extreme, probably," said Counsell. "What will make him a better offensive player in general is just to shrink bad times and extend the good times.

"The fact that Keon's streaky doesn't bother me. He gets to his offense in his own way, and it's OK. But he had just reached a point where his confidence was shaken, and we needed to address that."

With Broxton out of the picture for the moment, rookie Brett Phillips figures to get more of an opportunity to play in center field. As a left-handed hitter, he might at least be able to work his way into a platoon with Hernán Pérez.

"I don't know how the playing time will pan out," Counsell said. "We'll look at the matchups every day and go from there. Nothing's set in stone in that regard."

Counsell acknowledged he likes what he's seen from Phillips, who made his second straight start Saturday. He entered hitting .227 with a double, two homers and four RBI in 12 games in three stints with the Brewers.

Phillips started for Broxton on Friday and made an impact, hitting his second career homer to the opposite field in the second inning to account for the Brewers' lone run and later making a leaping catch in deep center field to save a potential extra-base hit.

"Brett's done a nice job," Counsell said. "He's played very good defense. Offensively, we're 20-some plate appearances into it. Trying to get Keon right is what's most important, I think, here.

"But Brett's here and he's playing well and he'll get a chance, and we'll just see how that goes moving forward. Just kind of play it day to day."

Phillips said he has no expectations, only that he hopes to continue making a positive impression each time he gets an opportunity.

"Nothing changes, regardless of if I'm in there," said Phillips, who hit .293 with 17 homers and 66 RBI in 76 games at Colorado Springs. "My mindset's the same – just going out there and trying to do my best each night. Give him a reason to keep me in there; that's all I can continue to do.

"I know (Lewis) Brinson's right behind me, and I know Broxton's going to go down and figure some things out and hopefully be back soon. It doesn't take away from what Broxton has done for this team. He's done a lot.

"But for me, I've got to work hard on a daily basis, go out there and play hard and give Counsell a reason every night to keep me in."