Bregman focuses on healthy legs
JUPITER, Fla. — Alex Bregman’s impatience continues to drive his manager crazy, but the Astros appear willing to proceed with caution in bringing their third baseman back from a January hamstring injury.
“I want to be playing nine innings right now every single day,” Bregman said Sunday. “There’s no way around it. I want to be playing every single day. Trust me, I do. I’m just listening to the advice I’ve been given. It sucks to hear it sometimes, but I just have to be patient with things and make sure everything is 100 percent in check.”
Bregman labeled himself “90 percent” healthy during a virtual news conference Sunday. Neither Bregman nor manager Dusty Baker has offered a target for the third baseman’s Grapefruit League debut. Bregman said he will be ready for opening day.
Bregman said he injured his left hamstring while running sprints in midJanuary. He missed three weeks last season after straining his right hamstring while legging out a double in Colorado. Hamstring issues have plagued Bregman throughout his big league career, leading
to more concentrated focus on the muscle during his workouts.
“(I’m) adamant about my training, whether it’s the physical therapy or the weight room work or my running. Just be adamant about it,” Bregman said. “I’ve been working extremely hard on this. Trying to clean up running form, trying to clean up
posture, working on my hips and stuff like that. I’m doing all the necessary things to try and keep them as healthy and strong as possible.”
In the absence of game action, Bregman is a full participant in all pregame workouts with the Astros’ major league team. According to Baker, Bregman is fielding ground balls and taking batting practice on the field. On Sunday, Bregman said he did his “highest amount of running” since starting camp. He is taking at-bats in live batting practice sessions, too.
“Yesterday my swing felt the best it’s felt in probably a year,” Bregman said Sunday. “I’m looking forward to trying to keep it feeling that good.”
Pressly shines in first outing
Pitchers often proclaim they’re not concerned with results during their first spring training outing. Most place more emphasis on health and pitch execution than whether they allow a run or two.
Ryan Pressly combined every pitcher’s wish with every fan’s hope. He struck out the side on 14 pitches during his dominant Grapefruit League debut Sunday, a masterful third inning of work against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“You want to go out and strike out the side, obviously, but I just wanted to go out there and throw strikes, be able to throw my breaking ball for strikes and just feel good,” said Pressly, the presumed Astros closer. “I didn’t necessarily care about results today. I just wanted to go out there and be able to fill the strike zone up with everything I had today.”
Lingering effects of right knee surgery in 2019 and elbow soreness during 2020 led to an inconsistent 2020 season for Pressly, who had a shortened stride during his delivery. His fastball and slider looked too similar. His direction was toward the on-deck circle instead of home plate.
Pressly devoted his offseason to fixing his direction. It appeared fine Sunday. Ten of Pressly’s pitches were strikes.
Sidelined players close to return
No new players have joined the eight Astros pitchers sidelined by COVID-19 health and safety protocols, inviting optimism that the club has control of the situation.
Pitchers Ronel Blanco, Bryan Abreu, Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, Pedro Baez, Enoli Paredes, Hector Velazquez and Francis Martes are still missing from workouts, but manager Dusty Baker intimated Sunday the Astros are receiving good news while they’re away.
“We’ve been getting some pretty good news that some of these guys have been coming up negative in some of their tests,” Baker said. “Hopefully, if they continue to do so, we’ll be back in three or four days.”