Scioscia hoping Hamilton can return during road trip

ANAHEIM -- The daily Josh Hamilton report was pretty much status quo. He did not play for the second game in a row for Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday night after taking batting practice and determining that his surgically repaired left thumb was not quite ready for the challenge.

The hope is that Hamilton will rejoin the Angels on the upcoming trip, perhaps late in the opening series in Seattle or in Oakland next weekend.

"He's getting better, but he's not where he needs to be," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of his slugging outfielder. "He's coming off surgery, and no doubt you have to keep that in mind. He's going to get there. He's in shape; he's been running for five weeks. He just needs to get his timing at the plate.

"We've got to evaluate him. We're going to give it a couple days. The original plan was [Monday], but that's obviously not going to happen. It could happen possibly later in that series or at the latest in Oakland."

The Angels have been going with Collin Cowgill and Grant Green in left field primarily in Hamilton's absence, and both have been productive. Cowgill is batting .278 with a .371 on-base percentage in 108 at-bats, with the sizzling Green hitting .391 and slugging .522 in 46 at-bats entering Sunday's action.