St. Louis Cardinals: “Better vision” powers Tommy Pham

Armed with new contacts and more veggies in his diet, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Tommy Pham comes into camp hungry.

Vision and heart healthy vegetables, folks, will make Tommy Pham better in 2016.

When asked what he could do to stay healthy and avoid leg injuries this coming season, St. Louis Cardinals Tommy Pham said he saw a nutritionist and was told more veggies were needed. A die hard meat guy, Pham will have to include more peppers and cucumbers.

Pham also cited the arrival of new contacts as a reason to expect more production in the field and at the plate in 2016. He has new hybrid contacts that won’t stick to the outer frame of his eye and actually allow more comfort.

He used lesser contacts, ones that hindered parts of his game in 2015. “These new contacts will allow better vision, so they will help offensively and defensively,” Pham on his new helpers which he got from his doctor in LA. http://www.scout.com/mlb/cardinals/story/1621813-tcn-2016-cards-prospect-30-michael-ohlman

He has goals and thinks the hot finish to 2015 will power him into 2016. A new swing helps too. “When I went to AAA, I was told to move my hands back to the slot so I don’t foul off the heater. Moving my hands back helped my timing. I was on time.”

The departure of Jason Heyward and trading of Jon Jay gives him more room to shine. “They think very highly of me as a player and all of this is good news to me.” Pham doesn’t think about competing with Randal Grichuk or others. “If I go out there and perform well, it will be hard to keep me out of the lineup.”

Does the 2015 MLB exposure give Pham more confidence? “Absolutely. I felt like the more I played, the better I got. I got used to how teams were pitching me. You get more comfort playing the more you play.”

It doesn’t matter what Grichuk does or what happens to Matt Holliday, Tommy Pham is ready this year to shine. He’s got new eye assists, a new diet and some comfort. Get ready.

Stay tuned for more Winter Warmup coverage from St. Louis!