BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Rodgers Undecided on Starting Catcher

Although John Orton’s shoulder problems make Lance Parrish the logical choice to be the Angels’ opening-day catcher, the selection is not automatic.

Parrish is batting .115 with no extra-base hits. Buck Rodgers said Wednesday he hasn’t decided who will start the season behind the plate.

“Lance could still catch fire. He’s working his tail off, but we just haven’t seen results,” Rodgers said. “I’d like to see some line drives. We could go with (Ron) Tingley. We could go with (Mike) Fitzgerald. I don’t want to make it sound like Lance is not in there, but our options are wide open.”

Orton’s bid has been stalled by an inflammation in the back of his right shoulder. He has yet to play an exhibition game and Wednesday was sent to the Angels’ minor league camp in Mesa, Ariz., for four or five days to get some at-bats. He was not designated for reassignment.

Fitzgerald, likely to be the third catcher and a utility player, started at first base in the Angels’ 4-2 victory over the Cubs Wednesday at Angels Stadium in Palm Springs. He is hitting .222. Tingley started behind the plate and got one hit in two at-bats with an RBI, raising his average to .250.

Joe Grahe “just about nailed down” a spot in the starting rotation, according to Rodgers. Grahe gave up two first-inning runs--one unearned because of an error by second baseman Luis Sojo--but held the Cubs scoreless in his last five innings.

A seventh-inning squeeze play, well executed by Dick Schofield, scored Sojo with the go-ahead run off former Angel Jeff Robinson. Hubie Brooks and Rene Gonzales also had RBIs for the Angels (11-8).

The Angels released outfielder Shawn Abner and returned right-hander Willie Fraser to their minor league camp for reassignment.