Rios trying to show he can still play ball

By ANDY KENT
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — Going from the on-deck circle behind Barry Bonds in San Francisco to a non-roster invitee at spring training for the Minnesota Twins is quite a fall.

But Armando Rios is hoping this will be a springboard for his return to the highest level of professional baseball.

"It's kind of funny and different looking at the roster — I'm not on the roster yet — but every guy on that roster is younger than me," Rios said before starting in right field Thursday night at City of Palms Park against the Boston Red Sox. "So it's a new experience."

The 33-year-old Rios began his career with the San Francisco Giants in 1994 after being signed as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana State University and made his Major League debut in 1998. His best season came in 2000 when he hit .266 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs.

After being traded to Pittsburgh at the end of July in 2001, he did OK at the beginning of the next season before a glutton of injuries set him back. First it was a knee contusion and then a strained calf, so he became a free agent in 2003 and signed with the Chicago White Sox.

Rios struggled in the first 49 games and was sent down to Triple-A Charlotte, where he finished the year. He then signed with the Florida Marlins in 2004 but was released before the end of spring training. He caught on with Tijuana in the Mexican League, where he hit .352 in 30 games, then signed with Baltimore and was assigned to Triple-A Ottawa. St. Louis picked him up in a trade but released him in late August.

Now after a tumultuous offseason in which he testified before a federal grand jury during an investigation of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, Rios is looking to make a comeback and to restore his reputation.

"I played winter ball and I did what I've done and I'm healthy," Rios said. "That's the main thing, that I'm not injured. It's the first offseason in awhile that I'm fully 100 percent healthy and I was able to play ball. It's fun to be back in baseball and have a chance to make the team."

Rios will need quite a bit of help if he is going to make the final 25-man roster as an extra outfielder because Lew Ford has the fourth spot and part-time DH role pretty much nailed down. But he said the club was looking for someone to replace Jose Offerman, who played some first base, and Rios has been willing to practice at first.

At the plate is where Rios hopes to make the biggest impact and give the coaching staff something to think about as the final cutdown day draws closer. He hit the ball hard his second at-bat Thursday in an 0-for-2 night, driving a pitch to deep right off right-hander Josias Manzanillo.

"I don't think they need much defensive replacements here. So just being ready, being a leader and being ready to hit, that's my main thing here is to be ready when they need somebody to come up late in the game, and I need to be ready for that."

LOHSE TUNES UP

Twins right-handed starter Kyle Lohse was the only regular that made the quick bus ride from the Lee County Sports Complex, as manager Ron Gardenhire kept his starters back because they have a home day game today at 1:05 p.m., against Toronto.

Lohse, who won his arbitration case against the Twins last month and is getting paid $2.4 million this season, allowed one earned run on two hits and struck out one in two innings Thursday night.

"I tried to get myself in a jam and get out of it," Lohse joked. "I just wanted to throw strikes and get it over and get it going."

TWINS TIDBITS:

Right-hander Joe Mays will start today against Toronto lefty Gustavo Chacin, his first live action since August of 2003. He underwent Tommy John surgery on Sept. 11, 2003 and missed all of the 2004 season. ... Minnesota has 12 of 56 players in camp who were not with the organization last year. ... All fans in attendance at Hammond Stadium for today's game against the Blue Jays will receive a grapefruit afterwards courtesy of Sun Harvest.