Guerrero may need DH room

If the Angels ever decide to import a big bat, they ought not to reserve the designated hitter’s spot for him. Vladimir Guerrero needs that spot on an ever-increasing number of days, and the Angels’ lineup revolves around him.

For the second consecutive day and the third time in seven days, the Angels used Guerrero at DH on Sunday, not because of a specific injury but because of the toll playing every day takes on his body.

“He gets stiff in his back. His knees get a little sore at times,” interim manager Ron Roenicke said. “This guy swings harder than anybody I’ve ever seen. If I did that, there’s no way my back would hold up.”

Guerrero, 31, is in his fourth season as the Angels’ right fielder, after seven seasons with the Montreal Expos, where he played in a stadium with rock-hard artificial turf and in a league without a designated hitter. The Angels used Guerrero 13 times at DH in his first year in Anaheim, 19 times in his second year and 30 times last year.

With Garret Anderson close to returning from his hip injury, Shea Hillenbrand could be close to expendable. The Angels could keep Anderson and Reggie Willits in the lineup by playing one in left field and the other at designated hitter. As Guerrero needs less time in right field and more time at DH, playing time for Hillenbrand could evaporate.

The Angels also expect Juan Rivera, who hit 23 home runs last season as an outfielder and designated hitter, to return from a broken leg in July.

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The Angels didn’t have a high draft pick three years ago, but Long Beach State’s Jered Weaver slipped because of concerns about his signability, and they grabbed him with the 12th pick. The Angels could choose a similar player -- high talent, with a high price tag that scares teams off -- in next week’s draft, but they don’t make their first selection until the 58th pick.

“Twelve is not 58,” Angels scouting director Eddie Bane said. “It’ll probably be the best high school guy available. By that time, a lot of college guys are picked over.”

The Angels have one pick, among the first 118 selections. They forfeited their first-round choice to Texas for signing center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. and their second-round choice to Toronto for reliever Justin Speier; they got one back from St. Louis when the Cardinals signed second baseman Adam Kennedy.

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Catcher Mike Napoli said he and Willits were “just messing around” in the batting cage Sunday morning when Willits’ bat slipped out of his hand and smashed into Napoli’s nose. The incident prompted more than a few jokes within the clubhouse, with Napoli sporting a large bandage to stop the bleeding.

Napoli played anyway, which made Willits feel better, at least a little. When he saw blood pouring from the gash, he said, he was scared.

“I feel terrible,” Willits said. “I’m glad it’s not broken and he didn’t have to get stitches.”

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With Guerrero at DH, Robb Quinlan made his first career start in right field and Erick Aybar made his first appearance there. ... Napoli has hit in and scored a run in 10 consecutive games, the first AL catcher to do so since Johnny Romano of the 1961 Chicago White Sox.... Weaver left town with an autographed jersey from Mariano Rivera.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com