In the better-late-than-never department, Kaua'i's Micah Furtado will join the Honolulu Sharks of Hawaii Winter Baseball starting today.

"Now that I'm getting my chance, I'm happy about it," the 2000 graduate of Kapa'a High said. "I wish it could've happened earlier, but I can't complain."

Furtado played at High-A Bakersfield in the California League over the summer, batting .249 with 19 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBIs. It was his fourth year as a pro — but only third active because he missed the 2005 season with hyperthyroidism — since the Texas Rangers drafted him in the 20th round in 2003 out of Lewis-Clark State.

There are only seven games left in the HWB regular season. If the Sharks make the championship, then there is an eighth game. The title game is Nov. 22.

Although the other Texas Rangers farmhands play for the West Oahu CaneFires, the Sharks have a shortage of infielders following the departures of Eric Campbell (personal) and Brian Bixler (injury).

Furtado said the Rangers called him about 2 1/2 weeks ago because they thought one of their four players might have to leave early; none ended up leaving. But with a shortage on the Sharks, a scout and Waikiki manager Lenn Sakata made calls to get Furtado in, the Kaua'i resident said. Furtado said he arrived in Honolulu yesterday morning and worked out with Sakata. He said he has attended workouts conducted by Sakata over the past several years.

Furtado said he played primarily second base at Bakersfield, but saw more action at third base during the last month of the season.

HOME COOKING

Another HWB player helped by Sakata is BeachBoys infielder Duke Sardinha, a 1998 Kamehameha Schools graduate. The Colorado Rockies farmhand has three home runs on the season, one behind leaders Rodney Choy Foo (Kailua 2000) of North Shore, West Oahu's Yasushi Iihara and Waikiki's Mark Minicozzi.

Sardinha hit .235 with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs at High-A Modesto in the California League. But he hit seven of those homers in the first two months of the season.

"I'm trying to work on being consistent in all aspects," Sardinha said. "My defense was solid, but I have some lapses now and then (when batting)."

Sardinha is batting .241 in HWB. His third home run of the season came Thursday night, a solo shot in the bottom of the 10th that beat North Shore, 3-2, at Les Murakami Stadium.

CLAUS AND EFFECT

West Oahu manager Todd Claus was recently named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America. The 37-year-old managed the Boston Red Sox's Double-A Portland (Maine) Sea Dogs, who won the Eastern League championship.

Moreover, that acclaim came after the Red Sox promoted him to major league advance scout. Advance scouts prepare reports on upcoming opponents during the season.

"I'll miss the day-to-day contact with the players," he said. "But it's a way to see major league players on a daily basis. It will help me evaluate players in the long run."

Besides managing, Claus also has experience in scouting amateur players. He said the experience he will gain from different aspects of the game will help him in his quest of someday reaching his ultimate goal.

"It's been a dream to be in the big leagues since I was a kid," he said.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.