Sports: Lamb sad time here was short

Lamb sad time here was short

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

MINNEAPOLIS -- David Lamb might be something of a rare breed these days: a former Rays player participating in the postseason who regrets leaving.

Lamb, after spending the season at Triple-A Edmonton, was added to the Twins' ALCS roster as a utility infielder in place of injured Denny Hocking.

Though he smiles at his good fortune -- "I never thought a month ago I'd be up here with a chance to get into an ALCS game," he said -- he laments being let go by the Rays after spending the 1999 season on their roster as a Rule 5 draft pick.

"I was disappointed to leave there," Lamb said. "I felt like it was going to be a good opportunity. They had Felix Martinez playing (shortstop) there and I felt like it should have been me."

Lamb played in 55 games for the Rays in 1999, but was placed on waivers the next spring and claimed by the Mets. He spent most of the 2000 season with their Triple-A team, then bounced around the Colorado and Florida minor-league systems before signing with Minnesota on Nov. 7, 2001, the day after the contraction plans were announced.

Lamb said the major-league experience with the Rays at age 24 was good, though the rust from the lack of playing time lasted until this season, when he hit .309 with 10 homers and 72 RBIs.

"I sat on the bench the whole year; it didn't make much sense (to let me go)," Lamb said.

SPLIT LOYALTIES: Angels centerfielder Darin Erstad grew up in Jamestown, N.D., a Twins fans. His family would drive five hours to Minneapolis about once a season and he vividly remembers having his picture taken with former stars Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek.

"It's still blown up at my grandpa's house," Erstad said.

MOMMA'S BOY: Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski doesn't walk much (36 times in nearly 300 big-league games). So his mom, Mary Jane Harrelson of Clermont, tried to help.

After A.J. told her that former manager Tom Kelly gave him the "walk talk," stressing that he needed to get on base more, Harrelson made her son a deal: anytime he walked, she'd give him $5.

He figured he made about $20 last season and has collected on a couple occasions this season. "She pays me incrementally, whenever she sees me," Pierzynski said. "Last time it was $5. I think she took me to McDonald's."

MISCELLANY: Angels rightfielder Tim Salmon left the game because of tightness in his right hamstring and received a cortisone shot but is expected to play Friday. ... Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura dedicated his seventh-inning stretch performance of Take Me Out to the Ballgame to commissioner Bud Selig.