Four’s a Crowd in Angel Outfield as Edmonds Returns

Any hopes the Angels harbored for a totally harmonious solution to their four-goes-into-three math problem evaporated on Day 1 of the Odd Outfielder Out Era.

Jim Edmonds returned to center field Thursday night after 36 days on the disabled list with a sprained right thumb, lead-off hitter Darin Erstad moved over to left, Tim Salmon was home in right and Garret Anderson was left out.

“I don’t even want to talk about it,” Anderson said before walking away.

Edmonds was happy to be back in the lineup, but didn’t seem overjoyed with any plan that involved a daily shuffling of the outfielders. “This is not going to be too good,” he said. “I guess we’ll just have to see what happens.

“It’s the front office’s problem, not mine. I haven’t even talked to [Manager Marcel Lachemann] about it. Last time I looked, I was the center fielder, so I’m not really worried about it.”

Salmon and Erstad--the rookie who Lachemann says will get “more time than anyone else”--aren’t going to say anything that could be perceived as even remotely critical. So the Angels’ plan to juggle outfielders apparently gets two nay votes and two abstentions from the players in question.

Lachemann had hoped to keep everybody happy and still somehow “put the best lineup on the field every day.” He may have to settle for the latter.

“I’ll make the decision [on who plays] based on who’s pitching for [the opponent], how they’ve done against them and who needs the rest,” Lachemann said. “I think they all had the idea things were going to be different, but now they have to check the lineup to see who’s in it.”

Edmonds, who drove in 107 runs last year, has missed half of the 1996 season because of two stints on the DL, the first lasting 15 days in late May and early June after he strained his abdomen and groin in a game against the Red Sox.

Thursday night’s return was encouraging--he homered and singled in five at-bats--but the Angels can use all the help they can get these days.

“I couldn’t have driven in six or 13 runs or however many we’ve been losing by,” he said. “Hopefully, I can just add a little spark.”

The Angels’ needed a three-alarm fire Thursday night to escape a 15-3 drubbing by the Mariners. Edmonds, who has only 35 RBIs this season, couldn’t have carried the team to victory with a home run in every at-bat, even if his aching thumb had allowed him to.

“It only hurts hitting and catching,” he said, managing a smile. “I’m fine walking and driving and running the bases . . . if I can get on.”

He had no trouble doing that during a five-game rehabilitation assignment with Class A Lake Elsinore, batting .400 with two doubles, a homer and four RBIs.

“You get some good pitches in that league,” he said, “but I really had a good time. I was there five days and we had three team parties. Kids were having teammates over, there was a pizza party in clubhouse.

“It was fun. And we were winning. We won four out of five while I was there.”

The mood in the Angel clubhouse isn’t quite so cheery these days. They may choke down a couple slices of pizza, but there’s no partying involved.

They have lost 10 of 13.

They are 10 1/2 games behind first-place Texas.

And now they’ve got this Who’s-Not-in-the-Outfield routine to grumble about.

Times staff writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this story.