SPRING TRAINING DAILY REPORT / ANGELS

Any hope Matt Luke had of joining Nevin, his former El Dorado High School teammate, on the Angels--at least to open the season--ended Friday when Luke was returned to minor league camp for rehabilitation purposes.

Luke’s bid for a reserve outfield spot was hampered by a strained back muscle, which limited him to nine spring at-bats. When his back spasms flared up again Thursday and it became apparent he would be sidelined for several days, the Angels decided to send Luke down.

“I wanted to see him hit, and the only way he’ll be able to do that is to get healthy,” Manager Terry Collins said. “If he does what he’s done in the past, there’s no telling how soon he’ll be back. But like anyone at this time of camp, you need to be 100% to show what you can do, and he wasn’t there.”

The Angels expected Luke, who had 12 homers and 34 RBIs in 102 games for the Dodgers last season, to add some left-handed power to their bench, but with Luke out of the immediate picture, the final roster spot could come down to Nevin, Orlando Palmeiro or Chris Pritchett.

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Center fielder Jim Edmonds (tight groin) and third baseman Dave Hollins (tight hamstring) were scratched from Friday’s game. Hollins has not played since Sunday, and the longer he’s out, the harder it will be for him to beat out Troy Glaus. . . . Left-hander Mike Magnante, a screwball specialist bidding for a bullpen spot, struck out Sosa and Hill during a scoreless seventh inning Friday. . . . Third baseman Tim Unroe hit his second homer of the spring Friday, and Pritchett had a double and a single.