BASEBALL REPORT / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Sanderson Starts or He Will Leave

Starter Scott Sanderson likely will be released or traded, Manager Buck Rodgers said Sunday, if the front office decides this week to replace Sanderson in the rotation with Phil Leftwich.

“It’s going to be one way or the other,” Rodgers said. “If he stays here, he’s going to be pitching (in the rotation). If he doesn’t start, he’s gone.

“I can’t see keeping Scott Sanderson around as a long man or a bullpen guy. I don’t seen any in between.”

Sanderson (7-11), who was signed for $500,000 with incentives worth an additional $300,000, has lost nine consecutive decisions and is winless since May 27. The Angels would be responsible for all but about $40,000 of his contract if he’s released and another club claims him.

The Angels already have alerted teams that Sanderson is available, but no club has expressed interest.

“I still think it turned out to be a good signing for us,” Rodgers said. “The mere fact that he’s in the rotation shows that he’s done more than we expected. And he could very easily have 10 wins.”

*

Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina on the team’s nine-game losing streak: “I sense a lot of the same things that happened to us last year during our 11-game streak. Guys are hanging their heads a little bit. I sense, and I’m guilty, too, of guys saying, ‘Here we go again.’

“We’ve got to put a stop to it or it’s going to be a long season.”

*

The Angels were blaming themselves for collapsing after the second inning Sunday. They scored eight runs in the second inning, and had only two hits the rest of the game.

“We just sat on eight runs, and waited for them,” Rene Gonzales said.