BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Orton Is Still an Unknown Quantity

In spring training, the Angels wanted to see if John Orton was ready to be the starting catcher.

They are still waiting. Orton, held back by a shoulder injury most of the year, had only 46 major league at-bats and a .174 average to show for his season before rejoining the Angels on Saturday.

Orton returned to Anaheim after catcher Greg Myers was put on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Friday because of a fracture in his right hand. That leaves Orton a little more than a month to prove he should still be considered the catcher of the future.

“I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself,” said Orton, who has been on the disabled list twice and is returning from a rehabilitation assignment at triple-A Edmonton, where he has played 49 games this season.

The Angels face a decision on whether to protect Orton, Myers or both in the expansion draft.

Buck Rodgers’ surgically repaired left knee was swollen after a long first day back Friday that included numerous interviews and three walks to the mound for pitching changes.

“I had a tough time getting down the steps after that last pitching change,” Rodgers said. “I was slowing down.”

He iced the knee after the game and might make one more adjustment to ease his return--he is considering getting a cart to carry him the 100 yards or so between the stadium entrance tunnel and the dugout before and after games.

Otherwise, he expects it to take only a couple of days to make the other major adjustment of his return--regaining a feel for the team.