ANGELS : Nobody Catching Fire Among Three Receivers

TEMPE, Ariz. —  Among the most troublesome statistics for the Angels this spring has been the decided lack of production by their three catchers.

After 13 games, Greg Myers, John Orton and Ron Tingley are batting a combined .125, five for 40. None of the three has an extra-base hit, and they have produced only eight runs batted in.

Manager Buck Rodgers had hoped one of the three would have made a strong case for starting by now, but that hasn’t happened.

In the winter, the plan was for Myers to face right-handed pitchers and Orton to face lefties. Now, Rodgers said, he has little choice but to continue to use all three until one steps out.

“No one is really jumping up,” he said. “I’d really like to keep two catchers, but the more I see of this thing the more unlikely that seems.”

The statistics:

--Myers is hitting .133, two for 15, with four RBIs and two runs scored.

--Orton is hitting .125, two for 16, with two RBIs and one run.

--Tingley is hitting .167, one for six, with two RBIs and no runs.

Myers, acquired in the deal that sent reliever Mark Eichhorn to the Toronto Blue Jays last July, played only eight games before a broken bone in his right hand ended his season Aug. 29.

Orton, solid behind the plate but lacking sock as a batter, hit only .219 with 12 RBIs in 43 games with the Angels last season.

Tingley, who played 71 games in 1992, hit only .197 with eight RBIs.

Rodgers hasn’t announced an opening-day starting pitcher and probably won’t for another week, but it will come as a shock if it’s not Mark Langston. Facing the Colorado Rockies in the B game Thursday, Langston pitched six scoreless innings, giving up four hits, striking out three and walking two. He did not get a decision in the Angels’ 5-4 victory.

Asked if it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Langston will start April 6 against Milwaukee, Rodgers said, “You’re right, but I really don’t like to do it this early.”

Finley will miss his second consecutive start. He returned to Los Angeles on Thursday to be with his girlfriend, actress Tawny Kitaen, who gave birth to a 7-pound baby girl, Winter. Scratched from Sunday’s start because of a stiff neck, Finley was scheduled to pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday.

He is expected to return to Tempe late this evening and start on Monday.

The Colorado Rockies have expressed an interest in acquiring first baseman Ty Van Burkleo. He would be a backup to Andres Galarraga. . . . First baseman J.T. Snow returned to the lineup after missing Tuesday’s game because of a hip injury.