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- [Nick] Got you. That a way.
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How are you doing?
- Right in the middle there, next to...
- Okay, perfect.
- How are you doing?
- Good. How are you guys?
- Good.
- Nick, how's this transition been for you, and how surprised were you that you were traded?
- Yeah, I mean, the transition, it's been fine.
You know, I've been busy over in Arizona and just rehabbing and really getting to know the
guys over there.
And, you know, I was fortunate to be able to make this trip.
- He watched a ton of Nick Madrigal video yesterday.
- Did he? What you got for me?
- We loved it. I love the instincts.
There are some plays where you're going back side third base on a play, you know,
you don't have something at first.
- Okay.
It does a lot for me to get in the Clubhouse and see the field and the guys.
It just helps to be in uniform.
It feels a little bit more real now, you know?
- How are you feeling physically and how's your recovery going?
- Yeah, I'm feeling really good, actually.
You know, I feel like I'm kind of over the hump where I'm not feeling any pain or soreness.
They mentioned right around November is when I'll start kind of doing normal things.
The ultimate goal is to be as strong and ready as possible in spring training.
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The last couple of years have been tough with injuries.
I haven't heard of many people getting traded while they're hurt on the DL, and just,
I was completely shocked.
You know, when I went down, there wasn't a thought in my mind that I'd be
out for the year.
It was frustrating, there was tons of emotion, but, you know, I'm really looking forward to putting that
behind me and just staying on the field and being out there for my team.
It's been probably three or four months now just doing the same thing, just every day, morning complex.
Yeah, this has been it, just kind of the morning routine.
Watching a lot of video and a lot of highlights and just waiting to get the bat back in my hand and be able
to play catch and groundballs.
And I'm in a good spot now.
I'm starting to do a lot more, and yeah, makes the days a lot better.
All right, here we go.
Time to go to work.
I think every time you get injured you see a different side of baseball.
You know, you're on the bench, you're kind of helpless.
You can't play.
Good morning.
- Morning.
- I've just really learned how grateful I am when I'm out there to be playing the game.
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Early on in the rehab process, I couldn't move my knee at all.
Where the surgery was, I couldn't put any pressure on my backside.
It was tough, you know, and not only physically but mentally.
One thing that helps me is getting away from the game.
I just try to stay busy.
I try to pick up new hobbies, do some coloring books, do some reading.
I mean, it might sound funny now, but it does help in the moment.
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I had dealt with injury before, so I had an idea of what the rehab process
would be like.
But right now I'm full-time at the complex doing all my work here and we've been doing little isometric
hamstring strengthening, and also the muscles around the hamstring.
It was important to get my body strong, my core, my quads, my hip flexors.
They say all those things kind of correlate together.
So really just been doing the exercises
that are not fun to do, you know, but something that's going to benefit me
in the long run.
- Facing Mesa, let's go lateral.
- How far are we going, Pete?
As of right now, everything's going great.
Is Paulie here, or did he leave? Sick.
I just started playing catch just out to 90 feet.
I started hitting off the tee a couple of times and just yesterday was my first soft toss round.
Can I get a couple out here.
- Yeah, man.
- My overall mindset this off-season, just to be a lot better than I was before.
Some people kind of think that's, you know, tough do with this injury,
but I believe I'm fully capable of being way better than I was before, stronger, faster,
just overall a better player.
Still some stuff we got to work on, but it's looking pretty good to start.
Not bad for first week, first two weeks.
We'll get there. We'll get there.
This is probably some of the best work I've done in my baseball career.
So I'm excited to see how it translates to the field, you know?
I feel like my body is as strong as it's been and it's moving better than it's ever moved.
- [Paulie] You've got the rhythm going, baby?
- Yeah, we got it going.
Got to go. Got to go.
I'm excited to, you know, show everyone stuff that I haven't showed anyone
before because I think I'm going to be that much better.
There's one for me.
There's one.
- You got it.
- All right, that's good.
Thank you, Paulie.
Yeah, thank you.
That's good stuff, good stuff.
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What's the game plan, Pete?
There you go, nice.
Being at the facility, more guys just trying to just come and go.
And I've really formed some relationships with some guys, some Minor League guys, some Major League guys.
He's feeling good, huh?
- [Pete] Yeah.
- I could tell.
I could tell.
One guy, in particular, Pete Crow-Armstrong, you know, I've gotten real close with him.
We hit every day together and just being able to share anything I have with him.
Try to zone up this time.
If it's a ball, just take it, you know?
Just nice and smooth.
Clean swings.
Ball. Ball.
Smooth. Nice.
He's a young guy, he's only 19, 20 years old right now, you know?
And I remember my first time getting drafted, being in the organization, everything was new to me.
So I'm trying to form bonds with and be there for those guys that need me.
I think that's what an organization is all about.
You know, I think the great ones do that, they share bonds with different people whether you're
younger or older.
I think the good teams do that.
So I'm excited to try to do that here in the future.
Thanks, Paulie. - Yes, sir.
- Nice, Pete, nice.
I'm all in for the team.
My ultimate goal is to win.
I'm doing everything I can to try to bring another championship back to this organization.
A lot of things have happened within the last year, but when I walk out to Wrigley on that field for the
first time, I mean, I'm going to be very grateful to be in that moment.
It's been a lot of hard work and I'm going to be very excited.