Surprise, Ariz. ? Nate Field hurt when he laughed or coughed last August.

The Kansas City Royals’ right-hander tore his left oblique in an outing at the Chicago White Sox and did not play for the rest of the season.

“I was miserable for three weeks. Everyday things I couldn’t do,” Field said.

Now, Field is competing for a spot in the Royals’ bullpen. Kansas City likely will begin the season with a seven-man bullpen with the competition wide-open for two to four spots.

Field, who made the Opening Day roster last year for the first time, is confident he will be among the seven.

“I don’t see why not,” he said. “I think I was one of the important factors of the bullpen last year.”

Field was throwing off the mound the final week of the season, but the Royals decided not to rush him back into games and left him on the disabled list. He said the oblique was 100 percent for spring training.

“I’m ready to go,” he said. “I’m getting anxious. I’ve been out awhile.”

Field, who went to Fort Hays State and Barton County Junior College, spent the offseason focusing on a workout program to prevent further injuries.

“I tried to lose some weight in my midsection,” Field said. “I’ve had a history of back spasms, groin (strains) and the oblique tear, so I dedicated myself to strengthening the core muscles. I’m about the same weight, but I’ve gained some muscle and trimmed my body weight.”

The Royals first signed Field in 2000 out of an independent league. In 2004, he was 2-3 with three saves and a 4.26 earned-run average in 43 appearances. He led the American League in inherited runs scored percentage (14.3 percent), permitting only five of 35 inherited runners to score.

“With men on base, they would call on me to get out of the inning,” Field said. “I think I proved myself last year. It was unfortunate I got hurt.”

Field throws a sinking fastball, which induces ground balls. He also throws a slider, will mix in a change-up and is working on a split-finger fastball.

“I pretty much work on the command of the fastball and slider in spring training,” Field said. “I’m not looking to change a whole lot. The basics are there. If I do that, I think I’ll be successful.”

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Bautista good: Denny Bautista, who still is looking for his first big-league victory, impressed Kansas City manager Tony Pena on Thursday. “Bautista threw the ball well, free and easy, kept the ball down,” Pena said. The Royals had 14 pitchers, including Jose Lima, Jeremy Affeldt and Chris George, throw six minutes of batting practice.

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Angel, too: Pena also praised Angel Berroa, who was the 2003 AL Rookie of the Year but played so poorly last year that the Royals demoted him to Class AA Wichita for two weeks in August. “Angel Berroa was swinging the bat good off the pitchers,” Pena said.

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This, that: Kansas City has added a ‘B’ game on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers with Zack Greinke scheduled to pitch two innings. … Brian Anderson and George each are scheduled to throw two innings Thursday against Texas.