Sheets Silences Infield Worries

It’s easy to pick Andy Sheets out in the Angel clubhouse. He’s usually the guy sitting in a chair, barely making a peep, practically blending in with the furniture. The straw that stirs the drink, he is not.

“I’m pretty quiet,” acknowledged Sheets, who replaced the injured Gary DiSarcina at shortstop to start the season. “I’m just trying not to get in anyone’s way.”

But for a guy who doesn’t need to be noticed, Sheets is attracting his fair share of attention.

Third base coach Larry Bowa: “He grows on you the more you watch him play. He’s got a strong arm, good hands, and intensity-wise, he reminds me of [Darin] Erstad. He’s very quiet but plays hard.”

Pitcher Chuck Finley: “I didn’t even know he was a shortstop--I thought he was more of a utility player--but he’s made a believer out of me pretty quickly. This could be the trade of the spring.”

Sheets was acquired from the San Diego Padres for utility player Phil Nevin on March 29, and at the time, the Angels thought he would play shortstop for the first week or two of the season before moving to a utility role. But the next day, the Angels discovered the broken bone in DiSarcina’s left forearm wasn’t healing properly, and he would need surgery that would sideline him until at least the All-Star break.

So now Sheets, a reserve in Seattle and San Diego, will be a regular for at least half a season, and if the first week is any indication, he will ease the loss of DiSarcina considerably.

“I don’t think he realizes how good a player he is,” Bowa said. “You get labeled a utility player, but he’s one of those guys where you don’t realize how valuable he is until you see him play every day.

“Even when DiSar gets back, Andy can play third base, second, left field . . . God forbid Troy [Glaus] or Randy [Velarde] get hurt, but if they do, this guy can step in.”

Perhaps, he may step up in the clubhouse too.

“It’s hard to get something out of him, but he’ll open up,” Finley said. “We’ll make him.”

TODAY

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (0-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. RANGERS’ MARK CLARK (0-0, 8.31 ERA)

At Ballpark of Arlington, 11:30 a.m. PDT

TV--Channel 9, Radio--KLAC (570)

* Update--Hill was not especially sharp in his first start, giving up four runs--two earned--on six hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings Wednesday night against Cleveland, but the right-hander’s velocity was good and he had good movement on his slider and split-fingered pitch.