Cabrera catches team by surprise

TEMPE, ARIZ. —  General Manager Bill Stoneman was surprised to learn Tuesday that Orlando Cabrera played 15 to 20 games in Colombia this winter -- without the Angels’ permission -- and relieved to learn the shortstop did not get hurt.

The Angels are a little more sensitive to these matters since Juan Rivera broke his leg playing in Venezuela in December. Unlike Rivera, who did not get enough at-bats last season for the Angels to block him from winter ball, Stoneman said he did block Cabrera from playing.

But after speaking to Cabrera and learning he spent far more time at designated hitter than in the field and was part-owner of his team, Stoneman felt better.

“As long as he didn’t get hurt, I don’t have a problem with it,” Stoneman said. He didn’t know Cabrera played because, “Colombia is not on our statistics list. We get stats from Venezuela, the Dominican, Puerto Rico and Mexico, not from Colombia. I know nothing about the league.”

Cabrera, who joined the Angels for their first full-squad workout Tuesday, was not trying to conceal his participation in the league, which is not as advanced as other Latin American leagues. He had no idea he was blocked from playing.

“It was Colombia -- I didn’t think I needed permission to play,” Cabrera said. “It’s not that I’m trying to go above them. It just wasn’t any big deal. I was trying to get ready for the season.”

Cabrera said he played to better prepare his arm for camp. He experienced soreness the last two springs and struggled defensively early last season, making four errors in his first 12 games en route to a 16-error season. He made seven errors in 2005.

“I think of myself as an above-average shortstop, and last year I was average,” Cabrera said. “I have to improve, and I have to start doing it from the beginning.”

So do the Angels; poor defense -- they made a league-high 122 errors in 2006 -- was a primary culprit in their 17-28 start.

Though Cabrera believes center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. will improve the defense, “We need to stay healthy and do it from the beginning,” he said. “We threw a lot of games away with our defense.”

*

Cabrera replaced popular shortstop David Eckstein in 2005 and was booed at home early that season, so he knows the challenge his new double-play partner, Howie Kendrick, might face. Does Cabrera have any advice for Kendrick on replacing fan-favorite Adam Kennedy?

“Yeah, don’t [mess] up,” Cabrera said. “No, Howie is a great player. It’s really sad we lost A.K. He was a great player, a great defender, a great friend. But I think he’ll be OK in St. Louis. Howie played very well last year in the big leagues, so I think he’s going to be OK.”

*

Triple-A catcher Brent Del Chiaro broke the tip of the middle finger on his right hand in a drill Monday and will be out for six weeks.... Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, who previously worked for the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics, has been hired as the Angels’ Spanish-radio play-by-play announcer to replace Ivan Lara, whose contract was not renewed after nine seasons.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com