ANAHEIM -- Determined to return to full-time duty in right field in 2009 after spending a quarter of 2008 in the designated hitter role, Vladimir Guerrero submitted to surgery on his left knee in Vail, Col., on Oct. 10.

Guerrero, according to general manager Tony Reagins, should be ready to go for Spring Training in February in Tempe, Ariz.

Outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. was set for surgery Tuesday to repair the patella tendon in his left knee. It is doubtful he'll be ready for Spring Training, with his rehab expected to extend in the area of 4-6 months, Reagins said.

Catcher Mike Napoli will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on Friday and is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

The surgery on Guerrero's left medial meniscus was performed at at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail by Dr. Richard Steadman.

"When healthy, he's a very good right fielder," Reagins said of Guerrero, whose contract was renewed for 2009 at $15.5 million. "Obviously, his range is not where it would be or should be when he's not healthy. With the knee cleaned up, that's going to add to his mobility and give him the range he once had when he was healthy."

At 32, the eight-time All-Star batted .303 in 2008 with 27 homers and 91 RBIs. With a late push -- he hit .330 in the second half -- Guerrero joined legendary Lou Gehrig as the only players in history with at least 25 homers and a .300 or better average for 11 consecutive seasons. Guerrero made 44 regular-season appearances as the DH and four more in the postseason.

Visibly favoring the knee, though he did not talk about it, Guerrero was batting .249 on May 31 -- the lowest average of his career at that point in a season. He's a .323 career hitter with 392 home runs and 1,268 RBIs in 1,750 Major League games.

Guerrero is one of two Angels to have claimed American League Most Valuable Player awards. He joined Don Baylor (the 1979 MVP) by winning the award in 2004, his first season in Anaheim after seven years in Montreal. In his five seasons with the Angels, Guerrero has averaged 32 homers and 113 RBIs while batting .323.

Matthews, 34, has been slowed by knee issues in both of his seasons with the Angels after signing a five-year free-agent contract after the 2006 season.

"Matthews' surgery is more extensive [than Guerrero's], and the timetable for his rehab is 4-6 months," Reagins said. "When he's able to get back out there depends on how he progresses in his rehab. I won't say he won't be ready [this spring], but it's unlikely."

The son of former Major League slugger Gary "Sarge" Matthews, Matthews batted .242 this year with eight homers and 46 RBIs in 127 games. He played all three outfield spots and served in the DH role with Torii Hunter having taken over in center field. He's a .259 career hitter in 10 Major League seasons.

Napoli, after missing a month (July 7-Aug. 7) with inflammation in his right shoulder, got hot down the stretch, hitting .453 in September with six homers and 16 RBIs in 53 at-bats. He finished at .273, and his 20 homers in 227 at-bats led the American League in home run ratio.

Napoli, who turns 27 on the day of his surgery, enjoyed one of the greatest individual performances in franchise history in Game 3 of the AL Division Series in Boston. He launched a pair of game-changing homers and singled and scored the winning run in the 12th inning while handling six pitchers and calling 225 pitches.

A native of Hollywood, Fla., Napoli was originally selected by the Angels in the 17th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft. He's a .248 career hitter with a .362 on-base percentage and a .493 slugging percentage. He has 46 homers and 125 RBIs in 714 Major League at-bats.

"Napoli's surgery is a cleanup," Reagins said. "He should be ready to go this spring. We're looking for big things from Mike."

After a breakout 2006 season, Napoli has endured a string of injuries while sharing catching duties the past two seasons with his buddy, Jeff Mathis. Each player has appeared in a total of 153 games the past two years.