ANGELS NOTEBOOK: GIL SET AT SHORT; BACKUP NEEDED.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. - Benji Gil apparently will win the starting spot at shortstop. Now, the Angels are looking at all their options for a backup, including a trade or claiming someone off waivers.

If Gil is the starter, the only players in major-league camp who are possible backups are Wilmy Caceres and David Lamb. Lamb has rarely played shortstop this spring, working mostly third base and second. Caceres, 22, has had work at shortstop but needs to play every day.

``Wilmy has shown a lot of improvement,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``He's played steady defense, and offensively, it's been what we expected. There's a lot of upside, but we know he's got a little work to get there. ... But he might fit a need for us. It's a touchy situation.''

Caceres, who came to the Angels in an offseason trade for pitcher Seth Etherton, hit .268 last season for the Reds' Double-A team in Chattanooga and is hitting .167 this spring.

Gil, who started 84 games at shortstop for the Angels last year, has shown good range defensively and has not made an error. He's hitting .256.

``Benji Gil has been solid,'' Scioscia said. ``What we're weighing is what combination (at shortstop and second base) is best for us. But we're very happy with Benji.''

With Adam Kennedy sidelined because of a broken right hand, rookie David Eckstein has received most of the playing time at second base.

``He's been very steady in the field,'' Scioscia said. ``And he'll run through a wall to help you win a ballgame. That attitude is something that will go a long way.''

Eckstein, who was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox last August, is hitting .250 with one error this spring.

--Belcher has option: Pitcher Tim Belcher has a clause in his contract that requires the team to release him if he's not on the major-league roster by Sunday. That would give him an opportunity to hook up with another team before opening day.

Belcher has not decided whether he'll exercise that option, but one thing is clear - he won't start the season at Triple-A Salt Lake and wait for an opening with the Angels.

``I don't think that's an option,'' Scioscia said. ``For a pitcher like Tim, it's not fair to put him in a holding pattern.''

Belcher had pitched well until his most recent start, when he gave up eight runs in 3 2/3 innings against the White Sox on Saturday.

``He's been better this spring than he was last year,'' Scioscia said. ``The question we need to answer is, is he able to maintain it start after start?''

--Also: Pitcher Ramon Ortiz had his worst outing of the spring Wednesday, giving up six runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-3 loss to the Padres at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Ortiz gave up homers to Ryan Klesko and Bubba Trammell. Gil hit a two-run double and Darin Erstad had an RBI single.