Josh Bell intends to be ready to play Opening Day. The Pirates first baseman underwent minor knee surgery Feb. 1 but doesn't expect to be out long. He was at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., Monday for the first day of spring training for an extensive workout with the team's training staff.
"I felt good before (surgery)," Bell said, "and I feel really good after."
Bell, 24, picked up yoga this offseason and nearly reached his goal of 100 hours before the injury stopped him short. It was while doing a "fire hydrant position" one day in late January, Bell said, that he realized he was hurt. He could not fully flex his left leg. He called Pirates head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk for advice, and a few days later he had surgery in Arlington, Texas.
The surgery, according to the Pirates, was done to remove "a loose body" from Bell's left knee, the knee he has twice before injured. Bell was back on his feet soon after surgery, and he has resumed his throwing routine and taken dry swings. He expects to be cleared to hit later this week.
The typical recovery from the procedure is two to four weeks. The Pirates' initially said Bell's status for Opening Day is "TBA." Bell, in his second week of rehab, expects to be healthy long before Opening Day, but he understands the training staff doesn't plan to rush his return.
"We'll see how I progress. We'll see what they see," he said. "I'm just focused on being ready for opening day, being ready in June and July. ... At first I was like, ugh, couldn't this have happened in December? And my family was like, 'Well thank goodness it didn't happen in July.'
"It's one of those situations where it happened at an opportune enough time where I can get it taken care of and get back on field for Opening Day. That's what I'm hoping for."
