Susac tries to put tough start behind him
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Better late than never is probably a good way to describe Andrew Susac‘s call-up to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
Expected to compete for one of the team’s two catching spots in spring training, he instead missed the second half of camp after suffering a strain in his upper back and opened on the disabled list.
Manny Piña and Jett Bandy then got off to great starts with the Brewers, while Susac struggled at Class AAA Colorado Springs after returning from the DL. Then came the cluster headaches, bad enough to send him back to the DL.
Susac missed about three weeks with those before returning in early June. It’s been a struggle to regain his footing, and he was batting .205 with eight home runs and 35 runs batted in at Colorado Springs when he was recalled to replace the injured Bandy.
“It’s been a rough go, to say the least,” Susac said after joining the team in advance of a five-game interleague road trip that began Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
“But I’ve been feeling better as of late, post allstar break, and getting into the swing of things. But it’s been a rough go, for sure. It’s been a typical ‘me’ year – off and on.
“This game is hard enough to play every day. No excuses, nothing like that. But I’m not doing myself any favors by missing time here and there and having to restart.”
Susac was acquired from the San Francisco Giants last Aug. 1 along with minor-league pitching prospect Phil Bickford
for Will Smith. He played nine games for the Brewers last September, with a two-run, 10th-inning homer lifting the team to victory at Colorado in the season finale.
He played a total of 87 games with the Giants in 2014-’15, hitting .240 with six homers and 33 RBI. Playing behind one of the game’s best catchers in
Buster Posey, Susac had a difficult time staying healthy in San Francisco as well as he bounced back and forth between the majors and minors.
The trapezius strain in the spring was frustrating enough for Susac. But the headaches were a different issue entirely, he said. He was finally able to find some relief with medication while also using oxygen at times.
“I don’t think I slept for a week because of the headaches,” he said. “Put so much work into the offseason getting right and getting ready and to have it come to a halt like that and have to re-start again – it’s been ‘me’ for the last couple years.
“Hopefully we can start a new trend.”
Susac hit .250 with two doubles, two homers, 12 RBI and an OPS of .825 over his last 11 games at Colorado Springs. The fractured rib Bandy suffered opened the door for Susac, who at least arrives with some budding confidence.
“Starting to get back in the swing of things,” he said. “You know how it is. You get into a groove and you start playing a little more and something clicks.
“I’m definitely not clicking as quick and as frequently as I’d like, but I definitely feel better than I did coming into the season.”
It’s expected that Piña will remain the Brewers’ primary catcher, with Susac filling in on occasion. There was also some good news on Friday with regard to Stephen Vogt, who has been on the DL since July 18 with a sprained left knee.
He took batting practice for the first time on Friday and also ran the bases. After catching several bullpen sessions, he’ll head out on a minorleague rehab assignment with the hope of rejoining the Brewers in about two weeks in Colorado at the outset of a long West Coast road trip. Rounding into shape:
Vogt wasn’t the only Brewers player who took another step forward in the rehab process on Friday. Right-hander Chase
Anderson, out since June 29 with a strained left oblique, threw a 35-pitch session of live batting practice and was all smiles afterward.
“Really good,” he said. “Felt great. My body responded well. I feel really good right now.” Manager Craig Counsell said Anderson would likely head out for three minor-league rehab starts next Tuesday or Wednesday. Class A Wisconsin could be a possible landing spot for him to start.
If he sticks to that schedule, Anderson would also be in line to rejoin the Brewers on that West Coast trip along with Vogt. Adding both would be akin to pulling off a major August trade, Counsell acknowledged.
“Chase pitched 100 really good innings for us,” Counsell said. “So to have him back, it’s a big addition and he’s certainly someone we think can help. Stephen was a huge addition for the two weeks that he was active. He played an important role in a pretty good stretch for us.
“Those are important players, and adding them back is something we’re looking forward to.”