PHOENIX -- For the Brewers, this was no laughing matter.
Outfielder Brett Phillips, a top prospect whose laughing fits have swept the Internet, was scratched from Wednesday's exhibition against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a sore left oblique.
The game was supposed to be Phillips' first opportunity to make an impression other than his quirky laugh, which must be seen to believe. And thousands of fans have seen it thanks to videos posted to social media, making Phillips something of a cult favorite in Brewers camp. On Wednesday morning, Phillips was yucking it up with MLB Network Radio.
"I did not get hurt laughing," Phillips said. "I just had some left side tightness, and just day to day right now, [sitting out] for precautionary reasons. Don't want to turn something that's really small into something bigger than it needs to be."

Phillips was scratched just before game time. Another non-roster invitee, Alex Presley, started in center field instead.
"Oh, man. I was bummed out when they said, 'We'll just take you out for today,'" Phillips said. "But Spring Training isn't the ultimate goal, going out there and trying to be a hero. So just get it under control now so it doesn't affect me during the season.
"It's just a bummer. You talk to some guys around here, and they [say], 'Get it under control before it turns into something huge,' and then you're out for a couple months, which is the last thing I want. But very, very mild right now. They're just getting it under control so I'm good to go soon."
The 21-year-old Phillips has been rated Milwaukee's No. 2 prospect by MLBPipeline.com since the Brewers acquired him from the Astros with three other players last July. He split last season between the Class A and Double-A levels.