Colon’s a Little Nervous When Facing White Sox

Bartolo Colon said he’d told several of his Chicago White Sox teammates last fall that he would like to return to U.S. Cellular Field for 2004, “but nothing worked out the way it was supposed to.”

The new Angel ace, who rejected a three-year, $36-million offer to stay with the White Sox, declined to comment Tuesday when asked whether he was disappointed that he couldn’t work things out with his former team. Colon said he never voiced his preference to remain in Chicago with anyone in White Sox management.

“I’m happy as long as I’m in the big leagues,” Colon said through teammate Jose Guillen, who was acting as his interpreter, when asked whether he was pleased to be with the Angels.

Colon acknowledged feeling jittery Tuesday when he faced the White Sox for the first time since signing a four-year, $51-million contract in December with the Angels. The right-hander labored for the second time in three spring outings, needing 71 pitches to complete 3 1/3 innings during the Angels’ 9-7 victory at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

“It’s always been like that in spring training,” said Colon, whose earned-run average increased to 5.87 after giving up six hits and three runs. “The first few innings, I throw too many pitches. Once the season starts, it’s going to be all right.”

Said Manager Mike Scioscia: “They fouled some pitches off and his command got a little fuzzy as his outing went on and his pitch count got high. But it was a good workout for him and good to see the ball come out of his hand like that.”

Chone Figgins had a two-run double in the sixth inning, putting the Angels (8-7) ahead for good, and Darin Erstad and Adam Riggs had two hits apiece.

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In perhaps the most encouraging sign yet that his return might be imminent, Garret Anderson has resumed hitting off a tee and could make his spring debut by the end of the week.

Scioscia has maintained that the Angels would err on the side of caution when determining when Anderson, suffering from biceps tendinitis, would join the lineup.

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Guillen sat out a third consecutive game because of a strained right chest muscle and remains day to day.

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The Angels reassigned pitchers Chris Bootcheck and Jason Middlebrook to their minor league camp. Middlebrook, acquired in February as a free agent, pitched one scoreless inning Tuesday in his first exhibition outing.