MLB

Viola making Vegas return after surgery, parents’ deaths

After a spring that could be described as horrific at best, Frank Viola’s life will return to a little bit of normalcy this week. On Thursday he will represent the Mets along with Jim Reeves, the scout who signed Brandon Nimmo, at MLB’s First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network studios. On Friday, he will fly to Las Vegas and resume his duties for the Mets Triple-A affiliate as the team’s pitching coach.

It was in March that Viola saw both of his parents die within a two-week period, then in early April he underwent open heart surgery.

“I feel the best I’ve felt since I was playing,” Viola said. “This was a tremendous wake-up call for me. I want to thank the Mets organization, particularly [owners] Fred and Jeff Wilpon for being so caring during my ordeal. They stood behind me 100 percent.”

Viola’s only restriction upon returning to Las Vegas is that he has to wait two weeks to begin throwing batting practice.

“Right now I’m in Port St. Lucie [Fla.]. I’m going through a regular spring training arm strengthening program,” said Viola, who himself was drafted by the Twins in the second round of the 1981 draft out of St. John’s. “I figure I should be back throwing BP in two weeks.”

Viola can’t wait to resume coaching.

“Being away I realized how much I missed it,” Viola said. “I have to continue to take better care of myself, but I’m really glad to be back.”

Weatherford to give Expo extra kick

Giants punter Steve Weatherford will host the NBC 4 and New York Giant Health & Fitness Expo, presented by Quest Diagnostics. One of the largest and open-to-the-public health events, the Expo will be held at MetLife Stadium July 19-20 from 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

“Health and fitness is a huge priority in my life, and I’m especially pleased to be hosting the Expo this year,” Weatherford said. “Maintaining your health is a lifelong commitment, and I look forward to sharing my knowledge with visitors at the Expo.”

All-Stars aren’t the only thing Mets fans can vote for this week. As part of a program with Citi, fans can vote for one of three New York restaurants, with the winner to become a permanent fixture at Citi Field starting in July and running through the end of the season.

The three restaurants are Ceetay, which serves Thai food in The Bronx; Corfu Grill, a Greek spot in Forest Hills, Queens; and Lady M Confections, a cake and dessert restaurant in The Bronx. Fans can vote here until June 6.

Docu focuses on ‘Real’ story in India

“The Only Real Game,” a feature documentary written and directed by Mirra Bank, opens Friday at Cinema Village.

The compelling story explores how a proud people in a remote, isolated state in militarized northeast India defy dire circumstances to play America’s national pastime.

Because of armed insurgent groups, martial law, massive unemployment, drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, they have been isolated from the rest of India and the world. They couldn’t even leave Manipur to travel to the other parts of India to try out for “Million Dollar Arm.”

Docs design app to help pitchers

Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Kevin Wilk are releasing Throw Like a Pro, an app designed to prevent overuse injuries in young baseball players by establishing proper conditioning habits, work out routines, etc. It also includes things like a pitch counter and rest calculator for parents and coaches.

Test match coming for U.S. rugby

The Brazil Olympics are two years away, but Rugby 7’s is ramping up its work to make sure Team USA is part of the sports’ re-entry into the Games. This weekend in Philadelphia, as part of the Collegiate Rugby Championships, there will be a first-ever test match of professional rugby players with Olympic aspirations, and hopes of potentially starting a professional league in the North America to get players much needed experience year-round for both the 2016 and the 2020 Games.

The match will feature a professional startup team from New York, the Rhinos, against the Ontario Blues pro team at PGE Park in Philly. Players include Justin Hundley, whose day job is assistant athletic director at Xavier High School, Marist’s Matt Walsh, Stony Brook’s Jonathan Feldman, and UConn’s Rob Chudzik, among other elite former college ruggers.