Your Sunday update from Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where the morning’s most entertaining moment came courtesy of Justin Duchscherer. Somehow, a pair of Edgar Gonzalez’s game pants ended up in Duchscherer’s locker. Just for kicks, he put them on and started walking around the clubhouse. Duchscherer is one of the skinnier players on the team, and you probably could have fit two of him inside the pants. …

–Joey Devine says he’s going to play catch Tuesday to see how his elbow is feeling. If it goes well, he wants to get in a game later in the week.

–Sean Gallagher is still feeling sick and was sent home. Manager Bob Geren said he could pitch Tuesday in Tucson against the Rockies. If not, he’ll probably pitch Thursday against the Diamondbacks after Wednesday’s offday.

–Eric Chavez is still targeting tomorrow for his first day playing third base in a game.

–Geren said he’ll soon get Bobby Crosby some playing time at different spots around the infield, but he’ll let Crosby and infield coach Mike Gallego decide when it’s time to try it. Crosby worked out briefly at third, second and first base yesterday.

–Four minor league pitchers were brought in today to make sure the A’s have enough arms for split-squad games against Cleveland in Phoenix and the Giants in Scottsdale: right-handers Jason Windsor, Jason Glushon and Steven Sharpe II, and lefty Brad Kilby. You’ll remember Windsor made four appearances with the A’s in 2006, starting three games. …

The lineup vs. the Giants

Buck RF
Cunningham LF
Sweeney CF
Ellis DH
Dillon 3B
Crosby SS
Carter 1B
Bowen C
Patterson 2B

Eveland on the mound …

The lineup vs. Cleveland

Davis CF
Cust RF
Holliday LF
Giambi 1B
Chavez DH
Suzuki C
Hannahan 3B
Pennington SS
Wimberly 2B

Brett Anderson on the mound …

Justin Duchscherer isn’t the only key man on the A’s pitching staff who’s nursing a sore elbow. Joey Devine, expected to share closer duties w/Brad Ziegler to start the season, has some tendinitis that started bothering him after he last pitched Wednesday. Both he and manager Bob Geren downplayed it this morning, but Devine didn’t know when he would start throwing again. “I just felt it tightening up a little bit,” he said. “Instead of it getting worse, let’s catch it early.” But it has to cause the A’s some concern, however, considering Devine spent time on the DL last season w/an elbow injury.

–Sean Gallagher, today’s scheduled starter against the Padres, was scratched because he’s sick. Gio Gonzalez was bumped up from Sunday’s start to take his place.

–Bobby Crosby’s introduction to the right side of the infield began this morning, as he fielded grounders at second base and took some throws at first base. With the arrival of Orlando Cabrera, Crosby’s preference is still to be dealt somewhere where he can play shortstop, but as long as he’s with the A’s he’ll have to be a jack-of-all-trades type guy.

–Geren estimated first baseman Daric Barton is about a week away from playing as he battles a sore right quadriceps.

***A couple of items I didn’t touch on in today’s paper regarding the arrival of Cabrera and Nomar Garciaparra:

–Geren wouldn’t predict where he’d hit Cabrera, saying only that he’d bat somewhere near the top of the lineup. Cabrera hit primarily first or second w/the White Sox last season. His career numbers are best at No. 2, but I think the A’s have to seriously consider him for the leadoff spot. They never found a consistent presence there last season, and Cabrera has all the attributes for the role — a guy who can get on base, steal a bag and set the table for the middle of the order.

–Garciaparra is wearing No. 1 right now, significant because no A’s player or coach has worn that number in a regular season game since former manager Billy Martin in 1982. In fact, no Athletic has worn No. 1 in spring training since outfielder Ron Gant did early this decade, and that was because he was a late arrival to camp like Garciaparra. Longtime A’s equipment manager Steve Vucinich said he didn’t have many single-digit numbers to offer Garciaparra. But he added: “Nomar would be a Billy kind of guy. I think (he’s) a hard-nosed player, a ‘team’ before ‘I’ guy.” In any case, Vucinich said Garciaparra would likely switch numbers before the regular season, as cuts are made and more numbers become available.

Cabrera is wearing No. 18 by the way. Catcher Rob Bowen gave him the number and is now No. 20 …

As I write this, Orlando Cabrera is on the field working out w/the A’s, yet the team still has not publicly acknowledged his signing. Strange indeed. But we do know there’s supposed to be a press conference at about noon to announce the signing of him and Nomar Garciaparra, the two newest members of the infield. My understanding is Garciaparra might be in attendance at the press conference, he might not. The only thing I can think is that the A’s just wanted to address both players at the same time rather than do two separate sessions. Still weird … Cabrera is wearing No. 18 by the way. He’s not in today’s lineup.

