BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Orton’s Bad Shoulder Flares Up

John Orton’s chances of opening the season as the Angels’ catcher dimmed Monday when tenderness in the back of his right shoulder forced Manager Buck Rodgers to delete him from the lineup and again postpone his spring debut.

Orton, who was projected as a replacement for aging Lance Parrish, has been hampered by shoulder problems most of the spring. His latest flare-up, which he called “a minor setback,” will idle him at for least a few days. And with only 12 exhibitions left, he’s running out of time to be ready for the start of the season.

“It’s frustrating, especially when all the guys I played with in triple-A are getting shots out there,” Orton said. “But I’m just worried about getting healthy right now. Before, I was trying to hurry it up and get ready (for the opener). Now, I’m just trying to get healthy. I think I could be ready, but I’m not really sure right now.”

Rodgers said he wants to be sure Orton is progressing steadily before putting him into the lineup.

“Depending on what the next couple of days hold, it has to change our plans a little bit,” Rodgers said.

Jim Abbott labored through 5 1/3 innings, giving up 10 hits and four runs in the Angels’ 7-4 defeat by the San Francisco Giants at Angels Stadium in Palm Springs.

“I threw some decent pitches with all three of my pitches,” he said after his earned-run average had risen from 0.75 to 2.60. “There were a couple of pitches I wish I had back. I just couldn’t get them to hit the ball at people.”

Nor could Willie Fraser, who gave up three runs in 1 2/3 innings for an ERA of 8.68 in six games.

“Willie is slowly digging himself a hole,” Rodgers said. “He’s going to have to show us something in a relative hurry.”

The Angels’ offense consisted of Luis Polonia’s sixth-inning home run and Hubie Brooks’ bases-clearing double in the seventh. Brooks, Von Hayes and Alvin Davis share the team RBI lead with seven each.

Pitcher Matt Keough, recuperating from emergency brain surgery last Monday, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Angels’ season opener April 7 at Anaheim Stadium. Keough was hit in the head by a foul ball while sitting in the visitors’ dugout at Scottsdale Stadium. . . . Pitcher David Holdridge was sent down to Class-A Palm Springs.

Donald Fehr, executive director of the players’ association, said it’s unlikely the union will exercise its option to reopen negotiations on the Basic Agreement after this season. . . . Outfielder Shawn Abner, who has had only eight at-bats, said he isn’t particularly optimistic about surviving the next squad cut, which probably will involve outfielders.