Surprise, Ariz. ? Doug Mientkiewicz is known first and foremost for his superb glove work at first base.

Mientkiewicz, whom the Kansas City Royals signed as a free agent in the offseason, knows that is his reputation, but he wants to be known as more than a defensive first baseman.

“No mater what you do, whichever way you come up to the big leagues, that is your forte,” Mientkiewicz said. “That is what they are going to say about you. I do take a lot of pride in my defense. But I’ve also hit .300 in this league twice. No matter how many times I hit .300, I’ll always be a defensive guy first.”

Mientkiewicz hit .306 in 2001 and .300 in 2003 with the Minnesota Twins, but he hit a combined .238 with the Twins and Boston Red Sox in 2004 and .240 last season with the New York Mets.

“The bottom line is, my glove has been very consistent from the moment I’ve been in the big leagues,” Mientkiewicz said. “My bat has been up and down. I have to do something different to separate myself from the big bangers of the world that they want to stick over there at first. Knocking balls down, making plays and taking away hits is my way of doing that to keep me in the lineup every day.”

Doug Mientkiewicz breaks out of the batter's box during a spring-training game Monday in Surprise, Ariz. Mientkiewicz has been known as a defensive specialist at first base, but he says he'd like to improve his offensive numbers.

While first base is considered a power position, his home-run high was 15 in 2001.

“I’ve never lost focus that I’m a .300 hitter,” Mientkiewicz said. “Whether I hit .300 again or not, I always have in the back of my mind that I’m a .300 hitter. I look at every year that I’ve put up 500-plus plate appearances that I put up good numbers.”

Mientkiewicz went on the disabled list twice last season because of a strained right hamstring and a lower back injury, which limited him to 87 games.

“I wouldn’t say it was a lost season,” he said. “Of all the negative that happened to me last year, I made a lot of strides in the major leagues as a hitter.”