BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Stanley Is OK After a Beaning by James

Boston catcher Mike Stanley felt groggy and had a sizable bump just above his left ear Saturday, but he was fine otherwise after getting beaned by Angel reliever Mike James in the eighth inning Friday.

Stanley spent about three hours at an Anaheim hospital and is expected to miss the next several games.

A CAT scan was negative. He was replaced by Bill Haselman in the Red Sox lineup.

James phoned Stanley to check on his condition Saturday afternoon after several unsuccessful attempts late Friday.

“He just wanted to let me know he was concerned,” Stanley said of their conversation.

“He said he was shaken up about it. He wanted to let me know there was no intent [to injure]. He wanted to make sure I was all right. I appreciated the call.”

James did not wish to rehash the incident with reporters, but did say he was relieved to hear Stanley was OK.

Stanley said he remembered little about the pitch, which came immediately after James hit Jose Canseco in the rear end.

“I don’t remember trying to get out of the way,” Stanley said. “All I remember was being on the ground.”

*

Relievers Jeff Schmidt and Todd Frohwirth traded places, with Schmidt being optioned to triple-A Vancouver and Frohwirth joining the Angels.

The club also signed left-hander Kyle Abbott to a minor-league contract.

Abbott, who is not related to starter Jim Abbott, was the Angels’ first-round pick in the 1989 draft. He was 2-0 with a 3.81 earned-run average for Philadelphia last season.

*

Left-hander Mark Langston, recovering from surgery to repair cartilage damage in his right knee, was cleared by Dr. Lewis Yocum to make a rehab start today for Class-A Lake Elsinore at Rancho Cucamonga. Langston is expected to throw between 55 and 60 pitches or three innings, whichever comes first. . . . Yocum also cleared reliever Mark Eichhorn, on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis, to throw from a mound on Monday. . . . Right-hander Steve Ontiveros pitched a simulated game, throwing 45 pitches. “I threw very well and I’m very encouraged,” he said. “Much improved from the last time Wednesday in Baltimore.” Elbow trouble has sidelined Ontiveros so far this season. . . . After six consecutive starts at second base, Rex Hudler took a seat Saturday. “Today is a day of reflecting,” said Hudler, who homered in four of the six games.