Brewers Lose Valentin for Three Weeks

Shortstop Jose Valentin will be sidelined three weeks after suffering a cut finger in the Brewers’ game Sunday against Toronto in Milwaukee.

Valentin fouled a Pat Hentgen pitch off his left hand on a bunt attempt in the second inning, cutting his middle finger. Because it was so cold, Valentin said he couldn’t feel any pain initially, so he got back into the batters box. After striking out, he trotted back to the dugout and by that time the pain was unbearable.

“I was crying like a baby, it hurt so bad,” said Valentin, who needed five stitches to close the cut.

The Brewers called up infielder Eddy Diaz from triple-A Tucson to replace Valentin.

Manager Phil Garner was furious that Valentin wrapped his fingers around the bat handle on the bunt attempt.

“I know he’s known it since he’s been in professional baseball,” Garner said. “And I know he was probably taught that way before then, by his dad, who’s a good baseball teacher. Now, it’s going to cost him at least a couple weeks.”

In the third inning, Toronto shortstop Alex Gonzalez left the game after a collision with left fielder Shawn Green chasing a fly ball. Gonzalez sustained a bloody nose and cut lip, and had blurred vision which cleared up by the game’s end.

*

The Blue Jays scratched Roger Clemens from tonight’s start in Toronto against Kansas City as a precaution against aggravating a mild groin strain.

Clemens (2-0) removed himself from a game at Chicago Wednesday when he first felt pain. Clemens threw on the sideline briefly Sunday.