Greene, Velarde Still Aren’t Options

There has been little rest but plenty of rehabilitation for Todd Greene and Randy Velarde this season. The Angels finally seem to be feeling their pain.

With an injury-free Greene catching and hitting, would the Angels have fallen out of first place in the American League West last weekend? With a sound Velarde at second base, would they be pulling away from the Texas Rangers?

“If they’re healthy, can they help us? No question,” Manager Terry Collins said. “That’s not even a debate.”

Nor is there need to discuss whether Collins would like to have had Greene and Velarde healthy all season. He would also like to have Tim Salmon with two good feet, pitchers Ken Hill and Jack McDowell fitted with bionic elbows and have the Atlanta Braves swap Greg Maddux for Greg Cadaret. Maybe win the lottery too.

None of that is going to happen in the near future. So the next question is whether Greene and Velarde can come back this season to help prop things up.

Greene has not recovered from shoulder surgery and will not catch again this season. He is with triple-A Vancouver, learning to play first base. His primary job, though, is getting his timing back as a hitter. When he does, he will return to the Angels.

Velarde, who has played in three games in two seasons because of elbow injuries, is not expected to go to Vancouver until next Monday at the earliest. Collins said the best-case scenario has Velarde returning to the Angels by early August. Velarde has his own timetable.

“If I come back and can play every day, then I’m healthy,” he said.

Said Greene: “If I see my name on the lineup card, and can do anything to help the team win the game, then I will consider it a successful season. If I can get just one hit to help us win one game, then I’ll be satisfied.”

Collins was anticipating a 25-home run, 80-RBI season from Greene, who had nine home runs and 24 RBIs in 34 games last season.

Greene underwent shoulder surgery in late October and was expected to be ready by spring training, but the pain lingered. He was expected to be ready by the end of spring training, but the pain lingered. He was expected to be ready by May, but . . .

In his place, the Angels have gone with Matt Walbeck, who has caught more than 100 games only once, and Phil Nevin, who had caught five major league games before this season.

Walbeck and Nevin played well early, but the Angels were waiting for Greene.

“We felt at the particular time, if Todd was going help us, it was going to be as a catcher,” Collins said. “That’s why we went through what we went through. When he went down and caught, we realized that it wasn’t going to happen.”

Walbeck and Nevin have two RBIs between them in July. Angel pitchers have picked off as many base stealers (two) as their catchers have thrown out this month.

“I thought I would be catching for the last three months and hitting,” said Greene, who decided against shoulder surgery that would have ended his season. “I’ve been rehabilitating and hitting and that’s it. It’s been 10 months now and there is nothing I can do about it. It’s frustrating.”

And Greene is a year behind Velarde. Signed as a free agent in 1996, Velarde hit .285 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs that season.

Typical Angel luck: Velarde injured his elbow playing the outfield during spring training in 1997.

He had reconstructive elbow surgery last year. Still, Velarde demonstrated his worth in the two games he managed to play this season. He went three for five with two home runs.

Norberto Martin and Justin Baughman, the closest the Angels have to a regular second baseman, have two home runs between them in 306 at-bats.

Velarde is cautious about the future. The Angels first talked about him joining Greene this week, but after conferring with doctors, it was decided he should wait.

“There are 60 games left. If I can get back to 100%, then it’s a successful season,” Velarde said. “It’s important to come back, but I don’t want to have to start all over again.”

Greene’s path is a little clearer. He will rejoin the team as soon as he’s ready. Just what he will do for the Angels is the question.

Even if he adapted to first base quickly, the Angels already have Darin Erstad and Cecil Fielder. Tim Salmon, injured foot and all, is locked in at designated hitter.

“Todd is going to have to hit,” Collins said. “ We’re not going to get him in the lineup much, unless something happens to Tim. But having a home run threat sitting on the bench is pretty good.”