News
Halos' Lackey likely ready for weekend
Santana also could be activated for start of trip on Friday
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
05/12/09 8:42 PM ET
ANAHEIM -- Angels ace John Lackey made it comfortably through 80 pitches and five innings on Sunday in his second Minor League rehab start for Triple-A Salt Lake, putting him right on schedule to go against the Rangers this weekend in a three-game series.Ervin Santana, also having sailed through two Minor League rehab outings, threw a bullpen session before Tuesday night's game against the Red Sox and also could be activated when the Angels hit the road for a swing through Texas, Seattle and back to Los Angeles for an Interleague Series at Dodger Stadium against the Dodgers.
"We're making some decisions as the day's moving on," manager Mike Scioscia said. "There are a lot of things we're looking at. John's ready to pitch for us. He's going to throw a bullpen tomorrow or [Thursday]. Ervin, we're going to look and see how he comes out of this 'pen. He feels great."
Lackey, having yielded three runs against Portland in his five innings, left no doubt that his recovery from a strained right forearm has him strong enough to challenge the Rangers' explosive lineup in the series that opens on Friday night.
"I feel good," Lackey said. "Definitely, I think I'm past it. I threw 78 pitches [on Sunday] and felt like I had 10 or 15 left in me. That was a good sign."
Another positive sign was maintaining his stuff and command throughout, to the finish.
Asked about getting the call on Friday on his native turf, Lackey said, "Yeah, I feel like I am where I'm ready. I've been around the block once or twice. I even threw a couple of good changeups. I don't even do that here."
Lackey got enough outs with fastballs and curveballs in 2007 to finish third in the Cy Young Award balloting and win a career-high 19 games along with the league ERA title.
Having missed the season's first six weeks for the second year in a row with arm issues -- it was a triceps strain that cost him eight or nine starts in 2008 -- he's understandably eager to get started.
Santana wasn't as expressive or definitive as Lackey, saying only that he feels good in his recovery from a sprained right elbow ligament.
"I don't know when I'm pitching," Santana said. "That's not my decision. But I feel good. We'll see what happens."
Santana was an American League All-Star in 2008, emerging as one of the game's dominant starters with a 16-7 record, 3.49 ERA and 214 strikeouts (second in the AL) in 219 innings. He also was fourth in batting average against at .237.
"If they're ready to take that next step," Scioscia said, "it's going to be with us."
Two other Angels starters -- Kelvim Escobar and Dustin Moseley -- are in Arizona in extended spring training.
Escobar, eligible to come off the disabled list on June 4 in his recovery from shoulder surgery last July, pitched in a camp game on Monday and "threw very well," according to Scioscia.
Moseley, on the disabled list with tightness in his right forearm, had his first appearance in game conditions postponed by "a little issue up in his neck," Scioscia said. Moseley is being treated and it is not considered serious, the manager added.
Lyle Spencer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
