Dodgers Appear in Gear

There was no doubt as to who was ready for the season Friday night.

Dodger pitcher Ismael Valdes continued his torrid spring, going five solid innings in an 8-1 victory over the Angels in front of 28,405 at Edison Field. Dodger first baseman Eric Karros belted a three-run homer in the first inning for a quick lead.

The Angels’ Mo Vaughn also homered, fulfilling a promise.

There was some question, though, about one player who might not be ready: Angel outfielder Jim Edmonds.

Edmonds sat out Friday’s game because of a strained groin. He also underwent an MRI on his lower back, as a precautionary measure according to Dr. Lewis Yocum. Still, it was enough to make Manager Terry Collins fret.

“I can’t worry about it,” Collins said. “All I’m doing is eating myself up. I tell you right now, we’re not going to play him until he’s ready.”

It’s doubtful Edmonds would have made a difference Friday.

Valdes gave up Vaughn’s home run in the first and Tim Salmon followed with a single. Valdes didn’t give up another hit and retired the last 13 batters he faces.

Even after Valdes left, there was little clutch hitting from the Angel clutch hitters. Salmon hit into an inning-ending double play with two on in the sixth. Garret Anderson struck out with the bases loaded in the eighth.

“Valdes had a great spring,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “He’s been as good as anybody I got.”

Valdes has given up four earned runs in 24 2/3 innings this spring.

Ken Hill was not quite as sharp. He struck out the side in the first, wrapped around three singles and Karros’ home run, his fourth this spring. Hill was fine over his last three innings, but the damage was done.

What damage there may be to Edmonds remains unknown.

He has not played since Monday because of a strained groin, an injury, he said, that occurred during batting practice earlier in spring training.

“I’m trying to rest it so I can play on opening day,” Edmonds said. “I’m trying to prepare myself for Tuesday.”

That involved a trip to UC Irvine Medical Center Friday. He had an MRI on his back. He also had an MRI on his hips last week.

Yocum said the preliminary results didn’t show any damage. He will review the full results today.

“It was more precautionary,” Yocum said. “He has had problems with that lower area and we just wanted to see if everything is all right. His back has been aching and we didn’t want to take a chance. On May 1, if it is still bothering him, we didn’t want to be asked why we didn’t do [an MRI] earlier.

“It showed the normal wear and tear for a guy who dives for baseballs and runs into walls.”

Such rambunctious play has landed Edmonds on the disabled list three times in the past. He was on the disabled list twice in 1996 with a sprained right thumb and later with a groin injury. He was on the disabled list once in 1997 because of a strained lower ribcage. He played despite several bumps and bruises last season.

“This is why we were reluctant to trade an outfielder this spring because these things happen,” Collins said.

Doesn’t Collins know it.

Shortstop Gary DiSarcina is out until the all-star break because of a broken bone in his left forearm. Pitcher Jason Dickson is out for the season after shoulder surgery.

It’s the type of epidemic that has hit the Angels later in the last two seasons.

“If there is a team that has developed calluses about these things, it’s this one,” second baseman Randy Velarde said. “I’ve been here four years and we’ve been hit with the injury bug every year. If there is good news about this, it’s that these have all happened early in the season.”

The only other silver lining Friday was Vaughn, who homered in his first at-bat as an Angel at Edison Field.

Vaughn had not homered during spring training in Arizona, but had promised one before the regular season began. He delivered in the first, bombing Valdes’ 2-1 pitch well beyond the center-field fence.

DODGERS

TODAY: Yankees at Dodgers, 7 p.m., Channel 5

OPENER: Arizona at Dodgers, 1 p.m., Monday, Channel 5

ANGELS

TODAY: Aguascaliente at Angels, 7 p.m.

OPENER: Cleveland at Angels, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Channel 9