Velarde and Greene Make Progress

Second baseman Randy Velarde threw and catcher Todd Greene hit Monday, but Angel Manager Terry Collins managed to contain himself.

“It’s nice to see, but I’ll withhold my excitement,” Collins said.

Both players are coming back from injuries, Velarde from reconstructive surgery on his elbow and Greene from shoulder surgery.

Velarde began throwing Saturday, took Sunday off, and threw for about five minutes from 60 feet Monday. He then took ground balls at second base. Velarde also hit after taking Sunday off.

“They wanted to give me a day to see how my elbow felt,” Velarde said. “I didn’t need it because it felt good.”

Collins said that Velarde’s situation will be evaluated after the Angels return from their first road trip. At that time, he will likely be sent to Arizona for an extended spring.

“We’ll be cautious until we get back from the trip,” Collin said. “We’ll see then if he is ready to be sent to Arizona.”

Collins also saw Greene launch a few balls over the fence during batting practice Monday. Greene threw as well, from 90 feet.

“His hitting is not the issue,” Collins said. “We could use him right now, but we don’t have a spot for him. We already have a designated hitter. Todd isn’t going to help us playing once a week.”

*

Reliever Mike James appears to have a difficult spring behind him. His pitches were flat and fat in Arizona, where he had an abysmal 9.82 earned-run average. James has had three solid outings, stranding the only two runners he has inherited, since the season began.

“I had the same thing happen in 1996,” James said. “Marcel Lachemann and I were trying to figure it out what was wrong. Then I went out and had the best season of my career.”

James had a 2.67 ERA in 69 games as Troy Percival’s set-up man in 1996.

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Pep Harris, on the disabled list because of biceps tendinitis, pitched for the Angels triple-A team in Arizona Saturday, going two innings, but left because of a “tired” arm, according to Collins.

ON DECK

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (1-0, 0.00)

vs.

BOSTON’S TIM WAKEFIELD (0-0, 8.31)

Edison Field, 7 p.m. PDT

TV--Fox Sports West. Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090)

* Update--The Red Sox go from espresso to decaf tonight, as the Angels must adjust to hitting Wakefield’s knuckleball after seeing Pedro Martinez’s 96-mph fastball Monday. Wakefield has a 3.38 earned-run average against the Angels lifetime. The Angels were outscored, 23-6, by the Cleveland Indians over the weekend, but Collins was unconcerned. “If we play defense like we have and get the pitching we expect, we’ll be in games,” Collins said. “You’ve got to be patient. It’s an easy thing to say and a hard thing to watch. You don’t panic early in the season.”