Edmonds Running Out of Pain-Free Body Parts

Center fielder Jim Edmonds doesn’t have many uninjured body parts left, but one of the few he did have he hurt Thursday night, straining the right side of his lower back while making a strong throw to the plate in the ninth inning of a 14-12 loss to Chicago.

Edmonds, who has suffered from injuries to both knees, his hip, his right thumb and his shoulder this season, was in too much pain to sleep much Thursday night. He hobbled around the clubhouse Friday afternoon, did not play Friday night, and he’ll probably sit out the rest of the weekend series.

“It could be serious,” Manager Terry Collins said. “He was examined, and we’re going to see how he responds to treatment [Friday and today]. Then we’ll determine what to do.”

Edmonds, who has avoided the disabled list despite his injuries this season, has no idea how long he’ll be out or whether he’ll have to go on the DL, “because I’ve never done this before,” he said. “All I know is it’s not good right now.”

Left fielder Garret Anderson moved to center Friday and Tony Phillips started in left.

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Right fielder Tim Salmon was named American League player of the month for July, and left-hander Chuck Finley was named co-pitcher of the month with Minnesota’s Brad Radke.

Salmon hit .390 with seven home runs, 32 RBIs, six doubles, 19 runs and 17 walks in July, raising his average from .280 to .306. This was his first player of the month award.

Finley was 3-6 with a 5.71 earned-run average on June 27, but he won all seven starts in July, improving to 10-6 and lowering his ERA to 4.42. Finley gave up 13 earned runs in 51 2/3 innings (2.26 ERA), walked 19 and struck out 58, and opponents hit .228 against him. It was the third time in his 12-year career he was named pitcher of the month.

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Collins has seen rookie catcher Todd Greene hit home runs, throw out baserunners, block pitches in the dirt and run the bases with great proficiency. One thing he hasn’t seen: Greene get cheated on a swing.

“I don’t think I’ve even seen him take a check swing,” Collins said. “He’s aggressive on every swing.”

Greene, who homered and had six RBIs Thursday night against the White Sox, knows he sometimes overswings.

“But I don’t want to ever come back to the dugout thinking I didn’t give myself a chance,” Greene said. “I try to hit the ball hard every time. I know I get myself out a lot of times by doing that, but that’s the tradeoff.”

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TONIGHT’S GAME

ANGELS’ DENNIS SPRINGER (6-4, 5.80 ERA) vs. WHITE SOX’S CHRIS CLEMONS (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

Anaheim Stadium, 7 p.m.

Radio--KTZN (710).

* Update--Springer ended a series of poor performances with an eight-hit shutout of the Cleveland Indians on Monday night, leading the Angels to a 2-0 victory in the first game of an eventual doubleheader sweep. With Mark Langston’s comeback possibly delayed because of elbow stiffness, the Angels may be relying on Springer to start several more games. Clemons, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-hander, will be making his first start.