Angels OK for Starters, but There’s Little Relief

TEMPE, Ariz. — Manager Terry Collins loves the way his rotation is shaping up as the Angels enter the last week of spring training, but a trouble spot has emerged in the bullpen.

Set-up man Mike James gave up an RBI single to Rene Gonzales and a two-run homer to Robert Machado in the top of the ninth inning Sunday, as the Angels lost to the Chicago White Sox, 5-4, in a Tempe Diablo Stadium exhibition.

It was the third consecutive rocky outing for James, who gave up two runs, walked two, hit a batter and threw two wild pitches in one inning against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday and gave up four runs on six hits in two-thirds of an inning against Milwaukee last Tuesday.

“The movement on his fastball is not there, and that’s what he eats up hitters with,” Collins said. “Whether it’s a strength issue or his grip, I don’t know, but his pitches are straight as a string right now. We need him to get it working. He’s very important to us.”

So is ace Chuck Finley, who had his best start of the spring Sunday. Finley, who will pitch the April 1 season opener against the New York Yankees, gave up three runs on five hits, including Ray Durham’s two-run triple in the fifth, and struck out five in seven innings.

“He made one bad pitch all day, that splitter that was up to Durham,” Collins said. “Otherwise, he didn’t make two bad pitches in a row. That’s a tremendous sign. You want to come out of camp with some momentum, and you’ve got to like the way our starting pitching looks.”

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Collins’ plan to get Tim Salmon as many at-bats as possible this spring in an effort to avoid another slow start by the Angel right fielder appears to be paying off.

Salmon, who had 15 plate appearances Thursday and 14 Saturday while playing in double-A and triple-A games, homered twice against the White Sox on Sunday, a bases-empty blast to left in the second and a two-run shot to right-center in the third.

He’s hitting .435 with four homers and a team-leading 18 RBIs in Cactus League games and has an additional 32 minor league plate appearances.

“I’m getting my rhythm, solidifying my thoughts at the plate and building some confidence,” Salmon said.

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Tests on Randy Velarde’s right elbow showed a reduction in the inflammation that has sidelined the second baseman for three weeks. “It’s an encouraging sign, but I still can’t put a timetable on his return,” said Lewis Yocum, team physician.