The Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. - The champagne and celebrations are part of the past. Starting Friday, the World Series champion Anaheim Angels were back to being blue-collar workers.

"We're not taking the angle that we're on top of the mountain," manager Mike Scioscia said as pitchers and catchers reported to camp. "We're taking the angle of being back down at the bottom of that ladder, and we want to climb every rung with the same focus and determination that we used last year."

Despite the Angels' surprising surge from annual also-rans to champions, Scioscia expects this spring camp to be essentially the same as his first three years with the club.

"We've always had good springs. These guys have always applied themselves and are ready to go when the season opens up, and I believe that will happen again this spring," he said. "And what the team accomplished last year has to give you a sense of confidence.

"I definitely think there's a confidence carry-over that will be exciting."

The Angels made no significant roster changes during the offseason, so Scioscia will be working with the same players who eliminated the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins during the playoffs, then defeated the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 to win the World Series.

"A lot of the names are the same, but when you look where guys are and what the experience of last year is going to do for them, I think we'll hopefully be even stronger," the AL Manager of the Year said.

Scioscia's goal remains the same as when he first arrived in Anaheim.

"That was to be perennial contenders and I feel really feel this team can do that," he said.

ROYALS: Kansas City won its arbitration case with Carlos Beltran, and the center fielder will make $6million this season instead of the $6.95 million he sought.

Beltran made $3.45 million last year when he hit .273 with 44 doubles, 29 home runs and 105 RBI, along with 35 stolen bases.

ORIOLES: Right-hander Sidney Ponson avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract that guarantees him $4.25 million.

Ponson had asked for $4.75 million and Baltimore had offered $3.9million, with a hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

Ponson, 26, went 7-9 with a 4.09 ERA in 28 starts last year, and the native of Aruba is 41-53 in five seasons with Baltimore.

DEVIL RAYS: Syd Thrift, who spent the past three seasons as vice president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles, was hired as a major-league consultant.

He was a scout for the Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1950s, and he also has worked for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs.

He spent the last eight seasons in the Orioles organization.

MARINERS: Ichiro Suzuki reported to spring training Friday, creating a buzz around the Peoria, Ariz., training complex simply by playing catch and taking batting practice.

A dozen or so Japanese reporters and cameramen dashed to document every move he made.

Suzuki met with new manager Bob Melvin and came away favorably impressed.

"He is a very handsome guy," Suzuki said. "I heard he is very good at throwing off the mound for BP."

Suzuki hit .321 with a .388 on-base percentage last season, one year after being chosen AL MVP and Rookie of the Year. He's one of six players with at least 200 hits in each of his first two seasons.

JOSE CANSECO: An arrest warrant was issued for former baseball star Jose Canseco on Friday for violating his probation stemming from a nightclub brawl.

Circuit Judge Leonard E. Glick issued the warrant after being told Canseco has failed to begin community service, take anger control classes and not leave Florida for longer than 30 days.

TIGERS: A former flight attendant who said she was sexually harassed by Detroit players on a team flight in 2000 was awarded $200,000 by a federal jury.

Kesner claimed that several Tigers players subjected her to lewd comments and inappropriate touching and displayed pornography on a laptop computer within plain view.

OPENERS ON TV: Fox Sports Net will televise the Oakland Athletics' two season-opening games against the Seattle Mariners in Tokyo.

The network will air the games live at 5 a.m. EST on March 25 and 26, it announced Friday. The games will be rebroadcast at 9:30p.m. both dates.