Baylor continues to make steady progress

ANAHEIM -- Angels hitting coach Don Baylor is now able to put 30 percent of his weight on the right side of his body, which is still recovering from the fractured right femur he suffered while catching Vladimir Guerrero's ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day.

In a couple of weeks, he expects to amp that up to 60 percent.

Two weeks after that, he's hopeful of being at 80 to 90 percent, which could put him close to sitting in the dugout during games.

And before the All-Star break, July 14-17, the 64-year-old Baylor hopes to join the team on road trips.

In the meantime, Baylor, hired as the team's hitting coach this past offseason, has spent the early afternoons of the Angels' current homestand sitting on a cart driven by athletic trainer Rick Smith and watching his hitters take early batting practice.

"I feel a lot better when I'm out here, that's for sure -- on the field, seeing the guys, talking to them," Baylor said. "I probably text more than anybody around lately. I never texted until I started doing this. But I stay in touch with all the coaches that way."