(SportsRadio 610) - The only person more excited to see Michael Brantley back on a baseball field other than Astros manager Dusty Baker, is Michael Brantley.
"He’s a special person, special ballplayer and I’m extremely happy to have Michael back," Baker said. "It’s hard to imagine life without Michael Brantley, but you know, we’re hoping that he’s ready on time."
The last time Brantley played was June 26 at Yankee Stadium.
The Astros lost twice that day, falling to the Yankees 6-3 and losing one of their best hitters in the process.
Leaving the game in the seventh inning with a torn labrum, Brantley nor the Astros could’ve guessed the impact his absence would have on the team with 98 regular season games left to play on the regular season schedule.
A career .298 hitter, his bat was certainly missed, but following arthroscopic surgery to repair his right shoulder, his second such operation since 2015, Brantley made it a point to offer as much support as he possibly could in other areas.
Brantley isn’t one to do much talking, but rather do a lot of listening and lead by example.
He offered advice when players were lost. He helped hitters with their swing, their approach and served a multitude of roles despite not being able to contribute on the field.
Serving as another hitting coach, manager, bench coach and being the best teammate he could possibly be during his rehab proved to be invaluable down the stretch.
Brantley’s biggest assist came during the World Series.
Following a 7-0 loss to the Phillies in game three, with his team still leading the series 2-1, Brantley, usually a fairly taciturn guy, felt he needed to let his voice be heard ahead of a pivotal game four.
"I just wanted to remind us how good we were and why we got here," Brantley later recalled. "I just think that we get kind of lost in however the game went, or whatever the atmosphere is at the time. I wanted to reiterate how close we are to our goal."
Houston’s bats came alive in game four, as did their pitching. The Astros won 5-0 behind a combined no-hitter started by six dominant frames from Cristian Javier.
The rest is history, as they say.
Meanwhile, Brantley is hoping to make more of it with the Astros.
There’s still a lot of work to be done and patience to be had as Brantley said he’ll ease into playing in games this spring as to not rush things unnecessarily.
“Everything is right on schedule,” Brantley said. “Everything is going well. I’ve been here for over a week now, so just putting in the reps and obviously getting back into baseball shape. But at the same time, I’m right where I need to be.”
With Spring Training just a couple of days old, Brantley has already taken some early reps at first base, something that hasn’t exactly come natural to him. The 15-year veteran said Monday he’s just looking to help and learn as much as he can.
While not under any real pressure to push Brantley back into service before his shoulder is completely ready for the everyday wear and tear, Baker said they’ll take it in stride.
But whenever Brantley is ready to return, his presence will surely be felt.
"I would liken it to a Kawhi Leonard situation, you know with the Clippers," Baker said. "When you do get him back, it’s a big plus for the team on the field and off the field."
Shaun Bijani has spent the last 16 years covering the Houston sports scene for SportsRadio 610. Follow him on Twitter @ShaunBijani.
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