Denton, known to millions of viewers of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" as plumber Mike Delfino, visited the Scottsdale Stadium complex Sunday to watch the Giants' first workout for pitchers and catchers.

Denton was in town for the weekend festivities surrounding the NBA All-Star Game. But, being a huge baseball fan, he had more on his mind than hoops. At last month's Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation's sixth annual "In the Spirit of the Game" dinner, Denton met Giants vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans, who invited the actor to attend the workout upon learning his itinerary.

"I told him I was too close to Spring Training for me not to see some baseball," Denton said.

As a Los Angeles resident, Denton has Dodgers season tickets and admitted feeling somewhat partial to the Giants' biggest rivals.

"You get kind of attached. Plus, they have a lot of good guys," he said of the Dodgers.

But mostly, Denton appreciates baseball no matter who's playing the game or what city is being represented.

"I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of players through 'Housewives,'" Denton said. Explaining that he wasn't geographically close to any big league club while growing up in Tennessee, he added, "I'm about the purest MLB fan because I'm not wed to a particular team."

Denton has shown his ardor for baseball by participating for three consecutive years in the Taco Bell Legends & Celebrities Softball Game during All-Star Weekend. One year he played third base alongside Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith. Another year he patrolled the outfield with Fred Lynn and Rickey Henderson. Last July he pitched, and his batterymate was Gary Carter. No wonder Denton said, "I'll keep coming until they lock the door."

Though Denton left the Giants workout shortly before it ended, he hadn't had his fill of baseball. He was on his way to Glendale to have a look at the new training complex shared by the Dodgers and White Sox.

"I want to see if the paint's dry yet," he said.