Fox hopes power surge earns him spot with O's

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - Jake Fox is tied for the major league lead in home runs this spring, is batting .300 and can play at least four positions.

Not of that guarantees him a job with the Baltimore Orioles on opening day.

Fox has nine homers and a lofty .786 slugging percentage in 70 at-bats this spring. He has 18 career homers and a .236 batting average in 428 career trips to the plate with the Chicago Cubs, Oakland and Baltimore.

On a team with home run hitters Vladimir Guerrero, Derrek Lee, Mark Reynolds and Luke Scott, Fox's value to the Orioles is as a utility player. He can play first base, third and left field, but his best chance to stick around in April is as the backup to catcher Matt Wieters.