Team-first approach serves Carroll

MILWAUKEE - Jamey Carroll signed a two-year, $6.75 million deal on Nov. 16, and the Twins announced at the time that he would be their starting shortstop.

The arrangement lasted 27 games.

The veteran infielder will arrive at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday for the Twins' series opener against the White Sox prepared to start at either second or third base because rookie Brian Dozier has become the new shortstop. Carroll didn't throw a fit or complain about becoming a utility player, saying: "I'm all about whatever needs to be done."

And so he's become a mentor to Dozier, not afraid to lavish praise on the youngster who took his job.

"He's mature for his age," Carroll said. "I noticed that in spring training. He's been big for us since he's been up here."

Dozier made his major league debut May 7 after being called up from Class AAA Rochester and has been the starter at short ever since, batting .279 with two homers and eight RBI in 14 games while playing steady defense.

Carroll, 38, was supposed to be the bridge to Dozier -- a bridge to 2013. Many thought that Dozier outplayed everyone at short during spring training, and the 24-year old continued to accelerate his timeline by playing well at Rochester.

"I'm not sure anyone really expected him to be up here this early," Carroll said, "but when you have the situation we put ourselves in, it kind of forced its hand. What am I to do? ... I want to play and try to help. It really didn't help my situation out hitting .220 or barely hitting .200 or whatever.

"It wasn't anything that really was a surprise. It was a matter of time, and he's come up here and he's proved that he deserves to be here."

So, without a fuss, Carroll became a utility starter.

"That's a good thing for him," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said, "because he could have made that difficult on everyone."

After watching Tsuyoshi Nishioka fail to make plays and Trevor Plouffe struggle at short when given a chance last year, Carroll was brought in primarily to solidify the position. But his experience -- he didn't break into the majors until he was 28 and has carved out a nice career -- makes him someone who can teach younger players such as Dozier.

"He explains the position a lot," manager Ron Gardenhire said of Carroll. "You see him talking with Doze and Alexi [Casilla], and that's huge. That's why we brought him in here. That's the type of player he is."

Carroll mentored Dozier during spring training, and that has continued since Dozier was called up. The day Dozier arrived in the Twin Cities, he went to Target Field with Carroll.

Dozier, whose clubhouse stall is near Carroll's, takes in everything the veteran tells him.

"First-class guy," Dozier said. "Doesn't get any better than that."

Being versatile can be a blessing and a curse. It can keep you in the majors, but it also makes it difficult to become established as one position. Signing with the Twins as a starting shortstop appeared to be a great opportunity for Carroll, who had appeared in only 224 games at short but 554 games at second in 10 previous seasons.

Despite no longer being the Twins' starting shortstop -- as long as Dozier plays well -- Carroll looks for ways to be valuable.

"I just think that maybe it helps us carry another person or another pitcher because I can bounce around," he said. "I've taken a lot of pride in that through my career. It's kind of more who I am anyway."