BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Reynolds Vows to Stay Positive

Harold Reynolds, who said a week ago he thought about retiring every day, said reports of the imminent end of his career were premature and blown out of proportion.

“I’m just going to stay in my routine and try to stay positive,” said Reynolds, who has been relegated to reserve status since the Angels moved Damion Easley to second base last month. Reynolds has made only one start in the last 15 games.

“I just want to play,” he said. “I like the guys here. I like the coaches here. I just hate the bench. I’m not happy with earning a letter anymore. I’m a four-year letterman already.

“It’s only July and I sure don’t want to sit on the bench until October.”

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The Angels optioned right-handed reliever Mike Butcher to triple-A Vancouver after Friday night’s game and recalled left-hander Andrew Lorraine.

Lorraine, a 21-year-old rookie who was 9-3 with four complete games, two shutouts and a 3.24 earned-run average in 17 starts for Vancouver, will be assigned to the bullpen.

Butcher is 2-1 with one save and had a 6.67 ERA in 33 games with the Angels.

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Left-hander Ken Patterson, who underwent surgery to reconstruct his elbow in May, was in Anaheim for Jimmie Reese’s memorial service and said he discovered how much he missed baseball by watching Angel games on television from his home in McGregor, Tex.

“Watching other games didn’t bother me, but watching your teammates play without you really eats at you,” he said.

Patterson said he hopes to start throwing in late August.

“Joe (Magrane) told me that at least I picked the right year to take off,” he said. “The year of the juiced ball. I tell you, some of the people I’ve seen hit home runs this year . . . something’s up.”

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Right-hander John Dopson will undergo a rehabilitative process for an inflamed rotator cuff before surgery is considered. “They’re going to try and strengthen the area with exercises, then he’ll throw again and see if there’s any problems,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said. . . . No. 5 hitter Jim Edmonds is slumping and the Orioles twice walked clean-up hitter Chili Davis in RBI situations Thursday night. So Lachemann is considering putting Tim Salmon behind Davis in the order and moving Edmonds to the No. 3 spot. “We can’t continue to let them take the bat out of Chili’s hands like that,” Lachemann said, “so that’s something you might see.” . . . Tonight’s game, on the schedule for 8:05 p.m., has been moved to 5 p.m. for the debut of The Baseball Network on ABC.