Baseball Guru
02-19-2002, 02:52 PM
Astros summary
Back to the course
Jeff Bagwell loves to golf, but he was forced to put away the clubs this winter after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder on Oct. 26 to repair a torn labrum and remove bone fragments.
In a clear sign he is improving, Bagwell wore golf shoes during his cameo appearance Monday at the Astros' spring training camp before heading to the golf course.
A day before arriving at Osceola County Stadium, Bagwell hit the golf course immediately after arriving Sunday.
"I didn't play golf for three months, and that's not normally what I do in the winter," he said. "Now, I'm just doing what the doctor says. To get the shoulder ready again, they told me to do what I normally do. And to play golf is to do what I normally do.
"Throwing, hitting and playing golf is what I do most with my shoulder, but I'll golf for two or three more times this spring and that's it."
Bagwell had not weighed himself since the end of the season, but he looks to be at least 15 pounds lighter than he was last year.
Hunter's return
Outfielder Brian Hunter and outfield prospect Jason Lane joined Jeff Bagwell as the latest position players to report ahead of schedule, joining Chris Truby, Morgan Ensberg and Adam Everett.
Position players are expected to report today and work out Wednesday.
"I see a lot of the same (support) people who were here before, from the parking lot attendants to the front desk," said Hunter, who was drafted and signed by the Astros in 1989. He reached the majors with Houston in 1994, playing parts of three seasons before being traded to the Tigers after the 1996 season.
Pitchers' hitting
Manager Jimy Williams spent much of the last two days helping starting pitchers take batting practice. He gave advice and tweaked batting stances, getting on his knees on several occasions to make his point.
"He knows what he's talking about," said Tim Redding, who was asked often to rotate his back heel as he swung. "There are a lot of things you pick up in Little League, high school and along the way that are bad habits. He makes you think about something else."
Williams hit .231 (3-for-13) in two short stints as a backup shortstop with the Cardinals in 1966 and 1967, and he lectures reporters against laughing at pitchers' abilities to hit.
"It's not that easy," he said. "Check my stats. Maybe I should have been a pitcher. My batting average could have been one of the best ERAs."
-- JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Player profile
·Player: Greg Miller
·Position: Lefthanded pitcher
·Age: 22Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 215
·Prospects: Miller, who originally signed to play baseball and basketball at Texas A&M coming out of high school in 1997, is expected to pitch at Class AAA New Orleans. He had shoulder surgery last November to remove a bone spur in his labrum. He has posted a 31-19 record with a 3.19 ERA in the minors since signing with Boston as a fifth-round pick. He was acquired along with shortstop Adam Everett in the deal that sent Carl Everett to the Red Sox after the 1999 season.
By the numbers
6 -- Number of days it took outfield prospect Jason Lane to drive to Kissimmee while taking his time from Sebastopol, Calif.
Injury report
RHP Doug Brocail (right elbow) has not pitched but continues to show improvement. Jeff Bagwell (right shoulder) arrived in camp.
Back to the course
Jeff Bagwell loves to golf, but he was forced to put away the clubs this winter after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder on Oct. 26 to repair a torn labrum and remove bone fragments.
In a clear sign he is improving, Bagwell wore golf shoes during his cameo appearance Monday at the Astros' spring training camp before heading to the golf course.
A day before arriving at Osceola County Stadium, Bagwell hit the golf course immediately after arriving Sunday.
"I didn't play golf for three months, and that's not normally what I do in the winter," he said. "Now, I'm just doing what the doctor says. To get the shoulder ready again, they told me to do what I normally do. And to play golf is to do what I normally do.
"Throwing, hitting and playing golf is what I do most with my shoulder, but I'll golf for two or three more times this spring and that's it."
Bagwell had not weighed himself since the end of the season, but he looks to be at least 15 pounds lighter than he was last year.
Hunter's return
Outfielder Brian Hunter and outfield prospect Jason Lane joined Jeff Bagwell as the latest position players to report ahead of schedule, joining Chris Truby, Morgan Ensberg and Adam Everett.
Position players are expected to report today and work out Wednesday.
"I see a lot of the same (support) people who were here before, from the parking lot attendants to the front desk," said Hunter, who was drafted and signed by the Astros in 1989. He reached the majors with Houston in 1994, playing parts of three seasons before being traded to the Tigers after the 1996 season.
Pitchers' hitting
Manager Jimy Williams spent much of the last two days helping starting pitchers take batting practice. He gave advice and tweaked batting stances, getting on his knees on several occasions to make his point.
"He knows what he's talking about," said Tim Redding, who was asked often to rotate his back heel as he swung. "There are a lot of things you pick up in Little League, high school and along the way that are bad habits. He makes you think about something else."
Williams hit .231 (3-for-13) in two short stints as a backup shortstop with the Cardinals in 1966 and 1967, and he lectures reporters against laughing at pitchers' abilities to hit.
"It's not that easy," he said. "Check my stats. Maybe I should have been a pitcher. My batting average could have been one of the best ERAs."
-- JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Player profile
·Player: Greg Miller
·Position: Lefthanded pitcher
·Age: 22Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 215
·Prospects: Miller, who originally signed to play baseball and basketball at Texas A&M coming out of high school in 1997, is expected to pitch at Class AAA New Orleans. He had shoulder surgery last November to remove a bone spur in his labrum. He has posted a 31-19 record with a 3.19 ERA in the minors since signing with Boston as a fifth-round pick. He was acquired along with shortstop Adam Everett in the deal that sent Carl Everett to the Red Sox after the 1999 season.
By the numbers
6 -- Number of days it took outfield prospect Jason Lane to drive to Kissimmee while taking his time from Sebastopol, Calif.
Injury report
RHP Doug Brocail (right elbow) has not pitched but continues to show improvement. Jeff Bagwell (right shoulder) arrived in camp.