Beckham back to work

It was back to work as usual on Sunday for Gordon Beckham, who was inactive during the weekend trip to Tucson due to soreness in an abdominal muscle on the left side.

In fact, there was no rest for the slightly injured, as Beckham joked how he took 100 groundballs from bench coach Joey Cora before starting in Sunday’s split-squad game against Texas in Surprise.

“I told, him, ‘Thanks a lot for easing me back in,’” said Beckham with a laugh. “But it feels good. It’s a little tender, but I don’t really feel anything. I’m just glad it’s not an oblique.”

Beckham said he strained a muscle right above his left hip, pointing toward the area. Manager Ozzie Guillen, with the team in Surprise, didn’t expect to use Beckham for nine innings.

“I’ll see how he feels and go by ears to see exactly how he is,” Guillen said. “I talked to him this morning to make sure he’s not playing just to be a hero. He seems like he’s fine, but we’ll see how he is during the game.”