BASEBALL DAILY REPORT

Pitcher Mark Langston, suffering from a strained calf muscle and nerve irritation in his right leg, played catch and is confident he’ll rejoin the rotation when he’s eligible to come off the disabled list July 26--remarkable considering he was in “the worst pain I’d ever felt in my life” last Sunday.

Langston joined some friends from a band called “Magic Bus” at a concert in Seattle on Saturday night, even sitting in on guitar for a few songs, but on the ride back to his hotel, his leg began to stiffen. He couldn’t sleep and was in such pain that by 4:30 a.m. he phoned athletic trainer Ned Bergert “for some chemical help,” Langston said.

Strong muscle relaxants barely dulled the pain, so Langston went to the emergency room of a Seattle hospital for Demerol. He returned to Orange County early Sunday afternoon for more tests and treatment.

Doctors feared Langston might have a disk problem and the left-hander was examined by a spine specialist. But several MRI tests revealed normal wear and tear on his spine and the strained calf muscle, the likely source of the nerve irritation.

Langston said he feels close to 100%. “If it stays like this,” he said, “there’s a good chance I’ll be pitching soon.”

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To make room for Edmonds on the roster, the Angels optioned outfielder Orlando Palmeiro to triple-A Vancouver. Palmeiro hit .278 in 25 games for the Angels. . . .Third baseman Jack Howell, recovering from a strained hamstring, underwent a precautionary MRI Thursday, but Lachemann said he could be ready to return as early as tonight, meaning Tim Wallach could be released or traded.