Owens, DaVanon Have Tough Task

Darin Erstad’s absence has left the Angels lacking more than Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field.

“You can’t replace the experience that he has in knowing the hitters in this league,” said third base coach Ron Roenicke, who instructs the outfielders. “A young guy can come up and do well and he can be a good player, but he doesn’t have that feel for when a guy is going to pull with two strikes.”

Therein lies the challenge facing Eric Owens and Jeff DaVanon, who are filling in for Erstad while he recuperates from tendinitis in his right hamstring that has landed him on the disabled list.

While Owens is considerably more experienced than DaVanon, who had only 143 major league at-bats before starting in center field Sunday against the Boston Red Sox and hitting a home run off Pedro Martinez, is adjusting after moving over from the National League.

“He knows some of the players, but he doesn’t know the American League that well,” Roenicke said. “So it’s trying to get him comfortable with the different guys and what they do.”

The Angels signed Owens as a free agent in the off-season to provide depth and give right fielder Tim Salmon an occasional opportunity to serve as designated hitter because of his shaky left knee. But with Erstad out, Owens has been switched to center, with rookie Gary Johnson filling in for Salmon.

“You get to see the ball off the bat a whole lot better [in center field],” Owens said. “If you’re in the corner outfield and a left-hander hits the ball to left field, it has a lot of slice on it.”

DaVanon, promoted from triple-A Salt Lake last week, has good speed and arm strength but is still developing his skills. Roenicke has spent some time working with DaVanon on his footwork.

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Third baseman Troy Glaus sat out a second consecutive game while continuing to recover from an infection in the little toe of his left foot....Aaron Sele threw 102 pitches in six innings Sunday for Salt Lake in what is expected to be his final rehabilitation start. Sele is scheduled to make his season debut for the Angels against Toronto on Saturday at SkyDome.