Spiezio tries to battle back from injuries

When Scott Spiezio got a dozen at-bats in a whirlwind tour of minor league games on the final week of spring training, he joked that it felt like a month's work.

Last year, he would have been correct.

Spiezio, who made the St. Louis Cardinals as a bench player, is coming off an injury-plagued season. He received only 47 at-bats with the Mariners and was held back by an oblique strain that forced him to prove himself after signing as a minor league free agent with St. Louis.

Spiezio, 33, was a key member of the Angels' world championship team in 2002 and set career highs in several categories in 2003. But by the end of last year he was a forgotten man.

"I don't know what people thought: If I forgot how to play or if I was hurt or what," Spiezio said. "I've had people coming up to me this year going 'How'd the surgery go? Are you healthy now?

"People think I was out like 16 months or something."

There was no surgery. Just a fast fadeout.

Now he's back as an all-purpose bench player in the mold of his father, Ed Spiezio, who played for the Cardinals, White Sox and Padres in nine major-league seasons.

Scott Spiezio will largely fill the role filled last year by John Mabry, who left as a free agent for the Cubs.

Spiezio has more versatility.

For one thing, he is a switch hitter. For another, he has more than 200 games of experience at the first, second and third base positions.

Spiezio was a shortstop through high school, and has two full seasons at second base in the majors. He routinely takes grounders there, knowing that manager Tony La Russa likes to put his bench to good use. Spiezio considers himself an asset at every position except for catcher and center field.

"If Tony hears you've played a position before, there's a good chance you might be playing out there before the year's over," Spiezio said. "So I'm always prepared.

"I try to get around and play everything because you just never know in the National League what's going to happen."

Spiezio opened eyes at the start of the spring schedule with multi-hit games. He cooled off considerably, but was still making solid contact at the end of camp.

That promise plus his versatility made him a good fit.

"I think Tony and the staff took everything into consideration," Spiezio said. "He's real big on competitiveness.

"I think I showed them I can do everything."

Spiezio embraced his new team from the first day of spring training, when he showed up with his wispy chin beard dyed Cardinal red. He's a free spirit who used to sing in a garage band, SandFrog, has dabbled at acting and once read the Top 10 list for David Letterman.

He's happy to be getting a fresh start with the Cardinals, who are coming off consecutive 100-win seasons.

"Nothing against them up there [in Seattle], but it wasn't the same for some reason," Spiezio said. "There was just no chemistry.

"It's just fun to be in this kind of atmosphere."