Injured Wada visits teammates in St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG -- Orioles pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada made the short trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., from Sarasota, visiting with teammates and talking to manager Buck Showalter for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on May 11.

Wada, who was in good spirits, has started doing lower-body exercises and hopes to start working on getting strength back in his shoulder next week.

"I really appreciate him coming over," Showalter said of Wada, who was signed to a two-year deal this winter out of Japan, but has yet to throw a pitch for the Orioles. "He didn't have to do that and everybody's happy to see him. I think the future looks good for him to be healthy. He's talked about, if everything goes well, being on a mound in February. I don't see him breaking camp with us, but at least if everything goes well, he can start that progression."

Wada said through an interpreter that his elbow is "getting better and better" and expressed regret over having to watch the Orioles' season from the sidelines.

"I was determined to do well and help out the team this year," said Wada, who called playing in the Majors his dream at his introductory press conference. "But I got this injury and was not able to do it. I also feel sorry for my teammates and coaches, because I ended up like this."

Wada was slowed this spring with elbow discomfort that he deemed a regular yearly issue. But this time it didn't go away, and following his first rehab start he was examined by the team's doctors and later Dr. Lewis Yocum, who performed the surgery.

"It was very respectful," Showalter said of Wada's gesture. "He was kind of in his own way apologizing I think, which he didn't have to do, that he knew we were counting on him and sorry that he got hurt."