Thames Shows Early Promise at Boise

Closer Charles Thames, a fourth-round pick out of Texas in June, threw 9 1/3 scoreless innings to start his professional career. He had four saves and 10 strikeouts in his first six games with Class-A Boise.

He is 1-1 with a 0.39 earned-run average and has 10 saves in 14 appearances. Thames has struck out 27 and walked five in 23 innings.

Pitcher Heath Timmerman, a third-round draft choice in 1997, has returned after missing all of last season because of reconstructive surgery on his elbow. The 22-year-old Timmerman was assigned to Class-A Cedar Rapids, where he was 7-13 with a 4.30 ERA in 1998.

The Angels are working him back slowly. He has pitched 16 innings in seven games, three of which were starts. Timmerman has a 3.94 ERA.

Relief pitcher Greg Jacobs (Class-A Lake Elsinore) is on the disabled list with a strained left elbow. The arm injury had been the main reason for his struggles, as his ERA had climbed to 6.80. He has 43 walks in 41 innings.