Cozart happy to be (somewhat) mobile again

Eleven-month old Cooper Cozart is currently content in a relatively stationary life.

His father, Reds shortstop Zack, however, is happy to be much more mobile.

Monday marks the seven-week mark since Cozart suffered a torn tendon and ligaments in his right knee and subsequently had season-ending surgery.

For the past week or so, Cozart has finally been able to walk around without crutches and is continuing his rehab.

"The first week was slow, because after surgery, I'm just sitting there, I can't do anything, really, besides a little motion stuff. But ever since then, I gradually come to the field, and I add a couple of exercises every other day, so it makes it a lot better," Cozart said before Sunday's game with the Pirates. "I feel good. Before the season ends, I'll run, I'll do some agilities, I'll be well on my way, I'll have a physical therapist and a personal trainer that will coordinate with the Reds that will keep everything going the way it should be going."

Cozart said he expects to be at 100 percent by the time spring training starts – and he may be even a little better.

"Usually, if you play the whole year, you take October off if you don't make the playoffs, then you start your workout regimen in November. I've already started upper body, and it's Aug. 2," Cozart said. "I'm going to have an extra two or three months to get stronger because I can't do anything else. I'm trying to find all the positives I can out of it. I get to be home with my boy a lot more."

Cozart said he knew the injury was bad as soon as he slipped on the wet base trying to beat out an infield single against the Phillies on June 10.

Cozart fell to the ground and he immediately told first base coach Billy Hatcher, "It's bad." And then when head athletic trainer Paul Lassard reached him, he remembered saying, "It's not good, Paul, it's not good."

"Then when they picked me up to take me off the field, I could just feel how loose my knee was," Cozart said. "The ligaments keep you together, and I felt like my knee was going to fall to the ground when they were carrying me off."

The difference between that day and now, Cozart said, is stark. He's upbeat and in the Reds' clubhouse before the game, working with the Reds training staff and doctors to rehab the knee and get ready for February.

"The good news is I don't have to rush it. I have time to take it slow, I haven't had a day yet, but if I have a day where I'm sore, I can take a day off and continue the next day," Cozart said. "That's probably one of the few positives about having it done early in the season, is I have so much time to get ready."

DE JESUS PROVING WORTH: Ivan De Jesus Jr. made his 19th start of the season on Sunday. The game marked his first career big-league start at first base, too, which he played for a resting Joey Votto.

De Jesus played first base in the 13-inning game against the Tigers on June 17, but Sunday was his first start there. He has started at five different positions since being called up on June 3. He's started seven times at second base, four at shortstop and in left, and two games at third base.

He also went 2-for-4 on Sunday, raising his average to .290 in 31 game so far this year.

"He's the 2014 version of Kris Negron. Kris came up and had a great impact on our team last year, and given the opportunity, Ivan's done the same thing," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "(He) impacted us very much defensively, which I think was the initial attraction to signing him as a free agent. The bat control and the ability to do so much offensively has been a bonus. For me, an unexpected bonus.

"From the time we saw him in spring training to the present, he's been terrific – putting balls in play, staying in the middle of the diamond, getting to some power, hitting behind runners, hit-and-run guy, can get a bunt down, he just does a lot of good things for us."

WALDROP DEBUTS: Outfielder Kyle Waldrop made his big-league debut for the Reds on Sunday, striking out on three pitches against Pirates starter Charlie Morton as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning of the Reds' 3-0 loss to the Pirates.

"I'm in the books – it was great, I was really excited," Waldrop said. "It's not the outcome you want, obviously, but hey, it's my first major-league at-bat, it's a dream come true."