Brandon Phillips adamant about avoiding disabled list

NEW YORK – Brandon Phillips' groin was still sore Thursday and the veteran second baseman was out of the lineup for the Braves' 7-5 win against the Mets. But he maintained his humor and was adamant about not requiring a stint on the 10-day disabled list."I'm not going on the DL, that's not going to happen," Phillips said Thursday morning, some 15 hours after straining his left groin in the first inning of an 8-2 win against the Mets. "I'm going to wrap it up, I'm going to do something. I'm going to be like Chipotle burrito, I'm wrapping that thing up. I'm not going on the DL, I promise you that."Phillips, 35, hoped to be ready to play during a three-game series against the Brewers that starts Friday night in Milwaukee. He implied that the groin was a little more sore when he woke Thursday.Methode Media Group 1"I plead the Fifth," he said coyly, when asked if he was sorer Thursday than the night before. "I still feel it right now, but it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. We have a great training staff, so they're going to get me back on the field as soon as possible. But I'm going to be smart also, because this is my first groin injury. I don't know what to expect but hopefully it's nothing real serious."Braves manager Brian Snitker said he hoped to have Phillips back in the lineup Friday and that he might be available to pinch-hit in Thursday afternoon's game in an emergency situation."Hopefully with (Friday) being a night game and treating him all day today, you hope that maybe we can get him back in the lineup (Friday)," Snitker said.Phillips extended his hitting streak to 11 games and his on-base streak to 16 games with a first-inning single Wednesday, then was thrown trying to steal second base. That's when he injured his groin as he slid past the base and reached back for it.He played defense in the bottom of the first and was in obvious pain after fielding a ground ball by the Mets' leadoff hitter and throwing to first for the out."When I was running off the field (after the stolen base attempt) I was like, oh snap, I feel something; maybe it'll go away," Phillips said. "Then when I sat down on the bench I was like, I'm OK. But then when it was time for me to get up and run on the field (in the bottom of the first) I was like, oh snap, let me just play this inning, hopefully they don't hit me any ground balls."Oh, thank you – the first (batter hit him a ground ball). I was done. I mean, I had to come off the field. I was happy that (pitcher Julio Teheran) did his job to get them 1, 2, 3."Phillips left the game after the first inning and went straight to the clubhouse to have the injury checked out by the medical staff."To tell you the truth I cried yesterday, I'm not going to lie," Phillips said with typical candor. "I really thought that I was done. This is the first time feeling something in my groin; all my injuries have been in my hands. But when you're messing with your groin, I'm not going to lie, I had some tears."Phillips smiled and added, "(Emilio) Bonifacio, he was there for me and I appreciate that. He's a great teammate, I tell you that."Jace Peterson replaced Phillips in the second inning Wednesday and was back in the lineup at second base Thursday, batting seventh. Third baseman Adonis Garcia moved up to the second spot, where Phillips had started the past two games.