With a gaping hole in his outfield because of two injured sluggers, Angels manager Mike Scioscia turned to his club's official insurance policy Wednesday, when Chone Figgins, who had played exclusively in the infield in 2007, made his first start in right field. "At times, we've tapped into Figgy's versatility," said Scioscia. "We've talked to him about it. His comfort level in right field is high enough and we feel he's going to keep doing what he's doing offensively."
With usual right fielder Vladimir Guerrero limited to designated hitter duties until his inflamed right triceps heals sufficiently for him to throw, and with center fielder Gary Matthews idle for at least the rest of the current six-game road trip after sustaining a second-degree right ankle sprain Tuesday, the Angels are tapping into their ample depth.
Scioscia could have opted to keep Reggie Willits, who had three hits and a stolen base in Tuesday's victory while subbing for Guerrero, in right, but opted to use Willits in center, his natural position. The Angels worked first baseman Kendry Morales in right before Wednesday's game, and could also use Nathan Haynes, Juan Rivera, Terry Evans or Erick Aybar until Guerrero is fit.
But Figgins was the choice, partly because Macier Izturis' sore right foot was well enough for him to play third base and partly because Figgins is sizzling at the plate. Figgins entered Wednesday on a 7-for-9 tear since returning from a 14-game absence caused by a sprained right wrist and is torching Orioles pitching at a .594 (19-for-32) clip this season.
"I'm up for it," said Figgins, while acknowledging that he's more comfortable in center field, a position he played 96 times last year compared to six games in right field.
Shortstop Orlando Cabrera doesn't expect any dropoff in production or defense with Figgins' unexpected move to the outfield. Los Angeles, which entered play Wednesday leading the American League West by 9 1/2 games over Seattle, has put 13 players on the disabled list this season -- six of them have made two trips -- but has somehow managed to plug its holes without losses mounting.
"We've been really lucky because I've never seen a team with this many people on the disabled list," Cabrera said. "But somebody always steps up when someone gets hurt. And the nice thing is that it's sometimes someone that you didn't expect."
Matthews update: Matthews, who injured his ankle sliding into second base on an innocuous ground ball, was still hobbling around on crutches Wednesday. But he was able to put minimal pressure on the foot when it was still encased in a walking brace.
"It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be," he said. "It blew up last night. Did you see it? It was the size of a baseball around the ankle last night. Now I've just got to get the swelling down and stay off it."
Rivera ready? Rivera has played sparingly since being activated off the 60-day disabled list Sept. 2, going 1-for-13 in four starts. While Scioscia mentioned him as a potential for fill-in duty while Guerrero and Matthews are out, Rivera doesn't think he factors into the club's plans the rest of this season.
"They've got their team. ... I have to wait until next year," said Rivera, who was sidelined most of the season after breaking his left tibia playing winter ball last December in Venezuela.
Rivera said he still experiences some pain in his left knee related to a screw that was surgically inserted in his broken leg. He batted .282 (20-for-71) with 19 RBIs in 18 games during a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake.
"I think they think I'm not 100 percent," he said. "It's just a little problem with my knee. It's good."
Not so, said Scioscia.
"It's not quite the same gait we saw last year, but it's good enough to play the outfield," Scioscia said. "We'd like to get Juan's bat in there, but we've got a lot of guys who are playing well."
Murphy arrives: With Matthews' long-range prognosis unclear, outfielder Tommy Murphy was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake after Tuesday's game and arrived in Baltimore from his offseason home in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday morning.
"I was pretty much in shutdown mode," he said. "I was home for 24 hours, saw my wife and kids and was getting ready for the offseason when I got the phone call. It's a good phone call to get."
During two previous stints with the Angels this season, Murphy hit .176 (6-for-34) in 14 games. He batted .270 with four homers, 32 RBIs and 15 stolen bases for Salt Lake despite missing almost a month because of viral meningitis.
Coming up: The Angels conclude their visit to Camden Yards on Thursday at 4:05 p.m. PT when right-hander John Lackey (16-8, 3.16 ERA) faces Baltimore righty Jon Leicester (1-1, 9.90 ERA).
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