Shocking:

PHOENIX -- The on-again, off-again comeback by Oakland's Eric Chavez hit another snag on Monday, as he was scratched from his expected spring fielding debut at third base because of soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder. A's manager Bob Geren said that Chavez would be shut down from fielding drills and his in-game role as a designated hitter for the immediate future. "He experienced some pain in his shoulder [on Sunday] and we're going to give him some time off, even from DHing," Geren said on Monday morning hours before his club's game against the Angels at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. "There's not a determined date [for Chavez to return]. But he's not going to do anything at least for a few days. We'll try and get everything calmed down." Chavez was slated to be replaced in the lineup against the Angels at third by Bobby Crosby, making his first appearance in a Cactus League game other than at shortstop.

I suppose the A's don't have much of a choice -- because they're paying Chavez $11 million this year and another $12 million next year -- but is this charade really good for the club? We're talking about a team that's supposedly trying to contend this season, and yet the No. 1 third baseman on its depth chart is probably going to spend most of the season on the DL? Anyway, looking at the depth chart, we find Nomar Garciaparra, Cliff Pennington and Jack Hannahan. And presumably Bobby Crosby is in the mix now, too. Well, if Crosby wasn't good enough to play shortstop for the A's, he's certainly not good enough to play third base. Not regularly, anyway. Pennington may have a future as a slick-fielding shortstop, but he doesn't hit anywhere near enough for third base. That leaves Garciaparra and Hannahan. The good thing about Hannahan is that he hits left-handed. The bad thing is that he doesn't really hit: He's a lifetime .229 hitter with modest power. He did better in the minors, but he turned 29 last week and there's just not much reason for optimism here. Meanwhile, the good thing about Garciaparra is that he hits right-handed, meaning you could devise a moderately effective platoon with these two guys. Particularly if Bob Geren has the guts to pull Garciaparra for Hannahan's defense if the A's are ahead in the late innings. But pretending that Eric Chavez is going to justify his hefty salary is a farce, and ill befits a smart organization like this one.