Low & Outside: AL Notes

This was one off-season trade that didn't make the radar, when Arizona sent part-time outfielder Carlos Quentin to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor-league first baseman Chris Carter. Even White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen didn't know who Quentin was.

However, through the first two months of the baseball season, it looks like one of the best steals of all time. After hitting the game-winning home run Sunday night against the Los Angeles Angels, Quentin, 25, was first in the American League in home runs (14) and second in RBIs (43) - and he's not even on the league's all-star ballot.

"This kid, the way I look at it, he proved me wrong," Guillen said. "I didn't even know who he was when we traded for him, but [general manager Kenny Williams] told me if this kid's healthy, he's going to help you win games."

Angels outfielder Torii Hunter hadn't heard of Quentin, either. He knows him now.

"He's got Hulk Hogan power," Hunter said. "He's pretty strong. We call it crazy pop."

Quentin told mlbplayers.com: "My time with Arizona is in the past, and I don't think about it too much. My focus is on the right now and moving on with this team. There are a lot of great players to learn from here."

Ah, those crazy kids.

Two Minnesota Twins, 22-year-old centerfielder Carlos Gomez and 23-year-old second baseman Alexi Casilla, decided they would try to irritate Detroit ace Justin Verlander by bunting.

They sure got Verlander's attention. After Gomez and Casilla bunted back to the mound for back-to-back outs in the third inning Sunday, Verlander glared into the Twins' dugout. He glared again before Gomez got into the batter's box in the fifth.

Gomez explained what he was thinking before the at-bat to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "Why you look at me like that? No, no. You don't intimidate me. I'm not a player you look at and I've got my head down. Hell no. I look at you."

Gomez grounded out. Verlander allowed five hits and one run in seven innings but did not get a decision.

"We tried to bunt on him to irritate him," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said, "and I think it does [irritate him]. It makes him better. So I don't know if that's a good strategy or not."

Veteran New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, sidelined since April 27 because of a sore throwing shoulder, caught five innings yesterday in his first extended spring training game.

Playing in Clearwater, Fla., against Phillies minor-leaguers, Posada threw the ball only back to the pitcher and did not throw to any bases. The five-time all-star is expected to start throwing to bases later this week.

"I feel good enough to throw right now, but I'm taking one step at a time," he said.

Posada, who went 0 for 5 at the plate with a walk, said he hoped to rejoin the Yankees around June 3.

How about this tale of two months for Seattle pitcher Carlos Silva, a former Phillie who is 0-4 this May?

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Silva has a career record of 14-5 (.737) in April and 6-17 (.261) in May. He is the only pitcher in major-league history with at least 15 decisions in each month whose career winning percentage is more than .700 in April but less than .300 in May.