Speier uses knee brace

CHICAGO -- The back of the bullpen, which must perform at a high level for the Angels to make any kind of playoff run, has added injury to inconsistency on its short list of woes.

Setup man Justin Speier has been sidelined by a slight strain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, an injury he began to feel about a week ago and aggravated Tuesday when he pushed off the rubber to make a pitch in Baltimore.

Wearing a knee brace, the right-hander threw a 20-pitch bullpen session Friday afternoon and said the discomfort was “minimal compared to the other day in Baltimore,” but Speier is doubtful for the series against the Chicago White Sox.

“I thought I had a little tendinitis, but they did an evaluation and found a slight strain,” said Speier, who is 2-3 with a 3.12 earned-run average in 43 games.

“The trainers think it’s a small issue, but they want me to calm it down, take one step at a time. You don’t want to change your delivery or mechanics and do something you’re not used to doing.”

Bullpen high jinks being what they are, the Angels’ other relievers seized on the opportunity to make light of Speier’s misfortune.

While the team was stretching before Thursday’s game against the Orioles, left-hander Darren Oliver presented Speier, who went through Marines boot camp after high school, with a GI Joe doll with the No. 33 on back and a piece of white athletic tape wrapped around the right knee.

“That was a nice gift, it was cool, it made me feel good,” Speier said. “My teammates are picking me up.”

Former Angels outfielder Darin Erstad, nearing the end of a highly disappointing, injury-marred season with the White Sox, acknowledged feeling a little playoff envy Friday.

While Chicago, only two years removed from its 2005 World Series championship, is mired in last place in the American League Central, the Angels sit high atop the AL West, their third division title in four years in their sights.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous,” said Erstad, who sat out June and July because of an ankle injury and has been reduced to a bench role, while the White Sox look at some of their youngsters. “I play this game to win. I’m happy for them, but the jealousy factor is pretty high right now.”

Erstad thought he reached the depths of baseball despair in 1999, when the Angels, picked by many to win the division, were 70-92, finished 25 games out of first place, and filled their clubhouse with so much dissension and turmoil that Manager Terry Collins and General Manager Bill Bavasi resigned.

But this season, Erstad said, has been tougher.

“In 1999, we hadn’t accomplished anything -- we had been in a playoff race or two but hadn’t gotten to the promised land,” said Erstad, who is batting .253 with three homers and 29 runs batted in and will probably become a free agent this winter.

“We have a group of guys here who won a World Series. To experience this after that is tough. But sometimes you’ve got to take it on the chin, and that’s what we’ve had to do this year.”

Vladimir Guerrero, whose inflamed right triceps has relegated him to designated hitter for four games, played catch Friday for the first time since injuring his elbow, but the slugger probably won’t return to right field for another week or so.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com