Glaus Not Ready to Give Up

The season is over for the Angels and appears to be over for Troy Glaus, though team officials and even Glaus himself continued to be noncommittal Wednesday about what the immediate future holds for the injured third baseman.

Glaus said he would resume rehabilitation of his right shoulder as soon as possible in the hope that he could return before the end of September instead of electing to undergo season-ending surgery that would virtually guarantee full recovery by the start of spring training next year.

“That’s where we’re headed right now,” Glaus said before the Angels defeated the Chicago White Sox, 2-1, on Tim Salmon’s run-scoring double in the eighth inning before 37,563 at Edison Field. “I’m going to do everything I can to come back.”

There doesn’t appear to be much incentive for Glaus to return this season with the Angels out of playoff contention. But General Manager Bill Stoneman said he would allow the team’s medical personnel to decide whether the third baseman could return instead of insisting on surgery with $9.55 million invested in Glaus for next season.

“There’s still some time left in this season, quite a bit,” Stoneman said. “Let’s wait and see what the doctors really say and see how this progresses.

“The real question has to do with health. Can he do it without hurting himself any further? Or is it wiser just to hold him back? Right now we’re holding him back and determining the course as time goes on.”

Glaus, who suffers from a partial tear in his right rotator cuff and fraying of the labrum, is unable to participate in any baseball activities, and there is no timetable for when he might be able to resume throwing or running.

He had delayed his rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga last week after reporting recurring soreness in his shoulder, which he initially injured July 21 while landing awkwardly on the artificial surface at Tropicana Field. An MRI exam on Tuesday revealed the full extent of the injury.

Aaron Sele suffered a similar injury last season and returned after several months of rehabilitation to rejoin the pennant race. But the starting pitcher was so ineffective that he eventually required surgery anyway and missed more than a month at the start of this season.

“Surgery would be considered [in the case of Glaus] if there’s no progress,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “But I don’t think anyone is going to rush to do anything that might not be necessary. You’re going to wait and see how things develop. If rehab isn’t working, you’re definitely going to look in a different direction.”

The Angels got along fine without Glaus on Wednesday, getting timely hitting and 6 2/3 quality innings from starter Jarrod Washburn, who won a second consecutive decision for the first time since early June.

Washburn gave up four hits and one run and did not give up a home run for a fourth consecutive game, afterward attributing his improved ability to keep the ball in the park to mechanical and attitude adjustments.

“Any time you hold a lineup like that to one run it’s a good outing,” said Washburn, who has limited opponents to seven hits and two runs over his last 14 2/3 innings. “It’s nice to be getting back to the way I should be.”

The Angels broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth after Alfredo Amezaga led off with a bunt single down the third-base line and went to third on Garret Anderson’s single to right. Salmon followed with an RBI double to right-center. Anderson attempted to score on Bengie Molina’s grounder to first baseman Paul Konerko only to become the third Angel of the game thrown out at the plate.

Francisco Rodriguez (6-2) picked up the victory with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit relief and Troy Percival recorded his 24th save and first since July 28 by pitching a scoreless ninth.