Sanchez gets some playing time
He had three hits, but took it easy and didn't run the bases.
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- Freddy Sanchez pulled up after hitting a line drive single to right field, not taking a wide turn at first base or gambling that he could stretch the hit into a double. When he reached first base, he headed back to the dugout and a pinch-runner replaced him.
A setback for the National League batting champion in his first game action in three weeks? Not at all. Sanchez, the Pirates second baseman who had been out since spraining a right knee ligament March 6, was told by the Pirates to take it easy before going 3-for-8 in a Class AAA exhibition game Wednesday.
A few hundred feet away, his Pirates teammates played the Reds in a spring training game. It was obvious where he would rather be.
"It's not a good sign that I'm here and everyone's over there," Sanchez said.
The rest of the Pirates disagreed. If Sanchez is playing again, despite still having discomfort from his sprained right medial collateral ligament, it likely means he's that much closer to returning to their lineup. It might not be for opening day Monday in Houston, or any game in the opening three-game series, but it should be soon.
Sanchez, one of majors' surprises of last season with his .344 average, also fielded ground balls and ran the bases during a pregame workout -- the first time he's done that since he was hurt. He still has pain in his knee when he pivots and goes to his left on ground balls, and when he accelerates around the bases, but he insisted that's not a problem.
Happy to be back in action
Since getting hurt while turning a double play during the opening week of exhibition games, the only other time Sanchez faced anything except batting practice pitching was during a Pirates camp workout last week.
"I was able to swing and run down to first; it wasn't as hard as I can, but it was something," Sanchez said. "I can play through discomfort and pain because they said it's not going to get worse. Eventually it's going to go away and I can't hurt it any more. ... Hopefully, I can push it harder and harder each day."
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