The 51s' Andre Ethier, shown during Saturday's game against Sacramento at Cashman Field, was hitting .411, third in the Pacific Coast League, heading into the series. Photo by K.M. Cannon.

A baseball team is always a mix of personalities. There are quiet types and there are players such as the 51s' Andre Ethier, an outfielder inclined to be outgoing.

He does not claim to be the team comedian, just someone who "keeps it real" in a sometimes tense environment.

"I'm trying to lighten things up, not take the business part of it so seriously," he said. "I guess taking a loose approach is a way to relieve some of that stress and anxiety that comes with trying to keep up your performance."

Ethier's approach has been effective. He went into Saturday's game with a .411 batting average, third in the Pacific Coast League.

His average dropped a few points as he went 0-for-5 in Las Vegas' 6-2 loss to the Sacramento River Cats before 5,323 at Cashman Field.

Ace right-hander Chad Billingsley turned in a strong start for the 51s (11-6). Billingsley threw five scoreless innings and struck out six, but the River Cats roughed up Las Vegas' relief pitching.

Ethier often cracks one-liners, but he's all business between the lines, according to 51s manager Jerry Royster.

"He's got his head on right. He knows what he's trying to do," Royster said. "When the game starts, he plays harder than everybody."

Ethier experienced the business side of the game in December.

"I was sitting at the mall in a bookstore reading a couple magazines," said Ethier, who answered his cell phone and was told by a member of the Oakland Athletics front office that he had been traded.

The A's sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder Milton Bradley and infielder Antonio Perez.

Ethier, who recently had been added to Oakland's 40-man roster, was the Texas League Player of the Year after he hit .319 with 18 home runs and 80 RBIs for Double-A Midland.

He spent the last two weeks of the season with Sacramento and thought his future with the A's was promising.

"I was shocked and stunned at first," he said.

His life was just settling down off the field. His college girlfriend from Arizona State became his wife in the offseason.

Now there was anxiety, Ethier said, because he knew the Dodgers' Triple-A team was loaded with prospects and it could be a "touchy situation" for him.

"I think that was one of the things that played on my mind the most, that I was most conscious about, was being a new guy and not coming in and disrupting things," he said. "So far, it's been going well and we're playing well as a team."

Ethier is batting third for the 51s, behind Willy Aybar and in front of Joel Guzman, two of the team's top prospects.

"It's a pretty comfortable spot to be in between those two guys," he said.

Royster said Ethier has the "power potential" to hit his way to the major leagues.

"He's that double-threat guy who hits for average and power," Royster said. "I don't see anyone being ahead of him offensively at this time."