Spring Training 2010: "I'm in the best shape of my life"

[jmcclain19]

Gary Sheffield

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/...L0ABuVCVO4yjXM

Sheffield said his body is ready for the challenge.

“I am in tip-top shape," Sheffield said. “I am healthy and I have been working to get back to where I need to be. I am feeling great and I lost 15 pounds, down to 212."

Feeling good enough to play the outfield regularly?

“At 212, I could run for days," said Sheffield, who has a career .292 average; 2,689 hits; and 1,676 RBIs.

[blumj]

http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...ng_a_head.html

Peter Abraham, the newest Boston Globe smarty-pants:

Baseball is being played on Edison Ave. in Fort Myers. Well, guys are playing catch and taking BP at least.

Roughly 50 players have already turned out at the Red Sox minor league complex, the vast majority of them minor leaguers looking to make a good impression. But Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, Jonathan Papelbon, and Manny Delcarmen are already in camp and getting some work in.

More players will follow, probably the bulk after the weekend, leading up to the Feb. 18 report date for pitchers and catchers.

My sources tell me that every player is in the best shape of their lives, excited about the season and confident in the team's chances.

[jmcclain19]

Kyle Blanks, San Diego Padres new LF

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2...leaner-keener/

f you haven’t seen No. 8 of late, he’s still fairly easy to find. Yet dietary discipline and workout routine have trimmed Blanks’ 6-foot-6 physique from 288 pounds to, as of yesterday morning, a comparatively compact 273.

He’s still enormous, but plainly leaner. Like one of the Alps after an avalanche.

“He’s not going to be modeling Calvin Klein underwear any time soon,” said Jim Malone, the Padres’ strength and conditioning coach, “(But) When he walked in here a few weeks ago, he looked great. He’s definitely stronger ... probably stronger than he realizes.”

...

If Blanks is stronger now than he was last summer, he figures to be one mighty formidable fellow.

“I haven’t been this weight since college,” he said yesterday afternoon, “and I feel a world of difference.”

[jmcclain19]

Bobby Jenks

''He looks the best I've ever seen him, and I'm really proud of this guy,'' Williams said. ''As a husband and father, he's great around his kids -- but just sitting here and looking me and Ozzie right in the eye, addressing the issues head-on like men, I'm proud of him. Good for him. Sometimes you've got to push some buttons to ultimately get to that point.''

[jmcclain19]

Yadier Molina

http://twitter.com/JoeStrauss

Dept. of First Impressions: Yadier Molina looks in best shape I can remember. Be nice to see what an injury-free season allows him.

[klw]

Whole Reds team

"I just like the shape of everyone I see at camp, they look great - especially some of the older guys, Arthur Rhodes, Harang, they're in outstanding shape," Baker said. "You'd expect some of the other guys, Bronson, he probably hasn't gained a pound in 10 years. Burton looks great. Linc looks good, some of the young guys, Leake, everyone I've seen, LeCure, looks like they're in outstanding shape."

http://cnati.com/blogs/ctrent/2010/0...aker-21810.php

[UKFlounder]

Look down this link a bit - Dice K

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/...pring_training

DICE-K REPORTS IN BEST SHAPE OF CAREER (5:58 p.m. ET)
Friday was conditioning day for the Boston Red Sox, which unlike last year, was an easy day, a great day for Daisuke Matsuzaka. He's in his best shape in his four years with the Red Sox.

Matsuzaka has a different looking body than the one he had when he was placed on the disabled list last June, and sent to the minor leagues, to rehabilitate his weak right shoulder, and get himself into much better shape. And now, he has. Matsuzaka spent five weeks in the Athletes' Performance facility in Phoenix in December, January and February.

"He had a great attitude, he was a pleasure to work with," said Mike Roberts, the director of baseball for Athletes' Performance. "He pushed himself in all areas, in the power area and the cardio area. He came to us like a minor league guy who was coming to big league camp for the first time. He was excited. He was like a rookie who was trying to make the club."

After going 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 2008, Matsuzaka dropped to 4-6 with a 5.76 ERA last year. When he was placed on the disabled list in late June, he was told by management that he had to get himself in better shape, as well as regain the strength in his shoulder. He came back in better shape in September, and pitched much better, but it was the off-season work with Athletes' Performance that prepared him for spring training.

Matsuzaka worked there for five weeks. For a two-week period, he did two workouts a day, which is rare for a pitcher given the workout regiment in that program. He didn't throw much off the mound, but threw a great deal during those five weeks. He displayed a great, tight spin on his breaking ball and, as always, tremendous balance over the rubber.

Matsuzaka had tightness in his back the first day of spring training, but it is nothing to worry about, several sources said. The Red Sox have Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey as their first three starters, leaving two spots for Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz and Tim Wakefield. Most teams don't have five major league starters, the Red Sox have six. Matsuzaka, 29, is likely to be one of the five.

[Chip R]

I love this thread.

[Raisor]

Originally Posted by Chip R

I love this thread.

You're in pretty good shape yourself you know.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by Raisor

You're in pretty good shape yourself you know.

Last year I was disappointed on the quantity and quality of my posts but this year, I'm in the best shape of my life.

[Joseph]

You recent years kind of mirror Harangs. The stuffs still there, just the results aren't what we've expected here at RZ. But you're still an important tool [thats right, I went there] to getting a championship of the internets for the boys and girls in Redszone land.

[jmcclain19]

Nick Swisher

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=nyy

"I feel leaner, I feel quicker," Swisher said. "And as weird as it seems, I feel stronger."

[jmcclain19]

Heh - Brady Anderson is also in great shape this spring. Maybe time for a comeback?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/o...,3213813.story

"[Anderson]'s just in insane shape. To have somebody that is in that good of shape push me to get to his level was tough, but it worked out really well. I feel great."

[jmcclain19]

And to expand on that last post, apparently Phil Niekro is also in the best shape of his life

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

"I'm in excellent shape," Niekro said on a conference call with reporters on Monday. "In fact, I'm on the boat right now fishing, and I just got done throwing this morning. My fastball is up to about 81 [mph] now with the wind behind me, so yeah, I'm looking forward to [the Classic].

"But I'm not a fastball pitcher, I'm not a strikeout pitcher. I'll be throwing knuckleballs and 'goo-goo balls' and everything I know how to get those guys out."

[jmcclain19]

Last non-active player, apparently Jose Canseco is also in the best shape of his life

http://nybaseballdigest.com/?p=21129

Yesterday he was telling fans how he is 100% clean, in great shape, and could still hit a baseball 500 feet. It spurred me to ask him a simple question: Does he still think he can play big league ball as a designated hitter? Canseco had this to say:
Absolutely. Too many politics so it will never happen.