BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT

Darin Erstad, the first player taken in the 1995 draft, completed a rapid rise to the major leagues when he was called up by the Angels on Thursday. He arrived at Anaheim Stadium on Friday to find he was playing center field, leading off and sharing a locker with pitcher Ryan Hancock.

“I’ll share a locker the whole year if I have to,” Erstad said. “At least I’m here. This is something I’ve worked toward my whole life. Now I have an opportunity to do something that I wanted for very long time.”

The opportunity came when center fielder Jim Edmonds was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained left thumb.

Erstad, 21, batted .363 with Class-A Lake Elsinore after signing last July. He was batting .305 at triple-A Vancouver when he was called up.