Tommy Manzella’s winter ball stint in Dominican Republic cuts short
Major League Baseball is thriving in the off-season these days. With the playing season over, ball clubs across the country are looking for a new way to amuse themselves. While the managers are sweeping into the free agents’ market
for fresh blood and experience, there are players who are either engrossed in family responsibilities or working towards improving their game form. Whatever the case maybe, the moment is right and stars across the peninsula have nothing to lose, but time in
gaining sufficient experience. The next spring training starts in mid February and until that time players can work towards gaining in on rest.
However, for the Houston Astros’ young shortstop, Tommy Manzella, the routine binding him to his current predicament foretells a different story. The 27-year-old hitter enrolled himself in Aguilas Cibaenas, a Dominican club, to
catch up on his form. The star player who featured in most of Astros’ games only managed to play in 9 fixtures for the winter ball club, before he was cut off. The batter stayed in the country for two weeks and within those few days, his experience at the
club was marred by various ailments.
Tommy contracted a stomach virus from the food served in the country and that led to him losing 13 pounds in just 14 days. He explained the situation recently. He said, “I was trying to figure out what's the best way to eat food
and still be strong enough to play a game. If I hadn't gotten that virus, I would have been fine. Both of those (illnesses) together weren't good for me. I was just starting to feel a little bit better when I got sent home. It was a situation where the team
wasn't winning and there was a little bit of a sense of urgency to win.”
Manzella is back at home now and he will try to prepare himself for training in the time available. He emphasized on his condition by saying, “The last four or five games I was there, I would get two at-bats and would get pinch-hit
for my third at-bat. It was a situation where they were trying to win and playing matchups. I wanted to work on hitting with runners in scoring position, which is harder to do because you have to be able to slow the game down and not put too much pressure
on yourself, (as opposed to) when you're hitting with nobody on.”
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