MESA, Ariz. -- After a successful six-year run in Japan, Matt Murton arrived at Chicago Cubs' camp this spring with a goal of returning to the major leagues and putting a punctuation mark on an eventful career.
He was ready to pour his heart and soul into the endeavor. But his appendix had other ideas.
In late February, Murton was gearing up for a run at an outfield spot as a non-roster invitee when he began to feel a pain in his side. He gritted his teeth through a practice and tried to quell the nausea with Tums and Pepto-Bismol, only to find his discomfort increasing by the hour.