Following return from surgery, Span employs measured pace to reach mid-season form

Center fielder Denard Span started the 2015 season on the disabled list as he recovered from core surgery. Since his return, Span has hit .327 (32-for-98) with nine doubles, three homers, three stolen bases and 12 RBIs in 23 games.

He has been provided scheduled days off and has recovered well to start the following game. The next day soreness has been normal, what you would expect after a game the night before, and has reported no after effects from the offseason surgery.

"I am pleased. Definitely didn't expect to start off as good as I have started off," Span said. "Just a testament of hard work, commitment and just taking my job serious. Even when I was hurt, I was still watching games, paying attention to just small details type stuff and just happy to be back on the field helping my teammates."

Nationals manager Matt Williams has also given Span days off so that he doesn't have to play six or seven games a week. Span said those breaks do help him feel better for his next game.

"There are days when I do need it," Span said. "There are days when I don't feel the best. I'm still a work in progress. But I'm giving it my all when I'm out there that's for sure. I just think the first half of the season is going to be very important. For me, I'm just trying to make it to the All-Star break and then catch my breath and try to get ready for the second half and make it to the finish line.

"I don't like to keep talking about it or whatever, but I didn't have an offseason, didn't have a spring training, so my body is not in the shape that (it) normally is in. I'm working hard each day. Whenever you guys don't see me out here in my chair, it's usually because I'm back in the back doing different types of exercises and trying to get my body prepared for the day."

Span also has prepared for hitting in games by going through pregame batting practice under the stadium in the team's batting cage rather than out on the field. He has been doing that since the latter half of the 2013 season.

"I get better work in in the cage. BP, I get too big. I get too quick. BP you really can't control a lot of things. A BP thrower in my experience would throw a lot of balls in. My first reaction would be to open up my front side and try to hit home runs or try to pull the ball. Then when 7 o'clock came, I would see the opposite of that, I would see sinkers away. And my first movement, because of BP, I would do the same thing, I would roll over a lot of balls. So, I just developed a routine in the cage where I could kind of stay inside the ball and keep my front side in and just kind of help me once the game starts."

Williams believes one other reason why Span has gotten off to such a nice start offensively is the core surgery did not hurt his ability to work on his swing even in recovery.

"The good part about Denard's injury, if there is a good part, was that he was able to swing," Williams said. "The problem was running. Remember back to spring training, he just couldn't explode, he couldn't get to where he wanted to get to defensively. But he never had an issue with swinging because it was a side-to-side movement.

"With that being said, he got reps. He was able to take soft toss. He was able to do some things with his swing. It's a simple swing. That helps, too. So there's not a whole lot of movement. He's not looking to drive baseballs. The power element comes, but it's not what he's looking to do. So, that shortens that time a little bit. And allows him to get back in the flow quicker. I think he's played really well."

As far as defense, Span made a spectacular catch in the 10th inning of a tie game Tuesday, robbing the Yankees speedy left fielder Brett Gardner of extra bases and what could have been an inside the park home run. He displayed tremendous speed and athleticism himself, and came away from the diving play and the game feeling good health wise.

"I think I've had a few good moments since I've been back as far as reaction time and having good catches," Span said. "Certain days I'm (going to) have it. Certain days I might be a little step slower. But, last night felt good. Saw the ball off the bat well. Reacted well. Didn't think about anything and just went and made an instinct type play."