Angels’ Forsch Throws Without Pain in Elbow

Rain and hail darkened the Twin Cities Tuesday.

Inside the Metrodome, however, there was a new ray of optimism for the Angels.

Ken Forsch threw without pain in his inflamed elbow for the first time since March 6.

Forsch said he employed his entire repertoire while throwing for 15 minutes during the Angels’ voluntary workout.

“It’s a great feeling not to have that little man in there jabbing me with an ice pick,” Forsch said.

The 38-year-old right-hander, sidelined all of last year after dislocating his shoulder in his second start, was originally expected to leave the disabled list Monday and start against the Twins tonight.

The inflammation, however, did not respond to an April 6 cortisone shot, delaying his return to the rotation.

Now Forsch is scheduled to throw for 20 minutes Friday, working up to a three-inning simulated game next Wednesday. He said that barring a setback he expects to be activated May 1.

This means that Jim Slaton would make three more starts in Forsch’s place, the first of those tonight against John Butcher of the Twins.

The 34-year-old Slaton, a starter for the first 10 of his 12 seasons with Milwaukee, made 22 starts after Forsch was injured last year and had five complete games with an overall record of 7-10.

“After tearing my rotator cuff in ’80 it was really fun for me to get back in the rotation last year and to find out my arm was strong enough to pitch complete games and to bounce back every five days,” Slaton said.

“If I had my druthers I’d rather start simply because you know when you’re pitching and it’s easier to build up consistency. But whichever way they want it I just want to contribute and get my work in. I didn’t get many chances in April of last year (he pitched 14 innings) and I wouldn’t want to go through that again.”

Forsch’s return, however, is likely to put Slaton back in the bullpen and send 20-year-old Bob Kipper back to the minors.

It seems evident that the promising Kipper will get few assignments in his long-man role, a situation that jeopardizes his development and future as a starter.

“It’s too early in the season to say that we’re jeopardizing him but it is important that he gets work,” Angel General Manager Mike Port said. “We’d probably like to look at him one more time, but I don’t know if the situation will go on much longer.”

Doug Corbett, who has been unavailable since Saturday because of a swollen left knee that required draining, was examined here Tuesday and is expected back in the bullpen tonight.