TEMPE, Ariz. _ Albert Pujols continues moving toward Opening Day, although he's not ready to proclaim that he will be ready by then.
Pujols, who is recovering from foot surgery, has now been doing all defensive drills and running sprints on the field. The Angels slugger has been hitting, both against coaches and pitchers.
"It's feeling good," Pujols said Thursday morning. "I'm progressing."
The last piece to the puzzle is running the bases.
Asked when he felt he'd be ready to play in a Cactus League game, Pujols said: "I'll let you know when that time comes. You'll see me in the lineup. I'm just trying to progress every day, one day at a time."
Pujols, however, said he feels like he's about on the same schedule as he was when he was rehabbing from surgery last spring. Pujols began playing Cactus League games as the DH in early March and he was able to play some first base late in March. He made the Opening Day roster.
General manager Billy Eppler said he's pleased with Pujols' progress, but also wasn't ready to predict whether he'd make it back in time for opening day.
"I use the marathon analogy a lot," Eppler said. "Every marker and every mile in this race, his time is right. He's making his times. Let him keep running the race."
