Angels' Guerrero says his knees are fine

Vladimir Guerrero says his knees are fine and he won't have surgery. "My mom's side of the family, we have a leg longer than the other, and sometimes it looks like I'm hobbling, but it's not," the Los Angeles Angels star said through a translator Saturday.

Guerrero had an aching right knee last season. He said doctors recommended an operation, but the knee felt good before spring training and he opted not to have surgery.

Guerrero hit .329 with 33 homers and 116 RBIs in 2006, his third season with the Angels. But he led AL outfielders with 11 errors. He said the errors weren't caused by knee problems.

"I'm not going to use that as an excuse for anything that happened last year," Guerrero said.

Earlier this spring, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said the 31-year-old Guerrero and 34-year-old left fielder Garret Anderson would likely see more time at designated hitter this season.

Guerrero was the Angels' DH 30 times last season.

"If I'm going to DH, I'm going to DH, but I'm not going to ask Mike to put me in as the DH just for the sake of it," Guerrero said. "Like I said, I'm physically fine. I came from the National League where there is no DH and my knee was hurting more over there on the turf and I didn't take days off, so I expect to do the same thing.

"If they ask me to DH, great, but I'm not going to be knocking on the door to DH," Guerrero added. "Whatever Mike decides to do, I'm fine with it."

Guerrero added that he's comfortable playing alongside newcomer Gary Matthews Jr. in center field.

"I know he's a guy that covers a lot of ground," Guerrero said. "He's always communicating with me. "