Angels’ Peter Bourjos says hamstring is healing, sore hip ‘is OK’

That flash of red socks that is Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos going from first base to third in about the time it takes for you to scratch your chin while sitting on the couch and watching him is about to return.

But we need to hold our breath a bit more on the Bourjos injury front.

Bourjos has been out for about a month after pulling a hamstring during one of his sprints to first base on April 30 in Oakland. This week, in the Angels’ clubhouse, he appeared more upbeat and said that he was getting closer to playing shape.

That, of course, created murmurs as to whether he should come back in center field or in left. Angels star Mike Trout, who is a natural center fielder and quickly migrated there when Bourjos got hurt, makes it clear that that is his preference and also makes it clear that he will do whatever the team says. And the team, in the person of Manager Mike Scioscia, says Trout will go back to left when Bourjos returns.

That gives the Angels a Baccanalian Banquet of outfield speed, but fans are concerned that Trout hits better when he is happier, and he is happier when he plays centerfield.

Of somewhat more concern is that Bourjos has, for a few years, been playing with a sore hip that might eventually need surgery. He was going to have that done in the off-season this year, but decided not to.

“I’d been taking a lot of anti-inflammatories to play with it,” he said last week. “And I didn’t want to have to keep doing that. But I started to cut back on the medicine and it worked. It still is OK and I think it is going to be fine. Maybe I’ll have that surgery after I get done playing.”

For Angels fans and Bourjos, that would, ideally be about 15 years from now.

ALSO:

Tiger Woods shoots highest nine-hole total (44) as a pro

Chris ‘Birman’ Andersen: ‘I’m not going to change who I am’

Kobe Bryant on weight-bearing treadmill, in ‘medical mamba’ shoes