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Butcher helps out Saunders

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Times Staff Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Mike Butcher wasn’t only the best man at Joe Saunders’ wedding. Butcher, the Angels’ pitching coach, was the only man there.

Saunders didn’t plan it that way. He and his fiancee, Shanel, envisioned a dream wedding in Thailand last fall.

But Shanel is a Canadian citizen, and an immigration lawyer warned she might not be allowed back into the United States unless the couple first got married last summer.

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“We had to get married at that time,” Saunders said, “so we could get married in Thailand.”

So, on Aug. 22, three days after he had beaten the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park and a few hours before the Angels played the New York Yankees in Anaheim, Saunders and his fiancee headed to the Orange County courthouse in Santa Ana. He asked Butcher to come along to serve as the witness and to film the ceremony with a camera borrowed from the Angels’ video department.

“I was almost master of ceremonies,” Butcher said.

The ceremony lasted 15 minutes, and Saunders reported to the ballpark that night. The couple did enjoy that dream ceremony in Thailand in November, and Butcher jokingly said he is available for weddings, birthday parties and bar mitzvahs.

One spot left

If Chris Bootcheck hadn’t gotten hurt, the Angels might not have had any roster competition this spring.

So now they have one vacancy, for the last man in the bullpen. One of the leading contenders did nothing to distinguish himself Saturday, when the Angels played to a 6-6 tie with the San Francisco Giants.

Jason Bulger, who struggles to control his fastball, struggled again. He faced 10 batters and walked four, giving up four runs in 1 2/3 innings.

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“There’s an opportunity for him,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Hopefully, he’ll put it together.”

He might not have many more chances. Bulger, 29, acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks two years ago for infielder Alberto Callaspo, has made three cameo appearances in the major leagues, with 11 walks in 18 innings.

Have glove . . .

The Angels told Gary Matthews Jr. they would split his playing time among the three outfield positions and designated hitter. However, in his seven spring games, Matthews has started at DH five times, in left field once and in right field once.

Scioscia said he is easing Matthews into the outfield to minimize stress on his left knee, in which he had reported tendinitis earlier this spring. Matthews said the knee is fine now.

He had two hits Saturday and is batting .300 this spring.

Hunter goes deep

Center fielder Torii Hunter hit a mammoth home run, over the outfield fence and a second fence behind the lawn seats. He has eight extra-base hits in six games. . . . The Angels also dispatched a second-string squad to Tucson, where they lost to the Colorado Rockies, 6-2. Juan Rivera, a surplus outfielder and possible trade candidate, had two hits to raise his spring average to .429. . . . Infielder Brandon Wood, the Angels’ top prospect, apparently won’t be forcing his way into the roster this spring. In 19 at-bats, he has two hits -- both home runs -- and seven strikeouts. . . . Reliever Scot Shields, hampered by a sore shoulder, completed a bullpen session Saturday. He is expected to work out again Monday and make his spring debut later this week.

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bill.shaikin@latimes.com

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