BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Outlook Not Good for Farrell

Angel starter John Farrell met privately Wednesday afternoon with Manager Buck Rodgers and was told that he likely will be removed from the starting rotation, and possibly be released.

The Angels will sign veteran left-handed starter Joe Magrane today--if he clears waivers. Magrane will take Farrell’s spot in the rotation and is expected to start Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“That’s what we’re waiting for,” Rodgers said, “but because we don’t have a replacement as of yet, I won’t say 100%. I’ll say John is doubtful, make it 70-30 against. . . .

“What I can see, he’s physically back, but his game-sense is lacking right now. He looks like a guy who’s (rehabilitating), a guy who’s throwing on the side. If that’s it, that’s not good enough.

“I for one would like to see John Farrell in (spring-training) camp, but it’s been a tough year for him, it’s been a tough year for all of us.”

Farrell, 2-11 with a 7.47 earned-run average, said that he would be opposed to another assignment at triple-A Vancouver, and would be allowed to reject the assignment under a stipulation in his contract. The Angels would have to decide whether they want him to pitch long relief or release him.

“I feel fine physically,” Farrell said, “I’m just going through a stage that I’m trying to learn to pitch all over again. I know I can pitch up here, but you look at my numbers, and you know people are saying, ‘This guy can’t pitch here.’

“If I can’t start, I’d like to stay up here and at least show I can get major league hitters out at this level. That would be better than them just getting reports from triple A.

“I know the numbers speak for themselves, but at the same time, I know I’m not light years away, either.”

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Angel designated hitter Chili Davis, bothered by severe pain in his left shoulder, underwent a thorough examination Wednesday to determine the cause of his suffering.

“My shoulder has been bothering me so much,” Davis said, “that I’ve been getting these awful headaches from it. I had surgery a few years ago on it, and the doctors think maybe I’m getting bone spurs on my shoulder.”

Despite the nagging pain, Davis hit a two-run homer Wednesday night. He has played in 102 consecutive games and has produced 86 RBIs, seven shy of his career-high. The most impressive aspect of the feat is that it has been done without a sacrifice fly.

Since the 1961 expansion season, the most RBIs by a player without a sacrifice fly is 108, set by Nick Esasky in 1989 with Boston.

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Pitcher Pete Janicki, the Angels’ first-round pick in 1992, is scheduled to be examined today by Dr. Lewis Yocum, who could give him clearance to begin a rehabilitative program. Janicki broke the ulnar bone in his right elbow in his first professional start in April. . . . Reliever Scott Lewis, who has been superb since being sent to triple-A Vancouver and likely would have been recalled in September, has been diagnosed with tendinitis in his right shoulder. Lewis, who had a 1.37 ERA at Vancouver, left the team and currently is rehabilitating in Anaheim. . . . Vancouver outfielder Jerome Walton’s season has ended with a hamstring injury, making it highly questionable whether he’ll return next season to the organization. . . . Brian Anderson, the Angels’ first-round pick this season, will join double-A Midland today.