DaVanon Has New Spot in Lineup

Any spot in the opening-day lineup would have thrilled Jeff DaVanon, who has spent five years as a reserve outfielder, an Angel whose only extended time as a starter has come at the expense of injuries to the regulars.

But now that Manager Mike Scioscia has apparently settled on a batting order that includes DaVanon in the second spot as the designated hitter, the 31-year-old switch-hitter feels as if he has landed on Boardwalk or Park Place.

In front of DaVanon is leadoff batter Darin Erstad and, after the first inning, No. 9 hitter Chone Figgins, who are stolen-base threats. Behind him will be the heart of the Angel order, 2004 American League most valuable player Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson and Steve Finley.

“Pitchers should come right at me, and I should see a lot of fastballs because there’s a wrecking crew coming right after me,” said DaVanon, who is stronger from the left side and probably will platoon at designated hitter with Juan Rivera. “Plus, if Ersty is on and stealing bases, I’ll see more fastballs.”

That doesn’t mean DaVanon, who stole third and scored in the first inning of the Angels’ 4-3 exhibition loss to Seattle on Wednesday, will abandon the approach that earned him a prestigious spot in the Angel order.

Scioscia sees DaVanon as a prime table-setter because he had a .372 on-base percentage last season, a mark that trailed only Guerrero’s among Angels with more than 160 at-bats.

DaVanon hit .277 with seven home runs and 34 runs batted in in 285 at-bats last season and had a .383 on-base percentage from the left side. He also drew 46 walks -- four more than he had in 330 at-bats in 2003 -- and brought a degree of patience to a lineup of mostly free swingers.

“I started walking more last year because I stopped swinging at the rosin bag,” DaVanon said. “Whatever the pitchers threw up there, I swung at, because if I didn’t hit, I wouldn’t play for a while. Last year, I played a lot more, and that allowed me to develop my game.”

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After a shaky first inning, in which he gave up two runs and four hits, Angel starter John Lackey blanked the Mariners on two hits over the next four innings Wednesday night.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander struck out five and walked one in five innings and continued to refine a delivery he has adjusted this spring to create more of a downward plane to his pitches.

“The shorter my stride is, the taller I am, and the more downhill effect I get,” Lackey said. “I missed with my location early on, but I made some adjustments and was down in the zone the rest of the game.”

Reliever Brendan Donnelly also looked sharp during a scoreless sixth, striking out Bret Boone with a slider and Miguel Olivo with a split-fingered fastball. The lone offensive highlight was provided by Casey Kotchman, whose pinch-hit, two-run single in the eighth gave him a team-high 15 RBIs this spring.

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Dallas McPherson, out since March 3 because of a herniated disk in his lower back, went through a second day of full-speed workouts.

The rookie third baseman is on track to return to game action this weekend, either for the Angels or in minor league camp, where he can get six or seven at-bats in a day.

If McPherson is ready by opening day, that eases the burden on Robb Quinlan, a converted first baseman who would start in McPherson’s absence. Quinlan has committed three errors this spring and hasn’t looked very comfortable at third.

“We know what he does at third is not pretty or flashy, but he has outstanding hands and the arm to do it,” Scioscia said of Quinlan. “We’re confident enough he can give us what we need at third base.”