Sweeney set to return, Truby out with broken wrist

Associated Press

MESA, Ariz. -- Kansas City slugger Mike Sweeney is ready to rejoin the Royals' lineup, after the first baseman and designated hitter missed five spring training games with a sore back.

''Sweeney's ready to go,'' manager Tony Pena said after the Royals' 6-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. ''We just decided to give him one more day. That way everybody would feel comfortable. But he's ready to go, and he will be playing tomorrow.''

The Royals also said Tuesday that third baseman Chris Truby has a broken left wrist that will have to be immobilized for three weeks before he can begin rehab work. It was not clear when the injury occurred, the team said.

Sweeney hired a new personal trainer, former Royals strength and conditioning coach Chris Mihlfeld, and put himself through intense offseason workouts after missing the last 42 games of the 2004 season because of a herniated disc in his neck.

When he reported to training camp last month, he said he felt ''100 percent'' for the first time in years. But soreness in his right oblique muscle forced him to scratch himself from the Royals' lineup Friday and he has not played since.

Sweeney stayed at Kansas City's spring training facility in Surprise on Tuesday for a supervised workout and evaluation by the training staff. The team plans to make a final decision about Wednesday's game that morning, trainer Nick Swartz said.

The Royals said Sweeney's soreness is not related to his previous back and neck problems, which have caused him to miss 146 games over the last three seasons.

''You look at the history of guys who are power hitters and you see back problems being an issue with them,'' Swartz said. ''It's always a concern, whether it's Michael or anybody else.''

Truby, signed in the offseason as a minor league free agent, had been the leading candidate to replace Joe Randa, who left for Cincinnati as a free agent after the 2004 season.

Former Nevada Griffon Mark Teahen, who has no major league experience, is the only true third baseman left in camp. But the Royals have several utility players available, including Chris Clapinski and Denny Hocking, who could start at third on Opening Day if the Royals feel Teahen isn't ready.

For now, though, the job is Teahan's to lose.

''It looks like that is the direction we are going,'' Pena said. ''If we find somebody else, it will be a different story. But in the meantime, we need to be prepared to play Teahen.''