Orange County Register

Vladimir Guerrero reported to camp this morning and sat with reporters for a few minutes, Angels coach Alfredo Griffin serving as interpreter.

But Griffin’s services were not needed. When I asked Guerrero what he thought about Angels manager Mike Scioscia’s plan to DH him more often this season, he started shaking his head the moment the letters “DH” were in the air.

“No, no DH,” Guerrero said, then in Spanish. “I’m a right fielder.”

Garret Anderson has made his disdain for DH duty well known in recent years as well. But Scioscia said he did not think he was going to have to sell Anderson and Guerrero on the need to DH more in ‘08 (to keep them healthy and productive and accomodate the addition of Torii Hunter to the outfield picture).

“Those four bats (Guerrero, Anderson, Hunter and Gary Matthews Jr.) need to be in the lineup. We need those guys in the lineup,” Scioscia said. “It (the DH spot) is going to be a tool to rest some guys.

“I think Vlad understands the luxury we have that if he comes in and his legs are a little stiff he’s still going to get his at-bats and we’re going to DH him. We’re going to take advantage of that. Nobody’s talking about an every-day DH position with him. … We’ll work through it. It’s not going to be a negative.”

Perhaps more ominous, Guerrero said his right elbow is still sore. Guerrero was limited to DH exclusively for the last month of the 2007 season due to inflammation in the area (for which he received a cortisone shot at the time).

Between that and Matthews’ patellar tendinitis, that DH spot might fill up quicker than you think.

– BILL PLUNKETT/The Orange County Register

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