BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : DiSarcina Says He’s No Savior

Shortstop Gary DiSarcina is targeting this weekend’s series at Texas for his return to the starting lineup, but don’t expect him to be the Angels’ savior, the answer to the teams’ problems.

“You just don’t sit out for seven weeks, come back and pick up where you left off,” said DiSarcina, who was batting .317 when he tore a ligament in his left thumb Aug. 3.

“That’s going to be hard, knowing I won’t be at that level. But I’ve prepared myself mentally for it.”

Because the Angels were 16-27 without DiSarcina entering Tuesday night’s game against Oakland, there is a tendency to correlate his loss to the rash of Angel defeats.

“I can understand the reasoning--you take away a Greg Gagne, a Mike Bordick, a Barry Larkin, someone who is consistent, the glue to the infield, and you’ll feel a loss,” DiSarcina said. “But you can’t blame it all on my absence. I’m only one of nine guys in the batting order. If this team can’t overcome the No. 9 hitter going down, maybe we’re not as good as we thought we were.”

DiSarcina, who said he’s not quite strong enough to hit in a game situation, got a pinch-running appearance in the ninth on Tuesday.

“Hopefully I can get over those first-game jitters,” he said. “Being so nervous can affect your play.”

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The Angel losing streak was five going into Tuesday night’s game, but there have been no clubhouse ceremonies to ward off possible evil spirits. “I don’t believe in voodoo or superstitions,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said. “You just have to go out and do what you’re supposed to do.” . . . An hour before Tuesday’s game, third baseman Tony Phillips was lying on his back with the lights out in the training room, trying to recover from a severe headache. He did not take batting practice but played in the game. . . . Greg Myers suffered a severe bruise on his right shoulder when he was nicked by a foul ball Monday night and was available only to catch on an emergency basis Tuesday.