"Bobby Abreu has played a lot of baseball. Now he's going to watch a lot of baseball too.

The acquisition of Vernon Wells and the Angels' desire to make the superior defense of Wells, Peter Bourjos and Torii Hunter their primary outfield alignment has changed Abreu's job description as he heads into his 16th major-league season. Abreu figures to spend far more time at DH than in the outfield this year.

"It's okay," said Abreu who was 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles in his spring debut Monday as the Angels beat the A's 8-7. "I think I have to make some adjustments, no doubt. I have to stay moving. I've always been on the field, in the action. Whenever I have a chance to talk to a DH guy, I'm going to ask what they do."

Abreu has played at least 150 games in each of the past 13 seasons (tying Willie Mays for the major-league record). But only 46 of those games have been at DH. It's a move that many veterans would (and have) balked at.

"I think it's the way they say it to you," Abreu said. "(Angels manager) Mike (Scioscia) came to me and said, 'You're going to be a DH' but they also said, 'You're still going to play some outfield.' It's not like it's going to be 162 (games) DH."

Scioscia agreed that Abreu "definitely needs to be kept in touch with the outfield." Particularly early in the season, the Angels could be faced with a difficult decision at DH.

Scioscia has already indicated Kendry Morales will DH if he is ready to play but not ready to play first base. That could put a crimp in the Angels' outfield plans. Scioscia values Abreu's plate discipline and ability to get on base (two qualities sorely lacking in the Angels' lineup). If Morales occupies the DH spot, Abreu would have to move back to the outfield in order to stay in the lineup - and the Angels' outfield defense would suffer as a result.

"If we have Vernon in center and Torii in right (with Abreu playing left), we have a great outfield defense," Scioscia said. "If we have Peter Bourjos in center, Torii Hunter in right and Vernon Wells in left, you have an incredible outfield defense."