The Associated Press

PEORIA, Ariz. - Ken Caminiti slouched in a chair in the corner of a room, his cap pulled low over his intense eyes.

He fiddled nervously with a fungo bat as he spoke about his steroid use and legal trouble the last few years - and why he's temporarily back in baseball, as a spring training instructor with the Padres.

"I've been trying to stay away from it. Just everything that's happened. Shamed, embarrassed, whatever. I just stayed away," Caminiti said.

Padres owner John Moores and general manager Kevin Towers figured it would be good for Caminiti to get back into baseball, even for a few weeks. It took some prodding, and he finally arrived in camp on Tuesday.

"I feel I have a lot to offer," said Caminiti, who'll work with third baseman Sean Burroughs and be available to talk with players about his various experiences.

CARDINALS: Center fielder Jim Edmonds played in his first spring training game and appeared to be in midseason form.

Edmonds, recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, doubled in his first two at-bats, stole a base and scored St. Louis' first run in a 6-5 win over the Dodgers.

SHORT HOPS: Barry Bonds hit an RBI double that would have been a homer in most big league parks, and the Giants beat the Padres 7-4.

• Greg Maddux was hit hard for the first time since rejoining the Cubs, allowing six runs and eight hits in a 6-1 loss to the Rangers. Maddux, who had pitched five shutout innings in his first two spring outings, threw four innings. "I felt good today, but I didn't pitch good," he said.

• Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams took batting practice Wednesday for the first time since his appendix was removed Feb. 26.

"It went well," Williams said after taking about 50 swings. "I was working to hit the ball the other way. It was a good first day, overall."

• Michael Cuddyer went 4-for-4 with five RBI to lead the Twins to a 6-5 victory over the Marlins.

• Miguel Batista pitched one-hit ball for four shutout innings, leading the Blue Jays to a 7-4 victory over the Devil Rays.

• Curt Schilling allowed one run on two hits in six innings and the Red Sox beat the Indians 3-1. The right-hander threw 74 pitches.

• Jose Mesa got a save against his former team, pitching a scoreless ninth inning in the Pirates' 4-3 victory over the Phillies. Kris Benson became the first Pirates starter to work five innings this spring.

• Eric Chavez, who is expected to sign a six-year, $66 million contract extension today, hit a two-run homer in the Athletics' 10-3 victory over the White Sox.