BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Easley Slides Over, Lind Moves Up

On the day all-star shortstop Gary DiSarcina underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, the Angels handed the job as his replacement to second baseman Damion Easley.

Jose Lind was called up from triple-A Vancouver and will replace Easley at second. Rod Correia was sent to Vancouver to make room for Lind.

Dr. Norm Zemel, a hand specialist, performed the operation on DiSarcina, who will be examined again in 10 days and will wear a cast for three weeks. He is expected to miss the rest of the regular season.

DiSarcina, who batted .317 with a team-leading 26 doubles and committed only five errors in 88 games, injured his thumb while breaking up a double play last Thursday.

Now, it’s up to Easley, who last played shortstop in the minors in 1992, to carry on the excellence.

“It’s just another position,” said Easley, batting .217. “I’m not excited. I’m not disappointed . . . I’ll be fine.”

Lind hasn’t been a model of consistency the last few seasons. He went AWOL three times in the past three seasons with Kansas City. He missed a week during spring training in 1993, missed a workout and one game in ’94 and didn’t show for a June 2 game this season.

The Royals released him June 13. The Angels signed him as a free agent July 24. He hit .222 with five RBIs in 11 games at Vancouver.

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As expected, third baseman Tony Phillips began serving his three-game suspension for his part in a June 8 brawl with the Boston Red Sox.

In the end, Phillips and General Manager Bill Bavasi decided to get the suspension over with rather than wait until later in the season.

What’s more, Phillips received a cortisone shot in his right hamstring Monday. It’s been bothering him “off and on for two months,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said. Three days off will aid Phillips’ recovery from the shot.

Phillips plans to meet with AL President Gene Budig to discuss the suspension when the Angels play in New York late this month.

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Shawn Boskie, on the disabled list since July 16 because of an inflamed right elbow, will throw 45 pitches in the first of three scheduled rehab starts with Class-A Lake Elsinore Thursday.