ANGELS : Right-Hander Leftwich Will Be Sidelined Two to Three Months

Angel pitcher Phil Leftwich won’t throw again until May or June regardless of when the baseball strike ends.

Leftwich, a right-hander who was expected to challenge for a spot in the Angels’ starting rotation, underwent shoulder surgery Tuesday at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Inglewood and will be out two to three months, team physician Lewis Yocum said.

The 45-minute arthroscopic procedure, in which torn cartilage was removed from Leftwich’s shoulder, “went well,” Yocum said, adding that Leftwich will begin a rehabilitation program in Arizona next week.

Leftwich, who was 5-10 with a 5.68 earned-run average for the Angels in 1994, had shoulder problems at the end of last season. He tried to strengthen the shoulder with an off-season weight program, but he experienced pain when he began throwing in January.

Leftwich, 25, spent several weeks on the disabled list last June because of an inflamed right lower leg, which was diagnosed as anterior compartment syndrome, a swelling that affects muscles, nerves and arteries that serve the foot.

“He had an opportunity to be a starting pitcher this season, but he would have had to have earned it,” Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann said. “He pitched well at times last year but had some physical problems.”

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Steve Peck, considered one of the top candidates for a spot in the Angels’ replacement rotation, had a rough outing Tuesday, allowing five hits and five earned runs in two-plus innings of a 10-4 exhibition loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

About 350 in Tempe Diablo Stadium saw the Angels commit two errors and make several other defensive mistakes--missing a cut-off man, throwing to the wrong base--that helped prolong the Brewers’ six-run third.

On the plus side, the Angels turned three double plays and nearly pulled off a triple play in the third.

With runners on first and second, Milwaukee’s Todd Trafton lined to second baseman Pete Coachman, who stepped on second to double up Mike Harris. But Rich Aldrete dived back to first just ahead of Coachman’s throw to avoid the triple play.

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Jose Peguero, an infielder who was working in a New Jersey post office two years ago, had three hits for the Angels Tuesday, bringing his average up to .545 (6 for 11) this spring.

Peguero, 30, hit only three home runs in six minor league seasons and was released by the Brewers’ organization after 1990. He attended a tryout for the San Bernardino Spirit, an independent team in the Class-A California League, in 1994 and made the club, batting .289 with 25 homers and 76 runs batted in last season.

Notes

The Brewers’ lineup Tuesday included shortstop Tim Barker, a former Dodger minor leaguer who was traded to the Montreal Expos for Tim Wallach in the winter of 1992, and Rich Aldrete, younger brother of Oakland infielder Mike Aldrete. Mike Aldrete, who is on strike, had strongly advised his brother not to cross the union’s symbolic picket line, but Rich ignored him and has been tearing up the Cactus League. Aldrete was batting .583 with two homers and nine RBIs before going 0 for 2 Tuesday. . . . The Angels, who had 11 hits Tuesday, play the San Francisco Giants today in Tempe and will travel to Tucson Thursday to play the Colorado Rockies.