First Thing First for Erstad?

The coaching staff and front office executives will not be the only ones who determine what position Darin Erstad plays next season. A severe hamstring injury has affected Erstad all year, and the Angels plan to seek the advice of doctors before deciding whether to return their Gold Glove outfielder to center field.

“We’ll be talking to medical people about how putting him at a certain position might project about his staying healthy,” General Manager Bill Stoneman said.

The Angels owe Erstad $24 million over the next three years. They will consider whether they can maximize that investment by moving Erstad to first base or perhaps left field. Even Jarrod Washburn, a fly-ball pitcher who benefits tremendously from Erstad’s ability in center field, said he would support a move to the infield.

“He’d be one of the best defensive first basemen in the league,” Washburn said. “If that’s what it takes to keep him in the lineup every day, it would be a great move.”

Erstad has played in 67 games this season and probably will not return. But he played at least 150 games in each of the previous three seasons, so Manager Mike Scioscia does not think Erstad’s style -- recklessly flinging his body across the field -- necessarily leads to injury.

“We’re still a better team right now with Erstad in center field,” he said.

Still, Scioscia and outfield coach Ron Roenicke acknowledged first base could be safer.

“You don’t ever dive full out for a ball,” Roenicke said. “Your dives are never really that dangerous. It’s one or two steps and dive.”

Rookie Chone Figgins, a converted infielder, has played well in center field in Erstad’s absence. But he never had played there before this year, and Roenicke said he would recommend Figgins play winter ball if the Angels were to consider him as their center fielder next year. Figgins said the Angels have not made that request.

“We’d need to see a little more of him to make a decision,” Roenicke said. “He’s not going to look this good all the time. He hasn’t played out there long enough.”

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Garret Anderson could become the first Angel to play all 162 games since Don Baylor in 1979. Asked whether the Angels would play their All-Star left fielder every day the rest of the season, Scioscia said, “Why wouldn’t we?”