Rehabbing right-handers Bartolo Colon (rotator cuff) and Jered Weaver (biceps tendinitis) are scheduled to start minor league injury-rehabilitation assignments in Class A on Thursday and Friday, starting on back-to-back nights for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League.
Weaver is scheduled to pitch Friday and next Wednesday, increasing his pitch count from 75 to 90 pitches, and then make his first start of the season for the Angels on April 16 in Boston.
Colon is scheduled to start Thursday and Tuesday for the Quakes, throwing 60 and 75 pitches. The plan is then to have Colon pitch for the Class AAA Salt Lake Bees on April 15 in Las Vegas, increasing his pitch count to 90 in a final rehab start before joining the Angels. Colon could make his first start for the Angels since he was shut down with shoulder pain last July as soon as their weekend series against the Seattle Mariners April 20-22.
The prospect of having Weaver (11-2 as a rookie last year) and Colon (the AL Cy Young Award winner during his most recent healthy season, 2005) rejoining an already strong rotation should present the Angels with a steady dose of favorable matchups against the back end of other team's rotations.
"If we have five starters pitching well, you're going to win a lot of games and that's what we have to focus on, not on matchups," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Whether he's pitching against the No. 1 best starter in our league or against a kid who's spot starting doesn't affect what he needs to do or what we're looking for.
"If you have five starters going well, obviously there are going to be matchups that are going to be favorable for us."
ANGELS 5, RANGERS 3: The Angels have started a season with three consecutive victories just four times in their franchise history and gone past that just once (when they started the 1970 season 5-0). But they are 3-0 after completing a season-opening sweep of the Texas Rangers with a victory Wednesday afternoon. RHP Ervin Santana was able to put it in cruise control after a four-run first inning by the Angels. He allowed just four hits over seven innings.
Gary Matthews Jr. was on base eight times in the series against his former team, scored four runs in the three games and made three outstanding catches in center field. In Wednesday's game, he robbed Michael Young of a home run on a fly ball to the wall in the first inning.
"That is not an easy play," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He is a premium defender in center field."
In each of the three games against the Angels, the Rangers allowed leadoff hitter Matthews Jr. to reach base to start the bottom of the first and Guerrero to drive him in.
The Rangers tried to shift the balance of power in their battle against the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero.
On Wednesday, they went to desperation tactics. They moved third baseman Hank Blalock to guard the line, shortstop Michael Young closer to third and second baseman Ian Kinsler directly behind the base. Guerrero, who entered the game with a .440 average against Texas, singled through the right side on the first pitch he saw, but then went hitless in his final three at-bats.
Guerrero, who is now hitting .437 with 21 homers and 50 RBIs in 57 games against Texas, won't face the Rangers again until May 11 in Arlington. At that point, he'll face the same shift as he did Wednesday.
"He's an intelligent hitter, and the first time we did it, he just poked that ball to the right side," manager Ron Washington said. "But the second time he came up, I saw him surveying the defense. Maybe we got him thinking about it. Maybe he was consciously trying to go that way instead of just letting that big bat of his fly."
The shift idea came from bench coach Art Howe. Four of Guerrero's five hits in the first two games were to areas the Rangers started to protect Wednesday. He doubled down the line in the season-opener and had three singles through the left side Tuesday. He also had a home run, for which no shift will help.
Guerrero's average against Texas is the highest by any active player against any single team. Four players came into the season hitting at least .400 for 150 at-bats against an opponent: Lyle Overbay (.428 vs. Cincinnati), Sean Casey (.402 vs. Washington) and Todd Helton (.400 vs. Washington).