A cloudy spring day at the miniature Yankee Stadium they’ve built here off Dale Mabry Highway. A glorified scrimmage where keeping score is but a formality. Lineups bound to turn over like groomsmen at a Vegas chapel. Everything smaller than the real thing – with the lone exception of New York’s Aaron Judge, who when he aches, surely consults a tree surgeon.
But as Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson stood in this modest setting for the National Anthem, some outsized thoughts occurred to him.
“I was really thankful to be healthy and be in the position I’m in. That was really the only thing that could come to mind,” he said Tuesday, upon exiting his first spring training game of 2019.
In his first public display since undergoing wrist surgery – and having his spring plans pushed back by a reoccurrence of soreness – Swanson was thrilled to be back playing a game on any scale.
“I was very excited about today, obviously being able to be out there and compete again,” he said. “It’s fun to be able to compete something other than video games or something. Something real.”
More important than the emotions, the wrist reacted well. Swanson hit two balls well, his first a sharp ground-out off the pitcher’s foot, his second an opposite-field single through the right side of the infield.
“Didn’t look like the first at-bats of the season,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said after the Braves’ 5-1 exhibition loss. “I thought he had two really good at-bats. That was very encouraging. Just to get him back out there was good, get him back in the routine and the mix.”
Swanson had spent most of 2018 dealing with a painful wrist, one that limited his everyday acts like buttoning a shirt, let alone swinging a bat.
Following surgery, first there would be gains in some of life’s little acts. “I remember in the offseason when I was finally able to put a backpack on like normal, I called people and told them, ‘I just put a backpack on without feeling like I was going to have issues!’”
So, it was natural he wore a big smile in the visitor’s clubhouse after being able to ply his craft without pain.
“It was nice to not having any conscious thoughts about the pain or hurting or feeling like you’re kind of limited on what you’re able to do,” Swanson said. “It was definitely a promising sign to start that way and I’m excited to move forward.”
Swanson will not play in Wednesday’s game, and the Braves have Thursday off. He is scheduled to be back in the lineup Friday night against Philadelphia.
About the Author
