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Michael Brantley lingered with reporters this morning, prepared to give an update on the state of his health, where he is in his rehab, how he feels about the team. When you’re a star athlete on the mend, these questions come up often; when you’ve been attempting a comeback for two years, they become monotonous.
Brantley subverted the normal interview scene this morning by holding a miniature press conference with himself.
When a small group of Cleveland reporters approached Michael Brantley this morning, he joked that he already knew how the questions and answers would go. And then he interviewed himself for us... pic.twitter.com/Wynon0HpB9
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) February 22, 2018
This was a hilarious scene. Brantley first tried to claim that speaking with reporters was not in his contract for this season. On a serious note: All he has left to do health-wise is agility work (cutting, going side to side). He's hitting, throwing, running, etc. https://t.co/tp4n3NAADE
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) February 22, 2018
That Brantley appears to be in good spirits is a good thing. He’s endured setback after setback, and this is a contract season for the former MVP candidate. If he’s capable of putting up numbers close to those from three or four years ago, he’ll be a valuable piece in a dangerous Indians lineup.
However, in baseball, there are no guarantees. If things go badly, will we find Brantley wandering around the locker room in June, scolding himself for asking himself a clown question?