Coach Maddon Returns Home for Medical Tests

Angel bench coach Joe Maddon, suffering symptoms similar to the ones that sent him to a St. Petersburg, Fla., hospital in April, returned to Orange County Wednesday for a series of medical tests.

The 46-year-old Maddon, who has served two stints as the team’s interim manager the past four seasons, told Manager Mike Scioscia in Toronto that he was feeling weak and lightheaded, and experiencing shortness of breath and a tingling sensation in his arms.

“I talked to him [Thursday] and he still feels about the same,” Scioscia said. “Naturally, we’re very concerned, so he flew back to California to get checked.”

Maddon, who has been a fixture on the Angel bench and in the clubhouse for seven years, has also been bothered by bone spurs in his neck. Tests earlier this season revealed no abnormalities in Maddon’s heart.

“He’s definitely someone you miss around here,” outfielder Darin Erstad said. “He’s real good at picking things up on the field, and every day he’s upbeat, in a good mood. You get so used to seeing the same people every day that once he’s gone it’s like, ‘Holy cow.’ ”

*

Scioscia denied Thursday’s report in The Times that he was fired by Dodger General Manager Kevin Malone last September after spending one season as the organization’s manager at triple-A Albuquerque.

“That’s not true, I was not fired,” Scioscia said. “And I absolutely did not ask for a spot on the major league staff.”

Malone said Scioscia “wanted to be at the major league level, and we didn’t have room, so we agreed it was better for both parties if he seek other opportunities.”

Though Scioscia and the Dodgers did not appear to part on the most amicable of terms, Scioscia said he is not bitter toward anyone in the organization he served for 23 years as a catcher, coach and minor league manager.

“I worked for 20 years with a lot of the guys there,” Scioscia said. “And Kevin Malone gave me a chance to manage.”

*

Right-hander Seth Etherton (tired arm) and left-hander Jarrod Washburn (stress fracture in shoulder blade) played catch Thursday, the second time they’ve thrown since suffering injuries. Etherton appears to be at least a week away from returning, and Washburn will likely be out for several weeks.

Closer Troy Percival, out since Aug. 5 because of an inflammation of the ulnar nerve in his elbow, also threw Thursday with virtually no pain, fueling optimism he might be able to return in another week or so.

Reliever Al Levine gave up two runs--one earned--on three hits in two innings of a rehabilitation appearance for double-A Erie Thursday and is expected to be activated Saturday.

*

Chris Bootcheck, a first-round pick of the Angels in the June draft, said Thursday there has been “no progress at all” in negotiations between his advisor, Scott Boras, and the Angels. Classes for Bootcheck’s senior year at Auburn begin Tuesday, and if the Angels don’t sign the 6-foot-5 right-hander by then, they will lose their rights to him.

*

The Angels were considering reliever Derrick Turnbow as a starter for Saturday’s game, but the right-hander may not be an option after pitching two innings Thursday night. Bryan Cooper will likely be recalled from triple-A Edmonton to pitch Saturday against the Yankees.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

RAMON ORTIZ

(4-3, 4.83 ERA)

vs.

YANKEES’

ROGER CLEMENS

(10-6, 3.62 ERA)

Yankee Stadium, 4 PDT

TV--Channel 9. Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Update--This is a rematch of Sunday night’s game in Anaheim, when Clemens, who recently signed a two-year, $30.9-million contract extension, gave up only one run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-1 Yankee victory. The five-time Cy Young Award winner has a 26-8 record and 2.41 ERA in 40 starts against the Angels. With his 20th home run Wednesday, Erstad became the sixth Angel in club history to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases in the same season. With 16 more hits, Erstad will break Alex Johnson’s franchise record of 202 hits in a season, set in 1970.