BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Wathan to Bring Harvey Back Slowly

Although Joe Grahe said he’d gladly relinquish his stopper role when Bryan Harvey returned from the disabled list, he isn’t off the hook yet. Interim manager John Wathan plans to bring Harvey back gradually, testing him as a setup man before putting him in a save situation.

“I don’t know that he’s ready to be a closer yet. I want to get him in some games before we put him in one where the game’s on the line,” Wathan said. “I don’t think it would be fair to Harv after not pitching for two weeks to throw him in a pressure situation.”

Grahe, who has retired the last 19 hitters he’s faced and is three for three in save situations, has found one pleasant aspect to the job. “I can just get it over the plate and let them hit it,” he said. “Before, I was always thinking I had to hit a corner. Now, I just let ‘em hit it and they really haven’t been getting a good piece of the ball.”

Conditioning coach Jimmie Reese, who will be 91 in October and is in his 75th year in professional baseball, was named honorary captain of the AL All-Star team for the July 14 game at San Diego. His NL counterpart will be Willie Mays. . . . Luis Polonia’s streak of 11 consecutive steals ended Monday when he was caught stealing second in the third inning. . . . Designated hitter Hubie Brooks underwent tests to determine the cause of neck pain that put him on the disabled list. He has begun therapy at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic. . . . Right fielder Von Hayes was unavailable Monday because of a sprained left ankle, incurred while he pursued a fly ball in the second inning Sunday. He will be re-evaluated today. . . . First baseman Lee Stevens, who strained cartilage in his right rib cage Sunday, didn’t start Monday. . . . Bobby Rose, sent to Class-A Palm Springs on rehabilitation assignment after sustaining a sprained ankle in the May 21 bus accident, will begin playing shortstop and third base, Wathan said. Rose so far has played second and been the designated hitter.