After putting their heads together, manager Ken Macha and pitching coach Bill Castro decided to give the struggling reliever a start March 22 against the San Francisco Giants. The hope was that Villanueva would build up his arm, sharpen his pitches and more closely prepare as if he were a starter -- the role he filled until last season.

"It was my suggestion before to try to get him long (innings)," Macha said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to get three innings out of him, get some good work out of him and then get back to the one-inning thing."

In his most recent outing against the Giants, Villanueva threw 37 pitches in 1 1/3 innings, allowing a three-run, inside-the-park homer in the eighth inning and walk-off two-run homer in the ninth.

That performance prompted Macha to say: "Villanueva has had one good outing all spring as far as I'm concerned." Macha also said Villanueva would get some slack because he had proven he can get major league hitters out.

"I understand the nervousness they might have," said Villanueva, who pitched 59 1/3 innings with a 2.12 ERA out of the bullpen last season.

"It's spring. I'm still working on some stuff. I know Ken is new to the team and he wants to get the best team he can to give us a chance to win. I understand that concern."

Macha will give Villanueva every opportunity to keep the setup role. He recognized that Villanueva's past preparations came as a starter, which can be a completely different training program than a reliever uses.

"It's definitely been a different spring for me," Villanueva said. "I've been used to coming into every spring and starting games. I'm a guy that pitches with scouting reports and all that to my advantage. When I get in, in the eighth inning or ninth inning, I don't know any of the guys playing.

"It's no excuse. I have to execute my pitches."