Major League Baseball

Youthful Omar Vizquel will play as long as he can

Published Mar. 9, 2010 10:13 p.m. ET

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Omar Vizquel strutted into Scottsdale Stadium from the center-field entrance like a confident 20-something and gave a little point to some former San Francisco teammates. He may as well still be in his baseball prime.

Vizquel insists he feels that good physically, and mentally he still considers himself among the best shortstops in the game - even if he's going on 43 and no longer a regular heading into his 22nd major league season.

``I think I already mastered just about everything in the field,'' said Vizquel, now more of a utility infielder. ``Hitting is the hardest thing for me.''

The 11-time Gold Glove winner was in the lineup at shortstop and batting second against the Giants on Tuesday after not playing in Chicago's previous two games. Last season with the Rangers, Vizquel played 27 games at shortstop, 20 at third and 16 at second.

``I thought last year I had a good year,'' he said.

They still love the good-natured Vizquel in Cleveland and San Francisco. Texas, too.

``It's always great to see Omar,'' said Giants ace Tim Lincecum, who benefited from Vizquel's sure-handed defense in earning his first NL Cy Young Award in 2008.

His energy and enthusiasm - not to mention his pure baseball talent - is infectious and rubs off on others around him. His gift with people and the glove is a big reason why he wants to manage once his playing days are done. But he doesn't want to toil in the minor leagues first, often the path to becoming a big-league skipper.

``I don't want to do that,'' he said with a smile. ``Maybe I can get a coach job in the big leagues.''

Vizquel has been getting his start on the teaching side the past two seasons, helping groom young players. White Sox manager and Venezuelan countryman Ozzie Guillen is counting on Vizquel's help with shortstop Alexei Ramirez.

While Vizquel would love to add 3,000 hits to his long list of accomplishments that likely will make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer, he knows that's a longshot.

He has 2,704 hits entering the 2010 season, fourth-most by any active player - behind Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter and Ivan Rodriguez. Vizquel is a career .273 hitter with 78 home runs, 906 RBIs, 74 triples and 433 doubles.

``I would have to play three more years and that would be really hard,'' he said of reaching 3,000 hits.

He already is spending much more time in the gym than he used to, something he considers a necessity now if he wants to keep up with many teammates and opponents half his age.

``The gym is really my food, my life,'' he said. ``I can't go through a whole season without taking care of my body. There's so much competition. If you want to compete, you have to stay strong, quick and agile.''

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