Anderson Set to Undergo More Tests

The search to determine the source of the neck, upper-back and shoulder pain that sent Garret Anderson to the disabled list will continue today when the center fielder will see a specialist who will test Anderson for rheumatoid arthritis, a progressive disease characterized by inflammation and swelling of joint structures.

Two days of extensive diagnostic tests, including a CT scan and an MRI, on Anderson last week came back normal, and doctors ruled out such possibilities as a nerve disorder, damage to the central nervous system, a vascular problem, or structural damage to the spine.

Anderson, who was batting .339 with two home runs and five runs batted in when he went on the DL on April 22, said he doesn’t feel much better this week than he did last week, when he came to the park feeling well one day and poorly the next.

He’s eligible to be activated Friday, “but unless some miracle happens, I won’t go on the trip” to New York and Baltimore next week, Anderson said.

“The peaks and valleys have continued,” Anderson said. “I just know I don’t feel well enough to play.” Anderson said he is going to the doctor today “hoping to rule something out -- hopefully, we’ll stumble across something, but nothing has changed.”

Though treatable with medication, rheumatoid arthritis is typically chronic and can affect many joints, causing pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling.

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Reliever Brendan Donnelly is scheduled to pitch two innings for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga tonight in his second minor league rehabilitation appearance after throwing a scoreless inning Monday. Donnelly, who had been sidelined since March 9 because of complications stemming from a broken nose, is scheduled for another two-inning stint Sunday, after which the Angels will determine whether to activate him for the trip to New York and Baltimore.

“I’m hoping to go, but it’s not my call,” Donnelly said. “I could pitch now. I could get people out.”

After his initial surgery to repair the 20 fractures caused by a batting-practice fly ball, Donnelly suffered serious nosebleeds and lost about half the blood in his body.

A second surgery to cauterize the blood vessels in his nose wasn’t completely successful, so Donnelly underwent another procedure in which his nose was packed with large amounts of gauze and two catheters.

“For five days, it felt like my head was in a vise grip,” Donnelly said. “Fortunately, I had the morphine drip in my hand -- click, click, click.”

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After injuring his left shoulder on Minnesota’s artificial surface Friday, third baseman Troy Glaus said he would need only a day at designated hitter before returning to the field.

But Wednesday marked Glaus’ fourth straight start at DH, and it appears he may spend the rest of the homestand there.

“It’s getting better, but we don’t want to rush it,” Glaus said. “As long as I can still hit, it will be OK.”

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ON DECK

Opponent--Tampa Bay Devil Rays, four games.

Site--Angel Stadium.

TV--Fox Sports Net tonight, Saturday night and Sunday; Channel 9 Friday night.

Radio--ESPN (710), KTNQ (1020).

Records--Angels 18-10, Devil Rays 9-17.

2003 Record vs. Devil Rays--6-3.

Tonight, 7--Aaron Sele (0-0, 3.52) vs. Jeremi Gonzalez (0-3, 5.40).

Friday, 7 p.m.--John Lackey (2-3, 5.52) vs. Mark Hendrickson (1-2, 5.84).

Saturday, 7 p.m.--Bartolo Colon (3-2, 4.38) vs. Paul Abbott (2-3, 5.65).

Sunday, 1 p.m.--Jarrod Washburn (5-1, 5.35) vs. Victor Zambrano (3-2, 4.06).