Reds’ Mesoraco slowly working shoulder into shape
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Devin Mesoraco stepped to the plate and looked out to the mound at a right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez, the Reds' recent import from Cuba. Gutierrez served up a fastball and Mesoraco smacked it down the first base line. The next one was pulled foul.
The catcher’s timing was off. Facing live pitching for the first time since shoulder surgery in May, that was to be expected.
“I definitely feel like my bat speed is increasing and getting back to the way that I used to feel,” Mesoraco said. “Things are really progressing, I think, very nicely.”
It has been a long process for Mesoraco with the shoulder, and with his health in general. Two seasons have passed since his breakout 2014 campaign, and he has played a total of 39 games since then. Hip surgery ended his 2015 season, and his left shoulder wiped out 2016. While he was recovering from the shoulder procedure, he had his other hip fixed proactively.
The shoulder was fixed first, but it has taken longer to respond to rehab. The 28-yearold can’t spend all day taking swings in the cage just yet; his shoulder muscles just haven’t built up that durability.
Mesoraco expects to get into a game in about a week. He will hit live pitching one more time before then, and he will have to slide to show his hip is OK. Pass those tests, and he would have about 20 spring training games to get his swing in gear for the season.
That was plenty of time last season, when he debuted March 17. But after two years on the shelf, Mesoraco knows better than to take anything for granted.
“If they say I’m ready, I’ll go out and play,” he said. “And if they don’t, I’ll keep working at it.”
Pirates’ Kang gets suspended 2-year jail term
Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang received a suspended two-year prison sentence for fleeing the scene after crashing a car into a guardrail while driving under the influence of alcohol.
The sentence handed down Friday by the Seoul Central District Court was a heavier punishment than the 15 million won ($13,000) fine prosecutors had sought, but still clears the 29-year-old Kang to join the Pirates for the baseball season.
Strasburg may ditch windup and pitch from stretch
Stephen Strasburg may emulate closers and pitch only from the stretch this season.
Strasburg avoided a windup for all 23 of his pitches in a 2-1, 10-ininng loss by a Washington split squad to St. Louis on Friday, his first appearance of spring training.
Strasburg came up with the idea after watching Texas’ Yu Darvish and Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco. He approached pitching coach Mike Maddux with the idea at the start of spring training.
Unable to reach new deal, Mets renew Syndergaard
Unable to reach an agreement, the New York Mets renewed the contract of pitcher Noah Syndergaard for a major league salary of $605,500.
With 1 year, 149 days of major league service, Syndergaard almost certainly will be eligible for salary arbitration next winter.
Red Sox say Price won’t need surgery or injection
After David Price consulted two renowned orthopedic doctors, the Boston Red Sox said Friday the left-hander will not need surgery or an injection in his ailing left arm.
Price traveled to Indianapolis on Thursday for consultation with Drs. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who were at the NFL Combine. Price is expected to return Saturday to Boston’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Florida.