Anderson Returns to Lineup as the DH

Garret Anderson started at designated hitter Tuesday night after an eight-game absence because of lower-back and knee injuries and went hitless with a walk in four at-bats.

Anderson is batting .179 (17 for 95) with no home runs and six runs batted in as a DH this season, a possible concern if Anderson is relegated to DH for an extended period. He is batting .314 (109 for 347) with 13 homers and 68 RBIs as an outfielder.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” said Anderson, who grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the first and grounded out with the bases loaded to end the second inning Tuesday. “If you’re not hitting, it doesn’t matter where you’re playing. I have no discomfort in the DH spot.”

Indeed, Anderson hit .319 (95 for 298) with 10 homers and 52 RBIs as a DH during his first 10 seasons as an Angel, so this season’s struggles seem like an aberration.

Manager Mike Scioscia said he doesn’t want to “pigeon-hole” Anderson in the DH spot and would prefer Anderson play the outfield because of the lineup flexibility that brings. But with Juan Rivera emerging as a viable left-field option, the Angels will have plenty of time to evaluate whether Anderson can play the field.

“The goal is to get Garret in left field again, but we’ll take what he can give,” Scioscia said. “If he has to DH the rest of the year, so be it.”

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Robb Quinlan, called up from Salt Lake after spending six weeks on the disabled list because of neck and shoulder injuries, started at third base Tuesday, and with three more left-handers scheduled to start against the Angels on their six-game trip to Baltimore and Tampa Bay, Quinlan could get plenty of playing time.

“We want to give him some at-bats,” Scioscia said. “We’ve struggled against left-handed pitching, and Quinlan could be part of a combination that might work.”

It did Tuesday. Quinlan singled in his first at-bat against Baltimore lefty Eric DuBose in the second inning and scored. He also singled off right-hander John Maine in the third inning and scored.

“The first half of this season was a big loss for me -- I was hurt, I wasn’t playing -- it was like wasted time,” Quinlan said. “I’m looking forward to coming back strong and helping the team out.”

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After initially denying he tipped off Washington Manager Frank Robinson on June 14 about the presence of pine tar on Angel reliever Brendan Donnelly’s glove, National right fielder Jose Guillen revealed what most Angels suspected.

In a feature story on Robinson in the latest issue of ESPN the Magazine, Guillen said, “I knew Donnelly was using pine tar, and I knew he was using sandpaper. I was the one who told Frank, ‘Check this guy’s glove.’ ”

Said Donnelly: “I don’t have any comment or reaction. There’s no reason to keep it going, as far as I’m concerned. I’m not going to get in a war of words with him.”

Added Scioscia: “What’s odd is Frank told everyone he saw it on video, so I don’t know what the story is.”

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Kelvim Escobar made his first rehabilitation start since undergoing surgery to shave down a bone spur in his elbow, giving up no runs and one hit, walking two and striking out four in 1 2/3 innings for triple-A Salt Lake against Sacramento on Tuesday.