Green working closely with infield coach Griffin

NEW YORK -- Grant Green has become Alfredo Griffin's newest project.

Griffin, the Angels' infield coach and a lifelong shortstop, has been working closely with Green since he was called up to the Majors on Aug. 6 -- one week after the Angels acquired him from the A's for third baseman Alberto Callaspo -- and plenty of work remains.

Green is most raw at third base, where he spent only 15 of his 481 career Minor League games. But for now, the focus is on second -- the position Green is most comfortable at and the one he'll man while Howie Kendrick is on the disabled list with a sprained left knee.

"He has some things to learn still," Griffin said. "He needs to position himself better with his feet on throws to get more on the ball. I think he turns double plays well. He's going to have to work on [his consistency with the double plays], but I think he's getting better. That's the hardest thing about second base in the big leagues."

Green, given the day off against lefty CC Sabathia on Tuesday, has gone 7-for-18 (.389) with three walks in his first six games with his new team. But the Angels figured he can hit; their biggest concern is finding the athletic, versatile 25-year-old a position they can be comfortable playing him at on an everyday basis.

Ideally, that would be third base. And once Kendrick returns from the disabled list -- he's eligible to be activated Aug. 21 and could be ready by then -- Green can continue to learn the hot corner, which he was starting to work with Omar Vizquel on when he first arrived at Triple-A Salt Lake.

"It's hard to get accustomed to third," Griffin said of Green, who has had 16 assists and no errors at second base thus far. "He hasn't played there, so he has to adjust there and it's going to take time. The hardest thing about third is how quickly the ball gets to you. It's a reactionary position, unlike second and shortstop."