Anderson Cruises in Rehab Game

Garret Anderson, in his first game action in six weeks, played five innings in center field and was hitless in three at-bats in a rehabilitation appearance for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga at Lake Elsinore on Monday night. Common sense -- not fatigue -- prevented him from going longer.

“I’m not tired at all,” said Anderson, on the disabled list since April 22 because of a mysterious upper-back ailment that was eventually diagnosed as early inflammatory arthritis. “I could have played the whole game. I came out because if I played nine innings, someone back in Anaheim might have a heart attack.”

After tapping out to shortstop in the first inning, Anderson crushed a fly ball to deep center for an out in the third. He hit a lazy fly ball to left in the fifth and cleanly fielded the two routine balls hit to him.

Though there was nothing impressive about Anderson’s performance, there was an underlying theme: The Angel center fielder and cleanup batter, who three weeks ago struggled to get out of bed, feels very good. And though he wouldn’t put a timetable on his return, he probably will play this weekend against the Chicago Cubs.

“I don’t plan on toiling around here for long,” said Anderson, who will start for Rancho Cucamonga tonight. “I’m not hurt or anything. When I get my hands right, when I can run the bases, that’s all it’s going to take.... If you ask me now, can I play nine innings every day in the major leagues? No. But my hands are fine, I saw the ball fine. It’s a matter of getting back on that bike and riding it.”

Anderson was amused to discover teammates Troy Glaus, Brendan Donnelly and John Lackey were among the small crowd at the Diamond.

Designated hitter Tim Salmon (inflamed left knee) continued his rehab stint at Rancho Cucamonga, grounding out, walking and flying out in three plate appearances. He is expected to be activated for tonight’s game against Milwaukee.

“I feel all right,” Salmon said. “I’m good to go.”

*

Free-agent third baseman Aaron Boone should be ready to return in late July from knee surgery, and he said the Angels “certainly are one of the teams I’m interested in.” But it’s difficult to gauge the Angels’ interest in him.

“We haven’t heard much from the Angels,” Boone said.

Boone was released by the New York Yankees after injuring his knee in a pickup basketball game.

*

Besides first-round pick Jered Weaver, the biggest name among players drafted by the Angels on Monday may have been 14th-round pick Nick Adenhart, a right-handed pitcher from Williamsport High in Hagerstown, Md.

Adenhart was considered the top high school player in the country at the start of the season. He opened with a seven-inning perfect game but was injured in May and will need reconstructive elbow surgery, which will sideline him until 2005.

“It’s a gamble. We’ll see how it goes,” said Eddie Bane, the Angels’ scouting director.

*

The Angels will have a left-hander in their bullpen for the first time this season tonight when they recall reliever Dusty Bergman, who is 1-0 with a 2.65 earned-run average in 17 games at triple-A Salt Lake.

Bergman will take the roster spot of closer Troy Percival, put on the disabled list Sunday.