Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson is out for the National League Division Series because of a partially torn ligament in his left hand.
Swanson spoke with the media before Game 1 on Thursday.
Q. Dansby, what are you unable to do, and what is your future looking like?
A. Good question. A lot of it right now is really just trying to take it day by day. I think that's kind of where we're at. Right now it's just really trying to get better today, kind of similar approach that we have as far as playing. Mine just happens to be for treatment. But I'm trying to get better each day, and hopefully be able to help this team out in the future. But as of right now, my role is be a supportive teammate, so that's what I'll do.
Q. Dansby, as of Sunday, (manager Brian Snitker) was saying he was still cautiously optimistic you'd be able to go. When you swung the bat on Saturday, he said it didn't really feel well. Did you have an idea that you wouldn't be ready or were you still holding out hope as well?
A. I was definitely still hopeful. I mean, I think that, especially at this point in the year, you try and do everything you can to be able to help your team. And at the end of the day, if I did everything that I could to try and be able to play and it still didn't work, then I can be okay with that and I can still be here to, like I said, be supportive, have an extra set of eyes, try and be a part of this team from a different perspective. So that's what I'm going to do, and I'm going to take pride in it.
Q. Obviously it's not great news for you, but is it fun to kind of see (Charlie) Culberson get a chance to come in here and fill in for you?
A. Oh, yeah. I mean, I think everybody knows, especially here, what he was able to do last year in the postseason. And we have no doubts that he'll be able to do it again for us now. I enjoy watching all my teammates play, especially somebody that looks like me. So it'll be like watching myself out there almost. (Smiles).
Q. What has he meant to this team?
A. Talking about Charlie? Honestly, it's hard to even put into words just because he's been able to fill in for so many people, but almost excel at that role. And I think having somebody like that is rare. I think that people almost kind of kill for guys like that on their team, that they can play any position and do it well, and they can provide a spark offensively, especially just the personality that he brings to our clubhouse has been phenomenal. He's an unbelievable person.
I've been able to learn so much from him just about like living life the right way, and you can never have enough guys like that around. So being able to have a person like that, obviously means more and it's something that you can't really like quantify and put into statistics. But he does so much for us outside of baseball that really makes us go.
Q. You're saying all the right things, as usual. But how tough is this? It's gotta be tough for you, because like was said yesterday this is kind of what you live for, not the stats and all that, but competing for championships. You won one at Vandy. How tough is this for you to watch the first step of this especially knowing there's a chance you guys won't advance?
A. Yeah, I already had my pity party. That's kind of what I told everybody. Like Saturday and Sunday, I had my pity party, had to watch the Falcons lose, watched Vandy squeak one out. It was a tough weekend. Yeah, it's tough. I'm not going to lie. It definitely is tough, because I love to win. Like my passion is winning and competing at the highest level. And it has been a struggle, understanding, you know, like why now? And I think that's been like the biggest battle for me, but at the same time, there's nothing I can do about it other than try and get better. And like I said, be the supportive teammate that I've always been, but just do it full time right now. I'm not going to say I'm okay with it, but that's my reality, and I'm going to do the best I can at it.
Q. Dansby, you kind of alluded to it, to the mistaken identity of you and Charlie. Did that ever settle down this year? And did you guys ever have an instance where you kind of had fun with that, maybe pranked somebody?
A. Oh, yeah, down in Miami during players' weekend we switched BP jerseys, and I think it was more fun to me and him that we could kind of get back at everybody else for getting onto us about it. But we definitely had fun with it. I think at the beginning of the year, we didn't really know how to handle it or take it, but as the year evolved and everything, it was perfect. It just really played itself out very well, and it's just funny, both being from Georgia and playing the same position and all that kind of stuff. So it was fun. We enjoyed it, and definitely got a lot of laughs out of it.
Transcription provided by ASAP Sports.
About the Author
