BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Ripken Says He Won’t Ease Up

Baltimore shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., who made consecutive start No. 2,038 Monday night against the Angels, said he has not changed his approach to the game or off-field routines as Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games draws near.

“A lot of people have started thinking things, like maybe I shouldn’t play basketball in the off-season or do any work in the yard,” Ripken said. “But you insulate yourself from injury by playing hard. If you go easy, you’re not going to be on-guard, and that’s when you get hurt.”

As has become custom on the first day in a new city, Ripken held a half-hour press conference before the game with about 30 reporters.

“My biggest fear is that this would be a distraction to my daily routine,” Ripken said. “The fact is I didn’t set out to do this. I’m a little uncomfortable with all the attention.

“I have a certain responsibility to talk about it, but I don’t want it to be invasive to myself or the team. I’m open to suggestions on how to handle it, but so far this is working out OK.”

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Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann was there for Reggie Jackson’s 500th home run, Rod Carew’s 3,000th hit, Don Sutton’s 300th win, Mike Witt’s perfect game and, barring rainouts or injury, he’ll be in Baltimore the day Ripken breaks Gehrig’s record on Sept. 6.

“That’ll be a great thrill, a great day in baseball,” Lachemann said. “I just hope I’m around for it . . . I know he will be.”

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Spike Owen made his fifth start at third base in the past six games in place of Eduardo Perez, but Lachemann said the job is still “a day-to-day thing.” He also scoffed at a suggestion that either Owen or Perez might be more productive if he had the security of knowing the job was his.

“I believe if you’re a professional and someone tells you to play, you play,” Lachemann said. “If you need someone to tell you it’s your job, that’s bull. Some guys need that, but I don’t think you do.”

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The Angel pre-game media notes Monday included projections for the 1995 season based on 30-game performances, and among the more notables were Chili Davis (34 homers, 134 RBIs), J.T. Snow (29 homers, 115 RBIs), Jim Edmonds (29 homers, 110 RBIs), Gary DiSarcina (58 doubles) and Chuck Finley (10 wins . . . and 19 losses).

Angel catcher Greg Myers took over the team lead in clutch RBIs with seven, two game-tying and five go-ahead, but opponents have been successful in all 11 stolen-base attempts against him entering Monday’s game. . . . Umpire Tim Welke, who was supposed to work Monday’s game, was fogged in at an airport in Beaver Lake, Mich., so a three-man crew was used.