Baseball Daily Report : ANGELS : Edmonds Wants to Play Hurt

Center fielder Jim Edmonds wants to play. And he wants to make a statement. So even though his sore left foot flares up practically every day, making it difficult to run, he has remained in the lineup.

“I want to be perceived in a different way,” said Edmonds, who has been criticized for his laid-back approach to the game. “When I hurt my knee in spring training, some people thought I just wanted to take a few days off, but now that I’m hurt and playing, maybe it will be good for me. It will help people realize how bad I want to play.”

Edmonds, who is 8 for 18 in his last four games, packs his foot in ice after every game and has been receiving daily ultrasound treatments.

“I don’t like being on the disabled list, watching on the bench,” he said. “I want to play as long as I can. I won’t ask for a day off unless I can’t walk.”

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Second baseman Damion Easley (sprained right wrist) didn’t start Wednesday for the fourth consecutive game, and he’s getting a bit impatient.

“I thought I could play yesterday, I thought I could play today, I don’t think anymore,” Easley said. “I’m about 85-90%, but that’s plenty enough to play. I’ve given [Manager Marcel Lachemann] enough subtle hints, but I’ve just got to go with his decision.”

Said Lachemann: “I’m not comfortable playing him until he can do everything he can do, and he’s still not to that point yet.”

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The Angels have come to terms with 17 of 60 draft picks, including No. 2 Jarrod Washburn (P, Wisconsin Oshkosh), No. 3 Jeremy Blevins (P, Sullivan East, Ohio, High) and No. 5 Justin Baughman (SS, Lewis & Clark College). They are expected to have a face-to-face meeting with Jeff Moorad, agent for No. 1 pick Brian Erstad, on Friday.

Other signees, by round: 6--Ryan Kane (3B, Presbyterian College), 8--Brian Scutero (P, Central Florida), 13--John Vandergriend (OF, Washington), 14--Joshua Deakman (P, Arizona State), 19--Justin Dalton (3B, Nebraska), 20--Brian Graves (C, Southern), 22--James O’Quinn (P, Florida City College);

24--Gar Vallone (SS, UCLA), 25--John Romero (P, Mission College), 27--Thomas Darrel (P, Garrett Community College), 30--John McAninich (C/1B, Lewis & Clark), 31--Ty Bilderback (OF, Arkansas), 44--Esteban Barrios (OF, Miami Dade JC), and 49--Derek Ryder (C, Penn State).

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Two bright spots in the Angels’ loss to the Red Sox Wednesday: The Angels played their sixth consecutive errorless game, and catcher Jorge Fabregas had three assists, picking Mo Vaughn off second in the first inning, throwing out Luis Alicea attempting to steal in the third and Troy O’Leary trying to advance to second on an outfield throw to the plate.

Outfielder Garret Anderson and pitcher Russ Springer flew all night from Vancouver to join the team in Boston Wednesday, but Springer probably won’t be activated until Friday, when he’s scheduled to start at Baltimore. Anderson, who lined into a double play to end the game, replaced injured pitcher Scott Sanderson on the roster.