Hello everyone and welcome back to Mark Your
Mondays. Things have been quite hectic around the locker room since Spring
Training is in full swing now. There must be about 150 players here. We are
all split up into work groups representing the four long-season minor league
teams (South Bend, Lancaster, Tennessee, and Tucson). Of course, a few of us
are in the Rehab group, but hopefully not for too long. Every day, all the work
groups stretch together at 8:45. Following the stretch, all players split up
into their respective work groups and begin throwing and drills. Then, at the
end of the workouts, there are in-camp games or each work group will travel to
another team’s facility to play games.
For rehabbers, the day is much different. We
stretch with the entire group, but then we report to the training room to begin
a lengthy rehab regimen (typically about 1 to 1 ½ hours). After this, we do all
our running, core conditioning, and weight training. The most disappointing
part of the day for me is right after stretch. It’s exciting to put on a
uniform and be out their warming up with all the guys. However, this feeling
goes away as stretch ends and the rehabbers head to the training room while all
the other guys begin to play catch. The stretching acts as a tease, but again,
it’s just a matter of time until I’ll be able to remain out there and start my
throwing.
The greatest part about being a starting
picture is obviously every fifth day. I never minded putting in all the work on
the other four days because during the long runs, the weight lifting workouts,
the bullpens, and the core workouts, I realize that “my day” is just around the
corner and that’s what keeps me motivated. During rehab, it can be difficult to
maintain an up-beat attitude since the reward (being healthy and getting to
pitch) is so far away. Doing the same strengthening routine can be a grind,
more mentally than physically. Whenever I get frustrated, I always try to
remind myself to see the “big picture” and to recognize how beneficial it will
be for me later if I consistently work hard throughout the whole rehab process.
Some of the most helpful tips for me have come from other players who have
undergone surgery. It helps to throw all sorts of questions at them because
they have already gone through the exact same thing. It’s reassuring to know
what to expect over the next few weeks and months.
On a side note, I have been able to see a few
of the big-league Spring Training games this past week. It looks like the
D-backs are off to a good spring. I was excited to see how well Chris Carter
and Carlos Quentin are playing. I always pull for guys I have played with in
the past, either at Stanford or on the USA National Team. Chris and I actually
got a chance to grab dinner last week and catch up on baseball and everything
else. It’s always nice to see an old face in a new environment.
That’s it for now. Have a good week and I’ll
see you next time.