The game wouldn't start for nearly six hours, but Doug Mientkiewicz, T-shirt soaked in sweat, was already well into his 12-hour workday.
On the left-field grass in an empty stadium, with nothing but his conscience and his work ethic to push him, the Gold Glove first baseman sprinted around plastic obstacles of assorted shapes and sizes. Back and forth he went, dashing and cutting through a course designed to test his speed and agility.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday, August 04, 2009 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 4 National Desk 1 inches; 44 words Type of Material: Correction
Doug Mientkiewicz: In Sunday's Sports section, a photo caption with an article about Doug Mientkiewicz's recovery from shoulder surgery said the Dodger was three for four in a minor league game Thursday. As the article said, he was four for five in that game.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday, August 09, 2009 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 4 National Desk 1 inches; 46 words Type of Material: Correction
Doug Mientkiewicz: In the Aug. 2 Sports section, a photo caption with an article about Doug Mientkiewicz's recovery from shoulder surgery said the Dodger was three for four in a minor league game Thursday. As the article said, he was four for five in that game.
But the mind-numbing repetition, the pain, the loneliness were also testing his resolve.
"A lot of frustration, a lot of sweat," said Mientkiewicz, who has been in the Dodgers' dugout every game, home and away. "But you know what? To me, it's your job. It's your job to get back on the field."
Consider it a job well done then, because three months after suffering a shoulder injury doctors thought would prevent him from throwing until October, Mientkiewicz has already begun a minor league rehab assignment that could have him back this month, maybe even as early as next week.
That, however, would be just the latest in a series of improbable turns Mientkiewicz's career has taken this season.
Invited to spring training as a non-roster player, he earned a uniform the old-fashioned way -- by playing himself onto the team. Then, 10 games into the season, he separated his right shoulder diving into second base. Surgery immediately followed.
Mientkiewicz wasn't expected to be able to hit until at least September. But he was four for five with a home run and five runs batted in on Thursday in his third of four games as the designated hitter for triple-A Albuquerque before returning to the Dodgers' spring training facility in Arizona on Saturday to be checked out.
He has yet to play in the field, a hurdle he'll have to clear before being reactivated. But Mientkiewicz has been throwing -- something doctors didn't think would happen for at least 10 more weeks.
And although Dodgers trainer Stan Conte isn't ready to say Mientkiewicz's rapid comeback has defied medical science, it has, Conte said, defied belief.
"Some people can work really hard for short periods of time. And then it's like, 'You mean I've got to keep doing this?' " Conte said. "This guy's done this solid for three months. And is not slowing up. And he's been persistent.
"And he's been driving me nuts."
