Candelaria to Continue His Therapy

Angel pitcher John Candelaria was returned to the 15-day disabled list so that he could continue professional counseling at home while the Angels are away on a 10-day trip that begins Monday, a club source said Saturday.

Candelaria began treatment when he was first placed on the disabled list May 15, following his second arrest in a month for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Candelaria had interrupted that treatment twice briefly--for a start in Toronto May 31 and last week’s three-game trip to Kansas City--but reportedly asked the club to miss the next trip to Texas, Chicago and Cleveland in order to continue therapy.

Reports that Commissioner Peter Ueberroth had intervened and instructed the Angels to move Candelaria back to the disabled list were denied by both the team and the commissioner’s office.

“The John Candelaria situation has been and is being handled by the California Angels,” team spokesman Tim Mead said.

Richard Levin, director of information for Ueberroth, said: “The commissioner has the power to suspend a player, under the ‘best interest of baseball’ clause. But in this case, it’s been a matter of (the Angels) telling us what has been going on.”