Bottenfield Not Worried

The Angels have yet to enter into negotiations with pitcher Kent Bottenfield on a contract extension, though Bottenfield can become a free agent when the season is over.

“I like the team,” he said. “I like the coaching staff. But, I haven’t given it a thought. As far as I know, I’ll be making those decisions in October.”

Bottenfield, who came from St. Louis with Adam Kennedy in the Jim Edmonds trade, will earn $4 million this season.

*

It has been eight years since Mike Scioscia last saw Pedro Martinez pitch in person. In 1992, Scioscia was about to enter his final season with the Dodgers and Martinez was several months from his big-league debut.

Scioscia caught Martinez in spring training.

He remembered, “a kid with phenomenal talent that was coming quickly.”

Martinez will pitch today against the Angels, against whom he is 4-0 with a 2.05 earned-run average.

“This guy was throwing 94 mph with a changeup that stopped and a nasty hook,” Scioscia said. “This guy stood out.”

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Red Sox third baseman John Valentin missed his third consecutive game with because of a sore left kneecap.

TODAY

KENT

BOTTENFIELD

(0-0, 3.18)

vs.

PEDRO

MARTINEZ

(1-0, 0.00)

Edison Field, 1 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net. Radio--KLAC (570),

XPRS (1090)

* Update: In the same dominating fashion that made him the American League’s Cy Young Award winner last season, Martinez shut out the Seattle Mariners over seven innings in the Red Sox opener. He gave up two hits and had 11 strikeouts. Bottenfield gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Yankees, a so-so outing he didn’t like for too many walks (four) and too many pitches (11).

* Tickets: 714-634-2000.