PHOENIX -- Each time he slides back into first base or makes
a lunging catch in the field, Mark Ellis further convinces himself
he is completely healthy again.
Each day the Oakland Athletics inch closer to opening day, Ellis
tests his body that much more.
"All that does is build confidence, the little things like
that," said Ellis, who missed all of last season with a torn
labrum in his right shoulder after colliding with shortstop Bobby
Crosby in a spring training game against the Cubs.
"Each time I do one of those things, I can erase it from my
memory and go forward. I feel great. I can't say anything bad.
Everyday I get out there, my arm feels great. It's loose in the
morning and feels good for the rest of the day. There's nothing
wrong and I'm able to go full speed ahead."
Ellis' swing seems better than ever. He is batting 7-for-12
(.583) so far this spring after going 1-for-3 with a solo home run
in Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Giants. He didn't play Thursday
in the A's game against the Angels.
Ellis is competing with Keith Ginter and Marco Scutaro for the
starting job at second. It should help his chances that he can play
more than one position.
Manager Ken Macha is happy that Ellis can give Crosby a day off
at short or play third in place of Gold Glover Eric Chavez. Ellis
started at shortstop against San Francisco. He made a high throw to
first for an error, but later connected for his first homer of the
spring.
"He's probably our hottest hitter right now," Macha said.
"He's swinging the bat very well. And I love the way he plays in
the field."
Ellis was anxious all winter to get to spring training after a
productive offseason at the team's minor league complex, which
included instructional league. He's no longer restricted in
anything he does.
The 27-year-old Ellis hit .248 with nine homers and 52 RBIss in
2003, his first full season in the majors. Macha hasn't named a
leader to win the starting job at second. Two, and possibly all
three, of them could make the team.
Last season, Ginter batted .262 with 19 home runs and 60 RBIss in
113 games for Milwaukee, which traded him to the A's in December.
Scutaro was the primary fill-in for Ellis last season.
Ellis is just focused on what he can control this spring:
playing well.
Macha repeatedly says that his players write the lineup based on
performance.
"If you're doing well, it's hard to stay out of the lineup,"
Ellis said. "That's the goal for all three of us, to just go out
there and do the best that we can. And do something everyday to
help the team win."
He's still working to get all the kinks out -- kinks that go
unnoticed until a player actually gets into a game.
His first two goals are complete, getting back on the field and
trying things to test his shoulder. The third is to be on the field
for opening day.
"I told myself going into spring training there's nothing I can
do except go out and play," Ellis said. "All I can do is go out
there and make it hard for them not to put me in there. That's what
I'm trying to do.
"You've kind of got to pace yourself. Most of the time you come
to spring training and you feel really good right away and then you
kind of hit a lull at the end of spring training. I keep reminding
myself there are 162 games to play."
Game notes
C Adam Melhuse (sore Achilles' tendon), OF Bobby Kielty
(strained right calf) and non-roster C Daric Barton (appendectomy)
all are likely to see game action this weekend. ... OF Jason Perry
was taken off the unable to perform list. ... OF Jack Cust is being
limited with a sore hand. ... Macha wants all the A's relief
pitchers to be able to throw at least 45 pitches in a game -- or get
some minor league action -- by the end of spring training. "That
helps with arm strength," he said. ... LHP Dan Meyer will probably
pitch on three days' rest Sunday for three innings, rather than
come in to work out on Monday's scheduled day off. ... OF Charles
Thomas took batting practice Thursday then got the rest of the day
off. "His legs are a little tired," Macha said. "It's no wonder.
He comes in at 7:30 in the morning everyday and he left at 6:30
last night. He's been working hard at his skills."