Ortiz Still Eyeing Opening Day

[Giantmetfan07]

Ortiz Running Well - Still Eyeing Opening Day


[font=lucida sans unicode']FORT MYERS — After a successful baserunning exercise yesterday morning, David Ortiz now believes he can live with the soreness in his Achilles tendon.[/font]

[font=lucida sans unicode']And that means he believes he will be ready in plenty of time for Opening Day.[/font]

[font=lucida sans unicode']“The main goal right now is to make sure I get to play down here — if I play down here, that means I’m good to go, you know what I’m saying?” said the designated hitter shortly after he ran at top speed along the bases on a back field. First he ran one base a time, then two, then all four, repeating some segments, checking in along the way with training staff and manager John Farrell.[/font]

[font=lucida sans unicode']“Very aggressive — with each trip around the bases, he ran with a little bit more intensity,” said Farrell. “He came out of it feeling good about himself and I’m sure (today) will be another baserunning drill that will be less intense and probably not as much volume.”[/font]

[font=lucida sans unicode']Ortiz will run today as long as the stiffness he expected to develop at some point either last night or by this morning is not overwhelming. He is getting used to the idea that by ramping up his exercise routine, he will loosen up calcification near the slight tear of the Achilles. The soreness is not expected to dissipate overnight, but eventually the doctors believe that it will cease to be an issue.[/font]