Despite Brewers' injuries, Roenicke says, 'We're still good'
It would be easy for the Milwaukee Brewers to collectively say "woe is us," especially after a nine-game trip in which three players went on the disabled list, including two with severe knee injuries that likely will end their seasons.
First baseman Mat Gamel and shortstop Alex Gonzalez both were lost with freak yet major knee injuries, only five days apart. Outfielder Carlos Gomez suffered a lesser hamstring injury but still landed on the 15-day DL.
With No. 5 starter Chris Narveson already lost for the season with a torn rotator cuff that required surgery, the Brewers were reeling at an early stage of the season. But manager Ron Roenicke told his players they had to press forward.
"We still have a good team; I know we can still do good things," Roenicke said. "Sometimes that's not easy, depending on what the injuries are and who they are to.
"They know we're still good. They know if we start getting everything together, we're still going to have a good year. Just knowing that is a plus to them. If they know whoever goes down really devastates a team so they're not good anymore, then it becomes a different issue.
"But we're not a team that's like that. We're still good."
Right fielder Corey Hart said it was difficult not to think about the fallen teammates but that the team, which already was struggling for consistency, needed to regroup and pick up the slack.
"It's still early," he said. "You're going to have plenty of trials throughout the season. We've been hit with a lot of them early. We have a good team; we've just got to stay focused and stay the course.
"We can't dwell on it. We feel bad for everything that's happened. Our heart goes out to all the guys (who are injured). It's looking like a long road for three of them. It's hard not to think of the guys. When things like that happen, it takes a few days to get over it."
