DaVanon Tries to Find Groove as Part-Time DH

Adjusting to a designated hitter role can be difficult for an outfielder not used to so much downtime between at-bats; moving to a part-time DH role, as Jeff DaVanon has discovered, can be an even tougher transition.

DaVanon, a switch-hitter who shares the DH job with Juan Rivera, is batting .184 (seven for 38) with eight runs, one double and three runs batted in.

Slotted in the second spot because of his .372 on-base percentage last season, DaVanon had a .256 on-base percentage before Wednesday. And though he only starts against right-handers, DaVanon has a .151 mark (five for 33) against right-handers and a .400 mark (two for five) against left-handers.

“Obviously, I’m not in a good rhythm right now because I’m not hitting well,” DaVanon said. “Hopefully, they’ll stick with me long enough so I can find it.”

Rivera, who is batting .259, seems to be handling the part-time role a little better, but he has started consecutive games only once.

Might the Angels get more production from the DH spot if they give one player a chance to find a groove?

“That’s something we’ve looked at -- is there a time when it gets too watered down?” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I don’t think that’s the case. We still trust that this lineup will work. If not, we’ll adjust to get more continuity.”

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Kelvim Escobar said he felt strong enough after Tuesday night’s 74-pitch rehab start for triple-A Salt Lake “to go even longer,” and Scioscia says the right-hander, on the disabled list because of an elbow sprain, should have enough stamina to surpass the 90-pitch mark when Escobar makes his 2005 debut Sunday against Oakland.

Escobar’s return will push Kevin Gregg back to the bullpen, and right-hander Chris Bootcheck or left-hander Jake Woods from the Angel bullpen to the Salt Lake rotation.

That won’t be an easy decision because Bootcheck has thrown five scoreless relief innings, and Woods has shown he can get left-handed batters out -- he retired Mark Kotsay, Eric Chavez and Erubiel Durazo in a one-run game in Oakland on Saturday before giving up a single to Scott Hatteberg.

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Scioscia said second baseman Adam Kennedy has made so much progress in his recovery from right knee surgery that he probably will begin a rehabilitation assignment with Salt Lake this weekend and return to the Angels during their next homestand against Detroit and Cleveland on May 6-11. Kennedy has been playing games in the Angels’ extended spring training camp at Mesa, Ariz.

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ANGELS TONIGHT

ANGELS’ JARROD WASHBURN

vs. INDIANS’ KEVIN MILLWOOD

*--* THE MATCHUP 2005 2004 VS OPP TEAMS/PITCHERS W-L ERA TEAM W-L IP ERA Cleveland/Millwood (R) 0-2 3.60 0-3 -- -- -- ANGELS/Washburn (L) 0-0 2.79 1-2 1-1 10.1 8.71

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Angel Stadium, 7

TV -- FSN West. Radio -- 710, 1020.

Update -- Washburn made six spring training starts and has made three regular-season starts, and he is still looking for a decision. He threw one of his best games in years Saturday in Oakland, blanking the A’s on four hits in eight innings, striking out seven, in a 1-0, 10-inning loss. Millwood gave up two three-run homers in Saturday’s 6-4 loss to Minnesota.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.

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-- Mike DiGiovanna