(AP Photo/Matt York)

Readers, if you want to back up what I say here, or otherwise just wish Byrnesie well, add a comment and I will send this letter on to him.

Hey, Byrnesie!

When I didn’t see your name in the line up last night, I went to the Diamondbacks website to find out why, and I found Steve Gilbert’s article.

Now the every-other-day playing schedule in spring training makes sense, and now I know that what I saw during the last game in San Francisco was not just dehydration. And why you didn’t come out to practice that third day.

The article said, “According to Byrnes, he’s been told the only way to fully get his legs 100 percent he would need to sit out for a couple of weeks and he has no plans to do that.

“It’s not a big deal,” he said. “I could play. It’s important for me to be on the field. It’s nothing serious enough to pull myself out. It definitely means a little more time working with [head athletic trainer] Ken [Crenshaw], but I’m going to do everything in my power to be ready to play every day.”

If, in fact, you can be 100% by taking two weeks off now, you should do it. It is early in the season and the Diamondbacks have gotten off to a good start. It is better to take the time now to get completely well than to hurt yourself more seriously and HAVE to pull yourself out, perhaps for longer than 2 weeks, during a more critical time in the season.

You may think it’s manly to play through pain, but discretion is the better part of valor. Hamstrings are delicate creatures, and to have them in good shape is essential to a base-stealing outfielder.

You are quoted in the article as saying, “I know I haven’t had my legs under me, It’s without a doubt affecting my speed, but I can still get to balls. If I can play at this level, it’s good enough.”

GOOD ENOUGH? When did that phrase enter your vocabulary? Where is the Eric Byrnes who told me last September that he could get better still?

If you sit out, some fools may say that you’ve gone soft now that you’ve signed your contract extension, but since when have you ever cared what fools have to say?

I know that you’ve never been on the DL, which is amazing the way you throw yourself around out there. And I think I know at least part of what’s on your mind here: Injuries have played an important part in your career. People started to notice who you were and what you could do when Jermaine Dye broke his leg in 2003. The Diamondbacks’ front office knew in June 2006 that they did not want to pick up Gonzo’s option for 2007 and they were planning to evaluate Scott Hairston as his replacement. If he had played well for a decent stretch rather than gotten seriously hurt in his first game, you might have been history rather than hero in 2007. Then in early August of ‘06 Jeff DaVanon split a tendon and you no longer had to split time with him.

But now the shoe is on the other foot. And part of you is afraid that with the younger players available, you might have a hard time getting back in when you are fully healed. Salazar can play. Romero would probably be brought up again if you went on the DL and he can play. You are looking at your teammate Chad Tracy and you are wondering what happens to him when he is ready to come back; both Jackson and Reynolds are doing well.

And you don’t want to end up facing that situation.

But that’s exactly the situation you may end up in if your legs get worse.

You have played so fearlessly for so long that no one can question your toughness, Byrnesie, or your love for the game, or your desire to help your team. But, as you told me last week, it’s a long season. So what helps the team in the long run? An Eric Byrnes who takes 2 weeks off now and gets back to 100% for the rest of the season, or an Eric Byrnes who is less than his best and is risking his ability to perform in September and October? An Eric Byrnes who costs his team a certain game or two because he can’t steal a base or get to a ball at a critical time will be no help to the team if the race tightens.

You know you are going to lose the time anyway. Bob Melvin has decided that he’s going to give you periodic days off. But a day off here and there will not get you better. Take the two weeks off now, get better, and maybe there will be less need for time off later in the year.

Last time you were on Live Video you talked about nutrition and challenged all of us to get into better shape. Nutrition is not the whole story. I challenge you to think longer term than tomorrow or two weeks from tomorrow, and get into shape by resting. Listen to your body before it really has to scream bloody murder.

ByrnesBlogger1

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