Donnelly Realizes He Must Take It Slow

Not until he went to the Scottsdale Memorial Hospital emergency room on March 18 did Angel reliever Brendan Donnelly realize the severity of his condition. He had three major nosebleeds that day, the third one lasting an hour.

“The doctor said I lost half the blood in my body in about 48 hours,” said Donnelly, who broke his nose when he was struck by a batting-practice fly ball March 9. “I had seven units of blood. The body takes 14.”

Two days later, Donnelly had surgery to cauterize the blood vessels in his nose. The All-Star right-hander spent four days in the hospital and four days resting at home before returning to camp Saturday, with his nose healed and a new-found appreciation for doctors’ orders.

“I would have been fine if I didn’t push myself so hard [after the first surgery to repair his nose] doing cardiovascular work and lifting weights, trying to get back,” said Donnelly, who probably will open the season on the disabled list.

“The doctor said I should rest, but he didn’t realize how aggressive I was. Now I’m going to listen to them. I’m on the doctor’s schedule now.”

Donnelly, who was 2-2 with a 1.58 earned-run average in 63 games last season, was cleared to begin light exercises Saturday and would like to start throwing by the end of this week. He said he’d need only a week from that point to be ready for the season, but the Angels will be cautious.

If he goes on the disabled list, the earliest Donnelly could return would be April 10 at Texas, the fifth game of the season. Donnelly might remain in Arizona to pitch in minor league games after the Angels break camp Thursday.

“There’s a chance I could be ready for opening day or maybe three days into the season,” Donnelly said, adding that Manager Mike Scioscia said sitting out the first few days of the season wouldn’t be a big deal.

“I don’t want to come back four or five days early, do something stupid and have this happen again.”

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Bartolo Colon ended a string of shaky starts by Angel pitchers, giving up two runs and seven hits in five innings of an 11-6 exhibition loss to San Francisco on Saturday.

Colon struck out three and walked two in an 89-pitch performance, mixing some sharp breaking balls and changeups with a crisp fastball. With one more Cactus League start left before an expected opening-day start in Seattle on April 6, the right-hander is pleased with his progress.

“I like the way the ball is coming out of my hand; I like the way all my pitches are working,” Colon said through an interpreter. “I feel good. I’m ready to get the season started.”

Vladimir Guerrero homered, but relievers Scott Dunn (six runs) and Mark O’Sullivan (three runs) combined to give up nine runs in the ninth.