BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Shin Splints Frustrate Easley

Angel second baseman Damion Easley, exasperated by his chronic shin splint problems that will sideline him for the second consecutive game tonight, will be examined today by a foot and ankle specialist.

“It’s past the point of frustration,” said Easley, who has missed 11 games this season, “I’m teed off about it. It’s mind-boggling that it has lasted as long as it has.

“We’re not any closer to finding out what’s wrong now than we were in spring training.”

Easley has tried three different pairs of orthotics, five different anti-inflammatory medications, and many remedies from letters that arrive in the clubhouse.

“Shin splints, it sounds so simple,” Easley said, “it’s not some kind of strange disease. But unless you had them, you don’t know the pain.”

The Angels will play seven consecutive games on artificial turf in Kansas City and Minnesota beginning Monday. Easley said he can’t wait for the day he can simply play without worrying about the pain.

“This has just been a nightmare,” he said.

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Angel right fielder Tim Salmon missed Friday’s game after being at the hospital all night with his wife, Marci, who gave birth to the couple’s first child, a 6-pound 5-ounce girl. Callie was born five weeks premature, but she and Marci are doing fine, according to Salmon.

Angel reliever Darrell Scott, who was optioned to triple-A Vancouver on Thursday, informed the Angels on Friday that his wife, Elizabeth, gave birth to a baby boy.

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Designated hitter Chili Davis, who pitched two hitless innings in the Texas Rangers’ 18-2 laugher Thursday over the Angels, said he satisfied a lifelong dream by pitching in a major league game.

“But it’s one of those things that I never thought would happen,” Davis said. “I mean, I’d like to go out with Janet Jackson, too, and that’s never going to happen.”

Davis, who was clocked at 83 m.p.h. on the radar gun, said he fully appreciated a pitcher’s job while standing on the mound, 60 feet 6 inches from the plate.

“There’s a lot more to it than just throwing the ball over the plate, believe me,” Davis said. “I wore a (protective) cup for the first time since I was a catcher, and they wouldn’t let me wear a catcher’s mask.”

The only damage while Davis was on the mound was the changeup that hit Jose Canseco on the left shoulder, drawing laughter from Canseco.

“Hey, people thought he was smiling,” Davis said, laughing. “I thought he was grimacing. I put a pretty big bruise on his rib muscles.”