BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : The Glove Has Been Passed--to Easley

Angel second baseman Harold Reynolds stopped by teammate Damion Easley’s locker Tuesday afternoon, and had one simple request:

“Can I have my glove back?” Reynolds said, raising his eyebrows in feigned exasperation.

Easley borrowed Reynolds’ glove in Chicago on the last trip, and until Tuesday had no reason to give it back. Easley was not only coming off the disabled list, but he was taking Reynolds’ job.

The Angels, who plan on keeping Easley at second, have since informed teams that Reynolds is available. And one interested team is the Seattle Mariners, for whom Reynolds played the first 12 seasons of his professional career.

Reynolds was in the starting lineup Tuesday, Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann said, because of his .538 batting average against Mariner starter Chris Bosio. But the Angels privately said they also wanted to showcase Reynolds’ skills against the Mariners.

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The Mariners’ interest in Angel catcher Greg Myers is beginning to slightly wane because of the $800,000 he is guaranteed for the 1995 season. Although the Mariners desperately want a left-handed catcher, Myers’ contract is a deterrent, sources say.

Myers returned Tuesday to the Angels’ lineup for the first first time since May 24 because of torn cartilage in his left knee. He suffered the injury in a home-plate collision with Boston Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell.

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Starter Phil Leftwich, who had won three of his last four decisions when he went on the disabled list June 8 because of an inflamed lower right leg, will begin a rehabilitation assignment Thursday for Class A Lake Elsinore against San Bernardino. Leftwich will make at least two starts before the Angels recall him.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to go through that,” Leftwich said, “but I guess they want to make sure I’m fit.”