Playing catch-up during spring
Bregman ready for action after Team USA stint
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Alex Bregman had three at-bats Friday in the Astros’ 2-0 Grapefruit League win over the New York Mets.
It was one fewer than he accumulated the previous two weeks combined.
“He’s ready to go,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “He needs some atbats.”
The race to ensure Bregman’s readiness for the regular season commenced on his first day back in spring training from the World Baseball Classic. After his relegation to Team USA’s bench, the Astros plan to get their everyday third baseman and likely two-hole hitter as many plate appearances as they can before opening day April 3.
Bregman, who went 0-for-3 on Friday against Mets righthander Noah Syndergaard, was afforded only four at-bats over Team USA’s eight WBC games. Its first secondround matchup against Venezuela on March 15 was the last game in which he appeared before Friday.
“There’s no regret,” Bregman, 22, said of his
decision to join Team USA. “I signed up to go play for our country, and we won. That’s No. 1. We won. I’m proud of that. I’m proud to be a part of that team, and if I got asked to do it again, I would probably do it.”
Bregman admitted he felt misled about how much playing time he would get in the WBC. Stuck behind Brandon Crawford at shortstop and Nolan Arenado at third base, Bregman made only one start (at shortstop) and one pinch-hitting appearance (in the eighth inning of an 8-0 game). He singled in two of his four at-bats.
Team USA manager Jim Leyland apologized publicly before Wednesday’s gold-medal game at Dodger Stadium for Bregman and Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Josh Harrison getting “the short end of the stick.”
Respect for Team USA
Bregman, who represented Team USA at the 16-and-under, 18-and-under and collegiate levels, said Friday he has “nothing bad to say about USA Baseball at all.”
“They’re a first-class organization, and I’m proud to be able to represent our country,” Bregman said. “Did I think I was going to get to play more? Yes. Did I think I played well enough to get more ABs? Yes. But at the same time, I’ve got nothing bad to say about that.”
The youngest member of Team USA and the player with the least service time, Bregman said he learned a lot from his older teammates, particularly Crawford, the two-time Gold Glove Award-winning shortstop for the San Francisco Giants.
Bregman insisted after pregame batting practice Friday at First Data Field that he felt great in the batter’s box and “locked in, ready to go.”
To stay sharp with Team USA, he took extra batting practice off pitching machines in the batting cages to see consistent velocity. He said he also on a daily basis took ground balls at third base and shortstop and threw across the infield.
Hinch will get him in
Including their two exhibition games March 30-31 against the Chicago Cubs at Minute Maid Park, the Astros play seven exhibition games before opening day. Bregman will play “as much as possible with a day off here or there from now until the end” of spring training, according to Hinch. Bregman said he wants to play every day but added “that’s just how I’ve always been.”
Batting second in Hinch’s lineup Friday, Bregman flew out to center field in the first inning, struck out looking in the third and flew out to right field in the sixth. He played seven innings of defense at third before minor leaguer J.D. Davis replaced him.
“He looked good,” Hinch said. “He’s more than prepared to get re-inserted back into spring training. We’ll get him three or four at-bats as many days as we can (while) being smart with his workload. I just think he’s happy (being) back playing again and getting into the regular flow of things.”