News
Hairston takes disabled-list stint in stride
Padres outfielder staying positive following biceps injury
By Corey Brock / MLB.com
06/03/09 8:35 PM ET
SAN DIEGO -- When Scott Hairston was told on Wednesday that he would be placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left biceps, he chose to take the glass-half-full outlook instead of bemoaning time away from the lineup. "You have to stay level-headed," Hairston said. "The degree of the injury isn't as bad as it could be, and we've got a lot left in the season. It was obviously hard, knowing that I had been put on the disabled list. It's not always good news." Hairston, who was leading the team with a .327 batting average and had eight home runs and 23 RBIs while playing left and center field, has been the most productive bat in the lineup after Adrian Gonzalez, who leads the Major Leagues with 22 home runs. Hairston suffered the injury swinging the bat in his second at-bat in Tuesday's 10-5 loss to the Phillies at PETCO Park. He left the game and was replaced by Chase Headley. "After each swing, I could feel it getting worse," Hairston said. The Padres recalled outfielder Will Venable from Triple-A Portland on Wednesday to take the place of Hairston on the roster. Venable, who hit two home runs for the Beavers in a game in Las Vegas on Tuesday, was hitting .260 with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs when he got the call. The Padres might have chosen Drew Macias, who has been with the Padres on four separate occasions this season, had he not suffered what is being called a contusion to his right hand after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday. Hairston, who started this season as the right-handed-hitting piece to San Diego's center-field equation with Jody Gerut, more or less has become an everyday player for the first time, as he's hitting .379 against left-handed pitching and .292 against righties. "He's been a big part of our offense -- his batting average, his on-base percentage, he's hit some big homers," Padres manager Bud Black said. "We'll have to get contributions from other guys to pick up what Scotty was providing for us. "We're hoping that it's just the 15 days, but we won't know until we move further down the line." Hairston had an MRI exam earlier on Wednesday that confirmed the injury. He took comfort in knowing it wasn't more serious and that he wouldn't miss more time than he has to. "Knowing that it's just a muscle strain instead of a tendon, that's a big difference," Hairston said. "Giving it a couple of weeks to rest and to heal, hopefully I will be ready to go once my time is up on the DL. "This isn't the time to mope around the clubhouse and feel sorry for myself. Life could be a lot worse. It's just a little bump in the road. I'm just going to keep going and have my focus on getting well."Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
