SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — One day in early November, Buster Posey felt his body respond more normally again as he rehabilitated from season-ending hip surgery. Working out his lower half with a 15-pound dumbbell in his left hand he leaned forward for a one-legged Russian Dead Lift. Posey felt the muscles in his right buttocks being used exactly the way they should.

“This might be TMI,” San Francisco’s star catcher noted of perhaps providing too much information. “I could really feel the right side of my gluteus maximus engage – hadn’t really felt that in a while. With all leg exercises I feel like things have been more symmetrical, so hopefully that’s a good sign.”

San Francisco pitchers and catchers report this week and Posey plans to be a full participant from Day 1 of spring training Wednesday, pulling on the catcher’s gear and squatting behind the plate for his part in pitchers’ bullpens early in camp. He understands there likely will be some modifications to his workload at the beginning just to be safe.

And being in the lineup behind the plate on opening day March 28 at San Diego, Posey is absolutely planning on it.

When Posey began swinging a bat again at the start of the year, he considered that another critical step in his return and feeling right.

He put on the catching gear again for a commercial Feb. 7.

Posey, 31, hopes with a healthy hip that his power numbers will improve as the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year and 2012 MVP begins his 10th full major league season.

He batted .284 with five home runs and 41 RBI in 2018 in 105 games. Even throwing seemed to put more stress on his shoulder with the troublesome hip, which needed repair for a torn labrum as well as removal of an impingement.

• Madison Bumgarner and Posey would love to see Bryce Harper join them in the clubhouse.

“I think it’d be a huge addition for us,” Bumgarner said as the Giants opened spring training. “He’s obviously a superstar in the game, a young player. I think everybody in here would be pretty damn excited to have him.”

Harper and the Giants met in the free agent slugger’s hometown of Las Vegas last week, and new San Francisco baseball operations chief Farhan Zaidi said the sides had mutual interest.

MARLINS: Jorge Posada will be joining Miami’s front office as a special adviser to former Yankees teammate Derek Jeter, said to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.

Jeter is entering his second season as the Marlins’ CEO.

ANGELS: The Angels hope Shohei Ohtani recovers from Tommy John surgery in time to join their batting order by May.

The AL Rookie of the Year had Tommy John surgery Oct. 1 to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The first player to hit 20 homers and make 10 pitching appearances in the same season since Babe Ruth, Ohtani is not expected to pitch this year but the Angels would like to have his bat in the lineup.

ORIOLES: Outfielder Eric Young Jr. has agreed to a minor league contract with the Orioles and will report to major league spring training.

The 33-year-old hit .202 with one home run and eight RBI in 41 games for the Los Angeles Angels last year.

ARBITRATION: Left-hander Alex Wood asked an arbitration panel for a $9.65 million salary and the Cincinnati Reds argued the newly acquired pitcher should be paid $8.7 million.

A decision by Dan Brent, Andrew Strongin and Phillip LaPorte is expected Wednesday, when rulings also are likely for pitchers Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole.

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