For the second straight day, Brandon Belt went through light infielding drills, using only his glove hand to field grounders, and snag short-hops at first. He wears a black brace on his left wrist and thumb for stability.
Belt also spoke publicly for the first time since injuring his thumb on Sept. 26 in Coors Field. In his normal, upbeat, wise-cracking mood — he found time to poke fun at Logan Webb’s home run trot — Belt detailed the nature of his left thumb fracture and ruled himself out for the divisional series.
“Just bummed out,” Belt said of his reaction to the diagnosis. “Worst possible time to have an injury. Try not to get too upset about it and just stay focused on getting back out there.”
Belt showed reporters exactly what area on his hand the fracture affects: the joint between his thumb and index finger. “Right there, at the base of the thumb,” he said. That also happens to be how a person grips a baseball bat.
“The way it broke, they said it wasn’t necessarily the impact, but it was because my thumb bent back so far, either a ligament was going to tear or the bone was going to break,” Belt said. “Fortunately there was no ligament tear, so I think I got the better of the two.”
The Captain also said that it didn’t feel like previous times he’d broken that thumb. He didn’t think it was broken, whereas in the past he knew right away. It didn’t hurt as much at first, but there was more numbness. The morning after, though, Belt was still sore and had a bad feeling.
Belt said while it’s difficult being unable to play, practicing with the team during the workout sessions has helped the feeling of unity and continuity that’s developed over the course of the season. He can also work on “visual” batting practice, meaning seeing pitches in the cage to maintain his timing.
“I can actually swing front-hand, one-handed swing with my right hand,” he said.
The first baseman said he’s not sure when his next scan is, but two weeks from his injury is this upcoming Sunday; manager Gabe Kapler previously said he’ll be re-examined in two weeks.
Kapler has also said the “dream scenario” is for Belt to return for the NLCS. That would first require the Giants to advance past either the Dodgers or Cardinals in a five-game series. Belt said he doesn’t know if it’ll be possible, but “that’s been the goal from Day 1.”
“It all depends on how the bone recovers,” Belt said. “But that’s what I’m shooting for. I want to get back out there as soon as possible. Obviously the Divisional Series is not in play here. But as of right now, the NLCS is. That’s what I’m working for. And if that doesn’t happen, I’ll just get ready for the World Series.
We’re throwing everything we’ve got at it as far as treatment. But you’ve got to let the bone heal. Come back too early, you can break it again or cause longer term damage. So we’re trying to avoid all that, obviously, but there is a thought that we can make it back to the NLCS. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
