ANGELS NOTEBOOK: FIGGINS RETURNS DESPITE SORENESS.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA 

Staff Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Perfect health can wait as Chone Figgins made his season debut Monday despite a pair of fingers that are still sore.

"It's going to be sore for awhile, but you have to play through it," Figgins said before Monday's game. He later delivered an RBI double in his second at-bat.

Figgins suffered fractures in both his right index and middle fingers when a ground ball in spring training kicked off the dirt and hit his bare hand.

He missed the tail end of the Cactus League schedule as well as the first 25 games of the season.

Figgins insists he is at full strength despite the soreness. He said he has made enough throws over the past two weeks to be comfortable with his accuracy and feels nothing more than the typical vibrations when hitting a ball off the end of his bat.

Getting his legs up to speed, though, still is a work in progress. While Figgins stayed active during his recovery, he only had four rehab games at Triple-A Salt Lake to get his legs used to game speed.

"I was getting on base and they kept (throwing over)," Figgins said. "Man, you ain't gonna let me run?' They feel fine.... It's going to take a little time to get into it, but they feel fine."

During his four-games with Salt Lake, Figgins batted .357 with a double, a walk and a run.

Anderson out again: Garret Anderson remained out of the lineup for a third consecutive game with a sore right hip flexor, with the expectation he will be back before the road trip ends Thursday.

"He's fine. He's doing some agility stuff now," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's just going to take it one day at a time and see where he is."

Maicer Izturis, who left Sunday's game with a tight right hamstring, was available in case of emergency, according to Scioscia. But Izturis, who missed significant time with a hamstring injury last season, still isn't expected to play until the homestand.

A new lineup: Scioscia presented yet another new lineup Monday, putting Reggie Willits in the No. 2 hole. Figgins' return also created a new No. 9 hitter.

Willits said he and Erick Aybar have traded off the leadoff and second spots all through their Angels minor-league careers, so the role was familiar.

"I like hitting in the two hole and I like using my bunting game a lot," Willits said. "But for me it's not different than hitting nine hole or leadoff or any of those three because if the leadoff guy doesn't get on I basically look at myself as leading off the inning and do anything I can to get on base."

It's all about the groupings: Scioscia said groupings were again the inspiration for his newest lineup, with players clustered around others that fit their style. One lineup considered had Figgins leading off with Matthews in the second or even third spot.

Matthews entered Monday's game with multi-hit efforts in seven of his past 10 games, and his 30 hits led the team. But he remained in the leadoff spot with Orlando Cabrera batting third.

"Right now, the grouping of Figgy ahead of Gary really works and the only way we're going to do it right now is going to make it nine, one," Scioscia said.

If the Angels are able to handle the Royals with ease this series, Scioscia could return home as the winningest manager in franchise history.

When the Angels reach victory No.17, which is possible before the Kansas City series ends, Scioscia will break Bill Rigney's club record of 625 victories.

The Angels have won 90 games or more seven times in their history, reaching the mark three times under Scioscia.

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ANGELS at KANSAS CITY

- Doug Padilla