Diaz's season ends with infection
Matt Diaz still can't fully explain what forced him to stray too far off third base and get picked off to end Wednesday night's loss to the Marlins. But the Braves outfielder now has a better understanding of why he suddenly went from red-hot to ice-cold at the plate in September.
When Diaz awoke Friday morning, he saw that his right thumb that had bothered him over the course of the past couple of weeks had swollen significantly. Hours later, doctors drained fluid out of this area and found the cause of infection to be a small foreign substance, which could have been the shard of a bat he'd broken a few weeks earlier.
"They had to take out an infected cyst that's been there for a while," Diaz said. "(The doctor) said this infection could have been stirring for quite a while. For a month, I haven't had an at-bat where it didn't feel like I got jammed, even if I hit the ball with the sweet spot."
Diaz remembers feeling some discomfort during the series that was played against the Reds during the first week of September. His sudden dropoff in production supports the belief that this is likely when the foreign substance entered his hand.
From Aug. 18-Sept. 4, Diaz hit .463 with a 1.234 OPS. In the 21 games he played after this stretch, he hit .243 with a .754 OPS.
"Theoretically whenever I would swing I would drive that splinter or shard or whatever it was further down in there," Diaz said.
When Diaz arrived at Turner Field on Saturday, his hand was heavily wrapped with gauze to protect the infection that can't be sealed. He'll visit with a member of the Braves medical staff on Monday and then likely head back to Florida for the offseason.
When Diaz awoke Friday morning, he saw that his right thumb that had bothered him over the course of the past couple of weeks had swollen significantly. Hours later, doctors drained fluid out of this area and found the cause of infection to be a small foreign substance, which could have been the shard of a bat he'd broken a few weeks earlier.
"They had to take out an infected cyst that's been there for a while," Diaz said. "(The doctor) said this infection could have been stirring for quite a while. For a month, I haven't had an at-bat where it didn't feel like I got jammed, even if I hit the ball with the sweet spot."
Diaz remembers feeling some discomfort during the series that was played against the Reds during the first week of September. His sudden dropoff in production supports the belief that this is likely when the foreign substance entered his hand.
From Aug. 18-Sept. 4, Diaz hit .463 with a 1.234 OPS. In the 21 games he played after this stretch, he hit .243 with a .754 OPS.
"Theoretically whenever I would swing I would drive that splinter or shard or whatever it was further down in there," Diaz said.
When Diaz arrived at Turner Field on Saturday, his hand was heavily wrapped with gauze to protect the infection that can't be sealed. He'll visit with a member of the Braves medical staff on Monday and then likely head back to Florida for the offseason.
That is too bad but regardless, the Braves season seems to have ended this past Monday when they crawled to within two games of the Rockies, and then fell flat on their faces.
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Matt, it's good to know the reason for the falloff, because it just didn't seem like you to not keep up your good work. I hate that we won't see you on the field again this year, but I hope to see you in a Braves uniform again next year.
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Will Matt Diaz be ready for Spring Training?
I think next year if he has another good season we should sign Jayson Werth to a deal
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It was a good season. Thanks to Mark and everyone else.
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