Langston to Make Rehabilitation Start

Left-handed pitcher Mark Langston, who could be just what the Angels need to bolster their rotation for the stretch run, is scheduled to make the first of three rehabilitation starts Saturday for Class-A Lake Elsinore.

Langston, sidelined by elbow surgery since May 27, also is scheduled to make starts Wednesday and Aug. 4. Barring a setback, he is expected to pitch Aug. 9 for the Angels against the Baltimore Orioles at Anaheim Stadium.

“I know Mark wants to pitch before that, and that’s what makes Mark a great competitor and a great pitcher,” Manager Terry Collins said after a steady rain forced postponement of Thursday’s game against New York at Yankee Stadium. A makeup date was not set.

Langston, 2-3 with a 5.01 earned-run average in eight starts before surgery, plans to throw about 50 pitches in his first start. He hopes to graduate to 100 by the third.

“It will be like spring training for me,” Langston said. “If everything’s healthy, I feel like I can contribute to this club. I definitely want to be out there. The deadline I had to return passed about a month ago.”

Langston’s return appears more important because rookie Jason Dickson’s elbow stiffness flared again this week. Dickson, Thursday’s scheduled starter, will not start again until Saturday--meaning he’ll have a week’s rest between starts.

“This thing scares me a little bit,” Collins said. “The one thing I don’t want to do is blow out Jason Dickson.”

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Reliever Mike James, one of the game’s top set-up men, said his inflamed right elbow is now sound. But he’s wondering why there has been a delay in activating him from the disabled list.

“Being on the DL is frustrating, but sitting around waiting when you know you’re ready is even worse,” James said. “You’d think they’d want me in there. I hope I’m not waiting for them to send somebody out of here just to open a spot for me. If that’s the case, that’s strange.”

The Angels plan to recall Matt Perisho from triple-A Vancouver to start the second game of Monday’s doubleheader against Cleveland. They will then send him and another pitcher, probably Shad Williams, back to the minors after the game to make room for James.

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Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa felt sheepish about throwing his glove in anger in the dugout after Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Yankees.

“Unusual,” Hasegawa said of his outburst. “It was against the Yankees [and countryman Hideki Irabu]. That’s why I was so mad.”

Hasegawa watched a videotape of his performance Thursday and found little fault with it. Even missing Luis Alicea’s wild throw to first base, which allowed Chad Curtis to score the winning run for the Yankees, wasn’t such a big deal one day later.

“It was tough. No chance [to catch the throw],” Hasegawa said. “Pitching was not bad. Form good.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

ON DECK

* Opponent--Boston Red Sox.

* Site--Fenway Park, Boston.

* Today--10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PDT, doubleheader.

* TV--Channel 9 (second game only).

* Radio--KTZN (710).

* Records--Angels 54-45, Red Sox 47-54.

* Record vs. Red Sox--2-2.

TODAY’S GAMES

ANGELS’ CHUCK FINLEY (8-6, 4.78 ERA) AND KEVIN GROSS (2-1, 5.82) vs. RED SOX’S TOM GORDON (5-8, 3.76) AND BRIAN ROSE (major league debut)

* Update--Rain is in the forecast again today, which could mean doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday against the Red Sox before Monday’s scheduled doubleheader against Cleveland. The Angels have lost two in a row after winning 12 of 13. Finley has won five in a row to challenge Jason Dickson as the staff ace. Finley pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and nine hits with eight strikeouts and four walks in his last start. Gross moves from the bullpen to the rotation to make his third start. Right fielder Tim Salmon is batting .500 (eight for 16) with two homers, one double and nine RBIs in the last four games. He had the only extra-base hit in the two games against New York. Center fielder Jim Edmonds stopped a 0-for-19 funk with a single in Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Yankees.

* Saturday, 2 p.m.--Jason Dickson (10-4, 3.25) vs. Steve Avery (4-2, 4.21).

* Sunday, 10 a.m.--Allen Watson (8-6, 4.88) vs. Aaron Sele (10-7, 5.26).