BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : What Do They Do With Dalesandro?

Mark Dalesandro, a seldom-used utility player, was optioned to triple-A Vancouver, primarily because he wasn’t getting a chance to play in the majors.

“He’s been in the big leagues, but I haven’t been fair to him as far as his career goes,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said. “He really should be out playing. Maybe it’s getting to the point where he should focus on one position. One thing that happens with utility players is they usually wind up just backing up everybody.”

Lachemann plans to discuss Dalesandro’s future with General Manager Bill Bavasi and Vancouver Manager Don Long. Picking the best position for Dalesandro will be the topic.

Dalesandro’s only start in 11 games came as a catcher June 4, when he got his only hit in 10 at-bats this season. He also played in the infield and outfield.

The Angels purchased the contract of outfielder Orlando Palmeiro from Vancouver. He made his major league debut as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and singled.

Palmeiro, a distant cousin of Baltimore’s Rafael Palmeiro, has batted .305 or better the past three seasons in the minors. He was hitting .320 with 28 runs batted in and 12 stolen bases in 71 games at Vancouver this year.

“Orlando’s produced at every level,” Lachemann said.

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Jim Edmonds had only a few hours to ponder the end of his 23-game hitting streak Friday before he was on the field again Saturday afternoon.

“I had a lot of fun with it,” said Edmonds, whose streak was the second-longest in Angel history behind Rod Carew’s 25-game streak in 1982. “I’m just a second-year player and I got a lot of attention because of the streak.”

Edmonds, batting .230 when it began and .304 when it ended, said he learned patience and finesse during the streak.

“I learned I don’t have to swing the bat real hard to hit the ball,” he said. “It definitely helped me stay under control a lot longer than I usually do. . . . It’s all right. I’ll try to focus on getting some more hits.”