DiSarcina Won’t Rush Return

Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina passed another signpost on the long road back, taking live batting practice Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time since breaking a bone in his left forearm in February.

DiSarcina, who had been hitting soft toss for over a week, did not report any pain, but he was a little stiff and very tired after Wednesday’s workout, which included two rounds of hitting and his normal ground balls.

The Angels have projected DiSarcina’s return for the All-Star break, but it’s possible he could begin a rehabilitation assignment before then. DiSarcina, however, has no intention of returning until the arm is full strength.

“I’m not going to come back at 80%, because to me you’re talking about a career,” DiSarcina said. “I’m not going to suck it up for the Angels and play at 80% and have it be a detriment to my career.”

Andy Sheets has been a very capable replacement for DiSarcina, entering Wednesday night’s game with a .255 average, three homers and 21 runs batted in. Though he had seven errors, Sheets hadn’t committed one since April 28.

But Sheets’ success “is not really a factor for me,” DiSarcina said. “I wish him nothing but the best, but the last thing I’m going to do is have a sense of urgency. I don’t want to come back, play a game and need three off. I’ve been patient this long. I’m not going to screw it up in a week.”

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The Angel with the odd pitch will be the odd man out--Manager Terry Collins has shuffled his rotation, flip-flopping knuckleballer Steve Sparks and ace Chuck Finley, moving Sparks from Friday to Saturday and Finley from Saturday to Friday so Finley can pitch on his normal four days’ rest.

The rest of the rotation, including struggling Ken Hill, will also make their next starts on four days’ rest, and Sparks will miss his next turn because the Angels are off next Thursday.

“Was he upset? Absolutely,” Collins said of Sparks, who is 1-4 with a 6.04 earned-run average. “The only way to get better is to be out there, and he wants to compete.”

Sparks, who was moved to the bullpen Wednesday night, was not surprised.

“I saw last year how they move guys around to keep Chuck in his spot in the rotation,” he said. “A lot of teams do that. You want to keep your top guy in his routine.”

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Tim Salmon appreciates his teammates’ concern--some fear he may need season-ending surgery on his sprained left wrist--but he remains optimistic he’ll return some time in June. “If doctors thought this injury was so bad I’d need surgery, they would have done it,” he said. “I don’t think they’d put me in a cast to hold off any surgery. You should always be optimistic.” . . . If the Angels decide to make a rotation change, Mike Fyhrie would be the first in line for a promotion. The right-hander had a no-hitter through seven innings in triple-A Edmonton’s 3-1 victory over Vancouver Tuesday, and he’s 6-1 with a 2.59 ERA.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (1-1, 4.91 ERA)

vs.

ORIOLES’ JUAN GUZMAN (1-4, 5.70 ERA)

Edison Field, 7

TV--Fox Sports West.

Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Update--The impetus behind Collins’ rotation shuffle was Hill, who has struggled to find consistency and rhythm with his new windup, in which he doesn’t bring his elbows over his head, and has been hurt the most while pitching out of the stretch. Hill leads the American League with 41 walks and was awful in his last start, giving up seven runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings of a 10-9 loss to Tampa Bay last Friday. “I’m just trying to get stronger with this new delivery,” Hill said. “Pitching [on four days’ rest] should help. It’s better earlier in the year. Later in the year, you can always use those extra days off, but right now, it can get you into a routine.”

* Tickets--(888) 796-4256