BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Lachemann Finds Winning Combination

After shuffling his lineup virtually every day for the first month of the season, Manager Marcel Lachemann has apparently settled on a regular order, with Tim Salmon in the third spot ahead of Chili Davis, J.T. Snow hitting fifth and Greg Myers sixth.

As part of the recent shake-up, second baseman Damion Easley sifted from the No. 2 spot all the way down to No. 8, replaced near the top of the order by Jim Edmonds. But Easley took the demotion in stride.

“I like the 2-hole, but until I get into a consistent groove, where I know what’s going to happen nine out of 10 at-bats, I don’t deserve to be up there,� said Easley, who batted .230 as the No. 2 hitter before being dropped May 19.

“It doesn’t mean I’m a weak hitter or an easy out. You take me lightly, you’ll pay. But there’s some added responsibility in the 2-hole that I haven’t mastered yet, like being patient, learning the strike zone.�

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Tim Mead, Angel assistant general manager, and Bob Fontaine, player personnel director, traveled to North Dakota this week to visit Darin Erstad, the Nebraska outfielder who is expected to be the team’s No. 1 pick in Thursday’s baseball draft.

Erstad, a junior who also is a punter on the Cornhuskers’ football team, batted .410 with 19 home runs, 76 runs batted in, 20 doubles, seven triples, 84 runs scored, 41 walks and 24 strikeouts this season. Nebraska, however, was not one of 48 teams selected for the NCAA tournament.

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The Angels’ sweep of the Yankees, coupled with the Dodgers’ three-game sweep of the Mets, marked the first time the two teams have swept the two New York teams on the same three days. . . . Scott Sanderson’s fourth-inning strikeout of Mike Macfarlane Friday night was the 1,600th of his career. . . . Easley, reliever Troy Percival, catcher Mark Dalesandro and bullpen Coach Bill Lachemann will conduct a free baseball clinic today at 10 a.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium (Gonzales Park) in Compton.

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The Red Sox put outfielder Mark Whiten (left hamstring strain) on the disabled list and recalled former Pepperdine infielder Steve Rodriguez from triple-A Pawtucket. Rodriguez played on the Waves’ 1992 national championship team. . . . Boston also claimed outfielder Karl (Tuffy) Rhodes on waivers from the Cubs.