Ryan Westmoreland Could Participate In Fall Instructional League

Alex Speier is the bearer of great news tonight, as Ryan Westmoreland is preparing to take another step on the long road back to baseball.

While his participation would be limited--it's unlikely he would actually play in games--Ryan Westmoreland is eyeing a trip to the Fall Instructional League.

With Westmoreland "running, doing some throwing and . . . swinging off a tee and taking some soft toss," he has already made some tremendous progress in the months following his surgery. Speaking optimistically, you could even view the Instructional League visit as a sort of early spring training to help Ryan relearn what his body has forgotten in the months of down time.

No matter what, though, it's a big step forward.