Anderson Has Foot Injury

Garret Anderson was diagnosed on Tuesday with an injury that could jeopardize his readiness for opening day and his chance to play the outfield this season.

After soreness in Anderson’s left heel lingered for a week, the Angels sent him to Los Angeles for examination. Dr. Phil Kwong, a foot specialist, diagnosed a strained plantar fascia, the tissue that supports the arch.

The Angels listed Anderson as day-to-day and said there was no timetable for his return. However, Tim Salmon had a similar injury in 1998, sat out 16 days, then completed the season as a designated hitter. He had surgery to detach the ligament after the season and returned to the outfield the next year.

If Anderson cannot play left field, he could swap positions with designated hitter Juan Rivera. Anderson hit .199 as a DH last season, with one home run in 151 at-bats. In 449 career at-bats as a DH, he has hit .278.

The Angels rank last in the Cactus League in home runs, and an already suspect offense could be weakened if Anderson went on the disabled list.

But General Manager Bill Stoneman said the Angels would have sufficient depth to withstand a long-term injury, citing Salmon, Dallas McPherson, Kendry Morales and Howie Kendrick among those who could work their way into the DH spot.

Among those players, Morales is having the best spring. He doubled, tripled and drove in three runs in Tuesday’s 10-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals. He’s batting .433, and he leads the Angels in extra-base hits and runs batted in.

“Part of it is showing I’m ready,” he said through an interpreter.

Still, Angel officials say it is too soon to say how the injury might restrict Anderson’s availability, as a left fielder or otherwise.

“It looks like something that can be worked out of there,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “How long? We’ll see.”

Said Stoneman: “We’re counting on him to play. I’m counting on him to play a lot.”

Anderson, 33, sat out 50 games in 2004 and 20 games last season, hampered by back and knee injuries and arthritis.

From 1996 through 2003, he sat out a total of 42 games. At the start of the 2004 season, the Angels extended his contract through 2008, for $48 million.

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Jeff Mathis, Brandon Wood, Curtis Pride and Michael Collins homered, for Wood his first hit in 10 at-bats this spring. Wood led the minors with 43 homers last season.... McPherson returned after sitting out one week because of a strained muscle.... Chris Bootcheck, who pitched nine scoreless innings in relief for the Angels last season, has pitched eight scoreless innings.