BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Lachemann Shakes Up Boskie by Sending Him to Bullpen

As his teammates took the field for Thursday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Shawn Boskie reported to work for his first day of a new job: relief pitcher.

“It’s definitely a letdown,” said Boskie, pulled from the starting rotation after pitching poorly in Monday night’s 11-10 loss in Seattle. “It’s disappointing because we as a team haven’t played as well as we will, and I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain.”

Boskie made only three starts--one of them a 7 2/3-inning, five-hit gem April 10 at Toronto--but Manager Marcel Lachemann was disgusted with the way Boskie let much of an eight-run lead slip away in Seattle, “and he needed to shake things up,” Boskie said.

Jason Grimsley (2-0, 1.20 earned-run average at triple-A Vancouver) will be activated to start Saturday night against Detroit, and Boskie (0-0, 6.50 ERA) will return to the bullpen, where he has a 2.70 career ERA in 85 innings.

“Lach said I’m not going to be mopping up, that I’d be used,” Boskie said. “It shouldn’t be a great adjustment because I’ve done pretty well out of the bullpen before. I’ve just got to keep a positive attitude and try to contribute, and maybe I can make it back to the rotation.”

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Closer Lee Smith, who hasn’t pitched in a minor league game since 1980, isn’t exactly thrilled to be making a rehabilitation appearance for Class-A Lake Elsinore tonight.

“I don’t have to wait around until the ninth inning, do I?” Smith asked pitching Coach Chuck Hernandez Thursday. Informed he would be pitching the first inning for Lake Elsinore tonight and Sunday, Smith said: “Good. I can keep the limo running.”

Lachemann said if Smith, on the disabled list because of swelling in his right knee, shows he is healthy and has regained the velocity on his fastball, he could be activated next week.

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Designated hitter Chili Davis, still feeling lingering effects of back spasms, was held out of the starting lineup for the fourth consecutive night Thursday.

“We could use him in a pinch, but considering the time of year, it’s not a worthwhile gamble,” Lachemann said. “He felt a lot better today and took batting practice from both sides [of the plate], but he still had a slight degree of apprehension.”

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Lachemann said batting instructor Rod Carew, whose 18-year-old daughter, Michelle, died of leukemia Wednesday morning, wants to return to the Angels as soon as possible.

“But I don’t know what his adjustment period will be,” Lachemann said. “He needs to be there for his family, but that family is so strong together, they may kick him out the door. They’ve been through so much the last seven months, they know how to handle a lot of things . . . but right now his family is more important than us.”