MLB teams
Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

David Wright modifies expectations

MLB, New York Mets

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- David Wright hit a career-low eight home runs last season and was shut down after a game on Sept. 8.

Now, the New York Mets captain believes the left shoulder woes that prompted that shutdown are behind him, although he acknowledged there is no guarantee until he tests the shoulder in Grapefruit League games.

"I guess you never truly know until you play games, but it's not something I'm worried about at all," Wright said Sunday at Mets camp.

Wright did not require surgery for stretched-out ligaments that caused his non-throwing shoulder to be loose in the socket during the second half of last season. The third baseman downplayed the shoulder issue as a factor in hitting a modest .269 with eight homers and 63 RBIs in 2014.

Still, Mets manager Terry Collins believes it was a significant factor in Wright's uncustomary production.

"The one thing about David, he's never going to make an excuse," Collins said. "He never has. He never will. But I think a lot of it had to do with that. He just couldn't get the bat through the zone with the speed that you need to have to hit for power."

Wright countered that he was more disappointed in his overall lack of offensive production, not his low homer total.

"I remember our first year in Citi Field [in 2009], I think I hit 10 [homers] and I felt like I had a very productive season -- and it was because of driving runs in, scoring runs," he said. "I don't judge a season by how many home runs I hit. It's more being productive, more being a middle-of-the-order-type hitter, where I'm driving in runs, scoring runs.

"The thing that bothered me last year wasn't the lack of home runs. It was more that I just didn't feel like I was the hitter I'm capable of being."

Wright averaged 159 games in his first four full major league seasons. The past four seasons he has appeared in 102, 156, 112 and 134 games due to a variety of injuries including a stress fracture in his lower back, side-muscle strain and the looseness in the shoulder socket.

Now 32 years old, Wright said he has accepted that it is unrealistic to play in every game. Collins suggested that giving Wright a dozen strategic off days throughout the season will be beneficial. The manager prefers 150 healthy games to potentially exposing Wright to injury by overuse.

Wright added that he needs to modify his game, too, such as avoiding headfirst slides.

"I think it is probably to the point where I have to be a little more realistic that it's probably not in my best interest or the team's best interest to go out there and play 162 games," Wright said. "I think a good off day here and there probably can be beneficial for both me and the team."

Wright said rehab rather than surgery for the shoulder issue was the recommendation of multiple doctors.

"They all agreed that the rehab was the best option and surgery should be the last option," Wright said. "The rehab process went great."

^ Back to Top ^