McPherson behind after injury, sent to minors

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Los Angeles Angels will have to wait to see whether Dallas McPherson can be their everyday third baseman.

The Angels assigned McPherson and right-hander Chris Bootcheck to their minor league camp Wednesday, leaving the third base assignment to Robb Quinlan when they open the season next week.

The Angels thought enough of McPherson to allow power-hitting Troy Glaus to sign a free-agent contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks during the offseason. But McPherson has been limited this spring by a protruding disk in his lower back.

McPherson hit 43 homers last year -- 20 each in minor league stops at Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Salt Lake, and three in 16 late-season games with the Angels. He played in his first exhibition game Tuesday, hitting a triple and a double and driving in two runs against Kansas City.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia had hoped McPherson would be able to play in six or seven exhibition games so he'd be ready by opening day, but also said he didn't want to rush the 24-year-old rookie.

Quinlan set an Angels rookie record with a 21-game hitting streak and hit .344 while filling in for Glaus last season. He's had a rocky spring defensively, and was hitting .268 through Tuesday.

Bootcheck, a first-round draft choice in 2000, had a 3.38 ERA in 13 1/3 innings this spring. His chances of earning a spot in the Angels' bullpen were shattered Tuesday when the team acquired right-hander Bret Prinz from the New York Yankees for catcher Wil Nieves.

The Angels also announced Wednesday they had agreed on a contract with infielder Andy Fox, who was released by the Minnesota Twins earlier this week. Fox has a lifetime batting average of .239. He hit .174 in 16 exhibition games with the Twins.