BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Rodgers: Baseballs Have Been Altered

Angel Manager Buck Rodgers is convinced that the baseballs are juiced this season and predicts this will turn out like the 1987 season in which the home run totals were greatly inflated.

“I knew from the first day of spring training that the balls were juiced,� Rodgers said. “When you see opposite-field homers from people who don’t hit opposite-field homers, that’s when you know something’s wrong.�

Are baseball owners behind this to increase interest?

“You don’t think someone in Haiti or Costa Rica just decided to turn up the crank, do you?� Rodgers said. “Someone has to tell them. The buck has to stop some place. How far up the ladder, I don’t know.

“It makes it more exciting for fans, but they’re still paying for guys from ’87. There were guys who got three- or four-year contracts just from that year; the Dodgers have got one (Tim Wallach) playing third base right now.�

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Starter Frank Tanana, considered one of the finest pitchers in Angel history, has retired from baseball, his agent, Tony Attanasio, said Thursday.

Tanana, who was released March 20 from the Angels, quit working out two weeks ago and has abandoned plans to return for a 22nd season in baseball.

“He’s retired,� Attanasio said. “His specific instructions to me were not to call anybody. If somebody called, fine. If not, so be it.

“No one called, so he’s retired.�

Tanana, 40, was 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA this spring before the Angels decided he didn’t fit in their plans.

Tanana, who ranks among the Angel career leaders in six categories, retires with a career 240-236 record.

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Starter Mark Langston, who underwent arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to remove three bone chips in his left elbow, began his rehabilitative therapy.

“I’m going to try to be as aggressive as I can with it,� Langston said. “I don’t even know if I’m supposed to flex it, but I haven’t had any pain at all. I was prepared for the worst and have been very pleasantly surprised.

“Who knows, maybe it will add three to four miles per hour to my fastball. That would be nice.�

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Angel first baseman Eduardo Perez left Thursday’s game after the fifth inning when he sprained his left shoulder. . . . Left fielder Jim Edmonds replaced Perez, playing the infield for the first time in his major league career. . . . Utility outfielder Mike Huff discovered Thursday that he has played the last two days with a broken right index finger.