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Oliver ready to pitch in for Halos
Los Angeles (4-6) at Minnesota (5-7), 4:10 p.m. PT
Fernando Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Darren Oliver (above). (Getty Images)
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
04/18/09 2:35 AM ET
MINNEAPOLIS -- Darren Oliver isn't setting out to make any heroic statements. He's looking to be effective -- and smart -- in his first start in five seasons. It's in his nature, to say nothing of his best interests, to stay calm and within himself. You don't put together two of your best Major League seasons at ages 36 and 37 without making wise decisions. "I don't know what people are expecting, but we don't have to worry about a complete-game shutout," Oliver said through a sly grin. A half-complete game on Saturday against the Twins would be an accomplishment for the Angels reliever, given that it's his first start since late in the 2004 season -- and the memory of that occasion is not a particularly happy one. His Astros were making a playoff push, and Oliver was compelled to do his part. Coming out of the bullpen, he went five innings on Aug. 24, holding the Reds scoreless on one hit in Cincinnati and claiming the win. Coming back six days later, he pitched one inning against the Braves -- and wasn't the same for the rest of the season. "My shoulder kind of blew on me," Oliver said. "I'd gone too hard in the earlier game [against the Reds] and it came back and got me. I wasn't right the rest of the year after that. "I'll be more careful this time. It's a long season." There are positive signs that John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Kelvim Escobar all could be back in the rotation sometime in May. As it now stands, the Angels' pitching is spread thin, but the starters have been sturdy. Oliver is being asked to keep his team in the game, something the patchwork rotation has accomplished in the midst of tragedy and heartbreak from the death of Nick Adenhart. Oliver has made 228 career starts among 468 total appearances. He's 101-82 -- with four shutouts. Oliver worked three near-perfect innings on Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to the Mariners in frigid conditions at Safeco Field. He yielded one hit while striking out four hitters. The Angels, who watched Dustin Moseley depart after three innings on Friday night with right elbow stiffness, know they need all healthy arms -- including Oliver's -- for the long haul. They won't be making any unrealistic demands on his valuable left arm coming off a pair of superb seasons. Oliver was 3-1 with a 3.78 ERA in 2007, finding his rhythm and groove in the second half, and carried it over into his best overall season as a reliever in 2008: 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 72 innings. "He certainly has enough to get us to a certain point," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's not going to get to the sixth or seventh, we know that. But he threw four innings in the spring [in a Minor League camp game] and had some left. "He threw three [innings on Tuesday] and probably could have gone longer. He should get us deep enough in it." The Angels added depth to their bullpen by recalling right-hander Rafael Rodriguez from Triple-A Salt Lake, giving them 12 pitchers. Facing right-hander Kevin Slowey, the Angels must come to grips with the absence of their big gun, Vladimir Guerrero. He'll be out for at least a month with a tear in his right pectoral. Scioscia figures to be experimenting with various lineup groupings in an effort to find maximum continuity and efficiency. Pitching matchupLAA: LHP Darren Oliver (0-0, 2.45 ERA)
Oliver, who went as deep as four innings in a camp game this spring, pitched six brilliant innings of long relief in Game 3 of the 2006 NLCS for the Mets and has the stuff and knowledge to get into the middle innings if called upon. He likes to come inside with hard stuff and then go with breaking stuff away. MIN: RHP Kevin Slowey (1-0, 7.94 ERA)
Slowey was left looking for answers after a second rough outing in an 8-6 loss to Toronto on Monday. Slowey gave up five earned runs in just over five innings, increasing his ERA to 7.94. Slowey threw 88 pitches and gave up two home runs in his first loss of the season. In his season debut against Seattle, he pitched six innings and gave up four earned runs in a victory. The right-hander out of Winthrop University, thought by many to have the best Spring Training of all of Minnesota's starters, has yet to duplicate that in the regular season. Tidbits
The Angels will make a roster move before the game, Scioscia said, to replace Guerrero. It is expected to be a position player. Reggie Willits, Brandon Wood and Sean Rodriguez all have been swinging hot bats at Triple-A Salt Lake. ... Howard Kendrick assumed the club RBI lead with eight when he singled home two runs Friday night. It was a good night (6-for-14) for the club with runners in scoring position. ... Off and running: Chone Figgins (six) and Bobby Abreu (five) are atop the AL in steals. ... With three hits, Figgins lifted his career average against the Twins to .347 in 202 at-bats. . . . Kendry Morales ended an 0-for-14 slumber with his clutch two-run single in the seventh inning as the Angels were building an 8-3 lead the bullpen could not hold. Tickets
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• Sunday: Angels (Shane Loux, 0-0, 3.38) at Twins (Glen Perkins, 0-1, 1.69), 11:10 a.m. PT
• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 2-0, 0.68) at Angels (Jered Weaver, 1-1, 3.09), 7:05 p.m. PT
Lyle Spencer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
