Angels outfielder Torii Hunter, one of the most accessible players in baseball, said late this week he will restrict his exchanges with the media to baseball-only matters after a story in USA Today this week.

In an article examining the declining percentage of black players in baseball, he was quoted as saying that dark-skinned players from the Dominican Republic are not black but "impostors."

"People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African American," Hunter said, according to the article, published Wednesday. "They're not us. They're impostors. Even people I know come up and say, 'Hey, what color is Vladimir Guerrero? Is he a black player?' I say, 'Come on, he's Dominican. He's not black.' "

The article also quoted Hunter as saying teams pursue Latin American talent "because you can get them cheaper. It's like, 'Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?"

Hunter said his comments "were distorted and taken out of context" and represented only ".5 percent of 100 percent" of the interview.

"And people wonder why athletes don't talk to the media," he told the Los Angeles Times. "It's stupid. They took one negative thing and ran with it."

His comments, assailed by some as racist, sprang from a recent panel discussion that included Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker, Milwaukee reliever LaTroy Hawkins and Boras, the high-powered agent.

Commissioner Bud Selig hired Sandy Alderson, a former vice president of Major League Baseball, to become an emissary to the Dominican Republic with the hopes of tackling issues such as the largely unregulated youth feeder system in which the use of performance-enhancing drugs; age and identity fraud; and rogue sports agents are commonplace.

Garrett Anderson is working at first base -- a position he hasn't played since the minors -- in order to improve his chance of making the Dodgers. ... The Twins signed center fielder Denard Span to a five-year, $16.5 million extension. ... Houston Astros first baseman Lance Berkman is expected to miss two to four weeks after having knee surgery to remove loose cartilage from his left knee. There was no damage to the meniscus or ligaments, but the timetable for Berkman's recovery puts him in jeopardy of missing Opening Day. ... Arizona Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said it's becoming "very evident" right-handed pitcher Brandon Webb, who had shoulder surgery in August, likely will begin the season on the disabled list.

Albert Pujols, who returned to action after taking a week to rest a sore back, hit two hard singles in the St. Louis Cardinals' 8-5 victory against the Houston Astros. Pujols said his back did not bother him when he swung and it did not get tight. ... The Washington Nationals' bullpen couldn't hold a four-run lead and they remained winless in the spring with an 8-7 loss to a Houston Astros split squad.

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