Teahen will audition at second base for the Royals

Teahen will audition at second base for the Royals
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star

Mark Teahen will be easy enough to spot this spring.

“I’ll be the tall guy,” he says, “at second base.”

Yep, the Royals are preparing for another spring training, which means another possible position switch for Teahen — this time to second base.

Teahen was among the infielders down at manager Trey Hillman’s Texas ranch last week and took three groundball sessions at second base. Hillman mentioned it on a radio show with broadcasters Ryan Lefebvre and Bob Davis as something the team is looking at.

“Looking over the roster and stuff, that might be the best way to get the majority of my at-bats,” Teahen says. “I don’t know how it will shake out. But it’s something I’ll definitely put my energy into and get as good as I can there, and hopefully it works out.”

This makes three consecutive springs for Teahen to work on a new position. He went from third base to right field to make room for Alex Gordon in 2007, then to left field when José Guillen called dibs on right last year, and now will try a little second base.

Teahen last played there his freshman year in college, and says turning the double play will be the hardest adjustment, especially if he’s still working on the other positions.

“It’ll definitely be tough to try to perfect second base while still doing some outfield and some third base and first base, you know?” Teahen says. “But I have to do what I have to do. I like being on the infield, I like being in the action. If second base gets me there and gets me in the lineup every day, I’ll do everything I can.”

Only six players listed at Teahen’s 6-3, or taller, have ever played as many as 81 games at second base (told this, Teahen joked that he wanted to be listed as 6-2).

The tall second basemen make an interesting list, one that includes Alexei Ramirez, last year’s AL Rookie of the Year runner-up, who is expected to be the White Sox’s starting second baseman.

Also on the list is Danny Ainge, the current GM of the Celtics, and Bobby Randall, who graduated from Kansas State and coached seven seasons at Kansas.

Moore OK with WBC

No concern from Royals general manager Dayton Moore about his prize closer Joakim Soria pitching for Mexico in this spring’s World Baseball Classic.

Padres ace Jake Peavy is often cited as the poster boy for concerns regarding the WBC. He pitched for Team USA in 2006, then saw his ERA go from 2.88 to 4.09. Bartolo Colon won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award, then pitched for the Dominican Republic in 2006, and hasn’t been the same since.

“If the player’s prepared physically and in the right mindset, then it can potentially be a great experience,” Moore says. “I understand why some in baseball are apprehensive about it. There is risk, but there’s risk every time a player steps on the field. Ultimately, it’s up to the individual player to prepare himself.”