HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Even before Michael Brantley collected a pair of hits and threw out a baserunner in Sugar Land on Saturday night, Astros manager Dusty Baker knew his second rehab assignment was headed in the right direction.
"I'm encouraged by talking to him and the look on his face," Baker said Sunday. "I can tell when a guy's happy or unhappy. Michael Brantley, if he's healthy he's going to do all the things that a great ballplayer can do."
Brantley is 5-for-11 through the first three games of his second rehab assignment of the season, which has him playing every other day. Brantley was not in Sugar Land's lineup on Sunday, so with Monday's off day he won't play again until Tuesday.
"As much as we want to rush him we have to guard against that," Baker said.
"Nobody knows Michael Brantley and how he's supposed to feel better than him. It's a feel that you get."