Max Muncy bought bored with ready round this offseason.
The Dodgers infielder first needed to watch his group’s postseason from afar final 12 months after he tore a ligament in his left elbow late within the season throughout a collision at first base.
Then he needed to be affected person whereas his elbow healed, spending a number of weeks in an immobilizing brace and several other extra attempting to interrupt up the scar tissue that constructed up.
Though he began swinging a bat in January, the ready continued during the last three months due to Main League Baseball’s lockout, a piece stoppage that prevented Muncy from speaking with group trainers or reporting to spring coaching on time.
“I’m prepared for baseball,” he mentioned. “I’m bored with sitting round.”
Muncy lastly bought the possibility to take one other step in restoration Saturday, going by on-field batting observe and defensive drills for the primary time this offseason on the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch complicated.
Muncy acknowledged that his elbow nonetheless doesn’t really feel again to regular, however added that it was persevering with to get higher, agreeing with the estimate supervisor Dave Roberts gave Friday that the 31-year-old is at the moment round 85%.
“We’re capable of get by some swings, capable of get nearer to regular,” he mentioned. “Positively not there, but it surely’s a type of accidents that is probably not again to regular till subsequent 12 months. Who is aware of. However we’re feeling good proper now.”
Roberts and Muncy have beforehand mentioned they anticipate him to be prepared for opening day, and Muncy added on Saturday that the additional time he’ll get earlier than the delayed begin to the season ought to assist.
Nonetheless, that is perhaps the one silver lining of the work stoppage for Muncy, who additionally voiced frustration at what he referred to as an “pointless” lockout that created further problems for injured gamers like him.
“I couldn’t work with our guys, work with our trainers,” Muncy mentioned. “They knew precisely what I wanted and I couldn’t discuss to them. That was somewhat irritating. I nonetheless bought good remedy, but it surely’s a type of issues the place you profit from working with guys who know you and understand how you're employed and all the pieces like that.”
For the reason that lockout ended Thursday, Muncy has been attempting to make up for the misplaced time. He mentioned he spent a lot of his drive to spring coaching on the cellphone with Roberts, members of the coaching and training employees, and others within the group, updating them on his standing and mapping out his plan for camp.
“In a traditional offseason, [those conversations] are occurring over the course of three, 4 months,” Muncy mentioned. “[This year] was totally different. It was all occurring without delay.”
It made Saturday’s exercise a welcome reprieve. Muncy took a number of rounds of swings on the plate, spent about quarter-hour fielding grounders and afterward endorsed the group’s pursuit of free agent first baseman Freddie Freeman — whose potential addition would probably pressure Muncy to play elsewhere within the infield or because the designated hitter.
“He’s among the finest hitters in baseball, and there’s actually no argument to that,” Muncy mentioned. “Any group could be glad to have him, particularly us. He would match into this lineup very well. We’d be extraordinarily harmful with him. That’s for certain.”
First although, Muncy is attempting to ensure he’ll be able to rejoin the Dodgers too. He spent sufficient time ready round this winter. He’s been longing for a brand new season to get underway.
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