Club Looking for a Link Among Pitchers’ Injuries

The Angels are searching for a common thread in their young pitchers’ mounting injuries, a trend that also has them considering preventive measures in their minor leagues.

Rookie right-hander Matt Wise has developed a sore elbow and will not make tonight’s scheduled start against Baltimore. He joins Jarrod Washburn (shoulder), Jason Dickson (shoulder), Ramon Ortiz (shoulder), Scott Schoeneweis (ribs) and Seth Etherton (shoulder) among the injured this season. Dickson, who had shoulder surgery, and Etherton will not pitch again, and it appears Washburn won’t either.

Of them, only Dickson is as old as 27.

Although club officials said they expected Wise, 24, to miss only one start, they won’t know for sure until X-rays are taken Monday. The tender elbow probably was a factor in Wise’s previous two starts, in which he gave up 13 runs in 6 2/3 innings while lacking command and arm speed.

Wise hesitated to make the connection, but acknowledged: “It wasn’t as fresh as it needed to be. I was hurting the team pitching that way.”

Al Levine will leave his middle relief role to make the start.

Meanwhile, Manager Mike Scioscia said he was frustrated by the loss of so many pitchers while the club strains to stay in the pennant race.

“Some of it is explainable,” Scioscia said. “But we’re very concerned about that pattern. I know it’s something [General Manager] Bill Stoneman will address with [team physician Lewis Yocum] and [trainer] Ned Bergert in the off-season, to see if there is anything to it.”

Although Scioscia does not believe the breakdown was in the player development system, Stoneman is an advocate of arm-saving drop-and-drive mechanics, which have not been a hallmark of Angel pitchers. Scioscia said the club will examine the numbers of pitches and innings it asks minor-league pitchers to throw but added: “We don’t want to develop five-inning starters.”

“We’ll look at it all,” the manager said. “I’d be surprised if it all points to one thing. What we’re probably going to find are things that are individualized to the player. I know the bottom line, though, is that the health of the pitchers is essential to a championship organization.”

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Closer Troy Percival finished his 40th game Friday night, a milestone that guaranteed next year’s salary--the option year of his multiyear contract--at $3.4 million. He will be eligible for free agency after the 2001 season.

The Angels’ all-time saves leader with 166, Percival had shoulder surgery in October and recently came off the disabled list after having elbow tendinitis. Both have contributed to an uneven season for Percival, who has nine blown saves and a career-high 4.70 earned-run average.

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In the hope of stealing a few more innings out of veteran legs, Scioscia used Tim Salmon as a designated hitter, a decision, Salmon said, “I won’t argue with.”

Garret Anderson played right field for the fourth time this season, Darin Erstad played center and Orlando Palmeiro started in left.

TODAY

ANGELS’ AL LEVINE

(3-4, 3.54 ERA)

vs.

ORIOLES’ MIKE MUSSINA

(9-13, 3.91 ERA)

Edison Field, 5

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

* Update--This has been an oddly mercurial year for Mussina, who is eligible for free agency after the season. He has a respectable 3.91 ERA but has given up 27 home runs. He has won two consecutive decisions but lost six of seven before that. He has a 2.71 ERA in hitter-friendly Camden Yards and a 5.56 ERA on the road. He has 180 strikeouts and only 42 walks. In two starts against the Angels he has given up eight runs in 11 innings. In 47 appearances, Levine has made only one start, in which he gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings to Kansas City on May 20. He pitched three innings last Sunday in Chicago, making him the most logical candidate to replace the injured Matt Wise.

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.