BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Arias Sent Down; Easley Called Up

George Arias’ batting average (.184) was horrendous, his timing wasn’t very good, and for those reasons the rookie third baseman was sent Friday to triple-A Vancouver.

Tim Wallach and Jack Howell will split time at third, and infielder Damion Easley was recalled from a minor-league rehabilitation assignment to take Arias’ roster spot.

When Arias won the third-base job by hitting .388 with four homers and 15 RBIs in spring training, he was told to concentrate primarily on defense--that the Angels, with a potent offense that ranked second in the American League in runs last season, really wouldn’t need him to hit.

Arias, making the jump from double-A to the big leagues, was more than adequate defensively, showing above-average range and arm strength and making several spectacular plays.

But with the Angel power shortage continuing into May--they ranked last in the league in runs, 13th in doubles and triples and 12th in on-base percentage entering Friday night’s game against Cleveland, Arias’ struggles in the No. 7 spot were all the more glaring.

“That was a factor,” said Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann, who benched Arias for five of the last six games.

“The big thing is George has to play every day, and the move was also dictated by that. He needs to get some consistent at-bats, so he can work on the things Rod [Carew, batting instructor] talked to him about.

Arias went two for three in the Angels’ season opener and was batting .455 after four games, but his average plunged to .209 during the next 10 games and fell under .200 on April 30.

“But he’ll be back,” Lachemann said. “He just needs to get his stroke back, and that’s easier to do against weaker pitching.”

*

The Walt Disney Co. is expected to assume operational control of the Angels next week, and one of the company’s first moves will be to release 15-20 front-office officials.

Baseball operations employees, such as General Manager Bill Bavasi and assistant general manager Tim Mead, are not expected to be affected by the ownership change, but Angel President Richard Brown is not expected to be retained.

“It’s no big secret that in my case it’s highly likely I’ll be moving on,” said Brown, who has held his current position since 1990. “But my main concern is that people here get settled in their lives.”

*

After Friday’s game, pitcher Todd Frohwirth was designated for assignment and Scott Sanderson was activated from the disabled list. Sanderson, who went on the DL with a strained right groin, will pitch tonight. . . . Jaret Wright, a former Katella High School standout, is 2-2 with a Carolina League-leading 0.80 earned-run average in six starts for the Indians’ Class-A team at Kinston. Opponents are hitting .140 against him.