Murphy aims to prevent recurrence of leg problems

The slow-to-heal upper left leg injury that limited Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy to three regular season at-bats after Sept. 17 - often referred to as a glute strain and possibly traced to a hamstring problem earlier in the season - may have been more serious than Murphy let on.

Though he slashed .438/.545/.438 in the National League Division Series loss to the Dodgers, Murphy said Saturday he has been focusing his early offseason workouts on glute exercises and stabilization drills aimed at preventing a recurrence of the problem.

"It's going to be something I've got to be diligent about because it could potentially be reoccurring," said Murphy while speaking to the media at Nationals Winterfest. "I think I've got to be, in my older age, a little more diligent in certain areas of the game. ... Try to take care of the body now, not that I'm an old man."

Working with Harvey Sharman, the Nats' executive director of medical services, and the team's training staff, Murphy is convinced he's come up with the right series of exercises and treatments to set the stage for a healthy 2017.

"I'm more focused from laying the foundation, probably, from a lower-body standpoint," Murphy said. "Whereas I probably would have gone and maybe started hitting a couple of times a week by now, but I'm not. I'm hitting a little bit, but I'm kind of staying away from that right now. Trying to lay the foundation."

The goal is a simple one, said Murphy: "Takes the pressure off the hamstrings."

His training sessions are interspersed with golf games against his 2½-year-old son - "He's almost better than daddy," Murphy joked - and he's had time to reflect on this week's blockbuster trade from the Winter Meetings that brought center fielder Adam Eaton from the White Sox in exchange for pitching prospects Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning.

In a word, Murphy said he was "ecstatic" about the deal, which potentially puts a pair of table setters atop the lineup in front of himself and right fielder Bryce Harper.

"It sparks the whole offense. You look at Trea (Turner) and how dangerous he was. ... Adam's coming off a career year and a three-year cycle where he's been one of the most productive players in the big leagues," Murphy said. "He does it in a little bit of a different way - baserunning and defensive value. ... I'm a firm believer that protection comes from the front, so Bryce Harper is going to get a lot more pitches to hit when guys are on in front of him. I think that's our job as an offense, is how can we stack as many guy on in front of the guys who are dangerous in the lineup."

The trade also likely restores Turner to his natural position at shortstop, meaning Murphy will have a new double play partner this season. Murphy is looking forward to what Turner will bring to the infield defense.

"I thought he was really good, really consistent," Murphy said. "I thought I heard somebody talking about they weren't sure of the arm strength. Well, he can throw. He threw some balls from the outfield that could really ride, and he threw some balls from shortstop, too. I was really impressed by him."

As for his own defense, Murphy said he was pleased with his first season in Washington. It didn't hurt that he finished second in the NL in batting with a .347 average and led the league in slugging (.595) and OPS (.985). Though he came to D.C. with the rep as only an average defender, his offensive statistics helped offset any deficiencies in the field.

"I thought I caught the balls I was supposed to catch for the most part," he said. "That's always my goal, to make the routine play. The spectacular play - whether someone deems it spectacular or that's just me - that's kind of icing on the cake. But it's still something I want to be really diligent about.

"That's the two biggest things: Make the routine plays and turn my double plays. When the pitcher does his job and gets the double play ball, that's something I want to be able to turn. ... One of the hugest strengths of our ballclub is our pitching staff. So we turn the double plays we're supposed to, that allows Max (Scherzer) to get into the seventh, that allows Tanner (Roark) to get deeper into the game. It saves the bullpen, as we've seen. If we can save the bullpen, it allows them to be fresh later in the season."

Spring training may be more than two months away, but Murphy already has goals in mind for 2017.

"Probably give away less at-bats, because that's one of the things in my control," said. "From a numbers standpoint, I can't tell you because you've seen guys go out there, lay four bullets in a ballgame and have nothing to show for it. So the process, I feel, is within my control, is staying engaged for 162 games."