–Reporters waited for more than an hour for manager Bob Geren to do his mornining media chat, but he never emerged from the clubhouse. Normally he does it right when the team stretches at 9:15. A good chunk of whatever meeting was going on presumably involved Bobby Crosby, because he didn’t join his teammates on the field until about 10:10. I’d think Crosby had to have been talking to Geren and GM Billy Beane regarding his status, whether the team might try to find a trade for him, etc. Crosby is starting at shortstop today …

–Justin Duchscherer is back with the team after visiting Dr. Lewis Yocum. Duchscherer said no major damage was found w/his elbow, but “there is wear and tear” from years of pitching. He’s going to try throwing again Monday (just catch, not on the mound). He was relieved that it doesn’t appear to be a long-term injury, and seemed a little more at ease than a couple of days ago. But he’s not predicting when he might get on the mound. “I don’t want to put any expectations,” he said. “I just want to listen to my body.” Chances would seem to be pretty slim that he could start the season opener.

–Today’s lineup vs. the Seattle Mariners, who I’m told won’t bring Ken Griffey Jr. w/them to Phoenix …

Davis CF
Suzuki C
Holliday LF
Giambi 1B
Chavez DH
Crosby SS
Cunningham RF
Dillon 3B
Wimberly 2B

Edgar Gonzalez on the mound …

It’s a weird scene this morning at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where shortstop Orlando Cabrera was in the trainer’s room getting his physical, but the A’s still aren’t confirming his signing yet. Passing the physical is often the last hurdle before a free agent announcement, but word is that the A’s may not announce anything until tomorrow, when they’re likely to combine it w/the signing of Nomar Garciaparra. We actually got a chance to speak briefly with Cabrera, the Athletic who’s not quite an Athletic yet.

Cabrera said he and his wife had just completed the 33-hour drive from Myrtle Beach, S.C., with only a couple of stops on the way. Asked his thoughts about going the whole offseason and part of spring training without being signed, Cabrera said: “Strange market, I guess. I don’t know. I’m just happy to start playing baseball.”

I don’t even know how much he’s gotten a chance to talk to his new teammates. Then again, I guess they’re not really his teammates yet, are they?

Other developments …’

–Justin Duchscherer is flying to Southern California today to get his elbow checked by Dr. Lewis Yocum. The original plan was for Duchscherer’s MRI images to be sent to Yocum, but now he’s getting checked in person this afternoon. Hopefully I’ll know more later on.

–Turns out the Giants granted the A’s request to use a DH at today’s split-squad game in Scottsdale. So Mark Ellis is the starting DH in that game. Most of the regulars are playing there, with another squad taking on Team South Africa at Phoenix Muni. Trevor Cahill starts against the Giants, Dallas Braden goes against South Africa.

–Eric Chavez told me his throwing continues to go well, and that he’s eyeing Monday as a potential day to play third base in a game for the first time.

–Daric Barton felt some tightness in his quadriceps after playing defense for the first time yesterday, and Geren said he’ll be out “a few days.” Apparently this doesn’t have anything to do w/the hip surgery he’s coming back from. But it’s not ideal for a guy who probably needs to play his way into a roster spot now that Garciaparra is in the fold.

A’s ace Justin Duchscherer will not throw for the next week because of his elbow soreness, and manager Bob Geren acknowledged that it’s doubtful Duchscherer will take the ball Opening Day against the Angels because he won’t be ready. “His Opening Day start is definitely in jeopardy,” Geren said in his morning media session.

Duchscherer had an MRI taken Monday with Dr. Doug Freedberg, but no structural damage was found. Duchscherer still wants a second opinion, and the plan is to send his images to Dr. Lewis Yocum in Southern California to examine.

When I talked to Duchscherer this morning, more than anything he sounded uneasy about not knowing the extent of his injury. The A’s and Freedberg think it’s an inflammation problem, Duchscherer said, and the hope is that rest will help calm his elbow down. “Every day I’ve thrown it hurts,” Duchscherer said, adding that he feels the discomfort when he cranks it up to around 80 percent intensity.

Asked if he still hoped to pitch Opening Day, Duchscherer said: “Of course I do. (But) honestly, I don’t know what’s going on with my elbow.”

What’s this mean for the A’s rotation? Sean Gallagher, Dana Eveland and Dallas Braden are the only three healthy pitchers who seem locked into spots. The A’s will likely need to choose two starters from a pool that includes Edgar Gonzalez, Gio Gonzalez, Josh Outman and Jerome Williams. And the possibility of throwing one of their stud prospects — Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill or Vin Mazzaro — into the rotation isn’t quite so far-fetched now. Geren has raved about all three at one point or another.

The A’s could also look to sign someone. Remember, ex-Athletic Mark Mulder is hoping to catch on with a team at some point …

Other bits:

–Eric Chavez will DH today against the White Sox, but Geren said Mark Ellis might relieve him and get a couple at-bats. If both players are ready tomorrow, Geren would like to DH one in a split-squad game against the Giants, and the other in a split-squad game against South Africa.

Is there a team in baseball making more news than the A’s right now? Their infield is about to get a little more crowded, as a source confirmed for me that a one-year deal with Nomar Garciaparra is going to happen. Nothing’s official yet … Garciaparra was contemplating retirement but has opted to join the A’s. He’s being viewed as a backup corner infielder and occasional DH. So it’s shaping up to be quite a crowded infield right now. Assuming everyone’s healthy on Opening Day, I see Eric Chavez at third, Orlando Cabrera at shortstop, Mark Ellis at second, Jason Giambi at first, and Bobby Crosby and Garciaparra as backup infielders. Assuming the A’s keep 12 pitchers, five outfielders and two catchers, that would point to Daric Barton and Jack Hannahan starting the season in the minors.

