New Pitchers Get to Work

The Angels’ need on draft day was clear. Their first seven picks were pitchers, big pitchers. All are at least 6 feet 3 and weigh at least 190 pounds.

So far, the Angels have signed five of them.

John Lackey (second round) is 1-1 with a 6.10 earned-run average in 20 2/3 innings at Class-A Boise. (All statistics through Sunday).

Stan Bukowski (fourth round) is 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA in seven innings at Class-A Butte.

Vince Lacorte (fifth round) is 0-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 11 1/3 innings at Boise.

Dustin Bergman (sixth round) is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 28 1/3 innings at Boise.

Aaron Franke (eighth round) is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA in 25 innings at Butte.

Lacorte is a second-generation pitcher with the Angels. His father, Frank Lacorte, was signed as free agent by the Angels in 1984. He received a three-year, $1.1-million deal. Lacorte went 1-2 with a 7.06 ERA before tearing his rotator cuff. He never pitched in the major leagues again.

“I taught Vince all my mistakes, so he should be all right,” Frank Lacorte said.

Paul Wilson, the Angels’ third-round pick, and Alan Wawrzyniak, their seventh-round pick, remain unsigned.

Edmonton (41-50): It took only 6 2/3 innings for pitcher Ramon Ortiz to strike out a team record 13 batters Thursday in a 4-0 victory over Tacoma. Only eight batters put the ball in play. Ortiz gave up one hit and walked two. Relievers Juan Alvarez, Geoff Edsell and Mike Holtz finished up, striking out five more batters for a team-record 18.

Erie (53-42): Brian Cooper was the starting pitcher Wednesday for the American League team in the double-A all-star game. He pitched one scoreless inning, giving up two hits and striking out one.

Lake Elsinore (43-52): Pitcher Steve Green has been selected to play for the Canadian team in the 1999 Pan American Games. Green, who lives in Longueul, Quebec, was the Angels’ 10th-round pick in the 1997 draft.