BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : For Blyleven, This Trip Is Significant

Bert Blyleven’s return to Minnesota Monday wasn’t as emotional as his first time back, but he still considers this a significant occasion.

Blyleven, a member of Minnesota’s 1987 World Series championship team, will face the Twins tonight as he seeks his fourth victory since his comeback from rotator cuff surgery and 283rd of his career. Given six days’ rest instead of the usual four, Blyleven said he feels the strongest he has felt yet.

“I think the two extra days will help and I’m going to try and take advantage of the off day every chance I can,” he said. “I feel really good. Coming back here is nice because you want to come back when you’re doing well so you can impress your former ballclub.”

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 stolen bases ended Monday when he was caught attempting to steal 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 designated hitter.