I know most of you have heard the news, but we were all terrified by the possibility that the Reds might lose BP for an extended period, so for the record:
The Reds received good news on Thursday that a second set of X-rays taken on Brandon Phillips’ bruised right hand were negative.
The Reds’ second baseman is available to play this weekend if the swelling reduces.
Phillips was hit on the back of his hand by a 95-mph fastball from Giants reliever Santiago Casilla in the top of the fifth inning of Wednesday’s 12-11 victory. Initial X-rays were negative, but swelling also made it tougher for them to be conclusive.
In other news, the Reds aren’t going to put Laynce Nix on the disabled list. They know more than I do about the situation, but after watching Nix try to run to first a couple of days ago (he couldn’t run twenty feet), I have to wonder about the decision to go “day-to-day” with him. Seems like, once again, the Reds are going to play shorthanded, perhaps with only 23 players available to play the field this weekend. Why do that during a pennant race?