Phillies Notes: Healthy now, Ruf continues transition to outfield
CLEARWATER, Fla. - First it was a rib cage injury. Then a fractured wrist. And finally struggles in winter ball.
CLEARWATER, Fla. - First it was a rib cage injury. Then a fractured wrist. And finally struggles in winter ball.
Last season, Darin Ruf said, was disappointing.
"But it's a whole new year," he said Friday. "I feel healthy. I did some things this offseason to increase mobility and take some of the muscular injuries out of the game."
The Phillies' position players do not have to report to camp until next week. But the 28-year-old Ruf - and a handful of others - checked in early. A left oblique strain cut short his last spring training, costing him a spot on the opening-day roster. Ruf returned to action in May but ran into an outfield wall in early June and broke a bone in his left wrist. He played 52 games last season with the Phillies, hitting .235 with just three home runs. The injuries sapped his power. He played winter ball in the Dominican Republic but was released after 11 games.
Ruf said a main reason for his early spring training arrival was to continue his transition to the outfield. He played 140 games in the outfield over the last two seasons in both the major and minor leagues. He could platoon with Grady Sizemore in left field.
"Having two to three years experience out there, it's nothing new to me," Ruf said. "I know the drills, I know what to do. I know what to expect out there. I know what balls I can and can't get to. It makes me a lot more comfortable."
Morgan returns
Thirteen months after a surgeon closed a gap in the front part of his shoulder, lefthander Adam Morgan is pitching in big-league camp without restriction and "feeling great," he said.
The next step during spring training for Morgan, who turns 25 next Friday, is to pitch against live hitters. He did that for the first time post-surgery in the Arizona Fall League. Since then, he has mixed all four of his pitches in seven or eight recent bullpen sessions.
