ANGEL NOTEBOOK / JOHN WEYLER : Slump, Not Pain, Keeps Easley Out of Lineup

When does a couple of days off becoming a benching?

Second baseman Damion Easley, mired in an 0-for-22 slump, was left out of the lineup for the second consecutive game Wednesday night.

Manager Marcel Lachemann and Easley, who returned to action last week after missing five games because of a sore wrist, say the injury is no longer an issue.

“Damion’s healthy,” Lachemann said. “It’s not that. It’s a matter of me putting the best lineup I can out there.”

Easley, who has not had a hit since his home run June 3 against the Yankees’ Jack McDowell, says he can’t resort to “kicking trash cans and slamming doors.”

“This team isn’t about me, it’s about 25 guys,” he said. “I’m struggling pretty good right now, we’ve got a big hitter [Chili Davis] out of the lineup and we’re trying to find anyone to cover up Chili’s spot.

“I can’t be a bad influence. I’ve got to get myself together, regardless of whether I’m out for one day or one week. And the sooner I get it together, the sooner I can help the team.”

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Fiddling with second: Spike Owen, who has played second base five times in the last 11 games, said he has played the position only a few times during his 13 seasons in the big leagues.

“I never played anywhere but short until I got here,” he said. “Last year, it was third and this year it’s second. But I don’t mind the change. It’s a challenge.”

Owen, who has started 17 games at third base, six at second and one at shortstop, is also 5 for 10 with seven runs batted in as a pinch hitter. He’s hitting .236, but has been impressive in the clutch, driving in four runs that have put the Angels ahead in the seventh inning or later.

“I just want the opportunity to play and contribute,” he said.

So he has been taking a lot of ground balls at second base during batting practice and working on his mental approach to defense at second.

“When you’ve played one position for as long as I have, you just react, things come instinctively,” he said. “But at second, I have to think through what I’m going to do in every possible situation. You have to mentally ready yourself on each pitch.”

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Duck, ducks: Mike Butcher is going to miss recently released left-hander Mitch Williams, at least until the off-season when he plans to take Williams up on an invitation to visit his ranch in Hico, Tex.

“Mitch was a great guy to have around,” Butcher said. “Maybe he’s the last guy you think you’d learn pitching from, but he knows how to pitch. He knows how to work hitters.

“I’m going to miss him a lot. We became good friends and I’m looking forward to going hunting at his ranch.”

Given Williams’ aim recently, his prey figures to be OK . . . as long as it doesn’t move.