TEMPE, Ariz. – Josh Hamilton waited out Tim Lincecum’s first two pitches Monday, both fastballs, one for a ball and one for a strike.
And then he could wait no longer. He pounced, again and again.
Appearing in his first spring training game this season and his first competitive at-bat since a flyout last Sept. 29, Hamilton saw three more pitches from the Giants right-hander the rest of the day and hit all three into play – and all three to his pull side.
There was a groundout to second, a grounded single off the first baseman’s glove and into right field and a lineout to right. After five innings, the designated hitter was done, headed into the clubhouse to continue rehab work on his left calf.
He missed the last three weeks while nursing a calf strain suffered during baserunning drills in camp.
“First day back, you’re gonna be a little jumpy,” Hamilton said. “My first couple at-bats were exactly that. I wasn’t really focused on when to start my load and everything, but in the third at-bat I really focused on it and felt like I put a better swing on the ball. It was good overall.”
When he reached base, Hamilton took off for second on a 3-2 pitch and appeared to run normally. He and Angels manager Mike Scioscia were pleased with the ease he displayed on the basepaths.
“They wouldn’t put me in the game until they felt like I could do all the things I needed to do,” Hamilton said.
Scioscia said Hamilton’s bigger body – he entered spring training with 28 additional pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame – helped his presence in the batter’s box.
“He looks crisp,” Scioscia said. “He looks strong.”
Scioscia expressed some uncertainty as to Hamilton’s availability for opening day, two weeks from Monday. Hamilton has previously said he is confident he will be ready, but he backed off his comments when told what Scioscia said Monday.
“Whatever Scioscia thinks, I’m gonna go with that,” Hamilton said. “I’m not gonna create any controversy with you guys. I’m not gonna be put in the position to do that. Whatever he says goes.”
Scioscia said he had a Monday morning conversation with Mike Trout about what Hamilton’s return would do for a potentially potent Angels lineup. The 32-year-old slugger gives Scioscia the opportunity to go back and forth between right- and left-handers throughout his order.
“Putting Josh in the middle of this group, I think all these guys are excited to see that,” Scioscia said.
IBANEZ AT FIRST
Raul Ibanez has played two regular-season innings at first base over the last nine years, but he played there for six innings Monday as the Angels assess his viability as an occasional substitute for Albert Pujols.
He has not been a good defender in the outfield in recent seasons but played first fine Monday, according to Scioscia.
“He did the basics, and that’s really what we’re trying to evaluate,” Scioscia said. “He got off the bat fine, had good range, made one play where he had to stretch. The basics were there.”
Ibanez, 41, thought his infield-playing days were over, but he received a call from Scioscia while he was driving around his 12-year-old son, Raul Jr., after signing with the Angels in December.
On speakerphone, Scioscia asked if Ibanez would be interested in playing some first base for the Angels in 2014. Ibanez had recently bought Raul Jr. a first baseman’s mitt for use in his youth baseball league.
His son leaned over in the car and asked: “Do you want that mitt back, dad?”
NOTES
The Angels are off Tuesday, but right-hander Garrett Richards will throw six innings in a Triple-A game at Tempe Diablo Stadium to stay on schedule. … Left-hander Hector Santiago said he threw his screwball roughly nine times in his start Monday, much more than normal and more than he threw his changeup. … The Angels optioned seven players to minor-league camp: left-handers Clay Rapada and Buddy Boshers, right-hander Josh Wall, catcher John Hester, first baseman Efren Navarro and infielders Tommy Field and Luis Jimenez. That brings the spring roster down to 42 players.
Contact the writer: pmoura@ocregister.com
