BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Polonia Believes in His Own Magic

The voodoo doll Luis Polonia keeps in a corner of his locker is for show, not for any magic qualities it might possess.

“A lot of people think I believe in that. I don’t. I believe in this,” he said, hefting his bat.

Polonia had three hits in four at-bats Wednesday to raise his batting average to .351, 16 points better than his career-high .335 last season. If he exceeds that average this season, he is going to have a charm made to replace the one he wears around his neck commemorating that .335. “That one,” he said, “is going to have diamonds.”

Bob McClure was elated after his first successful relief appearance since returning from the disabled list. He had walked two batters Monday before getting an out, but on Wednesday struck out Greg Briley with a runner on first. “I hope I can do that about 50 more times,” he said. “I’m pretty tired right now, though.” . . . Bryan Harvey earned his fourth save despite giving up three hits, including a home run to Pete O’Brien in the ninth inning. . . . Kevin Uhlich, representing the Angels in negotiations for their proposed spring training move to Tempe Diablo Stadium, met for five hours Wednesday with city officials and the architect of the proposed renovations on the Arizona Stadium. “They’re going to take the recommendations and send them off to the city and the Angels within 10 days,” Uhlich said. . . . Angel President Richard Brown said he was more disappointed with the Monday’s crowd of 19,587 than with the club’s inconsistency on the field. That crowd was the lowest at Anaheim Stadium since a crowd of 19,687 on June 10, 1985. “One of the things that bothers me is we spent a lot of time this winter putting together a very, very good baseball team, and it will play better with fan support,” Brown said.

Jack Howell started at second base Wednesday, the fourth position at which he has started this season. The others were first, third and right field. . . . Right-hander Bert Blyleven, who underwent rotator cuff surgery last Tuesday, had the stitches removed from his incision Wednesday. However, no timetable has been set for his rehabilitation.