Wise Could Give Relief to Team

The Angels have groomed Matt Wise as a starting pitcher, but he could find a home in the bullpen. Wise joined the team Tuesday, replacing injured reliever Donne Wall.

While Wise still serves as an insurance policy should a starter get hurt, he also could carve a niche for himself as a middle reliever.

“There comes a time when a guy needs the litmus test of pitching in the big leagues. I think Matt is at that point,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Hopefully, he’ll pitch well enough to stay.”

Wise, 26, in his sixth pro season, had a 1.13 earned-run average in three starts at triple-A Salt Lake, striking out 25 and walking four in 16 innings.

He also lost 10 pounds after a bout with food poisoning that left him sick for five days last week.

“I was skinny before,” he said. “Now I’m withering away.”

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Leadoff hitter David Eckstein said his phone has been “ringing off the hook” since Sunday, with family, friends and long-lost acquaintances congratulating him on his grand slams Saturday and Sunday. Eckstein, who never had hit a grand slam in the major or minor leagues, became the first player in major league history to hit his first two slams in consecutive games.

Sunday’s slam ended a 14-inning game, his first-ever walkoff homer.

Eckstein insists he will not be seduced by the long ball. He took extra batting practice Tuesday, frustrated by hitting too many fly balls for a little guy.

“I can’t keep doing that,” he said. “All those balls are going to be caught if I’m not perfectly timing everything.”

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The Angels remain in search of a right-handed hitter, but General Manager Bill Stoneman said no player acquisitions are imminent on that front, or any other.

The Angels are interested in Wil Cordero, assuming he clears waivers Thursday and is available at the minimum wage.

They would insist that Cordero, released by the Cleveland Indians after 18 at-bats, accept a minor league assignment to get his bat into shape. It also is uncertain whether Disney would approve Cordero, who pleaded guilty on four counts of felony spousal abuse in 1997.

The Texas Rangers have made outfielder Gabe Kapler available in trade, and his .320 average against left-handers this season makes him interesting to the Angels. His salaries of $1.85 million this year and $3.25 million next year make him less interesting.

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For the first time in major league history, four managers were fired in April. While the Angels are off to a poor start, Scioscia’s job is not in immediate danger.

The Angels (11-14) signed him to a three-year contract extension last summer and their attendance is up slightly; the four clubs that fired managers have losing records and dramatically declining attendance.

Still, in the wake of Monday’s firing of Tony Muser by the Kansas City Royals, an ESPN online poll Tuesday asked readers to predict the next manager to be fired, with choices of Scioscia, Don Baylor of the Chicago Cubs, Larry Bowa of the Philadelphia Phillies and Buck Martinez of the Toronto Blue Jays.

“The bottom line in this position is winning,” Scioscia said before the Angels extended their win streak to five games. “We all know that. We accept that responsibility. It’s not an issue here, because it has absolutely no impact on what our staff will do.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

JARROD

WASHBURN

(2-2, 5.14 ERA)

vs.

INDIANS’

RYAN DRESE

(2-2, 8.10 ERA)

Jacobs Field, Cleveland, 4 p.m.

TV--ESPN.

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

Update--Washburn has won his last two starts, in which the Angels scored nine runs in one game and 10 in the other.