BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Optimism Follows Langston Surgery

The Angels remained optimistic after starter Mark Langston’s arthroscopic elbow surgery that he will be able to rejoin the rotation within six weeks.

Dr. Lewis Yocum removed three bone chips Tuesday, two of which were large, but did not find any other abnormalities.

“Everything went well, just as expected,” Yocum said of the 40-minute procedure. “There were no surprises. He should be back in about six weeks, give or take a week.”

Said Manager Buck Rodgers: “That’s as good news as you can get out of bad news.”

Meanwhile, left-handed starter Joe Magrane, who underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery Feb. 15, will make his first rehabilitative start Friday at Class-A Lake Elsinore against Central Valley.

Magrane is scheduled to make two starts for Lake Elsinore before joining triple-A Vancouver on April 25 for two more starts. If there are no setbacks, he will join the Angel rotation on May 5 or May 6.

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Angel rookie Brian Anderson was strolling the Main Place Mall Tuesday afternoon, saw two men shopping for sunglasses, and couldn’t believe his eyes.

They were Albert Belle and Wayne Kirby of the Cleveland Indians, who just so happen to be two of his favorite players on his favorite team, at least until he made the big leagues himself. In fact, Belle still remains one of his idols.

Anderson, a Cleveland fan grew up in Geneva, Ohio, walked up, introduced himself and left in awe.

“I walked away with a big smile on my face, my knees jittery,” Anderson, 21, said. “I told them that I was a big Indians fan growing up, but I didn’t tell (Belle) that I have posters of him hanging up in my room.”

If truth be told, the folks in the Cleveland front office are fans of Anderson too. They hoped that he would last until the 11th pick in the draft last season. Instead, the Angels drafted him with their third pick.

“We loved him, we wanted him in the worst way,” said Cleveland General Manager John Hart said. “Our reports were that he come to the big leagues faster than anyone in the draft. We thought he could help a team right away.

“As it turns out, he proved us right.”