Erstad on Disabled List; His Season May Be Over

Center fielder Darin Erstad, pestered by a persistent hamstring injury, acknowledged Saturday his season could be over.

The Angels put Erstad back on the disabled list Saturday, one day after he and Manager Mike Scioscia insisted he could continue to play through the injury. Third baseman Troy Glaus reported recurring soreness in his shoulder and delayed his rehabilitation assignment, and when -- or if -- he can return this season remains in question.

Erstad, asked why he would consider returning, cited three reasons.

“Pride, honoring your contract, playing for your team,” he said.

He did not cite the pennant race, since the Angels are out of it. Given the Angels’ investment in Erstad -- he is in the first year of a four-year, $32-million contract -- it would appear ludicrous for the team to play him again this season rather than afford him the maximum possible time to rehabilitate for next season.

The argument would be similar for Glaus, whom the Angels must pay $9.55 million next year. Glaus, hampered at various times this season by wrist, foot, hamstring, back and shoulder injuries, is hitting .248, including .149 with two home runs in his last 35 games. When the Angels put him on the disabled list two weeks ago, he led American League third basemen with 16 errors, a season-long fielding slump Angel coaches attribute almost entirely to injury.

General Manager Bill Stoneman did not return calls Saturday.

Erstad admitted he could not swing without pain Friday or Saturday, and his .224 average since returning from his original seven-week stint on the disabled list suggests he cannot swing effectively in any case. He can’t run at full speed.

He is scheduled for an intensive massage therapy session today, and specialists also are considering ultrasound therapy as well as surgery.

The expected recovery time from surgery would be four to six months, Erstad said earlier this season. If surgery is recommended but delayed until after the season, any setback in rehabilitation would jeopardize his chance to start next season on time.

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The Angels, intent on accelerating development of their top prospects, recently promoted four players -- catcher Jeff Mathis, third baseman Dallas McPherson, right-hander Ervin Santana and outfielder Nick Gorneault -- from Class-A Rancho Cucamonga to Double-A Arkansas, in part to preserve the option to send any and all to the Arizona Fall League.

Teams can send only one Class-A player to the developmental league, and the Angels are tentatively holding their spot for first baseman Casey Kotchman, who recently returned to Rancho Cucamonga after missing two months because of a hamstring injury. With an additional two months of play in the AFL, those prospects, the Angels believe, all could have a chance to arrive in Anaheim by the end of next season.

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The Angels replaced Erstad on the roster with utilityman Chone Figgins, recalled from triple-A Salt Lake for the fourth time this season.... Kevin Gregg, who started the first game of the doubleheader, returned to Salt Lake after the game. The Angels replaced him with Salt Lake reliever Bart Miadich, providing an extra arm for a tired bullpen for the time being.... Reliever Ben Weber took the loss in the first game, his first since May 7, 2002.