James Back, So Are Tonsils

Reliever Mike James was ready to pitch again after a brief touch of tonsillitis. He was sent home Saturday and was too ill to warm up Friday.

James, still taking antibiotics, got woozy working out in the sun and Manager Marcel Lachemann said he would use him only after sunset. There are no plans to remove James’ tonsils, however.

“God put them in there for some reason,” James said. “I’m not going to let them take them out.”

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Center fielder Jim Edmonds, on the disabled list because of a sprained right thumb since June 13, took batting practice for the first time Saturday.

But his thumb was so sore he could only shag flies during Sunday’s pregame workout.

“There’s nothing I can do about it,” said Edmonds, whose progress is ahead of schedule. “It’s sore. It hurts. I could have hit, but I didn’t want to overdo it and make it worse. Maybe [today].”

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Randy Velarde’s first-inning infield single extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games. It’s the longest streak by an Angel since Edmonds’ 23-game streak last year. . . . Infielder Damion Easley has apparently dropped to the bottom of the Angels’ depth chart. He has played only once since June 19, replacing Tim Wallach at third base in the seventh inning Thursday. . . . Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire had 14 home runs in June, one short of his club record set in May, 1987. McGwire, who walked four times Saturday, did not start Sunday.