Griffin’s Tutelage Pays Dividends on Defense

Under the watchful eye of coach Alfredo Griffin, Angel shortstop David Eckstein and second baseman Adam Kennedy logged long hours during spring training in pursuit of the perfect double-play pivot.

Griffin, a middle infielder for 18 major league seasons, thought the Angels could improve on last season’s 142 double plays, which ranked eighth in the American League.

“We had some problems last year because Eckstein was moving from second to short and Kennedy hadn’t played his position that long,” Griffin said. “They needed to work together more.”

The work appears to have paid off.

The Angels entered Friday night’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox ranked fourth in the league with 40.

They turned one in a 19-0 victory at Edison Field.

“That’s all we focused on, day in and day out during the spring and we still work on it,” Eckstein said. “The fact that we’re playing together for a second year and know each other better has helped. It’s coming together pretty well.”

Griffin said the Angels have also improved because third baseman Troy Glaus has learned to take something off his throws to second when necessary.

“Things are looking good,” Griffin said, “but they still have some things to improve on.”

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First baseman Shawn Wooten fielded ground balls and took light batting practice with his teammates for the first time since injuring ligaments in his right thumb during spring training. Wooten received medical clearance after he was examined by Dr. Norman Zemel.

“The doctor said to go by the pain,” Wooten said. “I haven’t experienced any pain so far to get to this point so I think I’ll be all right. Everything feels good.”

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Pink chairs autographed by Angel and White Sox players will be in the home and visiting bullpens today as part of the Major League Baseball Mother’s Day initiative in support of breast cancer awareness.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

RAMON ORTIZ

(3-3, 2.44 ERA)

vs.

WHITE SOX’S

JON GARLAND

(4-1, 5.54 ERA)

at Edison Field, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net.

Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

Update--Ortiz pitched a five-hitter and struck out 10 in an 8-2 victory at Toronto last Sunday and has pitched at least eight innings in each of his last three starts. Garland, a 22-year-old right-hander, is 4-0 with a 4.82 earned-run average in his last five starts. He was a first-round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in 1997 out of Granada Hills Kennedy High.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.