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So does this explain the .229/.258/.358 line Wilson Ramos posted last season along with a career high 20% K%?
According to reports from Spring Training this morning, the Washington Nationals' catcher flew home to the nation's capital, where he will undergo LASIK surgery to correct vision issues which were discovered when the 28-year-old catcher underwent an eye exam that is part of the normal Spring Training protocol.
"They just discovered it," Nats' skipper Dusty Baker told reporters including MASNSports.com's Mark Zuckerman.
"That's the reason why they didn't do it earlier, when you do the exams and all that stuff. We decided it's better now than later. And he'll really be able to hit now."
Ramos will be out of action for a week according to Baker.
The veteran backstop, who dealt with injury issues throughout his first few seasons with the Nationals, appeared in a career-high 128 games in 2015 after he played in just 25, 78 and 88 games, respectively, from 2012-2014 as he dealt with knee, hamstring and hamate bone injuries.
Daniel Murphy takes on the Mets in ST action today
Photo © Logan Bowles/USA TODAY Sports
Ramos told reporters this winter that while he was happy he was able to stay in the lineup last season, and perform well defensively, he was determined to pick things up at the plate in 2016.
"I'm very excited, very happy for all I did behind the plate," Ramos said.
"What I did behind the plate made me feel good because I'm learning every year more and more. With my offense, I'm a little bit not happy, but I know I have to work and need to work a lot try to do a better job next season."
Will improved vision lead to a big season for Ramos in 2016... just in time for him to become a free agent next winter if he and the Nationals don't work out an extension to keep him in the nation's capital before then?