MINNEAPOLIS — Jamey Carroll may be 38 years old, but he's played in every game so far for the Minnesota Twins this season. At his age, it says he's physically in shape to endure the daily grind that comes along with playing shortstop.
But the fact that manager Ron Gardenhire has penciled Carroll's name in the lineup in all 18 games says more about the 11-year veteran.
"It says that I'm supposed to give him a day off but I can't afford it," Gardenhire said Tuesday. "I've talked to him about that, playing every inning, every game. He said something about he was on the bench until he was 27 years old, so he doesn't need the bench anymore. He rested his whole first half of his career."
Carroll didn't break into the majors until 2002 with Montreal, when he was 28. After three years with the Expos, Carroll went to Washington for a year and spent two seasons each with Colorado, Cleveland and the Dodgers before landing with Minnesota this offseason.
Since joining the Twins, Carroll hasn't missed a single inning of Minnesota's 18 games, including Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox at Target Field.
"I think anybody in here wants to be in there every day. Hopefully that's the case," Carroll said before Tuesday's game. "I obviously want to play. We all want to play. We'll just keep going until they tell me no."
Since signing a two-year contract with the Twins this winter, Carroll has helped solidify a position that was a weakness for Minnesota a year ago. In 2011, Twins shortstops committed 29 combined errors, easily the most of any position.
Carroll has committed one error in 18 games, but has otherwise provided a steady glove at shortstop.
"When his name comes up, one word I'd just say is consistency," third baseman Sean Burroughs said of Carroll. "He's been around this game for a long time. He has a pregame routine of ground balls and his swings and everything. Defense-wise, he's money. He makes the plays."
Of the plays Carroll has made so far this season, none was more spectacular than the double play he helped turn in the sixth inning of Monday's game against Boston. Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz hit a ground ball up the middle that Carroll dove to stop behind second base. He then flipped the ball to second baseman Trevor Plouffe, who stepped on the bag and fired to first to get Ortiz.
As impressive as the play was, the timing of it made it even more noteworthy. The Red Sox had runners on first and third with one out and trailed the Twins 5-3. Carroll's diving stop helped Minnesota escape the inning without allowing a run.
"I think it was more for the situation than anything," Carroll said. "I honestly believe the best part was the turn by Plouffe, to be running from the direction he was running and catch the ball barehanded and make the step on the bag and throw. To me, that was the best part of the play."
Added Burroughs: "When you play infield and defense, outfield, whatever, you want to make sure you make the routine play and then the diving stops, the throws on the run, those are kind of just like icing on the cake. He does that too."
Carroll insists his pre-game routine hasn't changed much over the years. One thing this season that's helped him prepare mentally, however, has been playing the same position day in and day out. At his previous stops, Carroll has moved around the infield, playing second and third base as well as shortstop.
Last season, for example, he spent 71 games at second base and 63 at shortstop for the Dodgers. But through 18 games, Minnesota has kept Carroll solely at shortstop.
"Obviously it's a different change," Carroll said. "I think it's a little bit easier on the mind knowing that I wake up in the morning, this is what it's going to be and this is what I have to do."
Carroll set a career-high for games played last season with 146, and that came at age 37. Now 38, Carroll is the oldest player on the Twins. Starting pitcher Carl Pavano is 36, while Josh Willingham and Jason Marquis are 33.
Watching Carroll make plays like the one he made Monday, he certainly doesn't look like a 38-year-old.
"Age is just a number," Pavano said. "If you keep yourself strong physically, obviously he's a great teammate, a great person. Mentally, he's great. Those are the two elements that you've really got to take care of."
Burroughs said that he's seen teammates in previous years receive novelty gifts such as a cane or dentures, but the Twins haven't given anything like that to Carroll.
"We haven't brought it to that level with him," Burroughs said. "Maybe we will in the foreseeable future."
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