Brannan Goes From Iraq to Padres

He may be missing a finger, but the San Diego Padres say he has a pretty good curveball. Cooper Brannan is a righthanded pitcher trying to win a minor league job in the Padres organization. The Marine lost the pinky on his left hand when a grenade malfunctioned during his second tour of duty in Iraq. Marine Cpl. Cooper BrannanBrannan's in spring training with the Padres in Arizona. But he can't sign with the team until his military service ends May 31st. The Padres say this isn't just a publicity stunt. They say Brannan's a good prospect with an above-average curveball to go with his far-above-average life experiences.He played high school ball and pitched for an all-Marine corps team last summer.