But the A’s have lots of time to contemplate those roster decisions. …

Foxsports.com is reporting that Nomar Garciaparra is close to signing a one-year deal with the A’s believed to be in the $1.5-2 million range. The A’s have been negotiating with him for more than a week now.

A’s ace Justin Duchscherer will visit a Phoenix-area specialist today, Dr. Doug Freedberg, to have his sore right elbow examined. Bob Geren said he believed Duchscherer also would get an MRI, but didn’t know if that would happen today. The A’s are waiting for the results from Duchscherer’s visit before deciding whether to shut him down for a period. Obviously this development is looking gloomier by the day for the A’s starting rotation, which is already very young and inexperienced even with a healthy Duchscherer.

–I checked in with Bobby Crosby this morning, who reiterated he thinks being traded is the best thing for him now that the A’s are signing Orlando Cabrera to play shortstop (the A’s still aren’t confirming Cabrera’s signing on the record, but it’s going to happen). But Crosby did say that he wouldn’t step forward and demand a trade. “I’m not going to ask for a trade. I’ll let them know when I talk to them that I want to be a shortstop somewhere. It’s not going to be me coming out demanding a trade. The ball’s going to be in their court.” I don’t expect Crosby to rock the boat too much and become a disruption. He doesn’t seem like that kind of guy in the time I’ve gotten to know him. But the truth is, I haven’t gotten any indication of substantial trade interest in him around the majors in recent months. So he may be stuck with serving as the A’s utility infielder. And knowing that third baseman Eric Chavez and second baseman Mark Ellis are no sure things to be 100 percent healthy, there could be at-bats for Crosby as a backup (though if the A’s signed Nomar Garciaparra, it could affect that situation).

–A note on the A’s signing of Cabrera that didn’t make it into my story today: The A’s lose their second-round pick to the White Sox, Cabrera’s former team, in June’s draft. Normally, signing a Type A free agent who was offered arbitration by his former team (as is the case w/Cabrera) costs the signing team a first-round pick. But the A’s have the 12th pick in this draft, and the top 15 picks in the first round are protected.

–Geren said Chavez’s shoulder responded “really well” when he tried making throws to first on the run. But the team is still giving him a few more days before starting him at third in a game.

–You’ll notice something interesting about today’s lineup vs. the Cubs: Jack Cust in the No. 2 spot for the first time this spring. “He is a potential guy that can hit in that slot,” Geren said. “He’s a high on-base (percentage) guy. I like high on-base guys high in the lineup.”

The starting nine:

Davis CF
Cust RF
Holliday LF
Giambi 1B
Suzuki C
Crosby SS
Dillon 3B
Patterson 2B
Gallagher P

I just talked to Orlando Cabrera’s agent, Dan Lozano of the Beverly Hills Sports Council, who confirmed that a deal is in place with the A’s for one year in the neighborhood of $4 million. “Orlando is extremely excited,” Lozano said. “Obviously the market made this offseason very difficult. We had three or four clubs (show interest). The way it played out with opportunity, and an opportunity to win, everything pointed at Oakland.”

The A’s aren’t confirming this yet, and there’s no indication of an announcement today. Where does this leave Bobby Crosby? Probably as the backup utility infielder. He’s making $5.25 million this season, so he’s too expensive to release, and there’s been no indication of substantial interest in him as a trade target.

What other news looms this week? The A’s reportedly are still in talks with Nomar Garciaparra. If signed, he’d likely serve as a backup corner infielder, providing a right-handed bat who could spell Eric Chavez at third, play some first base and occasionally DH.

A few quick notes before I make the long drive from Tucson back to Scottsdale. …

It was a sloppy day for the A’s defense in a 9-7 loss to the Diamondbacks. The winds were tricky, as Travis Buck had trouble with a Stephen Drew drive in the first inning that tailed away from him in left field. Center fielder Javier Herrera and left fielder Matt Carson let a fly drop between them in the sixth, and Jack Hannahan threw two balls away at third base.

On the bright side for the A’s, Ryan Sweeney hit his first homer, a solo shot in the fifth. A great debate among scouts is whether Sweeney will ever develop the power in games that he shows in batting practice. Bob Geren said Sweeney was crushing balls in BP today, and that a good sign was he was making contact farther out in front of the plate than normal, which generates more power.

Geren again was impressed with the fastball shown by right-handed prospect Vin Mazzaro, who had three strikeouts in two innings. “He had good run on it,” Geren said.

Jason Giambi isn’t known as a great defender at first, but he’s made a couple of nice plays in these early games. “The last couple of years I’ve worked hard on it,” Giambi said of his defense. “I feel like I’m moving around good.”

The A’s have the first of their four Cactus League offdays tomorrow, then Sean Gallagher takes the mound against his old team, the Cubs, Tuesday in Mesa. …