| Cooper Brannan is a 22 year old Marine who has | | | | hand. During his recovery period, Brannan playing |
| just returned from a second tour of duty from | | | | baseball with fellow Marines |
| Iraq after losing a finger in a grenade explosion. | | | | While drifting in and out of consciousness, he |
| He is one of the 80 players who has come to | | | | thought his entire hand was blown off. But he had |
| Padres to win a minor league pitching position. | | | | lost only his pinky. While he was in a morphine |
| Brannan is six foot four and weighs 235 pounds. | | | | haze, doctors amputated what remained of the |
| He is a native of Gilbert, Arizona, and during the | | | | finger and the medial part of his hand, well below |
| spring training camp he threw his fastballs. He is | | | | the outside knuckle. |
| also has a curveball which has impressed the | | | | After being evacuated to the Naval Medical |
| Padres a lot but Brannan pitched this last summer | | | | Center in San Diego for three follow-up surgeries, |
| when he was part of the All Marine Corps team | | | | Brannan is married to Lindsay Marie Wagener and |
| when they played semipro teams. | | | | they have a one month old daughter named |
| In November 2006 before a patrol, Brannan was | | | | Brooke. The Brannans stay just two blocks away |
| conducting pre-combat inspection. One of his | | | | from the Padres camp. |
| squad members did not have a flash-bang | | | | Brannan is presently stationed at the Marine Corps |
| grenade. So, Brannan reached into the left pocket | | | | Recruit Depot in San Diego and he is on full |
| of his jacket to give him his. Unfortunately the | | | | recovery duty status. He cannot sign a contract |
| grenade malfunctioned and exploded in his left | | | | with Padres till he finishes his commitment to the |
| hand. | | | | Marines, which is on May 31, 2007. The Padres |
| Initially Brannan thought that his entire hand had | | | | insist that taking on Brannan is not a publicity |
| blown up only to discover that he had lost his | | | | stunt for the franchise and that he has a genuine |
| pinky. The doctors ended up amputating the | | | | above average curveball. |
| remaining part of his pinky and medial part of his | | | | |