BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Anderson Tries New Role--Leadoff Man

The lineup posted in the Angels’ clubhouse Wednesday drew more than a few double takes. Had the Angels traded for Baltimore’s Brady Anderson? Had there been some mistake?

Nope, that actually was left fielder Garret Anderson in the leadoff spot and second baseman Randy Velarde, the team’s former leadoff hitter, batting seventh.

“Just wanted to shake some things up, do something different,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said.

Different? How about radical? Anderson, who had nine RBIs in the previous four games, had never led off in his life. Lachemann didn’t even tell Anderson he was going to lead off before he filled out his lineup. Anderson simply came, he saw, he shrugged.

“I’m definitely surprised--who wouldn’t be?” said Anderson, who singled and scored in the first inning against Boston. “But he’s the manager. He can do what he wants.”

Velarde was surprised . . . and elated. “I hope he hits about .500 in the leadoff spot,” said Velarde, who had a .345 on-base percentage with 34 strikeouts and 12 walks before Wednesday’s game. “Maybe this will be the break we need, because I obviously haven’t been the leadoff guy they’re looking for.”

Hitting wasn’t the problem Wednesday, as the Angels lost, 17-6.

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An MRI on the right shoulder of Mark Eichhorn, who is 1-2 with a 3.75 ERA in middle relief, was negative Tuesday night, but Eichhorn received a cortisone shot and will be sidelined for several days.

Eichhorn’s shoulder has been bothering him for more than a week, but he didn’t tell Lachemann until Tuesday night. “He hadn’t said anything because he felt he could pitch with it,” Lachemann said, “but it got worse [Tuesday] night.”

Eichhorn, who sat out the 1995 season because of rotator cuff surgery, flew to New York Wednesday for the MRI. He threw two scoreless innings against the Red Sox on Tuesday night and hasn’t given up a run in his last three appearances.

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Knuckleballer Dennis Springer, bombed for five runs in one inning in his first Angel start, against Cleveland Friday night, will get another chance. Springer will start Saturday against the Yankees in New York. The Yankees’ Sunday starter will be Dwight Gooden, who threw a no-hitter against Seattle on Tuesday night.