PHOENIX -- Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby has had
enough of this designated hitter stuff. He wants out of the dugout.
"DH is not for me," Crosby said Wednesday. "I'm just pacing
up and down in the dugout and probably driving things crazy."
The former Rookie of the Year has been limited because of a
shoulder injury incurred while weight lifting during the offseason.
His problems were further complicated with a case of pink eye,
which kept him out of the clubhouse on Tuesday.
Crosby was back in the lineup Wednesday, though he has yet to
assume his role on the field. The target date for his first
appearance at shortstop is Friday, when the A's will have a split
squad against the Kansas City Royals in Surprise, and against the
Los Angeles Angels in Tempe.
"There's no real hurry," A's manager Ken Macha said. "He's
swinging the ball well. We hope for the 10th but we'll have to see
how he feels."
Crosby has been involved in full infield drills, and was
scheduled to resume a full workout this week until the pink eye set
him back a day.
Crosby, who was limited to 84 games last year because of a
stress fracture in his ribs and later a fractured left ankle,
figures he'd be better off in the field.
"The game goes by so slow and you keep asking when your next
at-bat is," he said. "At least when you're out there things are
happening and all of a sudden you're hitting again. If you're not
hitting well, it can be tough."
The plan is to take grounders on Thursday, and if his shoulder
responds, Crosby will get a few innings at shortstop the next day.
Crosby hit safely in his first four games, including a home run
in each of his first two games.
------
GAINING EXPERIENCE: After spending a year in the minor leagues,
the A's like to bring several of their top prospects to camp as
non-rostered players though most know they don't have a chance to
make the 25-man roster.
"It's good for them to go out and experience the whole thing,"
Macha said. "They're the future, and I like to see them get their
feet wet."
Outfielder Danny Putnam, who drove in 100 runs in 131 games at
Single-A Stockton last year, is in his first major-league training
camp.
"I'm standing 20 feet away from guys who I've watched play on
TV," Putnam said. "It's been amazing. I have the chance to be
around professional players. I want to pick their brains as much as
possible. If nothing else it's extra work to get ready for the
season."
First baseman Daric Barton is starting his second year with the
A's. The 20-year-old prospect came to Oakland as part of the trade
with pitchers Dan Haren and Kiko Calero in the trade that sent Mark
Mulder to the St. Louis Cardinals.
"I'm just looking for consistency," Barton said. "They saw
what I could do last year and I don't want to try to prove too
much. I did that last year for two months and wasn't producing."
He hit a combined .317 and drove in 89 runs in 139 games
splitting the year with Single-A Modesto and Double-A Midland.
Macha pointed out that Crosby, Nick Swisher and Joe Blanton were
among those players who made the transition better because of an
early exposure in spring training.
"In my first camp I knew I had no shot," Blanton said. "I sat
in the back and just watched what was going on. But it makes the
next spring training a lot easier."
------
MORE COMFORTABLE: Joe Blanton has already earned himself a place
in the A's rotation, so he's not bothered much by allowing seven
runs on nine hits in 4 2-3 innings in his two spring starts. He's
more concerned with finding a rhythm.
"I tried to speed up my pace a little more," Blanton said
after giving two runs on four hits over 2 2-3 innings Wednesday.
"The last time I was working a little too slow and in my last
bullpen, I knew I was working slow."
Blanton had a similar problem last year, which resulted in a
6.66 ERA and losses in his first five decisions.
Working with pitching coach Curt Young, who pointed out the
problem, Blanton was able to make the adjustment and went on to
become one of the top pitchers in the American League. He won five
of his next six starts and finished the season winning four of
five.
"It was almost in the middle of my windup," Blanton said. "It
was like my arm was ahead of my body. It wasn't a huge difference,
but it was enough to make it click and put it all in order."