Ankles and hamstrings, for me, are very tough to gauge. I think he's a day-to-day thing. As he can tolerate more stuff, the stronger his ankle will get and the quicker he'll be back.

I've spoken to Shea a few times this winter. His attitude is tremendously upbeat. He has spent a lot of time talking about the things we need to do as a team to get better. The things that he can do to help not only (John Gibbons), but me as an infield instructor with the young guys. Every conversation that we've had, I've hung up the phone and gone, 'All right, Shea is one-year comfortable in the organization. Now he's ready to take more of a controlled leadership.' He's not worried about being relegated to a secondary role. He's excited about what he can do to make us better.

It's the best staff I've been around. Sometimes the X's and O's are overrated, but the people -- that's what counts. We have top-quality people in that coaching room, and it all starts with the manager. I think every one of the coaches wants to go right through a wall for him. He treats you fairly, he treats you great, and it rubs off on all the other coaches that are here.

I think he impacts games defensively, for us, more than any other player in baseball affects the game at their respective position.

That's another thing, too. I think a lot of it is just being tentative, not wanting to put too much weight on it. You know your body. You know what you can and can't do, and I don't think he wants to have any type of setback.

It ain't even close, and if he doesn't, it goes to show you that other people around the league haven't had enough opportunities to see us play. I think he impacts games defensively for us more than any other player in baseball affects the game at their respective positions.