BASEBALL: DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : In the Interim, Herzog Will Stay Put

Some of the Angel players have wondered if they might see Whitey Herzog, senior vice president for player personnel, in uniform again.

But Herzog, who has 1,281 managerial victories and guided the St. Louis Cardinals to the 1982 World Series title, said there was no consideration of him returning to the dugout during Manager Buck Rodgers’ absence.

“No,” Herzog said, grinning and shaking his head emphatically. “I was hiding.”

Rodgers, who remains hospitalized after surgery for injuries sustained in the Angels’ bus accident last Thursday, appointed third base coach John Wathan interim manager.

“I think John is very capable,” Herzog said. “I’ve got a lot of things I want to get done. I’ve been to the minor leagues, we’ve got the draft coming up. There’s the expansion draft, and we want to make sure we don’t lose our young players. It’s an important summer.”

Center fielder Junior Felix missed Wednesday’s game after straining his left groin muscle on an awkward attempted catch in Tuesday’s game, and a decision on whether he will go on the disabled list will probably be made today, Wathan said. A decision is also likely today on catcher Lance Parrish, who has worked out the past two days.

Carl Venetz, the driver of the bus in the Angels’ accident, has a June 17 court date to answer the summons he was issued for careless driving, said Dennis White, the New Jersey State Police trooper who investigated the accident. Both White and investigator William Walker of the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday they have been unable to corroborate Venetz’s claim that he swerved to avoid a tire or other highway debris.