Today is the first day of spring training for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, as pitchers and catchers reported to Tempe, Arizona. During the offseason, a familiar refrain from players is that they are in the best shape of their lives, a claim which happens so often its hard to take seriously. However, with players now showing up to spring training and taking physicals, the proof is in the pudding, or rather lack thereof.
For the Angels, a pair of players today qualified for "best shape of my life" status. Catcher Bobby Wilson showed up to camp today at 210 pounds, 33 fewer than last season. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times caught up with Wilson, who will compete for playing time and perhaps the starting catching position this spring:
Wilson, who was slowed by knee problems in 2010, hired a nutritionist and adopted a diet heavy on protein, fruits and vegetables "instead of hamburgers, cheeseburgers and chicken fingers with French fries," he said. "It wasn't a 15-day crash diet. It was a gradual weight-loss program. The good thing is I kept all my strength."
In addition to Wilson, reliever Kevin Jepsen dropped 14 pounds from last season, weighing in at 228 pounds according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. The first workout with pitchers and catchers for the Angels is scheduled for Monday.
For more Angels spring training information, be sure to read Halos Heaven.