BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Langston, Abbott Pitching Well

Whether he starts the first game of the Angels’ season or the second, left-hander Mark Langston will consider it his opening day.

“I don’t ever look at it that I’m the No. 2 or 3 pitcher,” he said. “I don’t put much emphasis on that. If you do, you’re going to pitch like a No. 3 guy. The way I look at it, when it’s my night to pitch, I’m No. 1.”

Langston led the Angels’ staff last season with 19 victories.

Langston and Jim Abbott, the candidates to start the season opener April 7, pitched equally well Friday in the Angels’ exhibition opener. Each threw three scoreless innings in a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres at Desert Sun Stadium in Mesa, Ariz., and each pronounced himself pleased.

“It’s nice that people think I should do well after last year (when he was 18-11 with a 2.89 earned-run average), but it’s dangerous to say to yourself, ‘I have to do this or that,’ ” Abbott said.

“I feel like we worked on a few things last season and I want to continue to improve. If I’m in a good frame of mind, it should work out.”

Manager Buck Rodgers was in a good mood after watching his pitchers overpower the Padres--Willie Fraser gave up the only run, in the eighth inning--and watching his offense create runs. Von Hayes drove in a run in the first inning, after Luis Polonia walked and took second on a hit-and-run grounder by Junior Felix, and that lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth on an infield hit by Luis Sojo, a triple by Polonia and a single to left by Felix.

“I saw a lot of things I liked,” said Rodgers, who also praised the defensive efforts of second baseman Bobby Rose and outfielders John Morris and Chad Curtis. “All these things for this early is encouraging. We didn’t miss any signs, we executed reasonably well and we had good defense.”

A magnetic resonance imaging test found an inflammation in catcher John Orton’s right rotator cuff but no tear. He is expected to be sidelined seven to 10 days. . . . New York Met Manager Jeff Torborg said his club is not actively pursuing Angel shortstop Dick Schofield to replace the injured Kevin Elster, although he said he likes Schofield.

“We don’t think it’s serious,” said Rodgers, who used Ron Tingley and Mike Fitzgerald behind the plate Friday. “We’ll just have to see how it comes along.” . . . First baseman Lee Stevens, who is being held out of exhibition games while his right wrist becomes stronger, will hit off teammates Bert Blyleven and Chuck Finley next week. If he can handle their pitching, he’ll play in an exhibition game.