Langston’s Climb Back Starts on Hill

Mark Langston will throw off the mound today for the first time since his May 27 elbow surgery.

Langston hardly will work up a sweat. He will throw lightly for about five minutes. He played catch for 20 minutes Thursday and reported no soreness.

“I can’t lift [weights] anymore,” said Langston, who has been on the disabled list three times in two seasons. “The strength is there. Now I need to work on arm angles and pitches. We have to build everything up.”

With Langston and Mark Gubicza--who had shoulder surgery--out, the Angels have made do with a patchwork starting rotation. Collins said that Gubicza will begin throwing in 10 days, but he is not expected back until August, at the earliest. Langston could be back before the end of July.

“Obviously, I want to be out there contributing,” Langston said. “I’ve seen how the team has held up and got through the injuries. I want to get back and help us go in the right direction.”

Langston, though, already has had one setback during his rehabilitation. He was told to stop throwing in mid-June because of soreness.

“There is no timetable right now for Mark,” Collins said. “It’s up to the doctors and trainers and [pitching coach] Marcel Lachemann. I don’t get involved until they start telling me things like, ‘He’s 85% ready.’ Then I start working out things like rehabilitation starts.”

*

There may be a timetable on often-injured outfielder Jim Edmonds, who is not expected to play this weekend.

After the three-day rest and the three days off for the All-Star break, Edmonds will test his injured knee in Oakland. If there is no improvement, he may be placed on the disabled list.

“After these six days, we hope Jim turns out to be as close to 100% as he can be,” Collins said. “Or we’re going to think he needs a longer run of rest.”

*

Jason Dickson won’t be the only Angel at the All--Star game. Langston has been asked to come play . . . his guitar.

Langston is among the players who will perform Monday at a party sponsored by the players’ association. Langston is a sometime guitar player in “Magic Bus,” a Seattle-based group. The group will play at the party.

“I’m more nervous about this than if I was pitching in the All-Star game,” Langston said. “At least if I’m pitching, I’m in an area where I’m comfortable.”

Langston rehearsed with the band last week when the Angels were in Seattle. He also joined the group for a few sets at a bar last Saturday.

*

The Angels are 2-8 in interleague games. It’s the second-worst record in the major leagues, topped only by the Philadelphia Phillies at 1-8.

“I thought we played OK,” Collins said. “The Dodgers came back to beat us three times and San Diego came back on us once. That tells me that our opponents are pretty darn good.”

TONIGHT’S GAME

ANGELS’ MATT PERISHO (0-2, 5.55 ERA) vs. MARINERS’ JAMIE MOYER (8-2, 4.50)

Anaheim Stadium, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West. Radio--KTZN (710)

* Update--Randy Johnson pitched Friday, so things should get easier for the Angels, right? They do, but not much. Moyer has won his last four decisions, including a 6-3 victory over the Angels on June 26. He is 14-4 since joining the Mariners midway through last season. Perisho seemed a pitch away from being shipped back to the minor leagues, then had back-to-back solid starts, followed by a good relief outing. “He’s throwing strikes now,” Manager Terry Collins said. “When he first got here, I think he wanted to do more than he needed to do. What he has done lately is throw good pitches.”