Alberto Callaspo (2003) off to solid start at plate in 2011

By David Ely / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- When the Angels acquired Alberto Callaspo from the Royals last July, they thought the move would help shore up a third-base position that had been lacking, offensively, with Chone Figgins no longer on the squad.

In his first 31 games with the club, Callaspo did just that, hitting .339 (39-for-115) with four doubles and a home run. But a nagging wrist injury quickly derailed his hot start with the Halos, and Callaspo struggled through the final month of the 2010 season, posting a .140 batting average and a .187 on-base percentage, as the Angels faded from the playoff picture.

Six months later and with a clean bill of health, Callaspo is once again showing he's capable of contributing at the plate. Callaspo has parlayed a successful Spring Training, in which he hit .344 in 20 games, into one of the better starts among regulars on the roster.

Callaspo currently ranks third on the club in hitting (.317), third in on-base percentage (.404) and second in slugging percentage (.512).

"At times last year, he performed very well for us when he came over," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He went through some stretches when he struggled with some things. His wrist was still probably something he was dealing with last year. The talent we're seeing and the start he's off to is really more reflective of what he can do, and it's given us a big boost."

Despite his poor showing in September, Callaspo said he never felt pressure to produce and justify his presence on his new club. That sentiment stemmed from the fact that playing for the Angels organization was nothing new to him. In 2001, Callaspo signed with the Halos out of the Instituto de Formacion in Aragua, Venezuela, and he spent four years moving up L.A.'s Minor League ranks before a 2006 trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"I was here before; I feel like [it's] my house," Callaspo said after the Angels' 4-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. "[I was] just trying to get my swing back, and that happens sometimes. So it's OK."

Callaspo said he began to feel back to his old self while working out in the Venezuelan Winter League during the offseason.

"I was playing winter ball, and I just got my swing back," Callaspo said. "I come here, and now everything feels better."

A switch-hitter, Callaspo is at his best when he's belting crisp line drives into the outfield, but so far this April, a couple of those liners have found their way over the fence to create an unexpected power surge.

Callaspo hit just two home runs in two months with the Angels last year (he hit eight while with the Royals), but he matched that output in the first week of the season.

Does Callaspo, who signed a one-year, $2 million contract in January, think he can become a consistent power threat in the Angels' lineup?

"Home runs? I don't hit home runs, but if I get it, I get it," he said. "[I'm] just trying to hit line drives, and that's it."

Scioscia said Callaspo has more power than he demonstrated last year. But a player who has 23 career bombs probably is not going to start mashing home runs on a consistent basis.

"He had more pop when he came over," Scioscia said. "He has more power than the two he showed us in half a year. [He's] probably not going to be a [20-homer guy}, but definitely more than he showed [last season]."

While the home runs are a bonus, what's more important is that Callaspo continues to swing a hot bat as Los Angeles waits for Vernon Wells to break out of his early slump and for Erick Aybar to return from a left oblique strain.

"He comes out every day; he works very, very hard in his game prep," Scioscia said. "I think obviously he was disappointed with some aspects of his production last year, but he's very confident in his ability and his talent. And you're seeing him play at a high level right now."

David Ely is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.