BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Rivals at Third Still Friends

Angel third baseman Kelly Gruber said Saturday that he plans to talk to Rene Gonzales to ensure there are no hard feelings with his return.

Gruber, who sat out Saturday, is expected to receive the bulk of playing time at third base since returning Friday from the disabled list. It leaves Gonzales back in his old role of being a utility player, starting at several positions a couple of times a week.

“I’m not happy about it,” Gruber said, “because he earned his start over here. He deserved it. But they traded for me, what can I do about it? I just don’t want it to ruin our friendship.”

The two players, who were former teammates in Toronto, shared a cab to Tiger Stadium but have yet to broach the subject with one another.

“I still want to play every day, and I think I deserve that,” said Gonzales (.254, one homer, 16 runs batted in), “but we’re teammates and I’m going to do what’s best for the team.”

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Angel catchers continue to struggle, giving up three more stolen bases Saturday. They now have thrown out only 10 of 48 (21%) potential base-stealers this season, including one of the last 13.

“I thought I gave them a chance today by keeping the runners close,” Angel starter Chuck Finley said, “but we didn’t even come close to throwing anyone out. They were sliding by the bag, but by the time the throw got there. It was just ugly.”

To compound their woes, Greg Myers is batting only .224 with eight RBIs and John Orton is hitting .200 with four RBIs. “That bothers you,” said Manager Buck Rodgers, a former catcher.

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Russ Springer, one of the two pitchers acquired in the Jim Abbott trade, made his Angel debut Saturday by pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning. . . . The Angels’ 6-3 victory Friday night was the first time they won a game when tied or trailing after eight innings. They had an 0-23 record in those situations.