BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Boy, 15, Threw Ball From Upper Deck

Authorities have discovered the perpetrators of the incident Sunday in which Angel reliever Joe Grahe was hit in the neck by a baseball thrown from the upper deck at Anaheim Stadium.

Glenn Mills, president of the Oceanside America Little League, said Wednesday that a 15-year-old boy from his league threw the baseball. The boy was provoked by five of his friends, Mills said, who dared him to throw the ball.

“Part of Little League is developing character,” Mills said. “Obviously, some people have this to learn.”

There were no arrests, but the six boys involved have been instructed to write formal letters of apologies to Grahe, the Angel organization and General Manager Bill Bavasi.

Grahe was pleased authorities have identified the culprits. He does not want to press charges but still is disturbed by their actions.

“Being 15 years old isn’t an excuse,” Grahe said. “I knew the difference between right and wrong.”

*

Angel starter Mark Langston’s simulated game has been pushed up to Saturday, and if everything goes well, Manager Buck Rodgers said Langston could start Wednesday against the Texas Rangers. If not, he likely would start the following weekend against the Seattle Mariners.

Langston, who has been on the disabled list since undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery April 12, is expected to replace Phil Leftwich (0-4, 6.82 earned-run average) in the rotation.

John Farrell continues to pitch impressively at triple-A Vancouver, completing his third game of the season Tuesday, but the Angels will delay his arrival unless starter Mark Leiter struggles. Farrell leads the Pacific Coast League in complete games, strikeouts (30), and innings pitched (44).

*

Just how much advice is Chuck Finley getting these days to solve his woes?

“I was pumping gas the other day and a guy came up to me to tell me what I’m doing wrong,” said Finley, who is winless in six starts. “I felt like saying, ‘Hey, I don’t tell you how to put your lug nuts on.’ ”