Cirillo relishes minor opportunity
Jeff Cirillo hit .157 in spring training. PORTLAND, Ore., May 4, 2004 After two troubling seasons with the Mariners, Jeff Cirillo is relishing a stint in the minor leagues as he prepares to join the Padres. Cirillo, 34, is on a rehabilitation assignment with the Triple-A Portland Beavers, getting his form back after breaking his right index finger on April 5. He has yet to play a regular-season game as a Padre. He batted .157 (8-for-51) in 19 spring training games with San Diego before the injury. Cirillo, who was traded from the Mariners in the offseason, joined the Beavers on Monday and expects to be evaluated in about a week. He was wearing a bandage and small brace on the finger. This is fun playing with these kids out here, he said. Theyre hungry, but theyre still having a lot of fun out there. As the Beavers designated hitter on Tuesday he was 1-for-3 with an infield single and Portland beat the Salt Lake City Stingers 5-3. He was expected to start Wednesday night at first base. As his wife and three sons played on the infield at PGE Park, Cirillo admits the situation in Seattle was such that he probably could not have stayed there, even though his wife is from the area and the family lived in Redmond, Wash. | |
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