Gubicza Set to Pitch, Others Getting Healthy

It’s a safe bet Manager Terry Collins will never be as happy after a regular-season loss as he was after Monday’s exhibition defeat. Yes, the Angels had dropped their fifth straight, this one to the Chicago Cubs, 8-1, but there was plenty for Collins to smile about.

He learned that Mark Gubicza, who hasn’t pitched for two weeks because of a sore shoulder, will do so Friday. And that Randy Velarde, out for the last nine days because of a strained forearm, has been cleared to resume throwing at the end of the week.

Further, closer Troy Percival, who suffered severe back spasms and numbness in his arm last Wednesday, will pitch Thursday, and pitcher Chuck Finley, who broke the bone below his right eye Saturday, is confident his absence will be closer to the short end of his three-to-five-week prognosis.

And the Angels finally got a quality performance out of a starting pitcher, as Shigetoshi Hasegawa, moving a variety of breaking pitches around the strike zone, gave up three runs--two earned--on six hits in five innings against the Cubs.

“As tough as things have been the last 10 days, there is some light at the end of the tunnel,” Collins said.

Hasegawa provided the brightest ray. Although he gave up a home run to Kevin Orie, he threw first-ball strikes to 10 of 23 batters and, for the most part, kept the Cubs off balance.

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Collins named Mark Langston as his opening-day starter but Langston couldn’t be too excited about an assignment.

“It’s unfortunate because Chuck [Finley] deserves to be the opening-day starter, and the only reason I am is because of a freak accident,” said Langston, who will open against the Boston Red Sox in Anaheim Stadium April 2.

Collins said Jason Dickson, who has been the Angels’ most consistent and effective starter, will pitch the second game April 3. . . . Dennis Springer’s bid for a spot in the rotation suffered another blow when the knuckleballer gave up two, two-run homers to Chicago’s Brooks Kieschnick.