BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DiSarcina Empathizes With Abbott

Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina battled a difficult slump that dropped his average to .150 in mid-May, so he knows what’s going through left-hander Jim Abbott’s mind.

DiSarcina had hitting coach Rod Carew to help him escape the skid. Who can best help Abbott, DiSarcina was asked.

“You can’t take anyone out there [on the field] with you,” DiSarcina said. “When you’re hitting rock bottom, it’s tough to have confidence out there. You have to hold your head up and exude confidence. That’s what I did. I tried to take anything positive I could from a game. If I hit a ball hard, for example.”

DiSarcina believes Abbott is putting a great deal of pressure on himself.

“I think he’s bothered because he’s not helping the team,” DiSarcina said. “You can only tell a guy, ‘Keep hanging in there. Next time, next time,’ for so long. I think he’s got to get by this.”

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Right-hander Steve Ontiveros is scheduled to make his second rehabilitation start on Wednesday or Thursday at Class-A Lake Elsinore.

Ontiveros, on the disabled list because of elbow trouble since spring training, gave up two runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings in his first rehabilitation start Friday for Lake Elsinore.

Reliever Bryan Harvey, continuing his comeback from reconstructive elbow surgery, will work out with Lake Elsinore while the Angels are on a nine-game trip to Minnesota, Cleveland and Kansas City.

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A man who did not wish to have his name released was struck by Bobby Bonilla’s bat after it slipped out of the Baltimore outfielder’s hands in the fourth inning. The man was taken to a local hospital as a precautionary measure. . . . Disney is considering moving the Angels’ triple-A affiliate out of Vancouver. Las Vegas is a possible new home. The San Diego Padres are reportedly unhappy with Las Vegas and want to move their top minor-league club. . . . Anaheim Stadium ushers the past two days had fans seeking Cal Ripken Jr.’s autograph line up instead of mobbing the railings on either side of the Oriole dugout. Friday, hundreds pushed, shoved and jockeyed for position to get to Ripken. . . . Baltimore activated third baseman B.J. Surhoff from the disabled list, officially eliminating the need for Ripken to move from shortstop. . . . Ripken passed the 1,300-RBI milestone by hitting his 335th home run, a two-run shot in the third. . . . Ripken was removed from the game in the sixth--the sixth time this season he’s left a game early and the 72nd time during his streak.