PEORIA, Ariz. – Grant Green has his work cut out for him this spring.
Green, who had two hits coming off the bench in the Angels’ 5-3, seven-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, is fighting with at least four experienced major leaguers for a spot on the Angels bench.
Green, a product of Canyon High and USC, will need to be impressive on both sides of the ball, if he’s to emerge from the crowded competition.
“Of course you want to have a better outlook coming into camp with a job, but in the same sense it’s fun to be able to see a ton of guys here fighting for jobs,” Green said. “Each guy has their own style of play and you can pick their minds and put it into your game.”
Andrew Romine or John McDonald, both outstanding defensive shortstops, are likely to take one of the infield jobs. If the Angels even keep a second backup infielder, which is likely, the leading candidates are Carlos Pena, Ian Stewart, Chad Tracy and Green.
That means Green could be headed to Salt Lake City, despite hitting .326 last year at Triple-A.
“It would be disappointing,” Green said. “I want to break with the team, of course. But if they send me back to Salt Lake, I’ll go there and play hard and play well and force them to make a decision on me.”
Green’s main issue has been his defense. He said he spent the winter working at second, third and shortstop, although not as much at third after David Freese was acquired. Green expects to play all three spots in spring training – the Angels only used him at second in the regular season – and maybe even some outfield.
Green, who hit .280 with the Angels after the July trade from Oakland, said he worked with former Angel All-Star Bobby Grich this winter.
“The ball seems to be coming off my bat straighter and truer and harder,” Green said. “Even in live BP, I’ve hit a few balls that last year would have just (dunked) in, and this year they have carried a little more.”
His double Saturday carried to the fence, even though he seemed to hit it off the end of the bat.
STRONG KOHN
The natural assumption as Michael Kohn slumped in the second half last season was that fatigue was finally hitting him in his first year after Tommy John surgery. Kohn himself even figured that would happen.
“I was thinking the same thing as everybody else,” said Kohn, who pitched a scoreless inning in his spring debut Saturday. “I kept thinking ‘There is no way I can feel this good.’”
Kohn insists that his 5.11 ERA in the second half was not the result of fatigue, but just some mechanical problems. He also said it’s possible his arm was tired and he just didn’t feel it.
Now, he’s one of at least a half dozen pitchers fighting for one of the last two spots in the bullpen with Fernando Salas, veteran Brandon Lyon, Rule 5 pick Brian Moran and veteran lefty Clay Rapada among the other leading candidates.
“Yes, I had a good year and I think I should have a spot,” Kohn said. “Internally you can think that, but you should never show it. You have to constantly prove yourself like it’s your first year.”
NOTES
Joe Blanton is expected to make his spring debut Sunday, following Hector Santiago to the mound against the Oakland A’s. …
C.J. Wilson, who gave up a single to Robinson Cano in two trips to the plate, said he’s eager to frequently face one of baseball’s best players this season: “That’s the fun part of the game, going up against the best guys and challenging them,” Wilson said. “If you keep a guy like Robinson Cano in the ballpark, it’s like Mike Trout. If he gets a single and doesn’t steal second, that’s kind of like a victory.”
Contact the writer: jlfletcher@ocregister.com
