KC 'rewards' Teahen with position switch

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- He worked hard all his life to become a good third baseman, and Mark Teahen did. Big time.

Last year, in just his second major league season, Teahen posted a .517 slugging percentage, a jump from his rookie campaign of .141. Since 1876, only 16 players ever made a bigger increase from their first to their second season.

He hit .355 in his last 46 home games for Kansas City, while making just 14 total errors, tied for fourth in the AL.

At the same time, he became just the third player in franchise history to steal 10 or more bases without getting caught and put up a combined on-base percentage and slugging percentage of .874.

Only one other AL third baseman's was higher -- Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees.

His reward for all that production for a team that lost 100 games and had very little in the lineup to protect him?

A hearty slap on the back, followed by a swift kick in the pants -- all the way into right field.

The Royals decided they had to make room for Alex Gordon, the crown jewel of their player development system who will probably open at third base this season and could blossom into their finest homegrown product since Carlos Beltran.

Even though everyone could see it coming, it still hurt. Teahen acknowledges he had "issues" with management's decision.

"We had to talk through some things," he said. "When you work hard your entire career to become the best third baseman you can possibly be, then you get told you're going to the outfield -- it was tough initially. But at the same time, I understand the situation.

"And I understand a lot of guys have changed position early in their careers and gone on to become great players. It's no huge deal."

But there also have been young players who failed at a new position and drifted out of the game.

But the change has worked out for Teahen so far. He is hitting .286 in seven games. He still runs the bases expertly and has not been charged with his first error.

It helps that the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is a superior athlete with a powerful throwing arm. It also helps that he grew up in a family he describes as "die-hard baseball" and has a doting father who's a professional coach with a background in semipro baseball.

"Dad was always my hitting coach and my coach in Little League. He taught me how to play the game," Teahen said.

Mike Teahen wasn't exactly pleased with what Mark was asked to do, either.

"It was dad who made me an infielder," Mark Teahen said. "He knew I had good hands for third base. His initial comment was, `It's a waste.' But he understands the situation. And he believes I have the ability, and know the game well enough, to make the transition."

Royals' designated hitter Mike Sweeney has as much faith in Mike Teahen's ability to coach as Mark does.

"In junior high school he was my history and science teacher for three years and my football, basketball and track coach," Sweeney said. "Everybody called him Mr. Teahen because we all had so much respect for him. Mark's lucky. He has a great family background. His dad really knows athletics."

As the Royals go into the final weeks of spring training, the reports on the new right fielder are mostly upbeat.

"I think at first he was little angry, which is all right," manager Buddy Bell said. "He thought he was doing a good job at third, which he was."

Everybody, Teahen included, is hopeful he'll get as many tough chances during the spring games as possible. After all, he has much to learn in a short amount of time.

Several times on balls hit hard into right, he has taken a step or two in, then had to run back to get to balls hit over his head.

"He really understands some of the things he has to work on," Bell said. "But he's also made some great plays. The big swing, balls off the end of the bat, the big swing with somebody getting jammed, those are the kind of plays he's going to have difficulty reading right now.

"But he's a ballplayer. And he's smart. He's a very bright kid. I think he's going to be all right."